› › Strengthening Competitiveness In Bangladesh Thematic Assessment

Strengthening Competitiveness In Bangladesh—Thematic Assessment

Author : Sanjay Kathuria

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 353 pages

File Size : 36,67 MB

Release : 2016-07-25

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464808996

Get eBook

Book Description

This is volume 2 of a three-volume publication on Bangladesh’s trade prospects. Bangladesh’s ambition is to build on its very solid growth and poverty reduction achievements, and accelerate growth to become a middle income country by 2021, and share prosperity more widely amongst its citizens. This includes one of its greatest development challenges: to provide gainful employment to the over 2 million people that will join the labor force each year over the next decade. Moreover, only 54.1 million of its 94 million working age people are employed. Bangladesh needs to use its labor endowment even more intensively to increase growth and, in turn, to absorb the incoming labor. The Diagnostic Trade Integration Study identifies the following actions centered around four pillars to sustain and accelerate export growth: (1) breaking into new markets through a) better trade logistics to reduce delivery lags ; as world markets become more competitive and newer products demand shorter lead times, to generate new sources of competitiveness and thereby enable market diversification; and b) better exploitation of regional trading opportunities in nearby growing and dynamic markets, especially East and South Asia; (2) breaking into new products through a) more neutral and rational trade policy and taxation and bonded warehouse schemes; b) concerted efforts to spur domestic investment and attract foreign direct investment, to contribute to export promotion and diversification, including by easing the energy and land constraints; and c) strategic development and promotion of services trade; (3) improving worker and consumer welfare by a) improving skills and literacy; b) implementing labor and work safety guidelines; and c) making safety nets more effective in dealing with trade shocks; and (4) building a supportive environment, including a) sustaining sound macroeconomic fundamentals; and b) strengthening the institutional capacity for strategic policy making aimed at the objective of international competitiveness to help bring focus and coherence to the government’s reform efforts. This second volume provides in-depth analysis across seven cross-cutting themes that underpin most of the findings of pillars 1 and 2 above.



Toward New Sources of Competitiveness in Bangladesh

Author : Sanjay Kathuria

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 165 pages

File Size : 36,42 MB

Release : 2015-10-20

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464806489

Get eBook

Book Description

Bangladesh's ambition is to build on its very solid growth and poverty reduction achievements, and accelerate growth to become a middle income country by 2021, and share prosperity more widely amongst its citizens. This includes one of its greatest development challenges: to provide gainful employment to the over 2 million people that will join the labor force each year over the next decade. Moreover, only 54.1 million of its 94 million working age people are employed. Bangladesh needs to use its labor endowment even more intensively to increase growth and, in turn, to absorb the incoming labor. The Diagnostic Trade Integration Study identifies the following actions centered around four pillars to sustain and accelerate export growth: (1) breaking into new markets through a) better trade logistics to reduce delivery lags; as world markets become more competitive and newer products demand shorter lead times, to generate new sources of competitiveness and thereby enable market diversification; and b) better exploitation of regional trading opportunities in nearby growing and dynamic markets, especially East and South Asia; (2) breaking into new products through a) more neutral and rational trade policy and taxation and bonded warehouse schemes; b) concerted efforts to spur domestic investment and attract foreign direct investment, to contribute to export promotion and diversification, including by easing the energy and land constraints; and c) strategic development and promotion of services trade; (3) improving worker and consumer welfare by a) improving skills and literacy; b) implementing labor and work safety guidelines; and c) making safety nets more effective in dealing with trade shocks; and (4) building a supportive environment, including a) sustaining sound macroeconomic fundamentals; and b) strengthening the institutional capacity for strategic policy making aimed at the objective of international competitiveness to help bring focus and coherence to the government's reform efforts.



Encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh’s Power Sector

Author : Tareq Mahbub

Publisher : Springer Nature

Page : 110 pages

File Size : 12,5 MB

Release : 2023-04-26

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 3031279905

Get eBook

Book Description

This book identifies and investigates the determinants that influence investment decision-making for conducting foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh’s power sector. This book is organized around six core themes. These are: Bangladesh’s vision to become a middle-income country by 2021 and have universal power for all; an overview of the benefits and costs of FDI from a host nation’s perspective; an outlook of Bangladesh’s power sector starting from the years 1994-2008 through 2011-2015 to 2016-2020 and beyond; the key factors that encourage foreign investors to conduct FDI in the Bangladeshi power sector subsumed under four broad categories of investment prospects namely, regulatory, economic and financial, political and social; the key barriers that deter FDI in the Bangladeshi power sector; and policy implications for long-term investment sustainability in the power sector. The main arguments posited in this book are: regulatory aspects are the most important for firms when conducting FDI in the power sector; land acquisition is a perineal problem that continues to hamper the development of large-scale power projects; there is a need for a transparent and competitive selection process to improve transparency and accountability in private power procurement; and more exploration of onshore and offshore gas fields with the extension of gas transmission networks be enhanced that ensure a regional balance of primary energy supply (gas) for setting up additional gas-based power plants in the country.



Playing to Strengths

Author : Sanjay Kathuria

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 105 pages

File Size : 13,54 MB

Release : 2019-12-03

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464815054

Get eBook

Book Description

It is widely agreed that, over the past decade, accelerating infrastructure investments in India's North Eastern Region (NER) and neighboring countries, along with connectivity agreements with Bangladesh, hold immense promise for unlocking NER's economic potential. Other global trends, such as the growing incomes and consumer awareness in India and neighboring countries; a rising preference for fresh, healthy, safe, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible products; the growing role of services in manufacturing; and increasing demand for skilled resources are also very favorable for NER. Together, these developments can help NER showcase its strengths in agriculture and services, thereby developing value chains in these sectors, which will lead to sustainable, better-paying job opportunities for the people of NER. In this context, the World Bank, in consultation with stakeholders--government, private sector, and academia--analyzed two cross-cutting constraints that are encountered across all value chains and sectors in NER: connectivity and logistics, and product standards and quality infrastructure. To ground the policy in specific contexts, the team studied four sectors in depth: fruits and vegetables, spices, bamboo and related products, and medical tourism. Playing to Strengths lays out an initial policy framework for NER that integrates demand and supply and shows that, even with a low base in manufacturing, NER can leverage its strengths in agriculture and services to step up its growth. However, implementing this framework will require a different approach to doing business compared with the existing ecosystem and its associated value chains, which are mostly geared to local and/or price-conscious consumers. In capitalizing on its advantages, NER will not only accelerate its own development, but also will play an increasingly critical role in the government of India's "Act East" policy.



South Asia in Global Power Rivalry

Author : Imtiaz Hussain

Publisher : Springer

Page : 329 pages

File Size : 44,89 MB

Release : 2019-06-07

Category : Political Science

ISBN : 9811372403

Get eBook

Book Description

This edited volume examines global power-rivalry in and around South Asia through Bangladeshi lenses using imperfect and overlapping interest concentric-circles as a template. Dynamics from three transitions —the United States exiting the Cold War, China emerging as a global-level power, and India’s eastern interests squaring off with China’s Belt Road Initiative, BRI—help place China, India, and the United States (in alphabetical order) in Bangladesh’s “inner-most” circle, China, India, and the United States in a “mid-stream” circle, and the United States and Latin America, among other countries, in the “outer-most” circle, depending on the issue. In an atmosphere of short-term gains over-riding long-term considerations, the desperate, widespread search for infrastructural funding inside South Asia enhances China’s value, raises local heat, releases new challenges, with costly default consequences looming, issue-specific analysis overtaking formal bilateral relations and a stubborn uncertainty riddling the Bangladeshi air as its policy preferences stubbornly show more certainty.



A Glass Half Full

Author : Sanjay Kathuria

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 218 pages

File Size : 37,77 MB

Release : 2018-09-07

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464812950

Get eBook

Book Description

Trade has played a critical role in global poverty reduction. In harnessing the potential of trade, some of the most successful countries have developed strong trade relationships with their neighbors. However, many South Asian countries have trade regimes that often offset the positive impact of geography and proximity. This report documents systematically the gaps between current and potential trade in South Asia and addresses important specific barriers that have held trade back. These barriers include tariffs and paratariffs, real and perceived nontariff barriers, connectivity costs, and the broader trust deficit. This policy-focused report unpacks these critical barriers to effective trade integration in South Asia through four in-depth studies that produce new, detailed, on-the-ground knowledge. Three of the studies are based on extensive stakeholder consultations. Two also rely on tailored surveys. The fourth study, on tariffs, benefits from new data on paratariffs. The report also marshals new evidence showing how trading regimes in South Asia discriminate against each other. Given the South Asian context, incremental, yet concrete steps aimed at tapping the potential of deeper integration are appropriate. The report has been drafted in this spirit. It offers precise, actionable policy recommendations that could help achieve measurable progress in key areas of trade and integration that would be to the advantage of all countries in the region.



South Asia's Turn

Author : Gladys Lopez-Acevedo

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 281 pages

File Size : 20,68 MB

Release : 2017-05-23

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464809747

Get eBook

Book Description

South Asia has a huge need to create more and better jobs for a growing population †“ especially in the manufacturing industries where it is underperforming as compared to East Asia. The report examines three critical and relatively understudied drivers of competitiveness: -Economies of agglomeration: firms and workers accrue benefits from locating close together in cities or clusters through urbanization and localization. -Participation in global value chains: stronger competitive pressures weed out least productive firms while others improve by gaining access to new knowledge and better inputs. -Firm capabilities: in order to operate close to what would be considered optimum efficiency levels given the prevailing factor prices and thus employ South Asia’s abundant labor. The report shows that South Asia has great untapped competitiveness potential. Realizing this potential would require the governments in the region to pursue second generation trade policy reforms for firms to better contribute to and benefit from global value chains (e.g. facilitating imports for exporters), to facilitate the development of industrial clusters in secondary cities (cheaper and less congested than the metros) as well as to deploy policies to improve the capabilities of firms.



Business Infrastructure for Sustainability in Developing Economies

Author : Ray, Nilanjan

Publisher : IGI Global

Page : 331 pages

File Size : 38,51 MB

Release : 2016-12-28

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1522520422

Get eBook

Book Description

Economic growth is one of the primary goals for all countries. There are many factors that contribute to a healthy and stable economy, and studying these emerging methods and techniques can aid in creating sustainable economic growth. Business Infrastructure for Sustainability in Developing Economies is a comprehensive reference source filled with informative discussions on the socio-economic expansion of developing nations. Featuring dynamic topics such as supply chain management, foreign trade deficits, service quality, and sustainable energy solutions, this book is an ideal resource for business managers, practitioners, professionals, and researchers who are interested in discovering the most recent trends and solutions in sustainable economic growth.



Trade Liberalisation and Economic Development in Africa

Author : Gift Mugano

Publisher : Routledge

Page : 258 pages

File Size : 41,12 MB

Release : 2021-09-30

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1000457915

Get eBook

Book Description

This book provides a thorough and rigorous discussion on the impact of trade liberalisation on economic development with a special focus on the African continent. The author presents the rationale for trade liberalisation, trade liberalisation frameworks, the trade liberalisation economic development nexus, impediments to trade, and contemporary issues of international trade. In this book, notwithstanding the benefits from trade liberalisation, the author shows that African trade as a share of global trade has remained flat at 3% as in 1975, while the continent’s exports have remained raw materials and its intra-regional trade at less than 15% of total trade, which is the lowest in the world (UNCTAD, 2020). With respect to key economic development indicators such as economic growth, poverty levels, and employment levels, this book shows that, ironically and in direct contrast with the conventional views that trade liberalisation alleviates poverty, trade liberalisation in Africa has resulted in high levels of unemployment and low economic growth which ultimately lead to increased poverty. In addition, this book provides a detailed analysis of why trade liberalisation has failed to yield meaningful benefits to Africa. The binding constraints and blockages which prevent positive spin-offs on trade liberalisation in Africa are discussed in detail in this book. In the same vein, the author provides practical strategies which must be adopted by African countries in order to gain from trade liberalisation, making this work a must-read for African governments, academia, trade experts, regional trading blocs, the World Trade Organization, and development partners. In view of this, and as part of the disruptive and structural transformation policies, the author discusses case studies and international experience contextualised to Africa as well as strategies for addressing the trade-related infrastructure gap, production capacities, export promotion, and aid for trade.



Leveraging Export Diversification in Fragile Countries

Author : José López-Cálix

Publisher : World Bank Publications

Page : 165 pages

File Size : 50,71 MB

Release : 2020-02-12

Category : Business & Economics

ISBN : 1464814902

Get eBook

Book Description

Despite multiple past efforts, fragile Sub-Saharan African economies such as those of Mali, Chad, Niger, and Guinea still rank among the least diversified worldwide, with natural resources constituting a high share of their gross domestic product or exports. Large-scale production of gold for Mali, oil for Chad, uranium for Niger, and bauxite for Guinea offers substantial opportunities, but also has major shortcomings. Conclusive evidence shows poor economic performance by resource-rich but fragile Sub-Saharan African countries. The primary reason is not only their high vulnerability to external shocks, but the greed or grievances that typically lead to rents appropriation by a small group of elites in countries that are prone to conflict. Leveraging Export Diversifi cation in Fragile Countries explores the following questions: What are Mali’s, Chad’s, Niger’s, and Guinea’s main constraints to export diversification as perceived by key exporting firms? How it could be beneficial for these countries to target certain emerging export products? Are their current interventions to promote global value chain (GVC) adequate? What lessons can be extracted from specific cases? How can trade and logistic policies favor (or hamper) export diversification†“led growth? The book lays the groundwork for effective step-by-step multidimensional policies to propel export diversification in fragile economies that are hindered not only by poor governance and weak institutions, but also by their landlocked position (except Guinea), small domestic markets, and business-unfriendly environments. Recognizing that traditional project interventions in these countries have had limited success, mainly due to their unidimensional focus on single components of an agricultural value chain, the book proposes a GVC 2.0 cluster-based approach to export diversification, in which complementary efforts attract foreign firms and public investment in support of agribusiness. Promising pilot examples of joint implementation plans among multiple donors, risk-sharing facilities, and agribusiness clusters provide valuable insights into recent global value chain developer interventions.