When electricity was first popularized at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a huge wave of factories that replaced their steam engines with electrical engines in an effort to increase productivity and modernize operations. However, the initial productivity gains from the electrification were barely noticeable - a phenomenon known in the economics literature as the … [Read more...] about 7 lessons learned on business process reengineering and improvement
Exports from Latin America: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?
The latest Latin America and the Caribbean Trade Trend Estimates indicate that the value of exports from the region fell by 9% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2016. The noteworthy feature is that the rate of contraction slowed vis-à-vis 2015, when the cumulative drop totaled 15%. A comparison with the trade collapse of 2009 reveals that the current contraction, which began … [Read more...] about Exports from Latin America: Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?
Integration and Innovation: the Creative Economy Boom
A Mexican spends his days in his tiny room in Tijuana trying to control the flight path of a helicopter by hacking it using an Arduino board that he bought for less than US$20. In Buenos Aires, a teenager discovers he can manufacture prosthetic hands at a very low cost with the help of a 3D printer. In Peru, a woman who has not yet turned 30 dreams of helping unemployed women … [Read more...] about Integration and Innovation: the Creative Economy Boom
Women’s leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean
Do companies with women leaders on their executive committees produce better financial results? It appears they do. [gdlr_notification icon="icon-flag" type="color-background" background="#009cbb" color="#ffffff"]The IDB, with the support of Google, invites you to the launch of ConnectAmericas for Women. Connect via hangout and participate in the online discussion with Adriana … [Read more...] about Women’s leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean
Why Are We Celebrating the Entry into Force of the Additional Trade Protocol to the Pacific Alliance?
Ever since the presidents of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru signed the Framework Agreement for the Pacific Alliance in June 2012 at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, the four countries have been hard at work to create an area of deep integration in Latin America that will increase trade openness, boost competitiveness, and foster growth. May 1, 2016, marked the coming … [Read more...] about Why Are We Celebrating the Entry into Force of the Additional Trade Protocol to the Pacific Alliance?