Trade liberalization and market deregulation have triggered far-reaching changes in the pattern of production specialization and in the inroads that countries in the region have made in world trade. Access to factors markets by the various types of firms—transnational companies, local large conglomerates and local small and medium-sized enterprises—is best described as disparate: Structural factors and various shortcomings in the markets also have an impact on corporate performance. The purpose of this seminar is to discuss the role of meso and microeconomic policies as instruments to support competitiveness in this context. Areas to be explored are the regulatory framework, legislation on competition, the development of production, local development, development of skilled human resources, and strategies for technology deepening and computerization.
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8:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
Welcome
José Antonio Ocampo, Executive Secretary, ECLAC
Enrique V. Iglesias, President, Inter-American Development Bank
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8:45 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
Competitiveness and Business Strategies
Issues: Trade liberalization and deregulation of domestic production have caused significant changes in the patterns of productive specialization and international integration of Latin American countries. This session will use trade statistics to describe the current pattern of specialization in Latin American countries. One often-overlooked feature in research on globalization is the extremely heterogeneous behavior of transnational businesses, large domestic conglomerates, and small and medium national enterprises. Special attention will be given to this issue.
Presentation:
Michael Mortimore and Wilson Peres, Production Development and Enterprise Division, ECLAC
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9:45 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Open Debate
Moderator:
Luciano Coutinho, Professor, Economic Institute of the University of Campinhas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo
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10:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break
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11:00 a.m.– 11:45 a.m.
Mesoeconomic and Microeconomic Determinants of Productivity and International Competitiveness
Issues: The discussion will focus on the role mesoeconomic and microeconomic factors have played in the increase in worker productivity, and how these factors have changed with the structural reforms of the 1990s.
Presentation:
Jorge Katz, Chief, Production Development and Enterprise Division, ECLAC
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11:45 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.
Open Debate
Moderator:
Fabio Erber, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Lunch Break
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2:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Panel: Microeconomic and Mesoeconomic Policies for Competitiveness
Issues: Panelists will discuss recent national experiences and options for the future in the following areas: production and technological development; information and knowledge; and regulation, competition and "national cost."
Moderator:
Alvaro Diaz, Chile
Panelists:
Pablo Gerchunoff, Subsecretary of Finance, Argentina
G. Lugones, Argentina
José Cassiolato, Brazil
Luciano Coutinho, Brazil
Alejandra Herrera, Brazil
Rudolf Buitelaar, ECLAC
Enrique Egloff, Costa Rica
Enrique Dussell, Mexico
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5:00 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
Final Synthesis: Jorge Katz, Production Development and Enterprise Division, ECLAC
Competitiveness: Is a sound macro enough or should something be done at the meso and microeconomic level?
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