A recent IDB report found that while trade liberalization resulted in increased firm and labor productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean over the last 30 years, boosting economic growth, it did not create as many new jobs or reduce inequality as expected. Liberalization in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in moderate negative impacts on labor markets. For example, a 2004 … [Read more...] about How Trade and Training Can Boost Employment in Latin America
Capacity Building
Five Reasons Why Trade Agreements in Latin America and the Caribbean Matter
Trade agreements cover 70% of all trade in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Of the 270 free trade agreements (FTAs) currently in effect around the world, more than 70 include LAC countries. Let’s look at five reasons why trade agreements matter to LAC. 1) Trade has enormous potential for economic development and poverty reduction. Latin America is a recent example of … [Read more...] about Five Reasons Why Trade Agreements in Latin America and the Caribbean Matter
How a Brazilian company conquered an international value chain
Daterra is a Brazilian coffee producer with a business model that includes a large-scale production with socio-environmental responsibility. Daterra took advantage of the arrival in Brazil of Illy caffè, an international reference in terms of quality, to partner in research, improve the quality of its grain and enter the international production chain of the Italian company. It … [Read more...] about How a Brazilian company conquered an international value chain
7 lessons learned on business process reengineering and improvement
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
Welcome to Beyond Borders, a new blog about Integration and Trade
Welcome to Beyond Borders, a new blog created by the Integration and Trade Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Beyond Borders is a space where policymakers, business leaders, students, thought leaders, and anyone interested in the issues of integration and trade can come together and engage with the IDB’s specialists and experts from around the world. When I … [Read more...] about Welcome to Beyond Borders, a new blog about Integration and Trade