Textiles are Pakistan's most critical manufacturing sector, contributing nearly one‑fourth of the industrial value added and employing about 40 percent of the industrial labor force. It has the longest production chain and inherent potential for value addition at each processing stage, from...

Apparel production is especially labor intensive, with low start-up investments and easily transferable technology. Furthermore, the labor requirements can be easily met with low and semi-skilled workers, especially women. As a result, many countries with competitive labor costs, especially in...

"Madagascar's textile and apparel industry has been among the fastest growing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fueled by low labor costs, a fairly productive labor force, and preferential access to industrial countries, Madagascar's exports of textile and apparel products grew from about US

This report addresses the following issues: Chapter one takes stock of the integration policies implemented since the early 1970s and assessed their impact on foreign direct investments (FDI), exports and employment. Chapter two looks at today's major challenges in the manufacturing sector and...

Tourism has become the leading economic sector of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) islands, thus expanding linkages with the local economy seems crucial going forward. Tourism has replaced agriculture as the main economic driver within all the islands comprising the OECS. In...

In an effort to improve employment outcomes and industrial productivity, the Government of Pakistan (GoP) has launched a dual-track reform process involving broad-based overhaul of labor laws and institutions, and expansion and reform of the Vocational and Technical Training (VTT) system. Labor...

The report examines the export performance of Mexican enterprises in the 1990s, to determine whether the intended effects of trade liberalization, have indeed occurred. The depth, and extent of changes in outward orientation of firms are explored, as well as the characteristics of firms that...

Differences in the investment climate have recently gained centre stage in explaining variations in competitiveness, growth and prosperity across countries or regions. The investment climate comprises institutional and policy variables that have a crucial bearing on business performance, but...