This study assesses macroeconomic volatility in Costa Rica, based largely on politically weak governments' inability or unwillingness to effect key reforms. Notable problems include volatility-prone fiscal and monetary policy, structurally weak public finances due to large domestic debts and...

This paper presents the evaluation of the Enterprise Restructuring Support Program in Argentina. The aim of the program was to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises by cofinancing technical assistance that can be classified as either support for process innovation or...

This study examines the impact of innovation strategies on employment growth in four Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, and Uruguay) using micro-data for manufacturing firms from innovation surveys. Building on the model proposed by Harrison et al. (2008), we relate...

This paper addresses two research questions: How do learning mechanisms operate in different types of global value chains? What is the supporting role of the innovation system in GVC-driven learning and innovation processes? Empirical evidence is used from the authors' research as well as...

This presentation comments on Manuel Trajtenberg¿s paper Innovation Policy for Development. The purpose of that paper includes discussing innovation policy guidelines for developing countries and employing the Israeli experience to derive lessons for growth-promoting innovation policies, among...

This paper is part of the project: "IDB's Science and Technology Programs: An Evaluation of the Technology Development Funds (TDF) and Competitive Research Grants (CRG)." This paper analyzes the role of National Research Funds in promoting scientific production in emerging economies. The...

This report is intended to encourage and reinforce the efforts of policymakers and industry stakeholders throughout the region to accelerate broadband deployment. The report has two primary aims. The first is to help identify public policy and regulatory issues that need to be addressed in order...

The 2007 Report on Economic and Social Progress in Latin America analyzes the nature and evolution of sovereign debt in Latin America and discusses the policies that can be followed by countries and international financial institutions (IFIs) to reduce the vulnerabilities associated with it....

Competing in the world economy does not automatically boost a nation's productivity and restructure its economy. Such progress requires mobilizing capital, employment, technology and knowledge. Opportunities beyond the business realm must be fully exploited to the benfit of society as a whole....