Globalization, Competitiveness, and Governability

“Ricardo Ernst and Jerry Haar make a compelling case that three transformative forces—globalization, competitiveness and governability—are collectively impacting the 21st century business environment and especially disrupting technology, supply chains, and financial services.”

—César Cernuda, President, Microsoft Latin America

“This book places competitiveness at the top of the business and policy agendas, making the case for smart governance to align interests and efficiency considerations. A must read for global managers.” 

—Mauro F. Guillén, Zandman Professor, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, USA

“Ricardo Ernst and Jerry Haar are the first scholars to illuminate synergies between globalization, competitiveness and governability.  Their analysis offers remarkable insights to business firms, policy officials and academics.” 

—Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Senior Fellow, PetersonInstitute for International Economics.

This book argues that three powerful symbiotic forces (globalization, competitiveness, and governability) are disrupting business in the 21st century, resulting in an impact on the economic and business environment far greater than the effects of any of these three individually. Both globalization and competitiveness are governed essentially by market forces that force the introduction of significant changes aimed at increasing efficiency so that a better use may be made of the advantages of globalization (i.e., the traditional “invisible” hand). Responsibility for bringing about these changes lies not only with the private sector but also with the government (i.e., the “visible” hand).

Readers will find in this book an explanation of how globalization, competitiveness, and governability define the context of global business.