With its bountiful assortments of everything from tomatoes and milk to cigarettes and dog food, the little grocery store or "tiendita" is as ubiquitous and cherished as the bakeries, small liquor stores, and tacos stands that dot nearly every neighborhood in Mexico's cities. But over the last 20 years, tienditas have faced significant competition from convenience chains … [Read more...] about The “Tiendita” and the Survival of Microenterprises Amid Competition from Large Firms
Disabilities, the Pandemic, and the Pursuit of Tertiary Education
Over the last two decades, Chile has made efforts to boost educational inclusion in schools among young people with disabilities, extending opportunities to this vulnerable group which tends to have lower labor force participation, employment and wages in part because of a significant educational gap. Today, around two-thirds of students with disabilities attend mainstream … [Read more...] about Disabilities, the Pandemic, and the Pursuit of Tertiary Education
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
Health 2.0: Digitalization and the Fight Against Non-Communicable Disease
Greater incidences of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health disorders; rising costs for treating those and other non-communicable diseases; and a tight fiscal environment after a punishing COVID-19 pandemic. Latin America and the Caribbean face these difficult health challenges in the coming decades. With an aging population and limited resources, the region … [Read more...] about Health 2.0: Digitalization and the Fight Against Non-Communicable Disease
Fiscal Fatigue in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Growing Threat
During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean spent generously to support families, firms and banks, helping to ease the economic pain but also pushing public debt well above historic levels. Those levels of debt, which stood at 72% of GDP across the region in 2020, create substantial strain on countries in the region. Some see their currency … [Read more...] about Fiscal Fatigue in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Growing Threat