Friday, 19 September 2014

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Global Competitiveness
Introduction
 

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 144 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The report remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide, providing a platform for dialogue between government, business and civil society about the actions required to improve economic prosperity. Competitiveness is defined as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The level of productivity, in turn, sets the level of prosperity that can be earned by an economy. 
The different aspects of competitiveness are captured in 12 pillars, which compose the Global Competitiveness Index. This 35th edition emphasizes innovation and skills as the key drivers of economic growth. While these increasingly influence competitiveness and the global economy tentatively recovers from the economic crisis, significant risks remain, resulting from a strained geopolitical situation, rising income inequality and the potential tightening of financial conditions. It is therefore crucial to address these structural challenges to ensure more sustainable and inclusive growth. More than ever, cooperative leadership among business, government and civil society is needed to re-establish sustainable growth and raise living standards throughout the world.
Browse the report readerJoin the conversation: Forumblog | Facebook I Twitter 
Infographics
Global Top 10
Europe Top 10
Asia-Pacific Top 10
Higher Education & Training Top 10
Infrastructure Top 10
Innovation Top 10
Latin America Top 10
Middle East and North Africa Top 10
Sub-Saharan Africa Top 10
USA - China
BRICS

Why domestic violence costs more than war

What is the biggest source of violence in our world? With the brutal conflicts in Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere constantly in the news, many people would probably say war. But that turns out to be spectacularly wrong.
Getting it right matters if we are to find cost-effective solutions to this and other global problems. Obviously, everyone would like to stop wars and violence, just as we would like to end poverty, hunger and global warming, while providing education to all. But, given...
Post date: September 19, 2014

Why the global economy is stronger than you think

As the latest G20 meeting of finance ministers starts in Cairns, Australia, the Legion of Gloom is at it again. Their conventional wisdom is that “the system” – global governance structures ranging from the World Trade Organization and the G20 to the major central banks – is badly broken and in desperate need of repair. In fact, the global economic order has worked remarkably well since 2008.
True, the first year of the Great Recession was more severe than the first year of the Great...
Post date: September 19, 2014

When will the US raise interest rates?

After more than five years of exceptionally low interest rates, the United States Federal Reserve is getting closer to the point of managing a lift-off of policy interest rates from close to zero. As of today, lift-off is expected to take place by around mid-2015.
But this is not set in stone. The Fed has repeatedly emphasized that the timing will depend on the state of the US economy. If things look better, policy rates may increase earlier. Conversely, weaker than expected data may mean that interest rates move up later.
In our view, based on our most recent economic...
Post date: September 18, 2014

Is shadow banking good for the economy?

Shadow banking, what is it good for? At the epicentre of the global financial crisis, shadow banking has become the focus of intense regulatory scrutiny. All reform proposals implicitly take a stance on its economic value.
According to the prevailing regulatory arbitrage and neglected risks views, it doesn’t have any – shadow banking is about evading capital requirements, exploiting “too big to fail” and marketing risky securities as safe to unwitting investors. The right response is to bring shadow banking into the...
Post date: September 18, 2014

From Scotland to Slovakia – what price independence?

Though the world’s eyes are on Scotland’s referendum on independence from the United Kingdom, Scotland is not alone in seeking to redraw national boundaries. There are independence movements in many other parts of the world; indeed, 39 new states have joined the United Nations since 1980. Many more aspirants are waiting in the wings, and would likely be encouraged by a Scottish “yes” vote.
The Scottish pro-independence campaign is based on...
Post date: September 17, 2014

Three reasons to be optimistic about impact investing

A new kind of inequality – or divergence – is emerging in modern society between individuals and businesses who incorporate purpose into their work, and those who don’t. Impact investing has entered the mainstream mindset, but for many, putting it into practice has proven difficult.
Impact investing has become a hot topic over the past year: the G7 established an impact investing task force, the White House announced a related policy agenda and the Pope organized discussions on the subject at the Vatican. For the past decade, I have been studying the rise of impact investing from...
Post date: September 16, 2014

Why China is embracing the circular economy

The Chinese economy has grown rapidly and created tremendous wealth. Nominal GDP has grown 7.5 times between 2000 and 2013. Total household income has about doubled between 2005 and 2012 alone and stands to more than triple between 2012 and 2030. By 2030, the upper middle class will make up more than half of urban households. However, this rapid growth puts a tremendous strain on resources. China’s growth demands a strong supply of raw materials, water, energy, and food, among others. One potential remedy to resource supply constraints and consequently high resource prices and volatility...
Post date: September 12, 2014

5 ways technology will disrupt business

As I meet technology leaders in various parts of the world, it’s clear that a significant number of emerging technologies are gaining momentum on a global scale. With faster innovation cycles they have the potential to be the next market disruptors. To assess the coming wave of technology over the next three years, KPMG recently surveyed 768 technology business leaders – from technology-industry start-ups, mid-sized to large enterprises, venture capital firms and angel investors – to identify the emerging/disruptive technologies and barriers to the adoption of tech innovation. The key...
Post date: September 12, 2014

Top 13 photographs from day two of #amnc14

A selection of the top photographs taken during the second day of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2014 in Tianjin, China.
Post date: September 11, 2014

Professor Klaus Schwab’s opening speech to #amnc14

This is the transcript of Professor Klaus Schwab’s address at the Opening Plenary of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2014.
A cordial welcome to all of you – and particularly to Your Excellency Li Keqiang, premier of the People’s Republic of China.
For me, to stand here is always a very special moment. It has now been 35 years since the first time I came to China. And during all these years, the World Economic Forum has developed a very special relationship, partnership and friendship with this great country and its people – thank you.
The world has...
Post date: September 10, 2014
Thomas Piketty’s recent book Capital in the Twenty-First Century attests to growing concern about rising inequality. His book lends further weight to the already overwhelming body of evidence concerning the soaring share of income and wealth at the very top.
Piketty’s book, moreover, provides a different perspective on the 30 or so years that followed t

2 key challenges for Eurasia

As an economic policy adviser and someone who teaches policies for competitiveness, I often wonder which policies governments of the Eurasian region should pursue individually vs collectively to enhance their competitiveness?
Having contributed to the World Economic Forum’s scenario work on the South Caucasus and Central Asia, my view on this question is clear: work together, not alone. In fact, the question is not only “which” policies to pursue alone or together, but rather “how” to move from alone to together.
Einstein wrote: “We cannot solve our problems with the same...
Post date: September 10, 2014

Six reasons China is winning at e-commerce

Why has China’s e-commerce industry developed so fast? I get asked this in almost every country I visit, usually closely followed by the question: “Could the same happen here?” To try to answer, I focus on the following six points:
1. First and foremost, China manufactures too much of almost everything This has created an enormous supply of product that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are looking to get rid of at a marginal price, ideally into a part of China that they are not focused on. Chinese mom and pop retailers, distributors and the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

10 ways countries can improve their competitiveness

For more than 30 years the World Economic Forum has studied and benchmarked competitiveness, widely accepted as the key driver for sustaining prosperity and improving the well-being of a nation’s citizens.
Now the Forum is building a competitiveness repository to showcase examples of successful competitiveness programmes that rely on public-private collaboration. Here are 10 examples from around the world.
Austria: TheKPlus Competence Centre Programme, jointly funded by government and private enterprise, was created in the late 1990s in recognition of the increasing...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Six reasons China is winning at e-commerce

Why has China’s e-commerce industry developed so fast? I get asked this in almost every country I visit, usually closely followed by the question: “Could the same happen here?” To try to answer, I focus on the following six points:
1. First and foremost, China manufactures too much of almost everything This has created an enormous supply of product that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are looking to get rid of at a marginal price, ideally into a part of China that they are not focused on. Chinese mom and pop retailers, distributors and the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

10 ways countries can improve their competitiveness

For more than 30 years the World Economic Forum has studied and benchmarked competitiveness, widely accepted as the key driver for sustaining prosperity and improving the well-being of a nation’s citizens.
Now the Forum is building a competitiveness repository to showcase examples of successful competitiveness programmes that rely on public-private collaboration. Here are 10 examples from around the world.
Austria: TheKPlus Competence Centre Programme, jointly funded by government and private enterprise, was created in the late 1990s in recognition of the increasing...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Six reasons China is winning at e-commerce

Why has China’s e-commerce industry developed so fast? I get asked this in almost every country I visit, usually closely followed by the question: “Could the same happen here?” To try to answer, I focus on the following six points:
1. First and foremost, China manufactures too much of almost everything This has created an enormous supply of product that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are looking to get rid of at a marginal price, ideally into a part of China that they are not focused on. Chinese mom and pop retailers, distributors and the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

10 ways countries can improve their competitiveness

For more than 30 years the World Economic Forum has studied and benchmarked competitiveness, widely accepted as the key driver for sustaining prosperity and improving the well-being of a nation’s citizens.
Now the Forum is building a competitiveness repository to showcase examples of successful competitiveness programmes that rely on public-private collaboration. Here are 10 examples from around the world.
Austria: TheKPlus Competence Centre Programme, jointly funded by government and private enterprise, was created in the late 1990s in recognition of the increasing...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Six reasons China is winning at e-commerce

Why has China’s e-commerce industry developed so fast? I get asked this in almost every country I visit, usually closely followed by the question: “Could the same happen here?” To try to answer, I focus on the following six points:
1. First and foremost, China manufactures too much of almost everything This has created an enormous supply of product that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are looking to get rid of at a marginal price, ideally into a part of China that they are not focused on. Chinese mom and pop retailers, distributors and the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

10 ways countries can improve their competitiveness

For more than 30 years the World Economic Forum has studied and benchmarked competitiveness, widely accepted as the key driver for sustaining prosperity and improving the well-being of a nation’s citizens.
Now the Forum is building a competitiveness repository to showcase examples of successful competitiveness programmes that rely on public-private collaboration. Here are 10 examples from around the world.
Austria: TheKPlus Competence Centre Programme, jointly funded by government and private enterprise, was created in the late 1990s in recognition of the increasing...
Post date: September 8, 2014

What do China and the US tell us about inequality?

Rising income and wealth inequality in many countries around the world has been a long-term trend for three decades or more. But the attention devoted to it has increased substantially since the 2008 financial crisis: with slow growth, rising inequality bites harder.
The “old” theory about inequality was that redistribution via the tax system weakened incentives and undermined economic growth. But the relationship between inequality and...
Post date: September 8, 2014

The 24 tech companies which are changing your future

Every year, the World Economic Forum recognises a group of companies whose innovations have the power to change industries and societies. Here is a full list of the Technology Pioneers of 2015.
Life Sciences & Health
Guardant Health – Guardant Health is a diagnostics company focused on changing the way cancer is managed. The company’s proprietary technology enables comprehensive real-time monitoring of cancer through a simple blood test. Current treatment often requires biopsies, which are risky and costly and consequently cannot be used to capture genetic changes that...
Post date: September 8, 2014

What caused Italy’s triple-dip recession?

Italy is now in a triple-dip recession. But it didn’t get there by itself. Yes, the economy’s long slide reflects Italian leaders’ failure to confront the country’s loss of competitiveness; but it is a failure that is widely shared in Europe.
When the financial crisis erupted in the fourth quarter of 2007, Italy’s GDP plummeted by 7%, then picked up by 3%, dropped again by 5%, rebounded by a measly 0.1% and lately, during the first half of...
Post date: September 8, 2014

How to jumpstart the eurozone economy

The stagnating eurozone economy requires policy action. This column argues that EZ leaders should agree a coordinated 5% tax cut, extension of budget deficit targets by three or four years, and issuance of long-term public debt to be purchased by the ECB without sterilisation.
The mantra is that once again it is up to the ECB to save the eurozone. Quantitative easing is the last policy tool available to jumpstart the eurozone economy. The longer the ECB waits before starting to buy government bonds, the further away will the recovery be. This analysis, however, overestimates the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

How ratings sites are changing your business

“Bonjour Monsieur, comment pourrais-je vous aider?” asks the obsequious concierge at my Paris hotel. I immediately wonder what happened to the city’s infamous haughtiness – especially toward American tourists. If the French capital is no longer Europe’s rudest city, we can perhaps thank the growth of online rating tools, such as TripAdvisor.
Travel websites have been around since the 1990s, when Expedia, Travelocity and other holiday booking...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Could vertical farms feed the world?

The challenge of ensuring adequate, nutrient-rich food for an expanding global population is a daunting one, especially given constraints on key resources like water and agricultural land. As it stands, the two leading approaches to enriching and enlarging the world’s food supply are genetic engineering and industrial processing with additives and chemicals. Now, a third solution is emerging: vertical farming.
Academic studies have found...
Post date: September 8, 2014

What does innovation mean in today’s world?

Each and every generation must contend with profound political, economic, social and above all, technological transformations. They not only change long-held assumptions about our future economic prospects but also create new expectations about human advancement and social progress. Yet the breadth and velocity of technological innovation appears equally inspiring and empowering as well as disruptive and ominous. Context, culture and circumstance all play a role in creating a positive or negative reaction.
For example, on one hand, a new era of industry advances in data analytics,...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Six reasons China is winning at e-commerce

Why has China’s e-commerce industry developed so fast? I get asked this in almost every country I visit, usually closely followed by the question: “Could the same happen here?” To try to answer, I focus on the following six points:
1. First and foremost, China manufactures too much of almost everything This has created an enormous supply of product that manufacturers, distributors and retailers are looking to get rid of at a marginal price, ideally into a part of China that they are not focused on. Chinese mom and pop retailers, distributors and the...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Why data is key to inclusive growth

Reducing income disparities has always ranked high among the top objectives of policy-makers as a measure to achieve and spread economic prosperity throughout the population. This objective has become even more important because the Great Recession we experienced in recent years has resulted in record-high unemployment rates and an increase in income disparities. In many countries, social protests have ensued.
Delocalization of economic activity, technological change and skills mismatches in fast-changing economic environments are just some of the factors behind the rise of income...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Why competitiveness doesn’t have to cost the earth

Last June, a UN task force in charge of developing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) released a zero draft. While the final framework is expected to be adopted by the UN in 2015, the latest draft shows how the SDGs are incorporating and upscaling many of the older Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
At the centre of this political process is a more encompassing vision of sustainable development: “Poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Is Europe’s competitiveness torn in half?

In recent years, many studies have highlighted the stark competitiveness divide that exists and persists between a highly productive and internationally competitive North, and a lagging South and East Europe. However, new results coming from the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15, suggests that Europe’s divide may be taking on a different complexion altogether.
Unsurprisingly, given the structural nature of many of the factors driving competitiveness, this year’s report continues to show a stubbornly high gap between the highly competitive Nordic countries...
Post date: September 8, 2014

10 ways countries can improve their competitiveness

For more than 30 years the World Economic Forum has studied and benchmarked competitiveness, widely accepted as the key driver for sustaining prosperity and improving the well-being of a nation’s citizens.
Now the Forum is building a competitiveness repository to showcase examples of successful competitiveness programmes that rely on public-private collaboration. Here are 10 examples from around the world.
Austria: TheKPlus Competence Centre Programme, jointly funded by government and private enterprise, was created in the late 1990s in recognition of the increasing...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Reforms we need to tackle inequality

The reception in the United States, and in other advanced economies, of
he Great...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Why US competitiveness is on the rise

For an economist whose job it is to measure countries’ success (or otherwise) in laying the foundations for long-term prosperity, the concept of green shoots for me takes on a different meaning to those most often reported in the press as harbingers of better times. Increases in gross domestic product, falls in joblessness and upticks in new housing starts are of course good and welcome, but taken alone these indicators offer us little insight into how the US economy will be doing in five or ten years’ time.
This is the purpose of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in Latin America and the Caribbean

According to the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, in order to keep up the positive economic momentum of recent years and boost competitiveness, Latin America and the Caribbean need to implement further structural reforms and strengthen investment in infrastructure, skills development and innovation.
The report, which covers 144 economies and ranks them on 12 key measures that influence competitiveness, finds that productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean remains low. But there are still success stories. Here are the top 10 performers in the region....
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in sub-Saharan Africa

The sub-Saharan African region has provided something of a silver lining in an otherwise broadly felt global economic downturn in recent years, according to the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, which assesses 144 economies. Sub-Saharan economies continued to register impressive growth rates of close to 5% in 2013 – with rising projections for the next two years – below only emerging and developing Asia.
Yet significant risks remain. More than half of the 20 lowest-ranked countries in the report are sub-Saharan, and many markets have...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Global competitiveness in 11 graphics

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15 assesses the competitiveness of 144 economies based on 12 “pillars” which include institutions, infrastructure, health and education, labour market efficiency, technological readiness, innovation and business sophistication.
Click through our gallery and find out how different countries compare across the various pillars.
Video: What is the Global Competitiveness Report?
Author: Margareta Drzeniek, Director, Lead Economist, Head of Global Competitiveness Risks at the World Economic Forum.
Post date: September 8, 2014

What makes Switzerland so competitive?

For the sixth consecutive edition, Switzerland tops the rankings of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. Since 1979, this annual study has helped to pinpoint the reasons behind the differing fortunes of the countries studied – 144 economies in the 2014-2015 edition. For example, it helps explain Switzerland’s remarkable resilience throughout the Great Recession. Since 2007, the country experienced only a brief episode of recession in 2009. During that same period, Greece – ranked 81st in the report – has not seen a single year of growth and GDP shrank by some 25...
Post date: September 8, 2014

What is driving growth in Africa?

Some argue that growth across Africa is fundamentally a result of rising commodity prices and that if these prices were to collapse, so too would Africa’s growth rates (Lipton 2012). Others lament the so-called de-industrialization of Africa. They worry that without a vibrant manufacturing sector, unemployment will remain high and the economies of Africa will not catch up with the more advanced countries of the world (Rodrik 2014).Finally, some warn that youth unemployment could lead to social unrest in sub-Saharan Africa (Filmer and Fox, 2014).
...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in Middle East, North Africa

Large parts of the Middle East and North Africa continue to be affected by geopolitical conflict and turbulence. Yet, according to the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15, some North African economies are slowly stabilizing and are starting to focus on economic reform that will improve the business environment and help restore investor confidence.
At the same time, the annual study of 144 economies shows some small, energy-rich economies continuing to build on their resource-driven wealth to undertake structural reforms that will help...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in the world

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15 assesses the competitiveness of 144 world economies based on 12 “pillars” which include institutions, infrastructure, health and education, labour market efficiency, technological readiness, innovation and business sophistication. Scroll through the gallery above to find out this year’s top 10 countries.
See how well different countries perform on our latest Global Competitiveness Index:
Author: Margareta Drzeniek, Director, Lead Economist, Head of Global Competitiveness Risks at the World Economic Forum.
All images...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in Asia Pacific

The competitiveness landscape in the Asia-Pacific region remains one of stark contrasts. According to the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15, the region is home to three of the 10 most competitive economies in the world, and a further three feature in the top 20. However, at the other end of the regional spectrum, five countries rank below the 100 mark in this study of 144 economies. The Asian Tigers continue to perform strongly as measured by the report’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), but with the steady decline of South Korea, now...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Top 10 most competitive economies in Europe

Economic recovery across Europe is mixed, with many countries now recording stronger growth, while others continue to suffer from weak growth driven by protracted internal demand, high unemployment and financial fragmentation.
According to the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, six European countries are ranked among the global top 10 most competitive economies. However, many countries in Southern and Central and Eastern Europe ranked poorly, highlighting the persistent divide between Northern Europe and the less competitive south and eastern...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Why US corporate tax needs reform

An increasing number of US companies are making plans to shift their headquarters to Europe. These so-called “inversions” would reduce these companies’ total tax bill by allowing them to escape from the US’s uniquely unfavourable corporate tax rules. So what should US policy-makers do?
President Barack Obama’s administration is seeking to block corporate inversion through administrative measures that may not hold up in US courts. It...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Why growth is stalling in big economies

Relapse is the rule in the post-crisis global economy. In the United States, Japan and Europe, GDP growth faltered again in the first half of 2014. These setbacks are hardly a coincidence. Persistent sluggish growth throughout the developed world has left major economies unusually vulnerable to the inevitable bumps in the road.
Sure, there are excuses – there always are. A contraction in the US economy in the first quarter of the year was...
Post date: September 8, 2014

Las 10 economías más competitivas de Europa

La recuperación económica en toda Europa está mezclada, pues muchos países ahora registran un fuerte crecimiento, mientras que otros siguen sufriendo un crecimiento débil impulsado por prolongadas demandas internas, altas tasas de desempleo y fragmentación financiera.
De acuerdo con la última edición del Informe de Competitividad Global del Foro Económico Mundial, seis países europeos aparecen entre las 10 economías globales más competitivas. No obstante, muchos países del sur, centro y este de Europa han obtenido resultados deficientes, lo cual resalta la persistente brecha entre...
Post date: September 3, 2014

Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015: Highlights

Post date: September 2, 2014

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 looks at the competitiveness of 144 economies.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 144 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide.
It is being launched at a time when the global economy seems to be finally leaving behind the worst and longest-lasting financial and economic crisis of the last 80 years. However, this resurgence is moving at a less decisive pace than it has after previous downturns, and heightened risks looming on...
Post date: August 28, 2014

Why do some countries develop faster than others?

One puzzle of the world economy is that for 200 years, the world’s rich countries grew faster than poorer countries, a process aptly described by Lant Pritchett as “Divergence, Big Time.” When Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776, per capita income in the world’s richest country – probably the Netherlands – was about four times that of the poorest countries. Two centuries later, the Netherlands was 40 times richer than China, 24 times richer than India, and ten times richer than Thailand.
...
Post date: August 21, 2014

A new beginning for India’s economy

On August 15, Narendra Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech as India’s Prime Minister. Though he continued the tradition of addressing the country from the ramparts of Delhi’s historic Red Fort, the speech broke with convention. Shunning a written text, Modi extemporized for an hour, mapping out an explicit vision for India, including an economic model that constitutes a clean break from India’s past.
Since 1991, India has...
Post date: August 20, 2014

Five themes for the future of warfare

The 18th-century German military strategist Carl von Clausewitz defined war as the continuation of politics by different means, and, like the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, believed that securing peace meant preparing for violent conflict. As the world becomes increasingly tumultuous – apparent in the revival of military struggle in Ukraine, continued chaos in the Middle East, and rising tensions in East Asia – such thinking could not be more relevant.
...
Post date: August 18, 2014

How Pittsburgh shed its rust belt image

Nearly 30 years ago, Pittsburgh had an unemployment rate of over 17% and was losing thousands of jobs monthly; the steel industry on which it depended had been devastated in the late 20th century by slowing demand, higher costs and intense competition. Now, the city boasts lower-than-national-average unemployment rates.
While still employing 100,000 manufacturers as America’s second-largest market for industrial metal employment, Pittsburgh successfully reinvented itself by attracting and creating new industries, even earning a new moniker, “Roboburgh”, for its success in...
Post date: August 15, 2014

Five key lessons for city competitiveness

More than ever, cities are the lifeblood of the global economy, and increasingly determining the wealth of nations. Productive policy innovation is taking place in cities, more often than in the halls of national governments or international forums such as the UN, EU and G20. The closer it is to the citizen, the more flexible and practical policy-making becomes. Also, the more experimental it becomes, contributing to all-round learning and adaptation. Cities emulate one another and adopt best international practice better than nations do.
Competitiveness hinges on the productivity...
Post date: August 15, 2014

Video: How cities can benefit from urbanization

Countries around the world need to devolve power to cities and be more open to foreigners if they are to benefit from new patterns of urbanization, says Razeen Sally, associate professor at the National University of Singapore in this World Economic Forum video.
Here are some more quotes from the clip, and you can watch the full video at the top of this page:
“The hundred biggest cities in the world account for about 40% of world output. We see ever tighter connections across borders through trade, through foreign investment and the movement of people. It’s these...
Post date: August 14, 2014

What makes Leipzig Germany’s most liveable city?

Although having a population of only 530,000 people, Leipzig has leapt from economic stagnation to the forefront of European cities.
In 1989 Leipzig was the epicentre of the largest public demonstration in Germany that lead directly to the fall of the Berlin Wall but suffered terribly in the transition from communism. Some 96% of the jobs in the uncompetitive industrial sector are said to have disappeared within six months after German reunification. While the city of Jena had an optics industry and Dresden had a micro-electronics industry that survived, Leipzig had to begin again...
Post date: August 13, 2014

Three ways to improve peer review

Many organizations rely on prosocial behaviours – choices that benefit others but have a personal cost – to achieve their objectives. For instance, foundations rely on charitable contributions for funding, governments partly rely on voluntary compliance for tax revenue, and employers rely on voluntary referrals for hiring. Because such prosocial behaviours have positive externalities by definition, increasing such behaviour can improve welfare. What are the most effective policies to encourage prosocial behaviour?
While there is a...
Post date: August 13, 2014

US manufacturing: in strong condition

Recently, a number of studies, descriptive employment statistics, and statements by US politicians have raised concerns about the strength of US manufacturing. For example, in a January 2014 Journal of Economic Perspectives article, Martin Baily and Barry Bosworth expressed concern about the recent absolute decline in US manufacturing employment, as well as the long-recognized decreasing share of manufacturing within overall US employment. They also argued that productivity growth in manufacturing can be attributed solely to the unusual performance of computer...
Post date: August 12, 2014

How immigration creates jobs and boosts wages

Fears that immigration takes jobs away from natives and imposes significant costs on taxpayers continue to shape electoral campaigns and policy discourses in several countries. In a recent referendum, the Swiss population rejected the free movement of workers from the EU. In Germany, there are mounting fears that millions of poor immigrants from new EU member states would flock to the country, attracted by the generous welfare state.
The UK Prime Minister David Cameron has argued in favour of significant restrictions on labour mobility within the EU to limit inflows to the UK. And...
Post date: August 11, 2014

Are we doomed to repeat the economic crisis?

In the movie Groundhog Day, a television weatherman, played by Bill Murray, awakes every morning at 6am to relive the same day. A similar sense of déjà vu has pervaded economic forecasting since the global economic crisis began a half-decade ago. Yet policy-makers remain convinced that the economic-growth model that prevailed during the pre-crisis years is still their best guide, at least in the near future.
Consider the mid-year update of...
Post date: August 8, 2014

How to get the most out of conferences

Summer is conference season – a critical time for building brands, making connections and shaping industries. Indeed, though people increasingly learn and interact online, we retain a fundamental need to engage in person. At conferences, such engagement is guided by a few basic principles. Understanding them – being “conference literate” – is critical to making the most of a conference, whether as an organizer, speaker or attendee.
Perhaps...
Post date: August 6, 2014

How Africa can achieve inclusive growth

Euphoria abounds in much of Africa nowadays, and rightly so. Seven of the world’s 10 fastest-growing countries are there. Recognizing the potential and importance of the continent, US President Barack Obama is currently convening a US-Africa Leaders Summit.
But, amid all of the good news, there is a risk of overlooking the bad. According to a recent report on the UN Millennium Development Goals, the number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who...
Post date: August 6, 2014

The paradox of strict investment treaties

Conclusive evidence is still missing that signing bilateral investment treaties and other international investment agreements helps developing host countries attract more FDI – and yet, the number of such agreements has mushroomed. What is more, developing countries have witnessed a wave of litigation – and yet they increasingly agreed to stricter FDI-related provisions in international investment agreements, in particular with regard to investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms and pre-establishment national treatment of foreign investors.
...
Post date: August 5, 2014

Why Africa needs more regional integration

The dream that the 21st century will be the African century is powerful and intoxicating. It is also becoming reality. As African officials gather in Washington DC for the first US-Africa Leaders Summit, it is worth considering the basis – and the limits – of the continent’s progress.
While conflict and poverty remain serious problems in many African regions, our continent is not only more stable than ever before; it is also experiencing...
Post date: August 5, 2014

Online underground – why connected travel matters

According to Online and Underground, a survey launched earlier this spring by the New Cities Foundation, Ericsson and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), 77% of surveyed subway systems provide their customer with some level of internet access, either in stations (73%) or on board trains (58%). Over the next three years, 68% of surveyed subway systems plan on extending broadband connectivity in their existing stations.
Extending into one of the last internet-free urban reaches, underground connectivity is arguably an unnecessary or unwelcome over-saturation. In...
Post date: August 4, 2014

Why America is still on top

The recent creation of a new international development bank by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – the so-called BRICS – is just the latest challenge to America’s global leadership. But, from an international business perspective, the United States remains in a strong position.
Perhaps the best indication of America’s enduring stature is the dollar’s dominance in international financial transactions. Last year’s Foreign Direct...
Post date: July 30, 2014

Why raw materials are a dangerous distraction

Poor countries export raw materials such as cocoa, iron ore, and raw diamonds. Rich countries export – often to those same poor countries – more complex products such as chocolate, cars, and jewels. If poor countries want to get rich, they should stop exporting their resources in raw form and concentrate on adding value to them. Otherwise, rich countries will get the lion’s share of the value and all of the good jobs.
Poor countries could...
Post date: July 29, 2014

Busting the myth of the US manufacturing revival

The decade that preceded the 2008 financial crisis was marked by massive global trade imbalances, as the United States ran large bilateral deficits, especially with China. Since the crisis reached its nadir, these imbalances have been partly reversed, with America’s trade deficit, as a share of GDP, declining from its 2006 peak of 5.5% to 3.4% in 2012, and China’s surplus shrinking from 7.7% to 2.8% over the same period. But is this a temporary adjustment, or is long-term rebalancing at hand?
...
Post date: July 28, 2014

Will India emulate China’s boom?

In recent years, China and India have both emerged as global economic superpowers, with China leading the way. But with Chinese growth slowing and the need for structural change becoming increasingly acute, will the economic-reform efforts of India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi, enable the country to catch up?
Since the 1980s, China has experienced unprecedented economic growth, fuelled by abundant low-cost labour, high saving and...
Post date: July 28, 2014

Do cities widen the gap between rich and poor?

Thomas Piketty and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil have something in common. The bestseller of the former and the social unrest associated with the latter are two recent and vivid reminders of the salience and resurgence of income and wealth inequality.
Several explanations for increasing income inequality have been proposed, including skill-biased technological change brought about by computers and modern telecommunications, the expansion of global goods and labour markets, and changes in countries’ skill and age distributions. Yet...
Post date: July 24, 2014

Four things not to do in an economic crisis

Current high public debt burdens are due to three main forces:
Bond-financed fiscal stimulus measures applied in response to the global economic crisis (and the earlier crisis in Japan) Lower revenues and higher welfare payments due to sluggish growth and rising unemployment, particularly in countries that adopted strong austerity measures Measures adopted to bail out banks In some countries, the deflation tendency is most probably due to inadequate demand in the market and falling wages. If demand was adequate, but supply was deficient, rising inflation...
Post date: July 18, 2014

Modi's promise for Indian entrepreneurs

The recent political developments in India have set in motion a range of changes aimed at galvanizing the bureaucracy, alleviating the concerns of industry and improving public sentiment. So far, signals sent out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have helped reignite belief among corporations and ordinary citizens that the country is back on the road to sustained high growth.
I have been looking with particular interest at announcements that show Modi wants to boost Indian entrepreneurship. The most significant announcement so far has been the setting up of a Ministry of...
Post date: July 18, 2014

Are the BRICS starting to crumble?

The original concept behind the BRIC acronym (which represents Brazil, Russia, India and China) was to identify the countries with the greatest growth potential in the first half of the 21st century, based on features such as population, demography, growth rates and the embracing of globalization. The theory was that China would become the most important global exporter of manufactured goods (which is the case today), India the most significant exporter of services (which did not transpire) and Russia and Brazil would dominate as exporters of raw materials.
The five members of the...
Post date: July 15, 2014

What can two crows and a skull tell us about the economy?

Outside my window there are three trees, two poplars and a small fruit tree. Right now, two crows are flitting from branch to branch. At first glance, it looks like a touching pastoral scene: plants and animals, movement and rustling leaves. But there is more.
As I watch, I notice that one of the birds is trying to land on the branch on which the other is perched. Every time it approaches, the other makes aggressive movements towards it; there is something attractive about that branch, and it does not want company.
The same dynamic can be seen in human nature, and several...
Post date: July 3, 2014

The four main barriers to talent mobility in Africa

Flexible immigration procedures are essential for skilled workers to move easily between countries and businesses. However, all around the world, there’s a certain tension between the needs of governments seeking to manage immigration, and businesses wanting to hire the most talented people. As the global competition for talent intensifies, new policies for resolving this tension have emerged, including preferential visa regimes for certain types of workers and quotas.
One region that lags behind in tackling these issues is Africa. While the free movement of labour is a principle...
Post date: June 26, 2014

Why the price of a flat in Beijing matters

China’s real-estate sector has been a source of serious concern for several years, with soaring property prices raising fears of overheating in the housing market. But, with price growth easing, it seems that the government’s campaign to rein in property risk is finally taking hold. The danger now is that the housing market will collapse – bringing China’s economic prospects down with it.
In its effort to control rising housing prices, China’s government has pursued nine distinct policies, not all of which have served their purpose. Though policies like limits on mortgages for first...
Post date: June 24, 2014

Does entrepreneurship begin in the classroom?

Recent research shows that start-up rates increase by as much as 20% when entrepreneurship lessons are provided in schools. As we educate the next wave of business owners, we should give young people first-hand experience of the link between entrepreneurship and innovation.
Today’s digital natives are the most adept at using technology, but at the same time they are less certain of the innovative processes that created them. The younger generation need to learn how to create value in the digital economy, and embrace the opportunities that abound in science and engineering. This can...
Post date: June 24, 2014

How free trade and tech will transform ASEAN

Different languages, religions, histories and geographies have long divided countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). But change is afoot. The free-trade zone and the ASEAN Economic Community planned for 2015 will create unprecedented regional integration that benefits millions of businesses and people.
As one of world’s fastest growing regions, ASEAN is seeing tremendous opportunities from increasing regional integration, the rise of new technologies and the march of the Millennial generation, which by 2020 will account for 65% of the global workforce, and 60...
Post date: June 19, 2014

How can we break the Ivy League clique?

Education is undoubtedly a critical driver of economic growth and social mobility. But efforts to expand access to education have typically focused on the primary level, while neglecting tertiary schooling. And initiatives that have emphasized post-secondary learning have placed relatively little emphasis on educational quality. This has to change.
The influence of higher education on social mobility is particularly pronounced in low-income countries, where the scarcity of skilled human capital gives tertiary-educated workers a significant wage premium. The problem is that many of...
Post date: June 18, 2014

Nine key insights for Europe's next decade

As Europe slowly emerges from the worst financial and economic crisis of the past 80 years, the need to focus on long-term strategies to increase competitiveness has never been greater. Following the vision set by European Union (EU) institutions in 2010, all European stakeholders need to work together to implement the Europe 2020 strategy, thereby building a smarter, inclusive and sustainable economy to support robust economic growth and the generation of jobs.
In assessing the state of Europe’s competitiveness, The Europe 2020 Competitiveness Report: Building a More Competitive...
Post date: June 10, 2014

How smaller businesses can help Africa thrive

International investors, representatives of international and regional organisations, and African leaders from government and civil society, who attended the World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja, Nigeria last month are seeking to translate the region’s economic promise and youthful demographics into employment opportunities and poverty reduction.
Sub-Saharan Africa is a rare bright spot in a still-sluggish world economy, with the International Monetary Fund projecting 6% output growth this year. A decade of expansion has been driven by peace, better economic governance,...
Post date: June 10, 2014

Europe’s top 10 most competitive economies

The 2014 edition of the The Europe 2020 Competitiveness Report, published this week, tracks Europe’s progress on its competitiveness agenda. The report includes an index which ranks the competitiveness of European Union member states. Here are the top 10 countries on this year’s list.
1. Finland ranks 1st in this edition of the Europe 2020 Competitiveness Index, supported by its stronger performance in laying the foundations for smart growth since the 2012 edition. This is driven by a large focus on education and training (1st in this pillar), which has provided...
Post date: June 10, 2014

India needs a total system reset

They’re calling it a “TsuNaMo”. More than a victory for the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), they’re calling it a victory for Narendra Modi. And Modi himself is calling it a victory for India. Whatever we call it, India has voted against the incumbents, and the desire for change could not be greater.
In his first hundred days, however, the BJP leader will be under pressure to demonstrate that he can leverage his electoral mandate and deliver a realistic programme for growth over the next five years.
Just a fortnight before the election results were announced, the World Economic...
Post date: May 20, 2014

Are East Asian cities ready for tomorrow’s growth?

As the world progresses out of the global financial crisis, all eyes are on Asia. The region has consistently outpaced the rest of the world in terms of actual, and forecast, economic expansion. As education improves and wealth increases, rapid consumption drives growth even further.
The upshot of all of this is that Asian cities are booming. By 2030, more than 55% of its population will live in urban areas, according to the Asian Development Bank. There are currently 14 megacities in Asia Pacific (cities of more than 10 million people) – this is set to reach 20 by 2020, which will...
Post date: May 20, 2014

Europe’s top 10 most competitive economies


Six European countries feature in the top 10 – with others in the top 20 – of the global rankings in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014, which assesses the competitiveness of 148 economies around the world. The performance of the 10 most competitive economies in Europe are found below:
1.     Switzerland once again retains its 1st place thanks to a strong performance across the board. The country’s most notable strengths are related to innovation and labour market efficiency as well as the sophistication of its business sector. Switzerland’s top...
Post date: January 23, 2014

The Global Competitiveness Report 2013 - 2014

The Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 148 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide. 
TheGlobal Competitiveness Report 2013-2014assesses the competitiveness landscape of 148 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide.
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Post date: September 3, 2013

Charting ASEAN’s competitiveness landscape


Competitiveness will feature prominently in the programme of the 2013 World Economic Forum on East Asia, taking place this week in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital. And rightly so: competitiveness is a critical driver of both prosperity and integration.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 paints a mixed picture of ASEAN’s competitiveness. In the ranking of 144 economies, Singapore comes in second overall behind Switzerland. Cambodia, ASEAN’s worst performer, places 85th among the 144 economies studied (Myanmar and Lao PDR are not included). This profound competitiveness...
Post date: June 6, 2013

Arab World Competitiveness Report 2013

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2013 is a World Economic Forum - EBRD collaboration which analyses and benchmarks countries' competitiveness in the Arab world. Read the full news release for more information.
This joint Report attempts to contribute to understanding the key factors determining future prosperity and economic growth in the Arab world. It offers policy-makers and business leaders an important tool in improving economic policies and implementing institutional reforms. The findings of this Report will provide a key basis for discussions at the World...
Post date: May 20, 2013

Africa Competitiveness Report 2013

On a biennial basis, The Africa Competitiveness Report highlights areas requiring policy action and investment to ensure Africa lays the foundation for inclusive and sustained growth.
The Africa Competitiveness Report 2013 comes at a time of growing international attention on Africa as an investment destination and increasing talk of an African economic renaissance. It is the fourth report in this series to leverage the knowledge and expertise of the three partnering organizations – the African Development Bank, the World Bank Group and the World Economic Forum – to present a...
Post date: May 7, 2013

Peru Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013

The travel and tourism (T&T) industry has been one of fastest-growing sectors globally over the past ten years, and this upward trend is expected to continue in the future. The number of international travelers reached 1 billion in 2012 and has almost doubled over the past 20 years. It is estimated that the T&T sector directly contributes about 9.3 percent of GDP and 3.4 percent of employment worldwide. In addition to its direct economic impact, a strong T&T industry helps to boost productivity and to connect countries by prompting hard and soft infrastructure upgrades, which...
Post date: April 19, 2013

A positive outlook for tourism


Despite improvements since 2009, consumer confidence remains below 2007 levels. Uncertainty prevails, with the Eurozone crisis, the US fiscal cliff and China’s rising inflation – all contributing to a dip in confidence towards the end of 2012. Against this backdrop, tourism had a record year in 2012, with increased global mobility driving international arrivals of over 1 billon, coupled with expenditure of US$ 1.2 trillion. This highlights the resilience of the sector and reinforces its importance as a key contributor to GDP.
Downturns in consumer confidence have historically...
Post date: March 11, 2013

2 billion global travellers by 2020?


Kathleen Matthews addresses the future of travel and tourism
In 2013, travel and tourism are going places. More than most industries, we are the beneficiary of a demographic dividend, as the rising middle class families of China, India, Brazil and other emerging economies have money in their pockets and are able to realize their life-long dream to see the world.
This social and economic trend is not lost on governments, which now recognize that travel is trade and that it can boost exports and create new jobs. That’s why we’re starting to see some real...
Post date: March 8, 2013

When green travel meets big business


Giulia Carbone explains why the tourism industry needs to address ecological threats
Tourism needs a healthy and pristine environment. No other industry relies as heavily on unspoilt scenery and natural diversity to attract the crowds. When nature suffers, travel companies suffer, too. The question is how to create synergies between the tourism industry and conservation efforts, allowing both to thrive while minimizing negative impact.
For many conservation projects, ecotourism seems the perfect way to raise funds. Travellers in search of pristine natural beauty can...
Post date: March 7, 2013

Are we moving toward sustainable travelism?


Geoffrey Lipman discusses how we are becoming more environmentally responsible tourists
Someone famously said that “an elephant is a very hard thing to define, but if you see one coming down the street you know what it is”. It’s rather the same about sustainability, travel and tourism – we’ve stopped describing it and started to engage it.
Twenty years ago at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit – when the modern approach to sustainable development was set out in Agenda 21 – the focus was on preserving the planet’s resources. For our sector, it was very much about ecotourism that...
Post date: March 6, 2013

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013

Under the theme “Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation”, The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 assesses 140 economies worldwide based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector. Read the full news release for more information.
The 2013 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) reveals that Switzerland, Germany and Austria lead the world in terms of travel and tourism competitiveness, with Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Canada...
Post date: March 6, 2013

What Europe must do to catch up


Thorsten Groth on the measures that should be taken to make Europe more competitive. Read the World Economic Forum’s Rebuilding Europe’s Competitiveness report.
History shows that sustained prosperity is best achieved through a winning combination of distinct competitiveness strengths. Currently, however, Europe as a whole faces a competitiveness deficit compared to other advanced countries, as well as a competitiveness divide within Europe. Fundamentally, these competitiveness challenges have caused many problems such as stagnating economic growth, rising...
Post date: January 24, 2013

What would happen to Russia if oil prices slumped?

Michael Bradshaw asks whether Russia, for all its economic growth, is too dependent on natural resources. Read the World Economic Forum’s report: Scenarios for the Russian Federation.
The Russian Federation’s economic growth story has had more twists and turns in it than a Danish thriller.
Almost two decades after transitioning from a planned to a market economy, and following a decade of buoyant growth, the country was hit hard by the financial and economic crisis of 2008 and 2009. Oil prices collapsed and Russia’s financial sector suffered greatly...
Post date: January 22, 2013

Rebuilding Europe’s Competitiveness

Europe’s competitiveness deficit, together with the competitiveness divide that has developed within its own borders, has jointly led to stagnation or declining growth, rising unemployment and fiscal instability.
With a series of reforms under way and more yet to come, Rebuilding Europe’s Competitiveness highlights five key enablers that will be pivotal to making these measures work. These are: strong collaboration across stakeholders, political consistency, political leadership, sense of urgency as well as strong and clear communication plans.
The Report shows that, when...
Post date: January 17, 2013

How can competitiveness bolster resilient dynamism?


For more than three decades, the World Economic Forum has been working on the topic of national competitiveness, in an effort to understand and measure what drives national productivity and prosperity.
Being competitive requires countries to have in place a mix of factors such as solid infrastructure, a healthy and educated workforce, efficient markets, and a propensity for technological adoption and innovation. Over the years, we have continued to integrate the latest thinking and priorities into our work, with a goal of supporting national and regional efforts towards...
Post date: January 3, 2013

Europe at the crossroads: unity or fragmentation?


The Forum:Blog has prepared a special series on “Resilient Dynamism, the main theme of 2013’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Guillaume Amigues, Community Manager for Europe at the World Economic Forum, offers a positive and realistic view on the future potential of Europe.
Future generations may see this period in Europe’s history as transformational for the continent. Monetary union and the very survival of the euro were under imminent threat thanks to the debt crisis.
But as Standard & Poor’s raises its credit rating for Greece, and European bailout funds...
Post date: December 21, 2012

Europe has nothing to fear but fear itself


Professor Klaus Schwab is Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. His e-book, The Re-Emergence of Europe, was published on 14 December and available free of charge at http://www.weforum.org/re-emergence-europe
The eurozone will not break up. The price of departure is simply too great for any one country. Indeed, when Mario Draghi announced on 6 September that the European Central Bank (ECB) would undertake unlimited purchases of government bonds, the continent crossed the bridge to its future.
Europe’s leaders must see that the drawbridge has been...
Post date: December 14, 2012

Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013

The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 144 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide. Access the data platform to visualize and download the data.
This year’s report findings show that Switzerland tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report for the fourth consecutive year. Singapore remains in second position with Finland, in third position, overtaking Sweden 4th). These and...
Post date: September 6, 2012

How political deadlock is threatening prosperity

History has shown that those countries with a winning combination of competitiveness strengths tend to be the ones that are best prepared to ride out economic crises and provide rising and sustainable living standards to their citizens.
Five years into the most significant economic downturn since the Great Depression, then, it is dispiriting to note that short-termism and political deadlock have taken such root in national and regional discussions that competitiveness divides across the world are actually being reinforced rather than narrowing.
A country that does not...
Post date: September 5, 2012

The ASEAN Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2012

Travel and tourism (T&T) is an increasingly important driver of economic prosperity and social progress. It is estimated that the T&T sector accounts for about 9 percent of GDP and employment worldwide. For ASEAN, the sector has long been considered as critical for the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community. The potential of T&T in the region is indeed enormous. The region is blessed with a wealth of natural and cultural heritage. It possesses a long tradition of tourism, and is strategically located at the heart of Asia. The extraordinary diversity of ASEAN countries further enhances their attractiveness. Yet, despite the many benefits of T&T, numerous obstacles continue to hinder its development. Using a unique methodological framework, The ASEAN Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2012 identifies the obstacles to address and the strengths to leverage for ASEAN to unleash the potential of T&T.
Click here to read the full report
Travel and tourism (T&T) is an increasingly important driver of economic prosperity and social progress. It is estimated that the T&T sector accounts for about 9 percent of GDP and employment worldwide. For ASEAN, the sector has long been considered as critical for the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community. The potential of T&T in the region is indeed enormous. The region is blessed with a wealth of natural and cultural heritage. It possesses a long tradition of tourism, and is strategically located at the heart of Asia. The...
Post date: May 25, 2012

Financing Green Growth in a Resource-constrained World

The scale and frequency of weather shocks, combined with long-term economic forecasts of climate change effects and fossil fuel costs, are having a political as well as an economic impact. Many developing country governments are changing their approach to infrastructure and industrial planning, choosing to design more sustainable, resilient pathways to economic growth. They are developing comprehensive national investment programmes in clean energy, energy efficiency, water management, climate-resilient agriculture, smart grids and low-carbon transport systems. This strategic shift has been termed “greening the economy” or making a “green growth” transition. Currently, significant private investment is not being attracted to these plans due to a range of perceived risks and the relative novelty of the market. What public-private partnerships can support developing countries to create large-scale, investment-grade blueprints for their green growth strategies? What new financing mechanisms can use targeted public funds to address key risks and leverage a step change in private capital flow into green infrastructure projects?
The scale and frequency of weather shocks, combined with long-term economic forecasts of climate change effects and fossil fuel costs, are having a political as well as an economic impact. Many developing country governments are changing their approach to infrastructure and industrial planning, choosing to design more sustainable, resilient pathways to economic growth. They are developing comprehensive national investment programmes in clean energy, energy efficiency, water management, climate-resilient agriculture, smart grids and low-carbon transport systems. This strategic shift has...
Post date: February 16, 2012

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators - Models of Success from the Community of Global Growth Companies - Spanish

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs). During the past five years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of economic leaders.
Recognizing their importance, the Community engages those players that, in addition to showing consistently high growth rates, act as disruptors of traditional industries through their new technologies and innovative business models. GGC members come from both fast growing emerging markets and established economies.
As of August 2011, the Community...
Post date: September 29, 2011

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators - Models of Success from the Community of Global Growth Companies - Portuguese

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs). During the past five years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of economic leaders.
Recognizing their importance, the Community engages those players that, in addition to showing consistently high growth rates, act as disruptors of traditional industries through their new technologies and innovative business models. GGC members come from both fast growing emerging markets and established economies.
As of August 2011, the Community...
Post date: September 29, 2011

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators - Models of Success from the Community of Global Growth Companies - Japanese

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs). During the past five years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of economic leaders.
Recognizing their importance, the Community engages those players that, in addition to showing consistently high growth rates, act as disruptors of traditional industries through their new technologies and innovative business models. GGC members come from both fast growing emerging markets and established economies.
As of August 2011, the Community...
Post date: September 29, 2011

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators - Models of Success from the Community of Global Growth Companies - Chinese

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs). During the past five years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of economic leaders.
Recognizing their importance, the Community engages those players that, in addition to showing consistently high growth rates, act as disruptors of traditional industries through their new technologies and innovative business models. GGC members come from both fast growing emerging markets and established economies.
As of August 2011, the Community...
Post date: September 26, 2011

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators - Models of Success from the Community of Global Growth Companies



This year marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs). During the past five years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of economic leaders.
Recognizing their importance, the Community engages those players that, in addition to showing consistently high growth rates, act as disruptors of traditional industries through their new technologies and innovative business models. GGC members come from both fast growing emerging markets and established economies.
As of August 2011, the Community...
Post date: September 26, 2011

Redefining the Future of Growth: The New Sustainability Champions

The report Redefining the Future of Growth: The New Sustainability Champions, prepared with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), highlights innovative business practices from companies originating and operating in emerging markets. By focusing on a group of 16 exemplary companies called the New Sustainability Champions, the report shows how those businesses create unconventional and profitable solutions that positively impact economic growth and enhance overall sustainability in their regions.
The report Redefining the Future of Growth: The New Sustainability Champions, prepared with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), highlights innovative business practices from companies originating and operating in emerging markets. By focusing on a group of 16 exemplary companies called the New Sustainability Champions, the report shows how those businesses create unconventional and profitable solutions that positively impact economic growth and enhance overall sustainability in their regions.
Taking into account criteria covering sustainability, innovation, scalability, geography and...
Post date: September 12, 2011

The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012

Switzerland tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012. Singapore overtakes Sweden for second position. Northern and Western European countries dominate the top 10 with Sweden (3rd), Finland (4th), Germany (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Denmark (8th) and the United Kingdom (10th). Japan remains the second-ranked Asian economy at 9th place, despite falling three places since last year. 
Switzerland tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012. Singapore overtakes Sweden for second position. Northern and Western European countries dominate the top 10 with Sweden (3rd), Finland (4th), Germany (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Denmark (8th) and the United Kingdom (10th). Japan remains the second-ranked Asian economy at 9th place, despite falling three places since last year.  The United States continues its decline for the third year in a row, falling one more place to fifth position. In addition to the macroeconomic vulnerabilities that...
Post date: September 7, 2011

The Global Gender Gap Report 2006

The Gender Gap Index 2006 covers 115 countries, representing over 90% of the world’s population.The country comparisons are meant to serve a dual purpose: as a benchmark to identify existing strengths and weaknesses; and as a useful guide for policy, based on learning from the experiences of those countries that have had greater success in promoting the equality of women and men.
The World Economic Forum convenes global leaders from business, policy-making and civil society to find creative and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our world today. One particular societal and economic challenge is the persistent gap between women and men in their access to resources and opportunities.This gap not only undermines the quality of life of one half of the world’s population but also poses a significant risk to the long-term growth and well-being of nations: countries that do not capitalize on the full potential of...
Post date: June 23, 2011

The Global Gender Gap Report 2009

This Report reveals those countries that are role models in dividing resources equitably between women and men, regardless of their level of resources. The World Economic Forum places a strong emphasis on a multi-stakeholder approach in order to engage leaders to design the most effective measures for tackling global challenges.
Over the last year, the world has seen the biggest recession in almost a century. It is clear that recovery will require, among other things, the best of talent, ideas and innovation. It is therefore more important now than ever before for countries and companies to pay heed to one of the fundamental cornerstones of economic growth available to them—the skills and talent of their female human resource pool. As consumers, voters, employees and employers, women will be integral to global economic recovery. However, it is not only the financial and...
Post date: June 23, 2011

The Indonesia Competitiveness Report 2011

A close look at Indonesia's booming economy and whether its growth is sustainable

The Indonesia Competitiveness Report 2011 is being released at the occasion of the 20th annual World Economic Forum on East Asia and at a critical juncture for Indonesia’s economic future. It is natural to predict a bright future for the country—and for the region as a whole, which is expected to contribute some 50 percent to global GDP growth in the next five years. Yet, as this Report describes, a number of challenges remain, which must be addressed in order to ensure that Indonesia sustains the...
Post date: June 3, 2011

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2011

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2011, the third report jointly published by our organizations, comes out at a time when Africa’s recovery from the global economic crisis has been faster than it has in many other parts of the world. Indeed, Africa has seen what can be termed an “economic resurgence” over the past decade: between 2001 and 2010, gross domestic product growth on the continent averaged 5.2 percent annually—a rate also expected in 2011, and higher than the global average of 4.2 percent.
Questions remain, however, as to how sustainable this growth will be over the longer...
Post date: May 3, 2011

The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010

The 2009-2010 Global Competitiveness Report is published against the backdrop of the deepest global economic slowdown in generations.What began as a financial cri- sis in a handful of industrialized economies continues to spill over into the real economy, engendering massive contractions in consumer demand, rising unemploy- ment, and mounting protectionist pressures worldwide.
This year’s Report features a total of 133 economies, thus providing the most comprehensive assessment of its kind.The Report contains a detailed profile for each of the economies featured in the study as well...
Post date: March 30, 2011

The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009

This year’s Global Competitiveness Report is being released at a time of multiple shocks to the global economy. The subprime mortgage crisis and the ensuing credit crunch, combined with rising inflation worldwide and the consequent slowdown in demand in many advanced economies, has engendered significant uncertainty about the short-term outlook for the world economy. Global growth is slowing, and it is not yet clear when the effects of the present crisis will subside.
This Report remains our flagship...
Post date: March 30, 2011

The Global Economic Outlook

Global Economic Outlook: Recovery Is Gaining Pace and Confidence Is GrowingWhile emerging economies have recovered strongly, developed countries are also on the reboundWith additional public sector stimulus unlikely, the private sector should fuel growth through investmentThe G20 agenda must be sensitive to the concerns of countries that are not membersMore information on the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011: http://www.weforum.orgDavos, Switzerland, 29 January 2011 – The global economy is rebounding, led by developing economies including China and India, with developed ...
Post date: January 29, 2011

Keys to Competitiveness: Lessons from the Nordics

Saturday 29 January, 09.00 - 10.30 Nordic economies have consistently ranked among the most competitive globally – how can their policy innovations be applied in other countries? This workshop will address the following dimensions: - Investment and education strategies- Innovations in gender policy- Tax and labour policies   Key Points The Nordic countries rank high in competitiveness. The Nordic countries responded to economic crises in the 1970s and 1980s decisively and effectively. Democracy, transparency and a high level of trust in government ...
Post date: January 29, 2011

Trailblazers, Shapers and Innovators


In the aftermath of the past years’ financial and economic events, one learning point is apparent: new companies from around the world are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the global economy. The World Economic Forum takes great pride in having identified this trend at an early stage and in creating the Community of Global Growth Companies (GGCs) that brings together top emerging companies from around the globe.
The Forum established this Community in 2007, with the purpose of identifying those players that in addition to showing...
Post date: January 20, 2011

Stimulating Economies through Fostering Talent Mobility

An assessment of the landscape of the most critical talent shortages
When we decided to support the Forum’s Talent Mobility project in early summer 2009, we recognized the complexity of the human capital environment and shared a desire to address at least some of its aspects in an interdisciplinary way, reflecting the nature of the observed challenges. Today we are richer in research, systematic input gathering, contributions of more than 80 experts and practitioners and outstanding commitment of involved parties. The impact of talent mobility on both developed and developing countries has been summarized and systematized. The landscape of the most critical...
Post date: December 22, 2010

Everybody’s Business: Strengthening International Cooperation in a More Interdependent World

Particularly in the wake of the global economic crisis, we need to rethink our values, redesign our systems, and rebuild our institutions to make them more proactive and strategic, more inclusive, more reflective of the new geo-political and geoeconomic circumstances, and more reflective of inter-generational accountability and responsibility.
The Global Redesign Initiative was a global, multistakeholder dialogue on the future of international cooperation. Set up in the midst of the global financial crisis, its purpose was to stimulate thinking and debate about how the international community and its institutions and organizations in their widest sense can be adapted to contemporary challenges. The distillation of this process has helped the Forum's many communities to develop proposals that seek to highlight potential responses to the challenge of adapting to a new global business and social environment. 
Post date: December 20, 2010

Étude de la compétitivité du monde arabe 2010

Le Rapport sur la Compétitivité du Monde Arabe 2010 révèle que la crise économique mondiale a amplifié l’écart de compétitivité entre les pays du Conseil de Coopération du Golfe (CCG) et le reste de la région du monde arabe. Le rapport, publié en amont du Forum Economique Mondial sur le Moyen-Orient et l’Afrique du Nord, souligne que le Qatar, l’Arabie Saoudite et le Koweït dépassent les autres économies au même niveau de développement, en termes de compétitivité. Dans le classement global de 139 économies de pays, ils se classent respectivement 17ème, 21ème et 35ème.
Post date: November 23, 2010

The Arab World Competitiveness Review 2010

The Arab World Competitiveness Review 2010 finds that the global economic crisis has further widened the competitiveness gap between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the rest of the Arab world region. The review, published ahead of the 2010 World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, sees Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait outperforming other economies at a similar level of development in terms of competitiveness. In the overall ranking of 139 economies, they place 17th, 21st and 35th.
United Arab Emirates is the only economy from the region that...
Post date: November 23, 2010

Étude de la compétitivité du monde arabe 2010

Post date: November 18, 2010

Regional and Country Competitiveness

The World Economic Forum’s Europe 2020 Competitiveness Report is the second in a series of publications that measure Europe’s performance in becoming smart, inclusive and environmentally sustainable. It takes a global approach, assessing highly advanced countries around the world as well as the EU’s individual member states and candidate countries.
The goal of the report is to provide a platform for constructive dialogue between government, business, civil society and European institutions in order to achieve a knowledge-driven, inclusive and sustainable Europe. The report aims to...
Post date: November 11, 2010

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2009

African businesses can become far more competitive, but African governments and their international partners will need to improve access to finance, resist pressure to erect trade barriers, upgrade infrastructure, improve healthcare and educational systems, and strengthen institutions.
African businesses can become far more competitive, but African governments and their international partners will need to improve access to finance, resist pressure to erect trade barriers, upgrade infrastructure, improve healthcare and educational systems, and strengthen institutions. 
Post date: November 10, 2010

World Economic Forum on Latin America 2010

With the resolute support of the Government of Colombia, the 2010 World Economic Forum on Latin America in Cartagena welcomed 550 global and regional leaders to construct “New Partnerships for a Sustainable Recovery”.
Leaders examined regional governance and international cooperation towards trade integration, enhanced security and environmental performance. Regional leaders from different sectors also focused on specific problems affecting Latin America, which include the international community’s initiatives to rebuild Haiti and reconstruction efforts in Chile after earthquakes in both countries.
Post date: November 4, 2010

World Economic Forum on East Asia 2010

“Rethinking Asia’s Leadership Agenda” was the theme of the 2010 World Economic Forum on East Asia, which was the first regional meeting of the Forum ever to be held in Vietnam.
East Asia’s lead in the global economic recovery has been underscored by increasing regional economic cooperation, robust domestic consumption and coordinated government stimulus measures. Alongside the remarkable economic momentum and progress of China and India, ASEAN’s market of 580 million consumers is moving towards economic integration by 2015.
Post date: November 3, 2010

Travel and Tourism Competitiveness

Tourism competitiveness is an important economic indicator. It is a major element in economic stimulation packages. Tourism is among the largest employers in most countries and also a fast-lane vehicle into the workforce for young people and women. Encouraging travel boosts consumer and business confidence, it strengthens two-way trade and promotes export income.
Under the theme “Reducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation”, The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 assesses 140 economies worldwide based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector. Read the full news release for more information.
The 2013 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) reveals that Switzerland, Germany and Austria lead the world in terms of travel and tourism competitiveness, with Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States...
Post date: November 2, 2010

Financial Development

The importance of financial systems to economic growth has become even more pronounced in recent years; yet, there is still surprisingly little agreement about how to define and measure their development. To address this gap, the World Economic Forum has undertaken an ongoing initiative that aims to provide business leaders and policy-makers with a common framework for identifying and discussing the key factors in the development of global financial systems and markets.
Previous Financial Development Reports:
The Financial Development Report 2011The Financial Development Report 2010The Financial Development Report 2009 
The Financial Development Report measures and analyses the factors enabling the development of financial systems in a number of economies around the world. It aims to provide a comprehensive means for countries to benchmark various aspects of their financial systems and establish priorities for improvement. It is published annually so that countries can benchmark themselves and track their progress over time.
The Report does not attempt to inform current or short-term events, such as the latest developments affecting the eurozone. Rather, it aims to serve decision-makers in...
Post date: October 24, 2010

International Trade & Investment

The Trade & Investment programme supports implementation of practical trade and investment reforms while building a platform for delivery on long-term trade and investment priorities. The E15 initiative gathers over 200 experts to prioritise and develop policy proposals. The Enabling Trade project drives trade facilitation implementation in key economies. The Enabling Trade Index monitors global progress. Finally, the Global Agenda Council on Global Trade & FDI provides guidance on emerging issues.
Click here to read more about the E15 Initiative.
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Post date: October 23, 2010

Global Information Technology

This year marks the 13th edition of the Global Information Technology Report, which provides a comprehensive assessment of networked readiness, or how prepared an economy is to apply the benefits of information and communications technology (ICT) to promote economic growth and well-being. Using updated methodology that was introduced in 2012, the report ranks the progress of 148 economies in leveraging ICT to increase productivity, economic growth and the number of quality jobs. The rankings also show how far some countries have gone in bridging the digital divide – not only in terms of...
Post date: October 21, 2010

The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011

Switzerland comes out top of the rankings
Switzerland tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011 released by the World Economic Forum. The United States falls two places to fourth position, overtaken by Sweden (2nd) and Singapore (3rd). The Nordic countries continue to be well positioned in the ranking, with Sweden, Finland (7th) and Denmark (9th) among the top 10, and with Norway at 14th.  Sweden overtakes the US and Singapore this year to be placed 2nd overall. The United Kingdom, after falling in the rankings over recent years, moves back up by one place to 12th position.

The...
Post date: October 21, 2010

Global Gender Gap

The Global Gender Gap Report, introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006, provides a framework for capturing the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities around the world. The index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria and provides country rankings that allow for effective comparison across regions and income groups and over time.
The rankings are designed to create greater awareness among a global audience of the challenges posed by gender gaps and the opportunities created by reducing them. The methodology and quantitative analysis behind the rankings are intended to serve as a basis for designing effective measures for reducing gender gaps.
Find out more about:
Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme
Global Gender GapCorporate Gender Gap
Repository of Successful Practices
Global Agenda Council on Women’s Empowerment
Gender Parity Task Forces
Articles from Forum:Blog
The Global Gender Gap Report 2013 benchmarks national gender gaps of 136 countries on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria. The Global Gender Gap Index was developed in 2006, partially to address the need for a consistent and comprehensive measure of gender equality that can track a country’s progress over time. The index points to potential role models by revealing those countries that – within their region or income group – are leaders in dividing resources more equitably between women and men than other countries, regardless of the...
Post date: October 19, 2010

Global Competitiveness: Strategies for Small Economies

Global Competitiveness: Strategies for Small Economies
Idea- and technology-driven growth is critical for smaller economies seeking to break the constraints of internal demand and to benefit from effects of scale.
What are the ideas and technologies that can make a small economy globally competitive?
Key Points
• Contrary to popular perceptions, the number and role of small economies are increasing relative to larger economies.
• Small states can work cooperatively with larger countries on sensitive issues without a perception of threats.
• ...
Post date: September 14, 2010

Tackling Corruption, Enhancing Competitiveness



Conservative estimates place the magnitude of corruption at as much as 5% of annual GDP in some of Asia's most dynamic economies, causing business losses in the millions, higher crime rates and severe social suffering. How can regional leaders step up the fight against corruption and create better incentives for corporate governance?
Key Points
• Corruption has been exacerbated by the increasing complexity and opacity of global supply chains
• Illicit trade is inextricably intertwined with corruption: it is enabled by corruption, and the money...
Post date: June 6, 2010

Redesigning Europe's Competitiveness Strategy


The Lisbon Strategy failed to make the European Union "the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy" by 2010.
In light of macroeconomic imbalances, how can competitive pressures be leveraged to deliver the structural reforms needed to enable future growth across Europe?
Key Points
• Europe 2020 should encourage countries to change existing structures to remove barriers to progress.
• Education should be more geared to the business world, as in the United States.
• Labour market flexibility has been successful and future...
Post date: May 10, 2010

Rethinking Africa’s Competitiveness


The economic crisis has led to a reassessment of the systems governing global cooperation, financial architecture and macroeconomic policies.
What are the regional implications of these global adjustments, and how can Africa's economies contribute to global growth in the next decade?
What are the key drivers of Africa's competitiveness in the long run, and how are government and business using the crisis as an opportunity to redesign a sustainable roadmap for Africa's future growth?
This session is on the record.
Key Points
• Enhancing...
Post date: May 5, 2010

The New Champions of Competitiveness

Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009The New Champions of CompetitivenessDalian, People’s Republic of China 10-12 SeptemberHow countries outperform others in terms of maximizing productivity and growth, given their available resources, has been measured by The Global Competitiveness Report for over three decades.How have some countries managed to improve their productive potential, and what strategies are they using to reinforce their longer-term competitiveness amid the global economic downturn?Key Points• The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 evaluates countries on the ...
Post date: September 11, 2009




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