Supporters of free markets often have a general feeling that there is too much regulation or that it is too intrusive, badly formulated, and ineffective. However, proponents of these positions are often lacking in empirical evidence and are susceptible to accusations of either exaggerating the...

Innovation drives America’s economic growth and ultimately determines its living standards andthose of its metropolitan areas. However, the nation faces a growing innovation challenge in today’sglobal economy. To respond, the federal government should establish a National...

Manufacturing remains a critical sector for the economic health of the nation as a whole and for the states. The sector accounts for the bulk of U.S. exports, is key to innovation, and provides many high-wage jobs for less educated workers. So reversing or at least stemming manufacturing job...

Most developing countries depend on imports for the supply of essential medicines. Many developing countries have been finding it extremely difficult to promote local production. But despite being a Least Developed Country (LDC), Bangladesh has succeeded in developing a pharmaceutical industry....

While the case for industrial policy is gaining traction across OECD countries, little consensus exists on the effectiveness of such interventions. Building on a new analytical framework for industrial policy developed in a companion paper, this paper reviews the empirical literature on the...

The debate on industrial policy has made a comeback in both academic and policy circles. Yet, no consensus exists on an industrial policy paradigm and the absence of a common reference framework unduly obfuscates the debate – even which interventions are to be considered “industrial...

This paper examines recent technological developments and how they could impact efforts by policymakers and political leaders in developing countries to harness trade and investment liberalization to achieve economic development outcomes.It begins by discussing some of the proven elements to...

For the foreseeable future, the United States’ critical infrastructures will be a major focus for homeland security while contributing greatly to the prosperity of the states and the private sector. The designation of critical infrastructures has evolved from a vague concept of public goods...

The government of South Africa has adopted a National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) with ambitious targets, including for telecommunications. This is only partly aligned with its adoption of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), the subject of a recent lengthy report. The telecommunications part...

The deployment of new broadband networks (NBNs) based on fiber-optic transmission technologies promises high gains in terms of productivity and economic growth, and has attracted subsidies worth billions from governments around the world in the form of various state aid programs. Yet, the...