In a small neighborhood on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, a new grocery quietly opens its doors. Within weeks, prices at nearby shops fall and customers report better service. Far away, in Mexico City’s sprawling suburbs, the arrival of retail chain stores tells a similar story. As convenience-store chains spread from 2,000 to more than 23,000 outlets over two decades, they … [Read more...] about Corner Shops and the Cost of Market Power: Lessons from Latin America
Vanessa Alviarez
Vanessa Alviarez is a Research Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank and an Assistant Professor in the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. She received her B.A. in Economics from the University Central of Venezuela (Summa Cum Laude), and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan. During her studies, she was a Dissertation Intern at the Division of International Finance, Federal Reserve Board of Governors. She also has worked as a consultant at the Office of Evaluation and Oversight at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), and the Research Department at CAF - Development Bank of Latin America. Her research focuses on international economics, looking at how multinational's location and sourcing decisions affect employment, trade patterns, and firm's performance.
When Market Power Meets the Rainforest
In the depths of the Amazon, market power takes unexpected forms. Far from the corporate boardrooms of São Paulo or New York, economic concentration can determine whether small producers thrive, whether forests stand, and whether communities escape poverty. Two recent studies on the Amazon—one on fishing communities, the other on the cattle industry—show how unequal … [Read more...] about When Market Power Meets the Rainforest
How Barriers to Trade Shape Knowledge Transfer Across Borders
Despite comprising less than 1% of all firms worldwide, multinational firms, companies that operate across multiple countries, drive roughly half of all international trade, contribute one-third of global output and GDP, and provide a quarter of global employment. Their role is particularly crucial in regions like Latin America and the Caribbean, where they have … [Read more...] about How Barriers to Trade Shape Knowledge Transfer Across Borders
What the Shifting Landscape in Global Value Chains Means for Latin America and the Caribbean
In recent years, the global landscape of trade and investment has undergone significant transformations. As economies worldwide grapple with crises and geopolitical tensions, companies and governments are rethinking their strategies regarding production and supply chains. For Latin America and the Caribbean, this could mark a potential turning point if it were to take advantage … [Read more...] about What the Shifting Landscape in Global Value Chains Means for Latin America and the Caribbean
Understanding Income Disparities: The Role of Firm-Embedded Productivity
Productivity has long been recognized as a key determinant of global income disparities between countries. Recent studies suggest that around half of the differences in income per capita can be attributed to productivity variations. However, the question arises: what factors contribute to aggregate productivity? One prevailing view suggests that aggregate productivity is … [Read more...] about Understanding Income Disparities: The Role of Firm-Embedded Productivity