Download MBA-IB (International Business) (Master of Business Administration) 3rd Semester International Business Environment Notes
UNIT ? I
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ? AN OVERVIEW
Content Outline
Introduction
Definition and meaning of international business
Scope of international business
Special difficulties in international business
Benefits of international business
Understanding of international business environment
Framework for analyzing the international business environment
Summary
Review Questions
INTRODUCTION
One of the most dramatic and significant world trends in the past two decades
has been the rapid, sustained growth of international business. Markets have
become truly global for most goods, many services, and especially for financial
instruments of all types. World product trade has expanded by more than 6
percent a year since 1950, which is more than 50 percent faster than growth of
output the most dramatic increase in globalization, has occurred in financial
markets. In the global forex markets, billions of dollars are transacted each day,
of which more than 90 percent represent financial transactions unrelated to trade
or investment. Much of this activity takes place in the so-called Euromarkets,
markets outside the country whose currency is used.
This pervasive growth in market interpenetration makes it increasingly difficult
for any country to avoid substantial external impacts on its economy. In
particular massive capital flows can push exchange rates away from levels that
accurately reflect competitive relationships among nations if national economic
policies or performances diverse in short run. The rapid dissemination rate of
new technologies speeds the pace at which countries must adjust to external
events. Smaller, more open countries, long ago gave up illusion of domestic
policy autonomy. But even the largest and most apparently self-contained
economies, including the US, are now significantly affected by the global
economy. Global integration in trade, investment, and factor flows, technology,
and communication has been tying economies together.
Why then are these changes coming about, and what exactly are they? It is in
practice, easier to identify the former than interpret the latter. The reason is that
during the past few decades, the emergence of corporate empires in the world
economy, based on the contemporary scientific and technological developments,
has led to globalization of production. As a result of international production,
co-operation among global productive units, the large-scale capital exports, the
export of production or production abroad has come into prominence as
against commodity export in world economy in recent years. Global
corporations consider the whole of the world their production place, as well as
their market and move factors of production to wherever they can optimally be
combined. They avail fully of the revolution that has brought about instant
worldwide communication, and near instant-transformation. Their ownership is
transnational; their management is transnational. Their freely mobile
management, technology and capital, the modern agent for stepped-up economic
growth, transcend individual national boundaries. They are domestic in every
place, foreign in none-a true corporate citizen of the world. The greater
interdependence among nations has already reduced economic insularity of the
peoples of the world, as well as their social and political insularity.
DEFINITION OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS:
International business includes any type of business activity that crosses national
borders. Though a number of definitions in the business literature can be found
but no simple or universally accepted definition exists for the term international
business. At one end of the definitional spectrum, international business is
defined as organization that buys and/or sells goods and services across two or
more national boundaries, even if management is located in a single country. At
the other end of the spectrum, international business is equated only with those
big enterprises, which have operating units outside their own country. In the
middle are institutional arrangements that provide for some managerial direction
of economic activity taking place abroad but stop short of controlling ownership
of the business carrying on the activity, for example joint ventures with locally
owned business or with foreign governments.
In its traditional form of international trade and finance as well as its newest
form of multinational business operations, international business has become
massive in scale and has come to exercise a major influence over political,
economic and social from many types of comparative business studies and from
a knowledge of many aspects of foreign business operations. In fact, sometimes
the foreign operations and the comparative business are used as synonymous for
international business. Foreign business refers to domestic operations within a
foreign country. Comparative business focuses on similarities and differences
among countries and business systems for focuses on similarities and differences
among countries and business operations and comparative business as fields of
enquiry do not have as their major point of interest the special problems that
arise when business activities cross national boundaries. For example, the vital
question of potential conflicts between the nation-state and the multinational
firm, which receives major attention is international business, is not like to be
centered or even peripheral in foreign operations and comparative business.
SCOPE OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
The study of international business focus on the particular problems and
opportunities that emerge because a firm is operating in more than one country.
In a very real sense, international business involves the broadest and most
generalized study of the field of business, adapted to a fairly unique across the
border environment. Many of the parameters and environmental variables that
are very important in international business (such as foreign legal systems,
foreign exchange markets, cultural differences, and different rates of inflation)
are either largely irrelevant to domestic business or are so reduced in range and
complexity as to be of greatly diminished significance. Thus, it might be said
that domestic business is a special limited case of international business.
The distinguishing feature of international business is that international firms
operate in environments that are highly uncertain and where the rules of the
game are often ambiguous, contradictory, and subject to rapid change, as
compared to the domestic environment. In fact, conducting international
business is really not like playing a whole new ball game, however, it is like
playing in a different ballpark, where international managers have to learn the
factors unique to the playing field. Managers who are astute in identifying new
ways of doing business that satisfy the changing priorities of foreign
governments have an obvious and major competitive advantage over their
competitors who cannot or will not adapt to these changing priorities.
The guiding principles of a firm engaged in (or commencing) international
business activities should incorporate a global perspective. A firm`s guiding
principles can be defined in terms of three board categories products
offered/market served, capabilities, and results. However, their perspective of
the international business is critical to understand the full meaning of
international business. That is, the firm`s senior management should explicitly
define the firm`s guiding principles in terms of an international mandate rather
than allow the firm`s guiding principles in terms as an incidental adjunct to its
domestic activities. Incorporating an international outlook into the firm`s basic
statement of purpose will help focus the attention of managers (at all levels of
the organization) on the opportunities (and hazards) outside the domestic
economy.
It must be stressed that the impacts of the dynamic factors unique to the playing
field for international business are felt in all relevant stages of evolving and
implementing business plans. The first broad stage of the process is to
formulate corporate guiding principles. As outlined below the first step in
formulating and implementing a set of business plans is to define the firm`s
guiding principles in the market place. The guiding principles should, among
other things, provide a long-term view of what the firm is striving to become
and provide direction to divisional and subsidiary managers vehicle, some firms
use the decision circle which is simply an interrelated set of strategic choices
forced upon any firm faced with the internationalization of its markets. These
choices have to do with marketing, sourcing, labor, management, ownership,
finance, law, control, and public affairs. Here the first two marketing and
sourcing-constitute the basic strategies that encompass a firm`s initial
considerations. Essentially, management is answering two questions: to whom
are we going to sell what, and from where and how will we supply that market?
We then have a series of input strategies-labor, management, ownership, and
financial. They are in their efforts to develop their own business plans. As an
obligation addressed essentially to the query, with what resources are we going
to implement the basic strategies? That is, where will we find the right people,
willingness to carry the risk, and the necessary funds? A third set of strategies-
legal and control-respond to the problem of how the firm is to structure itself of
implement the basic strategies, given the resources it can muster. A final
strategic area, public affairs, is shown as a basic strategy simply because it
places a restraint on all other strategy choices.
Each strategy area contains a number of subsidiary strategy options. The
decision process that normally starts in the marketing strategy area is an iterative
one. As the decision maker proceeds around the decision circle, previous
selected strategies must be readjusted. Only a portion of the possible feedback
adjustment loops is shown here.
Although these strategy areas are shown separately but they obviously do not
stand-alone. There must be constant reiteration as one moves around the
decision circle. The sourcing obviously influences marketing strategy, as well
as the reverse. The target market may enjoy certain preferential relationships
with other markets. That is, everything influences everything else. Inasmuch as
the number of options a firm faces is multiplied as it moves into international
market, decision-making becomes increasingly complex the deeper the firm
becomes involved internationally. One is dealing with multiple currency, legal,
marketing, economic, political, and cultural systems. Geographic and
demographic factors differ widely. In fact, as one moves geographically,
virtually everything becomes a variable: there are few fixed factors.
For our purposes here, a strategy is defined as an element in a consciously
devised overall plan of corporate development that, once made and
implemented, is difficult (i.e. costly) to change in the short run. By way of
contrast, an operational or tactical decision is one that sets up little or no
institutionalized resistance to making a different decision in the near future.
Some theorists have differentiated among strategic, tactical, and operational,
with the first being defined as those decisions, that imply multi-year
commitments; a tactical decision, one that can be shifted in roughly a year`s
time; an operational decision, one subject to change in less that a year. In the
international context, we suggest that the tactical decision, as the phrase is used
here, is elevated to the strategic level because of the rigidities in the international
environment not present in the purely domestic-for example, work force
planning and overall distribution decisions. Changes may be implemented
domestically in a few months, but if one is operating internationally, law,
contract, and custom may intervene to render change difficult unless
implemented over several years.
SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
What make international business strategy different from the domestic are the
differences in the marketing environment. The important special problems in
international marketing are given below:
1. POLITICAL AND LEGAL DIFFERENCES
The political and legal environment of foreign markets is different from that of
the domestic. The complexity generally increases as the number of countries in
which a company does business increases. It should also be noted that the
political and legal environment is not the same in all provinces of many home
markets. For example, the political and legal environment is not exactly the
same in all the states of India.
2. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
The cultural differences, is one of the most difficult problems in international
marketing. Many domestic markets, however, are also not free from cultural
diversity.
3. ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES
The economic environment may vary from country to country.
4. DIFFERENCES IN THE CURRENCY UNIT
The currency unit varies from nation to nation. This may sometimes cause
problems of currency convertibility, besides the problems of exchange rate
fluctuations. The monetary system and regulations may also vary.
5. DIFFERENCES IN THE LANGUAGE
An international marketer often encounters problems arising out of the
differences in the language. Even when the same language is used in different
countries, the same words of terms may have different meanings. The language
problem, however, is not something peculiar to the international marketing. For
example: the multiplicity of languages in India.
6. DIFFERENCES IN THE MARKETING INFRASTRUCTURE
The availability and nature of the marketing facilities available in different
countries may vary widely. For example, an advertising medium very effective
in one market may not be available or may be underdeveloped in another
market.
7. TRADE RESTRICTIONS
A trade restriction, particularly import controls, is a very important problem,
which an international marketer faces.
8. HIGH COSTS OF DISTANCE
When the markets are far removed by distance, the transport cost becomes high
and the time required for affecting the delivery tends to become longer.
Distance tends to increase certain other costs also.
9. DIFFERENCES IN TRADE PRACTICES
Trade practices and customs may differ between two countries.
BENEFITS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
SURVIVAL
Because most of the countries are not as fortunate as the United States in terms
of market size, resources, and opportunities, they must trade with others to
survive; Hong Kong, has historically underscored this point well, for without
food and water from china proper, the British colony would not have survived
along. The countries of Europe have had similar experience, since most
European nations are relatively small in size. Without foreign markets,
European firms would not have sufficient economies of scale to allow them to
be competitive with US firms. Nestle mentions in one of its advertisements that
its own country, Switzerland, lacks natural resources, forcing it to depend on
trade and adopt the geocentric perspective. International competition may not
be matter of choice when survival is at stake. However, only firms with
previously substantial market share and international experience could expand
successfully.
GROWTH OF OVERSEAS MARKETS
Developing countries, in spite of economic and marketing problems, are
excellent markets. According to a report prepared for the U.S. CONGRESS by
the U.S. trade representative, Latin America and Asia/Pacific are experiencing
the strongest economic growth. American markets cannot ignore the vast
potential of international markets. The world is more than four times larger than
the U.S. market. In the case of Amway corps., a privately held U.S.
manufacturer of cosmetics, soaps and vitamins, Japan represents a larger market
than the United States.
SALES AND PROFIT
Foreign markets constitute a larger share of the total business of many firms that
have wisely cultivated markets aboard. Many large U.S. companies have done
well because of their overseas customers. IBM and Compaq, foe ex, sell more
computers aboard than at home. According to the US dept of commerce,
foreign profits of American firms rose at a compound annual rate of 10%
between 1982 and 1991, almost twice as fast as domestic profits of the same
companies.
DIVERSIFICATION
Demand for mast products is affected by such cyclical factors as recession and
such seasonal factors as climate. The unfortunate consequence of these
variables is sales fluctuation, which can frequently be substantial enough to
cause lay offs of personnel. One way to diversify a companies` risk is to
consider foreign markets as a solution for variable demand. Such markets, even
out fluctuations by providing outlets for excess production capacity. Cold
weather, for instance may depress soft drink consumption. Yet not all countries
enter the winter season at the same time, and some countries are relatively warm
year round. Bird, USA, inc., a Nebraska manufacturer of go carts, and mini
cars, for promotional purposes has found that global selling has enabled the
company to have year round production. It may be winter in Nebraska but its
summer in the southern hemisphere-somewhere there is a demand and that
stabilizes the business.
INFLATION AND PRICE MODERATION
The benefits of export are readily self-evident. Imports can also be highly
beneficial to a country because they constitute reserve capacity for the local
economy. Without imports, there is no incentive for domestic firms to moderate
their prices. The lack of imported product alternatives forces consumers to pay
more, resulting in inflation and excessive profits for local firms. This
development usually acts a s prelude to workers demand for higher wages,
further exacerbating the problem of inflation.
Import quotas imposed on Japanese automobiles in the 1980`s saved 46200 US
production jobs but at a cost of $160,000 per job per year. This cost was a result
of the addition of $400 to the prices of US cars, and $1000 to the prices of
Japanese imports. This windfall for Detroit resulted in record high profits for
US automakers. Not only do trade restrictions depress price competition in the
short run, but they also can adversely affect demand for year to come.
EMPLOYMENT
Trade restrictions, such as high tariffs caused by the 1930`s smoot-hawley bill,
which forced the average tariff rates across the board to climb above 60%,
contributed significantly to the great depression and have the potential to cause
wide spread unemployment again. Unrestricted trade on the other hand
improves the world`s GNP and enhances employment generally for all nations.
Importing products and foreign ownership can provide benefits to a nation.
According to the institute for international Economics-a private, non- profit
research institute ? the growth of foreign ownership has not resulted in a loss of
jobs for Americans; and foreign firms have paid their American workers the
same, as have domestic firms.
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STANDARDS OF LIVING
Trade affords countries and their citizen`s higher standards of living than other
wise possible. Without trade, product shortages force people to pay more for
less, products taken for granted, such as coffee and bananas may become
unavailable overnight. Life in most countries would be much more difficult
were it not for the many strategic metals that must be imported. Trade also
makes it easier for industries to specialize and gain access to raw materials,
while at the same time fostering competition and efficiency. A diffusion of
innovations across national boundaries is useful by-products of international
trade. A lack of such trade would inhibit the flow innovative ideas.
FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental analysis is defined as the process by which strategists monitor
the economic, governmental/legal, market/competitive, supplier/technological,
geographic, and social settings to determine opportunities and threats to their
firms.
Environmental diagnosis consists of managerial decisions made by analyzing
the significance of the data (opportunities and threats) of the environmental
analysis.
The definition of environmental analysis given above has been made in the
context of the strategic management process for an existing firm. It is, however,
quite obvious that environmental analysis is the cornerstone of new business
opportunity analysis too.
Indeed, today a much more greater emphasis is given than in the past to the fact
that environmental analysis is an essential prerequisite for strategic management
decision-making. For instance, in his recent editions of Marketing Management,
Philip Kotler, the world-renowned professor and author, describes Marketing
Environment Audit as the first component of a Marketing Audit, whereas in the
earlier editions of this book, the definition of Marketing Audit does not have any
reference to the environment.
It is now unquestionably accepted that the prospects of a business depend not
only on its resources but also on the environment. An analysis of the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) is very much essential for the
business policy formulation.
Just as the life and success of an individual depend on his innate capability,
including physiological factors, traits and skills, to cope with the environment,
the survival and success of a business firm depend on its innate strength ? the
resources as its command, including physical resources, financial resources, skill
and organization ? and its adaptability to the environment.
Every business enterprise, thus, consists of a set of internal factors and is
confronted with a set of external factors.
The internal factors are generally regarded as controllable factors because the
company has control over these factors; it can alter or modify such factors as its
personnel, physical facilities, organization and functional means, such as the
marketing mix, to suit the environment.
The external factors, on the other hand, are by and large, beyond the control of a
company. The external or environmental factors such as the economic factors,
socio-cultural factors, government and legal factors, demographic factors, geo-
physical factors etc. are, therefore, generally regarded as uncontrollable factors.
As the environmental factors are beyond the control of a firm, its success will
depend to a very large extent on its adaptability to the environment, i.e. its
ability to properly design and adjust the internal (the controllable) variables to
take advantage of the opportunities and to combat the threats in the
environment.
The business environment comprises a microenvironment and a macro
environment.
MICRO ENVIRONMENT
The micro environment consists of the actors in the company`s immediate
environment that effect the performance of the company. These include the
suppliers, marketing intermediaries, competitors, customers, and publics. The
macro environment consists of the larger societal forces that affect all the actors
in the company`s micro environment namely, the demographic, economic,
natural, technological, political and cultural forces.
It is quite obvious that the micro environmental factors are more intimately
linked with the company than the macro factors. The micro forces need not
necessarily affect all the firms in a particular industry in the same way. Some of
the micro factors may be particular to a firm. For example, a firm, which
depends on a supplier, may have a supplier environment, which is entirely
different from that of a firm whose supply source is different. When competing
firms in an industry have the same microelements, the relative success of the
firms depends on their relative effectiveness in dealing with these elements.
Suppliers
An important force in the microenvironment of a company is the supplier, i.e.,
those who supply the inputs like raw materials and components to the company.
The importance of reliable source/sources of supply to the smooth functioning
of the business is obvious. Uncertainty regarding the supply or other supply
constraints often compels companies to maintain high inventories causing cost
increases. It has been pointed out that factories in India maintain indigenous
stocks of 3-4 months and imported stocks of 9 months as against an average of a
few hours to two weeks in Japan.
Because of the sensitivity of the supply, many companies give high importance
to vendor development. Vertical integration, where feasible, helps solve the
supply problem.
It is very risky to depend on a single because a strike, lock out or any other
production problem with that supplier may seriously affect the company.
Similarly, a change in the attitude or behavior of the supplier may also affect the
company. Hence, multiple sources of supply often help reduce such risks.
The supply management assumes more importance in a scarcity environment.
Company purchasing agents are learning how to wine and dine suppliers to
obtain favorable treatment during periods of shortages. In other words, the
purchasing department might have to market itself to suppliers.
CUSTOMERS
As it is often, exhorted, the major task of a business is to create and sustain
customers. A business exists only because of its customers. Monitoring the
customer sensitivity is, therefore, a prerequisite for the business success.
A company may have different categories of consumers like individuals,
households, industries and other commercial establishments, and government
and other institutions. For example, the customers of a tyre company may
include individual automobile owners, automobile manufacturers, public sector
transport undertakings and other transport operators.
Depending on a single customer is often too risky because it may place the
company in a poor bargaining position, apart from the risks of losing business
consequent to the winding up of business by the customer or due to the
customer`s switching over the competitors of the company.
The choice of the customer segments should be made by considering a number
of factors including the relative profitability, dependability, stability of demand,
growth prospects and the extent of competition.
COMPETITORS
A firm`s competitors include not only the other firms, which market the same or
similar products, but also all those who compete for the discretionary income of
the consumers. For example, the competition for a company`s televisions may
come not only from other T.V. manufacturers but also from two-wheelers,
refrigerators, cooking ranges, stereo sets and so on and from firms offering
savings and investment schemes like banks, Unit Trust of India, companies
accepting public deposits or issuing shares or debentures etc. This competition
among these products may be described as desire competition as the primary
task here is to influence the basic desire of the consumer. Such desire
competition is generally very high in countries characterized by limited
disposable incomes and many unsatisfied desires (and, of course, with many
alternatives for spending/investing the disposable income).
If the consumer decides to spend his discretionary income on recreation (or
recreation cum education) he will still confronted with a number of alternatives
choose from like T.V., stereo, two-in-one, three ?in-one etc. The competition
among such alternatives, which satisfy a particular category of desire, is called
generic competition.
If the consumer decides to go in for a T.V. the next question is which form of
the T.V. ? black and white or colour, with remote-control or without it etc. In
other words, there is a product form competition. Finally the consumer
encounters the brand competition i.e., the competition between the different
brands of the same product form.
An implication of these different demands is that a marketer should strive to
create primary and selective demand for his products.
MARKETING INTERMEDIARIES
The immediate environment of a company may consist of a number of
marketing intermediaries which are firms that aid the company in promoting,
selling and distributing its goods to final buyers.
The marketing intermediaries include middlemen such as agents and merchants
who help the company find customers or close sales with them, physical
distribution firms which assist the company in stocking and moving goods
form their origin to their destination such as warehouses and transportation
firms; marketing service agencies which assist the company in targeting and
promoting its products to the right markets such as advertising agencies,
marketing research firms, media firms and consulting firms; and financial
intermediaries which finance marketing activities and insure business risks.
Marketing intermediaries are vital links between the company and the final
consumers. A dislocation or disturbance of this link, or a wrong choice of the
link, may cost the company very heavily. Retail chemists and druggists in India
once decided to boycott the products of a leading company on some issue such
as poor retail margin. This move for collective boycott was, however, objected
to by the MRTP commission; but for this company would, perhaps, have been in
trouble.
DEMOCRATIC
A company may encounter certain publics in its environment. A public is any
group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organisation`s
ability to achieve its interests. Media publics, citizens action publics and local
publics are some examples.
For example, one of the leading companies in India was frequently under attack
by the media public, particularly by a leading daily, which was allegedly bent on
bringing down the share prices of the company by tarnishing its image. Such
exposures or campaigns by the media might even influence the government
decisions affecting the company. The local public also affects many companies.
Environmental pollution is an issue often taken up by a number of local publics.
Actions by local publics on the issue have caused some companies to suspend
operations and/or take pollution abatement measures.
GROWTH OF CONSUMER PUBLIC IS AN
IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT AFFECTING BUSINESS.
It is wrong to think that all publics are threats to business. Some of the actions
of the publics may cause problems for companies. However, some publics are
an opportunity for the business. Some businessmen, for example, regard
consumerism as an opportunity for the business. The media public may be used
to disseminate useful information. Similarly, fruitful cooperation between a
company and the local publics may be established for the mutual benefit of the
company and the local community.
MACRO ENVIRONMENT
As stated earlier, a company and the forces in its microenvironment operate in a
larger macro environment of forces that shape opportunities and pose threats to
the company. The macro forces are, generally, more uncontrollable than the
micro forces. A sketch picture of the important macro-environmental forces is
given below.
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
Economic conditions, economic policies and the economic system are the
important external factors that constitute the economic environment of a
business.
The economic conditions of a country-for example, the nature of the economy,
the stage of development of the economy, economic resources, the level of
income, the distribution of income and assets, etc- are among the very important
determinants of business strategies.
In a developing country, the low income may be the reason for the very low
demand for a product. The sale of a product for which the demand is income-
elastic naturally increases with an increase in income. But a firm is unable to
increase the purchasing power of the people to generate a higher demand for its
product. Hence, it may have to reduce the price of the product to increase the
sales. The reduction in the cost of production may have to be effected to
facilitate price reduction. It may even be necessary to invent or develop a new
low-cost product to suit the low-income market. Thus Colgate designed a
simple, hand-driven, inexpensive ($10) washing machine for low-income buyers
in less developed countries. Similarly, the National Cash Register Company
took an innovative step backward by developing a crank-operated cash register
that would sell at half the cost of a modern cash register and this was well
received in a number of developing countries.
In countries where investment and income are steadily and rapidly rising,
business prospects are generally bright, and further investments are encouraged.
There are a number of economists and businessmen who feel that the developed
countries are no longer worthwhile propositions for investment because these
economies have reached more or less saturation levels in certain respects.
In developed economies, replacement demand accounts for a considerable part
of the total demand for many consumer durables whereas the replacement
demand is negligible in the developing economies.
The economic policy of the government, needless to say, has a very great impact
on business. Some types or categories of business are favorably affected by
government policy, some adversely affected, while it is neutral in respect of
others. For example, a restrictive import policy, or a policy of protecting the
home industries, may greatly help the import-competing industries.
Similarly, an industry that falls within the priority sector in terms of the
government policy may get a number of incentives and other positive support
from the government, whereas those industries which are regarded as inessential
may have the odds against them.
In India, the government`s concern about the concentration of economic power
restricted the role of the large industrial houses and foreign concerns to the core
sector, the heavy investment sector, the export sector and backward regions.
The monetary and fiscal policies, by the incentives and disincentives they offer
and by their neutrality, also affect the business in different ways.
An industrial undertaking may be able to take advantage of external economies
by locating itself in a large city; but the Government of India`s policy was to
discourage industrial location in such places and constrain or persuade industries
undertaking, a backward area location may have many disadvantages. However,
the incentives available for units located in these backward areas many
compensate them for these disadvantages, at least to some extent.
According to the industrial policy of the Government of India until July 1991,
the development of 17 of the most important industries were reserved for the
state. In the development of another 12 major industries, the state was to play a
dominant role. In the remaining industries, co-operative enterprises, joint sector
enterprises and small scale units were to get preferential treatment over large
entrepreneurs in the private sector. The government policy, thus limited the
scope of private business. However, the new policy ushered in since July 1991
has wide opened many of the industries for the private sector.
The scope of international business depends, to a large extent, on the economic
system. At one end, there are the free market economies or capitalist
economies, and at the other end are the centrally planned economies or
communist countries. In between these two are the mixed economies. Within
the mixed economic system itself, there are wide variations.
The freedom of private enterprise is the greatest in the free market economy,
which is characterized by the following assumptions:
(i)
The factors of production (labor, land, capital) are privately owned,
and production occurs at the initiative of the private enterprise.
(ii)
Income is received in monetary form by the sale of services of the
factors of production and from the profits of the private enterprise.
(iii)
Members of the free market economy have freedom of choice in so
far as consumption, occupation, savings and investment are
concerned.
(iv)
The free market economy is not planned controlled or regulated by
the government. The government satisfies community or collective
wants, but does not compete with private firms, nor does it tell the
people where to work or what to produce.
The completely free market economy, however, is an abstract system rather than
a real one. Today, even the so-called market economies are subject to a number
of government regulations. Countries like the United States, Japan, Australia,
Canada and member countries of the EEC are regarded as market economies.
The communist countries have, by and large, a centrally planned economic
system. Under the rule of a communist or authoritarian socialist government,
the state owns all the means of production, determines the goals of production
and controls the economy according to a central master plan. There is hardly
any consumer sovereignty in a centrally planned economy, unlike in the free
market economy. The consumption pattern in a centrally planned economy is
dictated by the state.
China, East Germany Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland etc., had
centrally planned economies. However, recently several of these countries have
discarded communist system and have moved towards the market economy.
In between the capitalist system and the centrally planned system falls the
system of the mixed economy, under which both the public and private sectors
co-exist, as in India. The extent of state participation varies widely between the
mixed economies. However, in many mixed economies, the strategic and other
nationally very important industries are fully owned or dominated by the state.
The economic system, thus, is a very important determinant of the scope of
private business. The economic system and policy are, therefore, very important
external constraints on business.
POLITICAL AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
Political and government environment has close relationship with the economic
system and economic policy. For example, the communist countries had a
centrally planned economic system. In most countries, apart from those laws
that control investment and related matters, there are a number of laws that
regulate the conduct of the business. These laws cover such matters as standards
of products, packaging, promotion etc.
In many countries, with a view to protecting consumer interests, regulations
have become stronger. Regulations to protect the purity of the environment and
preserve the ecological balance have assumed great importance in many
countries.
Some governments specify certain standards for the products (including
packaging) to be marketed in the country; some even prohibit the marketing of
certain products. In most nations, promotional activities are subject to various
types of controls. Media advertising is not permitted in Libya. Several
European countries restrain the use of children in commercial advertisements.
In a number of countries, including India, the advertisement of alcoholic liquor
is prohibited. Advertisements, including packaging, of cigarettes must carry the
statutory warning that cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Similarly,
advertisements of baby food must necessarily inform the potential buyer that
breast-feeding in the best. In countries like Germany, product comparison
advertisements and the use of superlatives like best` or excellent` in
advertisements is not allowed In the United States, the Federal Trade
Commission is empowered to require a company to provide the quality,
performance or comparative prices of its products.
What is being asked of the drug industry and of American business in general
is a fuller disclosure of the relevant facts about products. For drugs, food
additives, some cosmetic preparations, and so forth, a full disclosure requires
more knowledge of the long-range side effects of materials ingested into the
complex human body. For American industry as a whole, greater candour has
been called for under such legislation as Truth in Lending and Fair Packaging
Act, under administrative decrees such as the warning requirement on cigarette
packages and advertising, under the threats of private damage suits using the
common-law concepts of warranty, and under voluntary programmes such as
unit pricing and listing nutritional content of foods. The increasing complexity
of products and the variety of product choices suggest further moves away from
caveat emptor` or let the buyer beware` doctrines, moves which on the whole
should prove a welcome although sometimes inconvenient challenge for
business.
There are a host of statutory controls on business in India. If the MRTP
companies wanted to expand their business substantially, they had to convince
the government that such expansion was in the public interest. Indeed, the
Government in India has an all-pervasive and predominantly restrictive
influence over various aspects of business, e.g, industrial licensing which
decides location, capacity and process; import licensing for machinery and
materials; size and price of capital issue; loan finance; pricing; managerial
remuneration; expansion plans; distribution restrictions and a host of other
enactments. Therefore, a considerable part of attention of a Chief Executive and
his senior colleagues has to be devoted to a continuous dialogue with various
government agencies to ensure growth and profitability within the framework of
controls and restraints.
Many countries today have laws to regulate competition in the public interest.
Elimination of unfair competition and dilution of monopoly power are the
important objectives of these regulations. In India, the monopolistic
undertakings, dominants undertakings and large industrial houses are subject to
a number of regulations which prevent the concentration of economic power to
the common detriment. The MRTP Act also controls monopolistic, restrictive
and unfair trade practices which are prejudicial to public interest. Such
regulations brighten the prospects of small and new firms. They also increase
the scope of some of the existing firms to venture into new areas of business.
The special privileges available to the small scale sector have also contributed to
the phenomenal success of the Nirma.
Certain changes in government policies such as the industrial policy, fiscal
policy, tariff policy etc. may have profound impact on business. Some policy
developments create opportunities as well as threats. In other words, a
development which brightens the prospects of some enterprises may pose a
threat to some others. For example, the industrial policy liberalizations in India,
particularly around the mid-eighties have opened up new opportunities and
threats. They have provided a lot of opportunities to a large number of
enterprises to diversify and to make their product mix better. But they have also
given rise to serious threat to many existing products by way of increased
competitions; many seller`s markets have given way to buyer`s markets. Even
products which were seldom advertised have come to be promoted very heavily.
This battle for the market has provided a splendid opportunity for the advertising
industry. Advertising billing has been increasing substantially.
That an estimated cost savings of about Rs. 200 crores per year have accrued to
the Reliance Industries as a result of the changes in duties on some of the
material inputs used by them is just an indication of the tremendous impact the
fiscal and tariff policies can have on the business.
SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
The socio-cultural fabric is an important environmental factor that should be
analysed while formulating business strategies. The cost of ignoring the
customs, traditions, taboos, tastes and preferences, etc., of people could be very
high.
The buying and consumption habits of the people, their language, beliefs and
values, customs and traditions, tastes and preferences, education are all factors
that affect business.
For a business to be successful, its strategy should be the one that is appropriate
in the socio-cultural environment. The marketing mix will have to be so
designed as best to suit the environmental characteristics of the market. In
Thailand, Helene Curtis switched to black shampoo because Thai women felt
that it made their hair look glossier. Nestle, a Swiss multinational company,
today brews more than forty varieties of instant coffee to satisfy different
national tastes.
Even when people of different cultures use the same basic product, the mode of
consumption, conditions of use, purpose of use or the perceptions of the product
attributes may vary so much so that the product attributes method of
presentation, positioning, or method of promoting the product may have to be
varied to suit the characteristics of different markets. For example, the two most
important foreign markets for Indian shrimp are the U.S and Japan. The product
attributes for the success of the product in these two markets differ. In the U.S.
market, correct weight and bacteriological factors are more important rather than
eye appeal, colour, uniformity of size and arrangement of the shrimp which are
very important in Japan. Similarly, the mode of consumption of tuna, another
seafood export from India, differs between the U.S. and European countries.
Tuna fish sandwiches, an American favourite which accounts for about 80 per
cent of American tuna consumption, have little appeal in high tuna consumption
European countries where people eat it right from the can. A very interesting
example is that of the Vicks Vaporub, the popular pain balm, which is used as a
mosquito repellant in some of the tropical areas.
The differences in languages sometimes pose a serious problem, even
necessitating a change in the brand name. Preett was, perhaps, a good brand
name in India, but it did not suit in the overseas market; and hence it was
appropriate to adopt Prestige` for the overseas markets. Chevrolet`s brand
name Nova` in Spanish means it doesn`t go. In Japanese, General Motors`
Body by Fisher translates as corpse by Fisher. In Japanese, again, 3M`s
slogan sticks like crazy translates as sticks foolishly. In some languages,
Pepsi-Cola`s slogan come alive translates as come out of the grave.
The values and beliefs associated with colour vary significantly between
different cultures. Blue, considered feminine and warm in Holland, is regarded
as masculine and cold in Sweden. Green is a favourite colour in the Muslim
world; but in Malaysia, it is associated with illness. White indicates death and
mourning in China and Korea; but in some countries, it expresses happiness and
is the colour of the wedding dress of the bride. Red is a popular colour in the
communist countries; but many African countries have a national distaste for red
colour.
Social inertia and associated factors come in the way of the promotion of certain
products, services or ideas. We come across such social stigmas in the
marketing of family planning ideas, use of bio-gas for cooking, etc. In such
circumstances, the success of marketing depends, to a very large extent, on the
success in changing social attitudes or value systems.
There are also a number of demographic factors, such as the age, and sex
composition of population, family size, habitat, religion, etc., which influence
the business.
While dealing with the social environment, we must also consider the social
environment of the business which encompasses its social responsibility and the
alertness or vigilance of the consumers and of society at large.
The societal environment has assumed great importance in recent years. As
Barker observes, business traditionally has been held responsible for quantities-
for the supply of goods and jobs, for costs, prices, wages, hours of works, and
for standards of living. Today, however, business is being asked to take a
responsibility for the quality of life in our society. The expectation is that
business- in addition to its traditional accountability for economic performance
and results ? will concern itself with the health of the society, that it will come
up with the cures for the ills that currently beset us and, indeed, will find ways
of anticipating and preventing future problems in these areas.
As Stern succinctly points out, the more educated the society becomes, the
more interdependent it becomes, and the more discretionary the use of its
resources, the more marketing will become enmeshed in social issues.
Marketing personnel are at interface between company and society. In this
position, they have the responsibility not merely for designing a competitive
marketing strategy, but for sensitizing business to the social, as well as the
product demand of society.
DEMOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENT
Demographic factors like the size, growth rate, age composition, sex
composition, etc. of the population, family size, economic stratification of the
population, educational levels, languages, caste, religion etc. Are all factors that
are relevant to business?
Demographic factors such as size of the population, population growth rate, age
composition, life expectancy, family size, spatial dispersal, occupational status,
employment pattern etc, affect the demand for goods and services. Markets with
growing population and income are growth markets. But the decline in the birth
rates in countries like the United States have affected the demand for baby
products. Johnson and Johnson have overcome this problem by repositioning
their products like baby shampoo and baby soap, promoting them also to the
adult segment, particularly to the females.
A rapidly increasing population indicates a growing demand for many products.
High population growth rate also indicates an enormous increase in labour
supply. When the Western countries experienced the industrial revolution, they
had the problem of labour supply, for the population growth rate was
comparatively low. Labour shortage and rising wages encouraged the growth of
labour-saving technologies and automation. But most developing countries of
today are experiencing a population explosion and a situation of labour surplus.
The governments of developing countries, therefore, encourage labour intensive
methods of production. Capital intensive methods, automation and even
rationalization are apposed by labour and many sociologists, politicians and
economists in these countries. The population growth rate, thus, is an important
environmental factor which affects business. Cheap labour and a growing
market have encouraged many multinational corporations to invest in
developing countries.
The occupational and spatial mobilities of population have implications for
business. If labour is easily mobile between different occupations and regions,
its supply will be relatively smooth, and this will affect the wage rate.
If labour is highly heterogeneous in respect of language, caste and religion,
ethnicity, etc., personnel management is likely to become a more complex task.
The heterogeneous population with its varied tastes, preferences, beliefs,
temperaments, etc. gives rise to differing demand patterns and calls for different
marketing strategies.
References to a number of demographic factors that have business implications
have already been made under socio-cultural environment.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Geographical and ecological factors, such as natural resource endowments,
weather and climatic conditions, topographical factors, locational aspects in the
global context, port facilities, etc., are all relevant to business.
Differences in geographical conditions between markets may sometimes call for
changes in the marketing mix. Geographical and ecological factors also
influence the location of certain industries. For example, industries with high
material index tend to be located near the raw material sources. Climatic and
weather conditions affect the location of certain industries like the cotton textile
industry. Topographical factors may, affect the demand pattern. For example, in
hilly areas with a difficult terrain, jeeps may be in greater demand than cars.
Ecological factors have recently assumed great importance. The depletion of
natural resources, environmental pollution and the disturbance of the ecological
balance has caused great concern. Government policies aimed at the
preservation of environmental purity and ecological balance, conservation of
non-replenishale resources, etc., have resulted in additional responsibilities and
problems for business, and some of these have the effect of increasing the cost
of production and marketing. Externalities have become an important problem
the business has to confront with.
PHYSICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
Physical Factors, such as geographical factors, weather and climatic conditions
may call for modifications in the product, etc., to suit the environment because
these environmental factors are uncontrollable. For example, Esso adapted its
gasoline formulations to suit the weather conditions prevailing in different
markets.
Business prospects depend also on the availability of certain physical facilities.
Some products, like many consumer durables, have certain use facility
characteristics. The sale of television sets, for example, is limited by the extent
of the coverage of the telecasting. Similarly, the demand for refrigerators and
other electrical appliances is affected by the extent of electrification and the
reliability of power supply. The demand for LPG gas stoves is affected by the
rate of growth of gas connections.
Technological factors sometimes pose problems. A firm, which is unable to
cope with the technological changes, may not survive. Further, the differing
technological environment of different markets or countires may call for product
modifications. For example, many appliances and instruments in the U.S.A. are
designed for 110 volts but this needs to be converted into 240 volts in countries
which have that power system. Technological developments may increase the
demand for some existing products. For example, voltage stabilisers help
increase the sale of electrical appliances in markets characterised by frequent
voltage fluctuations I power supply. However, the introduction of TV`s, Fridges
etc, with in built voltage stabilizer adversely affects the demand for voltage
stabilizers.
Advances in the technologies of food processing and preservation, packaging
etc., have facilitated product improvements and introduction of new products
and have considerably improved the marketability of products.
The television has added a new dimension to product promotion. The advent of
TV and VCP/VCR has, however, adversely affected the cinema theatres.
The fast changes in technologies also create problems for enterprises as they
render plants and products obsolete quickly. Product-market-technology matrix
generally has a much shorter life today than in the past. It is particularly so in
the international marketing context. It may be interesting to note that almost
half of Hindustan Lever`s 1980 export business did not exist in 1987. In fact, as
much as a third of the company`s 1987 turnover was from products and markets,
which were under three years of age.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
The international environment is very important from the point of view of
certain categories of business. It is particularly important for industries directly
depending on imports or exports and import-competing industries. For example,
a recession in foreign markets, or the adoption of protectionist policies by
foreign nations, may create difficulties for industries depending on exports. On
the other hand, a boom in the export market or a relaxation of the protectionist
policies may help the export-oriented industries. A liberalization of imports
may help some industries which use imported items, but may adversely affect
import-competing industries.
It has been observed that major international developments have their spread
effects on domestic business. The Great Depression in the United States sent its
shock waves to a number of other countries. Oil price hikes have seriously
affected a number of economies. These hikes have increased the cost of
production and the prices of certain products, such as fertilizers, synthetic fibres,
etc. The high oil price has led to an increase in the demand for automobile
models that economise energy consumption. The demand for natural fibres
increased because of the oil crisis.
The oil crisis also prompted some companies to resort to demarketing.
Demarketing refers to the process of cutting consumer demand for a product
back to level that can be supplied by the firm. Some oil companies-the Indian
Oil Corporation, for example-have publicized tips o how to cut oil consumption.
When the fertilizer price shot up following the oil crisis, some fertilizer
companies appealed to the farmers to use fertilizers only for important and
remunerative crops. The importance of natural manure like compost as a
substitute for chemical fertilizers was also emphasized.
The oil crisis led to a reorientation of the Government of India`s energy policy.
Such developments affect the demand, consumption and investment pattern.
A good export market enables a firm to develop a more profitable product mix
and to consolidate its position in the domestic market. Many companies now
plan production capacities and investment taking into account also the foreign
markets. Export marketing facilitates the attainment of optimum capacity
utilization; a company may be able to mitigate the effects of domestic recession
by exporting. However, a company which depends on the export market to a
considerable extent has also to face the impact of adverse developments in
foreign markets.
SUMMARY
International business is a necessity in today`s world. The gains for greater
awareness and knowledge of international business fare immense for nations,
multi-national enterprises, trading companies, exporters and even individuals.
To go global, the first step would be to understand the international business
environment. International business in nothing but extending the areas of
activities of business across the boundaries. We have discussed about the
importance of understanding international business environment in detail. The
concepts of microenvironment and macro environment with reference to the
political, legal, economical and cultural background are also discussed.
Understanding international business environment requires greater research and
information. The fulfillment of this research could happen with greater
understanding of the framework for analyzing the international business
environment.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Define international business and discuss the scope of international
business
2. What is meant by international business environment? Discuss briefly
the importance of understanding the international business environment.
3. Discuss the concepts of micro and macro environment
4. Explain the framework for analyzing the international business
environment in detail.
5. Companies cannot bypass the knowledge of operations of businesses
internationally ? Comment.
UNIT II
Structure:
1.
Introduction
2.0
Objective
3.0
Presentation of Contents
3.1
International Economic Environment
3.2
WTO
3.3
United Nations Conference on Trade And Development
3.4
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
3.5
World Bank
4.0
Summary
5.0
Self Assessment Questions
6.0
Suggested Reading
1.
Introduction
The economic environment has the most profound influence on the business.
The globalization of economy has brought the nations together. We are moving
towards a closely knot economy, from the era of protectionism and self-
sufficiency. Therefore, there is a need to study the current economic
environment and the variables that shape the same.
2.
Objective
The objective of this unit is to acquaint the students with the economic
environment and its various constituents that influence the international business
environment. The impact of global trade and business institutions is also
explained.
3.
Presentation of Contents
3.1
International Economic Environment
The most radical changes have happened on the economic front in the last two
decades, which have changed the entire mathematics of international business
environment. The political events such as the disintegration of USSR have made
the world a multi-polar entity. At the same time, the technological advances,
particularly those in the field of information technology have made the world a
smaller place. The strengthening of the global economic institutions, particularly
WTO have led to a major integration of the nations. However, the main driving
force behind these developments remains the economic environment.
Irrespective of the nature and size of business, no business entity is left insulated
from the global changes. The competition is right on the door of every business.
Therefore, anyone aspiring to excel in business needs to understand these
economic environmental variables and master, with dexterity, the techniques to
gain maximum advantage out of them. The most profound of the changes is the
dislocation of local competition. Some of major changes in the past decades are:
Capital movement rather than trade have become the driving force of
the world economy.
Production has become disassociated from employment.
Primary products have lost their traditional association from the
industrial economy.
The economics seems to have a greater influence on the politics, than
vice versa.
The ideology of nation controlling the economy is primarily rejected.
There is a realization of the benefits of free market economy.
The established principles of economics have been redefined and we understand
the economics of interdependence and cooperation instead of protectionism. The
old rules of competition are also undergoing a change. From a direct head on
confrontation, the businesses are developing the niches where each of the
players grows and excels.
Macroeconomic trends
This unit focuses only on the most recent economic situation, particularly the
status in the last five years. The students are advised to refer to standard text
books on the subject to have an overview of the economic situation of the
yesteryears. Focusing on the years gone bye shall divert the focus of this unit.
The present status of the world economy can best be defined as beginning on a
strong note. As a number of major developed economies managed to rebound
from the notable slowdown in late 2005, many developing countries maintained
the momentum of broad and solid growth. A measurable moderation is
expected, however, in the second half of 2006, with the annual growth of world
gross product (WGP) for 2006 as a whole at about 3.6 per cent the same pace as
in 2005 and marginally. The global projections are based on the weighted
average of projected individual-country growth rates using the gross domestic
product (GDP) valued in 2000 dollar prices for each country. Other global
projections tend to use GDP valued in purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars.
When using those weights, the United Nations global forecast for world
economic growth would be 4.8 per cent for 2006.
Table 1.
Growth of world output, 2001-2006ual percentage change
Year
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2006
World output
1.6
1.9
2.8
4.1
3.6
3.6
3.3
Developed
1.2
1.3
2.0
3.2
2.7
2.7
2.5
economies
Northern
0.8
1.7
2.7
4.2
3.5
3.1
3.1
America
Western
1.9
1.2
1.2
2.4
1.6
2.3
2.1
Europee
Asia and
0.7
0.4
2.0
2.3
2.7
2.8
1.9
Oceaniaf
Economies in
5.7
5.0
7.0
7.6
6.3
6.0
5.9
transition
Southern and
4.8
4.8
4.6
6.6
4.6
4.8
4.4
Eastern Europe
Commonwealth 6.0
5.1
7.6
7.8
6.8
6.3
6.2
of Independent
States
Developing
2.7
3.9
5.2
6.9
6.1
6.2
5.6
economies
Africa
3.6
3.3
4.7
5.0
5.3
5.9
5.5
East Asia
4.5
6.9
6.8
7.9
7.3
7.3
6.5
South Asia
4.1
5.6
7.0
7.0
6.7
6.3
6.4
Western Asia
0.3
3.0
4.7
6.5
5.1
5.2
5.1
Latin America
0.3
-0.8
2.0
5.8
4.5
4.6
3.9
and the
Caribbean
Landlocked
5.6
4.5
4.6
6.1
7.2
6.8
--
countries
Least
6.5
6.3
6.7
6.7
6.9
7.3
6.6
developed
countries
Small island
0.5
3.4
2.8
5.7
5.9
5.5
--
developing
States
Sub-Saharan
4.8
3.9
3.4
5.7
5.5
6.6
5.3
Africa
Source: Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations
Secretariat.
World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2006 higher than what was
projected at the beginning of the year in World Economic Situation and
Prospects 2006. A number of downside risks have heightened most recently and
they will weigh on the world economy in the near to medium future. The large
global imbalances remain the primary source of uncertainty for the stability of
the world economy, but there are other sources of uncertainties that are not
negligible, such as the persistence of higher oil prices, the cooling o. in the
housing sector in a number of economies, the risk of avian influenza`s turning
into a pandemic, and the rising interest rates worldwide, as well as some
geopolitical uncertainties. One salient feature of the global economic expansion
of the past two years has been the improvement in the breadth of growth
performance among developing countries: a large number of developing
countries have registered solid growth. During 2004- 2005 about half of the 107
developing countries for which data were available had managed to register
GDP per capita growth above 3 per cent, which by a rule of thumb is considered
to be the threshold of the growth needed in order for a developing country to
reduce poverty meaningfully.
Meanwhile, only about a dozen developing countries experienced a decline in
per capita GDP during 2004-2005, the smallest number in decades. Such a trend
is expected to continue in 2006. The employment situation worldwide is
improving, but is far from satisfactory. Employment creation has lagged behind
output growth in the global recovery of the past few years. Despite some
noticeable improvement, most recently in 2006, unemployment rates in a large
number of countries are still higher than their levels prior to the global downturn
of 2000-2001. Many developing countries are also facing high levels of
structural unemployment and underemployment, limiting the e. ectiveness of
growth in reducing poverty. A gradual recovery in employment continues in
most developed countries. In the United States of America, the average monthly
increase in wage employment has strengthened in 2006, with the unemployment
rate dropping below 5 per cent. In Eastern Europe, unemployment rates are still
about 1 percentage point above their low levels of 2001, but a gradual
improvement is discernible. The unemployment rate in Japan has been declining
steadily, and labour markets in Australia, Canada and New Zealand are
exceptionally strong.
The unemployment situation in developing countries and economies in
transition is more pressing, in both cyclical and structural terms. Official
unemployment data, which often cover only urban areas, in general,
underestimate by a large margin the severity of unemployment and, particularly,
the underemployment situation in most developing countries. Nonetheless, even
by this measure, only a small number of countries in Asia, in Latin America and
in the group of economies in transition registered a notable reduction in
unemployment rates in 2005.
Unemployment rates for most Asian economies are still above their levels prior
to the Asian . - financial crisis of the late 1990s. In China and many Asian
economies, where people in rural areas still account for a large share of the
population, surplus labour and high rates of underemployment in the rural areas
remain a long-term policy concern. In South Asia, for example, the formal
sector is unable to absorb a rapidly growing workforce and unemployment is
highest among the young -- which is also the case for many other developing
countries. Despite some improvement, unemployment rates in most Latin
American countries and economies in transition are still high -- near 10 per
cent. Structural unemployment and underemployment problems are particularly
acute in Africa despite its recent growth recovery. Official rates of
unemployment are at 10 per cent or higher in some of these economies.
3.2
WTO
Introduction
The World War?II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, left many countries in
Europe and Asia totally ravaged. Their economies were shattered; there was
tremendous stain on political and social systems resulting in wide spread
annihilation and migration of people. Intentional peace was ruffled. Something
had to be done to put these war-ravaged economies back in shape.
Simultaneously, the various colonies in Asia and Africa were acquiring political
freedom. And there was urgent pressure on them for rapid economic
development and political stabilization. In this background the United Nations
Organisation (UNO) was born on the collective wisdom of the world.
Progressively, the UNO came to encompass the concerns for development in
economic, commercial, scientific, social and cultural sphere of the member
nations. It formed various forums and agencies. One such forum under the UNO
was the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which was
established in 1947.
GATT emerged from the ashes of the Havana Charter. In International
Conference on Trade and Employment in Havana in the winter of 1947-48,
fifty-three nations drew up and signed a charter for establishing an International
Trade Organisation (ITO). But the US Congress did not ratify the Havana
Charter with the result that the ITO never came into existence.
Simultaneously, twenty-three nations agreed to continue extensive tariff
negotiations for trade concessions at Geneva, which were incorporated in a
General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade. This was signed on 30th October 1947
and came into force form 1st January 1948 when other nations had also signed it.
The critical juncture was reached during the Uruguay Round of multilateral
trade negotiations, which may be called the final act. It was signed by 12
countries in which India was signatory. Popularly known as Dunkel agreement,
It finally emerged as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 1st January, 1995.
What is GATT
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is neither an organisation
nor a court of justice. It is simply a multinational treaty which now covers eighty
per cent of the world trade. It is a decision making body with a code of rules for
the conduct of international trade and a mechanism for trade liberalisation. It is a
forum where the contracting parties meet from time to time to discuss and solve
their trade problems, and also negotiate to enlarge their trade. The GATT rules
provide for the settlement of trade disputes, call for consultations, waive trade
obligations, and even authorize retaliatory measures.
The GATT has been a permanent international organisation having a permanent
Council of Representative with headquarters at Geneva. 25 governments have
signed it. Its function is to call International conferences to decide on trade
liberalizations on a multilateral basis.
GATT `Rounds' of Global Trade Negotiations
The brief particulars of the various GATT Rounds` (conferences) for global
trade negotiations are discussed below:
1.
First Round:- The earlier rounds of GATT have achieved a limited
measure of success. In the first round of talks held in Havana in 1947, 23
countries, which had formed GATT, exchanged tariff concessions on
45,000 products worth 10 billion US dollars of trade per annum.
2.
Second Round:- Ten more countries had joined GATT when its second
round was held in Annecy (France) in 1949. In this round, customs and
tariffs on 5000 additional items of international trade were reduced.
3.
Third Round:- The Third round was organized in Torquay (England) in
1950-51. 38 member countries of GATT participated in it and they
adopted tariff reduction on 8700 items.
4.
Fourth Round:- The fourth round of world trade negotiations were held
in Geneva in 1955-56. In this round countries decided to further cut
duties on goods entering international trade. The value of merchandise
trade subjected to tariff cut was estimated at $ 2.5b.
5.
Fifth Round:- The fifth round took place during 1960-62 at Geneva. In
this round the negotiations covered the approval of common external
tariff (CET) of the European countries and cut in custom duties
amounting to US $ 5 billion on 4400 items. Twenty-six countries
participated in this round.
6.
Sixth Round or the Kennedy Round:- With the formation EEC, the US
had been put at a disadvantage. As a reaction to this, the US Congress
passed the Trade Expansion Act in October 1962 which authorised the
Kennedy administration to make 50 per cent tariff reduction in all
commodities. This paved the way for the opening of the Kennedy round
of trade negotiations at Geneva in May 1964, which were to be
completed by 30 June 1967.
This round had the participation of 62 countries and negotiated tariff reductions
of approximately $ 40 billion, covering about four-fifths of the world trade. The
major industrial countries in this group applied substantial cuts on their dutiable
imports, e.g. as much as 64 per cent cuts in the case of the United States, 3 per
cent in case of Britain, 30 per cent in case of Japan, 24 per cent in case of
Canada. They left the US and European tariff on the manufactured goods in the
range of 5 to 15 per cent.
However, with regard to agricultural products, the negotiations had lesser
success. They agreed on an average duty reduction of 25 per cent on agricultural
items. Non-tariff obstacles, too remained untouched and scant attention was paid
to the problems of developing countries.
An IMF study revealed that weighted average tariff for all industrial products
had been reduced to 7.7 per cent, 9.8 per cent on finished manufactured
products, 8 per cent on semi-finished products and 2 per cent on raw materials.
Thus trade in industrial products after the completion of Kennedy Round was
substantially free of restrictions.
7.
Seventh Round or Tokyo Round:- The Seventh Round of Multilateral
Trade Negotiations (MTN) was launched in September 1973 under the
auspices of GATT. Its objectives were laid down in the Tokyo
Declaration. The Declaration set out a far-reaching programme for the
negotiations in six areas. These are (i) tariff reduction; (ii) reduction of
elimination of non-tariff barriers; (iii) coordinated reduction of all trade
barriers in selected sectors; (iv) discussion on the multilateral safeguard
system; (v) trade liberalisation in the agricultural sector taking into
account the special characteristics and (vi) special treatment of tropical
products. It also emphasized that MTN must take into account the
special, interests and problems of developing countries.
8. Eight Round or the Uruguay Round:- The Eighth Round of GATT
negotiations which began at Punta Del Esta in Uruguay in September 1986
ought to have been concluded by the end of 1990. But at the ministerial
meeting in Brussels in December 1990, an impasse was reached over the
area of agriculture and the talks broke down.
The talks were restarted in February 1991 and continued till August 1991. On 20
December 1991. Aurthur Dunkel, the then Director-General of GATT tabled a
Draft Final Act of the Uruguay Round, known as the Dunkel Draft Text. This
was a take-it-or-leave-it document which was hotly discussed at various fora
in the member countries through 1992 till July 1993 when the then Director
General, Sutherland relaunched the negotiations in Geneva. On 31 August 1993,
the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) passed a resolution to conclude the
Uruguay Round by 15 December. On 15 December 1993 at the final session,
Chairman Sutherland declared that seven years of Uruguay Round negotiations
had come to an end. Finally, on 15 April 1994, 123 Ministers of member
countries ratified the results of the Uruguay Round at Marrakesh (Morocco) and
the GATT disappeared and passed into history and it was absorbed by the World
Trade Organization (WTO) on 1 January 1995.
The Uruguay Round of trade negotiations undertaken by the GATT since its
establishment in 1947 had a wide agenda. The GATT originally covered
international trade rules in the goods sector only. Domestic policies were outside
the GATT purview and it operated only at international border. In the Uruguay
Round, the GATT extended to three new areas, viz. Intellectual property rights
services and investment. It also covered agriculture and textiles, which were
outside the GATT jurisdiction.
The final year embodying the results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral
Trade Negotiations comprises 28 Agreements. It had two components: the WTO
Agreement and the Ministerial decisions and declarations. The WTO Agreement
covers the formation of the organisation and the rules governing its working. Its
Annexures contain the Agreements covering trade in goods, services,
intellectual property rights, plurilateral trade, GATT Rules 1994, dispute
settlement rules and trade policy review.
The Uruguay Round was concerned with two aspects of trade in goods and
services. The first related to increasing market access by reducing or eliminating
trade barriers. Reductions in tariffs, reductions in non-tariff support in
agriculture, the elimination of bilateral quantitative restrictions, and reductions
in barriers to trade in services met this. The second related to increasing the
legal security of the new levels of market access by strengthening and expanding
rules and procedures and institutions.
WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION (WTO)
The WTO was established on January 1, 1995. It is the embodiment of the
Uruguay Round results and the successor to GATT. 76 Governments became
members of WTO on its first day. It has now 146 members, India being one of
the founder members. It has a legal status and enjoys privileges and immunities
on the same footing as the IMF and the World Bank. It is composed of the
Ministerial Conference and the General Council. The Ministerial Conference
(MC) is the highest body. It is composed of the representatives of all the
Members. The Ministerial Conference is the executive of the WTO and
responsible for carrying out the functions of the WTO. The MC meets at least
once every two years.
The General Council (GC) is an executive forum composed of representatives of
all the Members. The GC discharges the functions of MC during the intervals
between meetings of MC. The GC has three functional councils working under
its guidance and supervision namely:
a)
Council for Trade in Goods.
b)
Council for Trade in Services.
c)
Council for Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPs).
Director-General heads the secretariat of WTO. He is responsible for preparing
budgets and financial statements of the WTO. WTO has now become the third
pillar of United Nations Organization (UNO) after World Bank and International
Monetary Fund.
Objectives Of WTO
In its preamble, the Agreement establishing the WTO lays down the following
objectives of the WTO.
1.
Its relation in the field of trade and economic endeavor shall be
conducted with a view to raising standards of living, ensuring full
employment and large and steadily growing volume of real income and
effective demand, and expanding the production and trade in goods and
services.
2.
To allow for the optimal use of the world`s resources in accordance with
the objective of sustainable development, seeking both (a) to protect and
preserve the environment, and (b) to enhance the means for doing so in a
manner consistent with respective needs and concerns at different levels
of economic development.
3.
To make positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries
especially the least developed among them, secure a share in the growth
in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic
development.
4.
To achieve these objectives by entering into reciprocal and mutually
advantageous arrangements directed towards substantial reduction of
tariffs and other barriers to trade and the elimination of discriminatory
treatment in international trade relations.
5.
To develop an integrated, more viable and durable multilateral trading
system encompassing the GATT, the results of past trade liberalisation
efforts, and all the results of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade
negotiations.
6.
To ensure linkages between trade policies, environment policies and
sustainable development.
Functions of WTO
The following are the functions of the WTO:
1.
It facilitates the implementation, administration and operation of the
objectives of the Agreement and of the Multilateral Trade Agreements.
2.
It provides the framework for the implementation, administration and
operation of the Plurilateral Trade Agreements relating to trade in civil
aircraft, government procurement, trade in diary products and bovine
meat.
3.
It provides the forum for negotiations among its members concerning
their multilateral trade relations in matters relating to the agreements and
a framework for the implementation of the result of such negotiations, as
decided by the Ministerial Conference.
4.
It administers the Understanding on Rules and Procedures governing the
Settlement of Disputes of the Agreement.
5.
It cooperates with the IMF and the World Bank and its affiliated
agencies with a view to achieving greater coherence in global economic
policy-making.
Differences Between GATT And WTO
The WTO is not an extension of the GATT but succession to the GATT. It
completely replaces GATT and has a very different character. The major
differences between the two are:
1.
The GATT had no status whereas the WTO has a legal status. It has been
created a by international treaty ratified by governments and legislatures
of member states.
2.
The GATT was a set of rules and procedures relating to multilateral
agreements of selective nature. There were separate agreements on
separate issues, which were not binding on members. Any member could
stay out of the agreement. The agreements, which form part of the WTO,
are permanent and binding on all members.
3.
The GATT dispute settlement system was dilatory and not binding on
the parties to the dispute. The WTO dispute settlement mechanism is
faster and binding on all parties.
4.
GATT was a forum where the member countries met once in a decade to
discuss and solve world trade problems. The WTO, on the other hand, is
a properly established rule based World Trade Organization where
decisions on agreement are time bound.
5.
The GATT rules applied to trade in goods. Trade in services was
included in the Uruguay Round but no agreement was arrived at. The
WTO covers both trade in goods and trade in services.
6.
The GATT had a small secretariat managed by a Director General. But
the WTO has a large secretariat and a huge organizational setup.
Implications for India
After the Uruguay Round, India was one of the first 76 Governments that
became member of the WTO on its first day. Different views have been
expressed in support and against our country becoming a member of the WTO.
Favourable Factors
1.
Benefits from reduction of tariffs on exports.
2.
Improved prospects for agricultural exports because the prices of
agricultural products in the world market will increase due to reduction
in domestic subsidies and barriers to trade.
3.
Likely increase in the exports of textiles and clothing due to the phasing
out of MFA by 2005.
4.
Advantages from greater security and predictability of the international
trading system.
5.
Compulsions imposed on India to be competitive in the world market.
Unfavourable Factors
1. Tariff reductions on goods of export interest to India are very small.
2.
Less prospects of increase in agricultural exports due to the limited
extent of agricultural liberalisation.
3.
There will be hardly any liberalisation of our textile exports during the
next 10 years.
4.
India will be under pressure to liberalize the services industries.
5.
There will be only marginal liberalisation to the movement of labour
services in which it is competitive.
6.
Increased outflows of foreign exchange due to commitments undertaken
in the fields of TRIPS, TRIMS and services.
7.
Technological dependence on foreign firms will increase as the R & D
required to take advantages of Uruguay Round agreement may not be
undertaken on adequate scale due to paucity of funds.
8.
Only a few large firms or transnational corporations may benefit and
smaller firms may disappear.
9.
Increasing intrusion in our domestic space in TRIPs, TRIMs and services
and agriculture.
10.
The Uruguay Round has paved way for similar other institutions in
future through linkage between trade, environment, labour standard and
treatment of foreign capital.
11.
Trend towards neo-protectionism in developed countries against our
exports.
To conclude, we may say that WTO membership is going to be beneficial to
India in terms of global market thrown open to its goods and services. We must
know how to take advantage of this situation. We should try to strengthen our
position to sell our products abroad. For that we have to improve the quality of
goods and services, cut down costs and wastage and improve our competitive
strength.
Evaluation of WTO
WTO has been in action for about nine years now. During this period of time,
the WTO has proved that it is very different from its predecessor, GATT, in the
following ways:
(a) GATT did not have any powers, whereas WTO with its dispute settlement
mechanism has been an outstanding success. WTO has brought to book even
USA in several cases.
(b) GATT negotiating rounds took place once in a decade or so. What used to
take decades to complete has been done in a few years by the WTO.
Following are the achievements of WTO in the short period it has been in
existence:
1.
WTO has helped in making greater market orientations a general rule.
2.
Tariff based protection has become the rule.
3.
Restrictive measures, which were being used for balance of payments
purposes, have declined markedly.
4.
WTO has brought services trade into the multilateral system. Many
countries are opening their markets for trade and investment either
unilaterally or through regional or multilateral negotiations.
5.
Many underdeveloped countries have promoted economic growth in
their countries. They have undergone radical trade, exchange and
domestic reforms, which have improved the efficiency of resource use
and opened new investment opportunities.
6.
Bilateralism has been, to a great extent, placed under control by the
extension of WTO provisions to services, TRIPS and TRIMS and by the
unified dispute settlement mechanism, in which the possibility of
unilaterally blocking the adoption of panel decisions no longer exists.
7.
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism has created a process of
continuous monitoring of trade policy developments, which by
promoting greater transparency has assisted in the process of
liberalisation and reform.
The WTO, however, has still to make progress on the following issues:
1.
The trade reform process is incomplete in many countries, some tariff
peaks remain, and negotiations are still proceedings in various areas,
notably in basic telecommunications and financial services.
2.
There have been at least some reversals in the overall liberalisation
process in some developing countries. Examples may be increasing of
antidumping measures, selective tariff increases and investment related
measures.
3.
The combination of globalisation and technological change creates a
premium on high skill as against low skill. Concerns have been raised
that this will amount to growing social divisions.
4.
The major share of the benefits of the WTO has gone to the countries of
the North. WTO has been much more beneficial to the developed
countries where the benefits of free trade accrue primarily to the
underdeveloped countries, the progress has been much slower.
5.
The WTO has not done much for the development of non-tariff barriers
to imports from the underdeveloped countries such as anti dumping
duties.
6.
One size fits all approach is increasingly getting embedded in the
WTO rules and disciplines. The policies and rules appropriate or
advantages to the industrialized world are getting established as common
rules to be obeyed by the developing countries as well. As a result, the
multilateral trade rules are increasingly becoming a codification of the
policies, perceptions, laws and regulations of the industrialized countries.
7.
As a result of pressures resulting from WTO, the interests of
international trade, which are primarily the interests of transnational
corporations take precedence over local concerns and policies even if
such a course exposes the local population to serious health and security
risks.
8.
All the WTO members are not equally integrated in the multilateral
system.
9.
As brought out in the last Ministerial Meeting at Mexico in September
2003, the implementation related issues are becoming a source of serious
concern.
The implementation issues cover a whole range of demands. The issues
requiring WTO attention relate to:
(i)
TRIPS
(ii)
TRIMS
(i)
Anti-dumping
(ii)
Movement of natural persons
(iii)
Agriculture
(iv)
Textiles
(v)
Industrial tariffs including peak tariffs
(vi)
Services
(vii) Rules to protect investments
(viii) Competition policy
(ix)
Transparency in government procurement
(x)
Trade facilitation
WTO has now become a forum for perpetual negotiations on newer and newer
subjects and for using trade rules to establish standards and enforce compliance
even in non-trade areas. Everything now seems to require the hand of WTO, be
it foreign investment, environmental or labour standards, child labour, good
governance or human rights.
However, efforts should be made to see that WTO is not expanded into a sort of
world government covering every economic subject under the sum and then
using the threat of trade sanctions to bring about a new World Order.
Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights
The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement covers the
following seven categories of intellectual property:
1.
Copyright and Related Rights: The members are required to comply
with the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic
works. Computer Programmes are included in literary works. Authors of
computer programmes and broadcasting organisations are to be given the
right to authorize or prohibit the commercial rental of their works to
public. This protection is extended for 50 years.
2.
Trademarks: The owner of a registered trademark has the inclusive
right to prevent all third parties not having the owner`s consent from
using in the course of trade identical or similar signs for goods or
services. Registration and renewal of a trademark is for a period of not
less than seven years.
3.
Geographical Indications: Members are required to provide the legal
means for interested parties to prevent the use of any indication which
misleads the consumer as to the origin of goods and any use which
would constitute an act of unfair competition. Additional protection is
applied for geographical indications for wines and spirits.
4.
Industrial Designs: Industrial designs are protected for a period of 10
years. Owners of protected designs would be able to prevent the
manufacture, sale or importation of articles bearing or embodying a
design, which is a copy of the protected design for commercial purposes.
5.
Patents: Patents shall be available for any inventions, whether products
or processes, in all fields of technology, provided they are new, involve
an inventive step and are capable of industrial application. Patent owner
shall have the right to assign or transfer by succession, the patent and to
conclude licensing contracts. The Agreement requires 20 years
protection. The Agreement requires both process and product patent. It
provides for 20 years product patent and a successive 20 years process
patent.
6.
Integrated Circuits: The TRIPs Agreement provides protection to the
layout designs (topographies) of integrated circuits for a period of 10
years. But the protection shall lapse after 15 of the creation of the layout
design.
7.
Trade Secrets: Trade secrets and know-how having commercial value
shall be protected against breach of confidence and other acts. Test data
submitted to governments in order to obtain marketing approval for
pharmaceuticals or agricultural chemicals shall be protected against
unfair commercial use.
This Agreement refers to the control of anti-competitive practices in contractual
licenses pertaining to intellectual property rights. It provides for consultations
between governments in order to protect intellectual property rights from being
abused.
The Agreement requires a one-year transition period for developed countries to
bring their legislation and practices into conformity with TRIPs. Developing
countries will have 5 year transition period whereas the least developed
countries will have a 11 year transition period. Those developing countries
which do not provide product patent protection have been given 10 years.
Trade Related Investment Measures
This agreement calls for the removal at all trade related investment measures
within a period of five years. These measures are confined to quantitative
restorations and national treatment. In particular, they relate to such measures as
investment in identified areas, level of foreign investments for treating foreign
companies at par with the national companies, export obligation, and use of
local raw materials. It prevents the imposition of any performance clauses on
foreign investors in respect of earnings of foreign exchange, foreign equity
participation, and transfer of technology. It requires foreign investment
companies to be treated at par with national companies. It requires free import of
raw material, components and intermediates.
The Agreement recognizes that certain investment measures restrict and distort
trade. It, therefore, requires mandatory notification of all non-conforming Trade
Related Investment measures and their removal within seven years for
developed countries, within five years for developing countries and within seven
years for the least developed countries. It establishes a committee on Trade
Related Investment Measures which will monitor the implementation of these
commitments and report to the Council of Trade in Goods annually.
Agreement on Trade in Services
This Agreement covers all internationally traded services. Foreign services and
service suppliers would be treated on equal footings with domestic and service
suppliers. However, governments may indicate Most Favoured Nation (MFN)
exemptions, which will be reviewed after 5 years, with a normal limit of 10
years.
It requires transparency, which includes the publication of all-relevant laws and
regulations relating to services trade. International payments and transfers
relating to trade in services shall not be restricted, except in the event of balance
of payments difficulties where such restrictions will be temporary limited and
subjected to conditions. Any liberalization of trade in services would be
progressive in character. It would be through negotiations at five-year intervals
in order to reduce or remove the adverse effects of measures on trade in services
and to increase the general level of specific commitments by the governments.
WTO 6th Ministerial conferences - Hong Kong (13?18 December, 2005)
Ministers from the WTO`s 149 member governments approved a declaration
that many described as significant progress both since the July 2004 package
and after six days of intensive negotiations in Hong Kong which the chairperson
described as working like a dog.
Despite the long hours and hard work, it was worth it, WTO Director-General
Pascal Lamy told a press conference late in the evening of the final day. We
have managed to put the Round back on track after a period of hibernation.
Hong Kong`s Commerce, Industry and Technology Secretary John Tsang, who
chaired the conference, outlined the achievements in the declaration:
We have secured an end date for all export subsidies in agriculture,
even if it is not in a form to everybody`s liking.
We have an agreement on cotton.
We have a very solid duty-free, quota-free access for the 32 least-
developed country members.
In agriculture and NAMA (non-agricultural market access), we have
fleshed out a significant framework for full modalities.
And in services, we now have an agreed text that points positively to
the way forward.
The declaration was agreed after several days of meetings late into the night, the
last two continuing to the morning. It`s been a hard day`s night. And I`ve been
working like a dog, Secretary Tsang said, quoting John Lennon and Paul
McCartney.
With the 44-page document now agreed, members face intense pressure in the
new year to complete full modalities in agriculture and non-agricultural
market access by the new deadline they have set themselves, 30 April 2006.
Compared to the draft forwarded to Hong Kong from Geneva, a number of
issues have been settled or partly settled. The most straightforward is the
agreement to end export subsidies in agriculture by 2013, but this was only
agreed at the last minute, and members paid tribute to the European Union
which had the greatest difficulty on this issue. The declaration makes clear that
the agreed date is conditional. Loopholes have to be plugged to avoid hidden
export subsidies in credit, food aid and the sales of exporting state enterprises.
For cotton the elimination is accelerated to the end of 2006. In addition, cotton
exports from least-developed countries will be allowed into developed countries
without duty or quotas from the start of the period for implementing the new
agriculture agreement. Ministers have also agreed to aim to cut trade-distorting
domestic subsidies on cotton by more than would normally apply under the new
agreement, and to do so more quickly.
The two sides negotiating this difficult subject paid tribute to each other for
what they described as the spirit of compromise: United States and the four
countries pushing for an agreement on cotton (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and
Mali).
A number of other details have been agreed in agriculture, non-agricultural
market access and services.
3.3
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND
DEVELOPMENT
Introduction
The International trade is considered to be the engine of economic growth.
There has been continuous and rapid growth in world trade due to liberalisation
of tariffs, quotas and other restrictions. The share of manufacturers in world
trade has increased from about 50 per cent to 70 per cent over the last few
decades. The developed countries dominate the world trade though the share of
developing countries has increased over the years. World trade in services has
been increasing fast. World trade has become increasingly multilateral due to the
efforts of various international trading blocks, which exercise a significant
influence on world trade.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was
established by U.N. General Assembly in 1964 in order to provide a forum
where the developing countries could discuss the problems relating to their
economic development. It was set up essentially because it was felt that the then
existing institutions like IMF and GATT were not properly organized to handle
the peculiar problems related to the developing countries. These institutions
favored the developed countries and failed to tackle the special trade and
development problems of less developed countries. With more than 170
members, UNCTAD presently is the only body where developed as well as
erstwhile centrally planned countries are its members.
Since 1964, eleven rounds or conferences of UNCTAD have taken place, i.e.
UNCTAD I held at Geneva in 1964, UNCTAD II at New Delhi in 1968,
UNCTAD III at Santiago in 1972, UNCTAD IV at Nairobi in 1976, UNCTAD
V at Manila in 1979, UNCTAD VI at Belgrade in 1983, UNCTAD VII at
Geneva in 1987, UNCTAD VIII at Cartagena (Columbia) in 1992, UNCTAD IX
at Midland (South Africa) in 1996, UNCADX at Bangkok in 2000, and UNCAD
XI at Sao Paulo (Brazil) in 2004.
Organisation Of UNCTAD
The UNCTAD was established as a permanent organ of General Assembly of
the United Nations. However, it has its own subsidiary bodies and also a full
time secretariat to serve it. It has permanent organ called Trade and
Development Board as the main executive body. The Board functions between
the plenary sessions of the conference. It meets twice annually. It is composed
of 55 members on the basis of equitable geographical distribution.
The Trade and Development Board have four subsidiary organs to assist it in its
functions. These are:
1.
The Committee on Commodities.
2.
The Committee on Manufacturers.
3.
The Committee on Shipping.
4.
The Committee on Invisible Items and Financing related to Trade.
Generally, these committees meet annually. However, they may be called in
special session to consider urgent matters.
Functions of UNCTAD
The UNCTAD was instituted mainly to reduce and eventually eliminate the gap
between the developed and developing countries and to accelerate the economic
growth of the developing world. Its main functions are as follows:
1.
To promote international trade between the developed and the
developing countries with special emphasis on the development of
underdeveloped countries.
2.
To formulate principles and policies of international trade and related
problems of economic development.
3.
To make proposals for putting the said principles and policies into effect
and to take such steps which may be relevant towards this end.
4.
To negotiate multilateral trade agreements to review and facilitate the
coordination of activities of other institutions within the fold of United
Nations related to international trade and related problems of economic
development.
5.
To be available as a center for harmonious trade related development
policies of governments, and regional economic groupings in pursuance
of Article 7 of the charter of the United Nations.
Major Activities of UNCTAD
The major activities of UNCTAD as follows:
1.
Research and support in connection with the negotiation of commodity
agreements.
2.
Technical elaboration of new trade schemes, such as a new import
preference system.
3.
Various promotional activities designed to assist developing countries in
the area of trade and capital flows.
Basic Principles of UNCTAD
UNCTAD action programme and priorities have been laid down in the various
recommendations adopted by the first conference in 1964. These
recommendations are based on the following basic principles:
(a)
Every country has the sovereign right to freely dispose its natural
resources in the interest of the economic development and well being of
its own people and freely to trade with other countries.
(b)
Economic relations between countries, including trade relations, shall be
based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality of states, self-
determination of people, and non-interference in the internal affairs of
other countries, and
(c)
There shall be no discrimination on the basis of differences in socio-
economic systems, and the adoption of various methods and trading
policies shall be consistent with this principle.
UNCTAD and GATT
The UNCTAD may be distinguished from the GATT as follows:
1.
The UNCTAD is a formal, reflecting, deliberating, constructing and
conciliating body while the GATT is a negotiating, committing and
controlling organization.
2.
The UNCTAD in essence is a dynamic, initiating body dedicated to
economic growth and equity while the GATT poses a somewhat static
view of commercial policy relations.
Appraisal of Recommendations of UNCTAD
UNCTAD-I
UNCTAD`s action programme and priorities have been laid down in the various
recommendations adopted by the first conference in 1964. It was realized that
the prime responsibility for the economic advancement of developing countries
lay on their shoulders only. The main purpose of the recommendations made by
the conference was to adopt a new international division of labour and make the
external sector conducive to the developing countries. As such, the conference
made a standstill recommendations to the developed nations, not to erect further
tariff walls and other barriers to the import of products of export interest to
developing nations. Further, the developed nations were recommended to
progressively reduce the exports from the developing nations without insisting
on reciprocity of concessions. It also recommended to the developing countries
some positive measures of export promotion. Particularly, the conference
suggested the recognition of international commodity agreements as an integral
part of international trade policies, which aimed at securing remunerative,
equitable and stable prices for the developing nations.
The conference further realized that the developing nations must progressively
diversify their economies (from primary producing to industrial) and develop
new lines of manufactured exports. Appreciating the difficulties of developing
countries in this respect, the conference adopted certain guidelines for the
elimination of tariffs and such other barriers in respect of manufactured exports
from these countries.
The conference also recommended that each developed nation should transfer
annually at least 1 per cent of its income to developing countries by way of
foreign aid. The conference also put forward a number of recommendations to
improve the invisible trade of developing countries through development of
shipping, tourism etc.
Out of these laudable recommendations of UNCTAD, nothing was, however,
substantially translated into practice. Though there has been some progress in
the matter of international trade arrangements and a notion is created among the
rich nations for giving tariff preference to the poor counties in the western
markets, no action for the same has been taken so far. There has been a lot of
disagreement prevailing among the rich countries in giving generalised
preferences to the poor nations. In short, the first UNCTAD conference
programmes made vary slow progress in terms of concrete action.
UNCTAD-II
UNCTAD was formed as a plenary body of the U.N. members, which were to
meet normally at intervals of not more than three years. However, the second
meeting of UNCTAD took place four years after the first conference in Geneva.
UNCTAD II was held in New Delhi from February 1st to March 28th, 1968. This
session had an ambitious agenda to confront the problems of the less developed
countries and other major issues relating to world trade and develop merit. The
broad objectives of this conference were as follows:-
1.
To reappraise the economic situation and its implications in
implementing the recommendations of the UNCTAD-I.
2.
To achieve specific results by initiating appropriate negotiations which
ensure real progress in international co-operation for development, and
3.
To explore and investigate matters requiring thorough study before
fruitful agreements can be envisaged.
With these objectives in view, the various items on the agenda of the conference
were grouped into the following major categories: -
1.
Trends and problems in world trade and development.
2.
Commodity problems and policies of different nations.
3.
Problems of growth, development finance and aid to developing nations
and synchronization of national and international policies in this regard.
4.
Specific problems of developing nation regarding:
(a)
Expansion and diversification of exports of finished
(manufactured) and semi-finished goods.
(b)
Invisible, including shipping.
5.
Problems and measures of economic integration and trade development
among developing nations.
6.
Special measures for economic and social upliftment of the least
developed among the developing nations.
7.
General review of the work and functions of UNCTAD.
During the New Delhi round of UNCTAD, several aspects of trade preferences
and concessions were discussed. The conference re-assumed that for prosperity
as a whole, a generalised, non-reciprocal and non-discriminatory system of
preferences in favour of the less developed countries should be implemented as
soon as possible which would assist them in increasing their export earnings and
thus contribute to the acceleration of their rate of economic growth. It has been
realized by the developed countries that if export earnings of developing
countries decline, their external purchasing power is reduced. As a consequence,
their importing capacity also declines and as a result, the exports of developed
nations to these countries may fall and the world trade may experience a down
turn. To avoid such a situation, it is imperative that export earnings of the
developing nations should be augmented through a deliberate liberalisation
policy adopted by the developed nations. Tariff and non-tariff barriers should be
removed and free-trade should be encouraged by the developed nations. Further,
to enhance and maintain world prosperity, developed nations should also give
necessary technological and financial assistance to developing countries for their
rapid economic expansion.
The final resolution of the conference, therefore, stressed that a mutually
acceptable system of generalised, non-reciprocal and non-discriminatory
preferences beneficial to developing countries should be immediately
established. It is popularly known as Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
The objectives of such a system of preferences has been :
1.
To increase export earnings of the less developed nations.
2.
To promote their industrialization, and
3.
To accelerate their rates of economic growth.
To meet this end, the conference established a special committee on preferences
as a subsidiary organ of the Trade & Development Board, which was to pay
special attentions to this matter. Further, during the conference, the developed
nations reaffirmed their desire to transfer at least 1 per cent of their GNP
resources to the developing countries through their aid programmes. The
developed countries also agreed to provide concessional terms of official
lending and to liberalize the terms of international lending and finance. The
conference adopted a charter of development, which offers permanent protection
against economic deterioration of developed nations and increased opportunities
of development for the developing nations. With regard to commodity
agreements, it was decided that the conference should be reconvened before
June 1968 to evolve an international agreement on cocoa. Similarly, it was laid
down that Sugar Agreement should come into operation before January 1969.
The less developed nations conference, however, urged at the conference that
the advanced countries should remove all trade barriers in their markets to the
entry of poor nations commodities in primary, processed or semi-processed
forms. But due attention was not paid to this plea.
The conference did not deal with the possibilities of agreed solutions to the
problems of prices, trade liberalization and increased access to the markets of
advanced countries for the products exported by the less developed nations. The
conference, however, urged that the socialist countries should expand and
diversify their trade with developing countries by according special preferences
to the products of these countries. The permanent machinery of UNCTAD was
entrusted with the responsibility of promoting trade relations between socialist
and developing nations. The conference also stressed the need for trade
expansions and economic integration among the developing countries. Thus,
under the skeleton of UNCTAD, the declaration of intent` by the poor nations
was matched by the declaration of support` by the rich nations.
It may, however, be said that the New Delhi session of UNCTAD could not
make any significant achievements and concluded with disillusionment writ
large all over. Most of the problems remained unsolved, as there was no
consensus on them. In short, UNCTAD-II, though hopeful, had remained
unsuccessful in achieving the goal.
UNCTAD-III
UNCTAD-III meeting was held at Santiago in Chile from 13th April to 17th May
1972. 120 member nations participated in the meeting of which 96 were
developing countries, forming the so-called G-77 or Group of 77. At this
meeting, these underdeveloped nations vehemently attacked to developed world
for their unsympathetic attitude towards helping the poorer nations through
trade. Attention was drawn to the fact while the world trade had grown
considerably during the last decade, the trade of the developing countries rose at
a slower rate than that of the developed countries. The developed countries
exports amounted to 67 per cent of the world exports in 1960, which further
increased to 71 per cent in 1970, whereas, during the same period, the export
share of the developing countries declined from 21 per cent to 18 per cent ? that
too mainly consisting of primary products. At the Santiago session, many
important issues were discussed. Some of them are:-
1. Continuance of foreign aid,
2. Low-rated unconditional loans,
3. Some relief`s in debt burden,
4. Shipping freights problem,
5. A link between the SDR`s and development finance.
As such, the resolution of UNCTAD-III finally incorporated key issues like:
1. Transfer of technology,
2. International monetary reforms,
3. General preferences,
4. Reform of the UNCTAD machinery,
5. An international code of conduct of liner conference.
From the point of view of developed countries, UNCTAD-III was a successful
event because on a number of key issues, developing countries could reach a
compromise. From the view point of developing countries, however, UNCTAD-
III was a big failure. Due to indifference of the developed nations, the G-77 did
not succeed in establishing institution links between UNCTAD, on the one hand,
and the IMF and GATT, on the other. Yet, there was some hope for monetary
reform as a result of this meeting. A major issue, which was raised at the
Santiago conference, was that of the problem of changes in shipping freights. It
was estimated that 1/3 of total deficit in the balance of payment of LDC`s was
due to high shipping freights. Further, at present the rich nations own 92 per cent
of the world`s merchant marine, when nearly 2/3 of weight originates from the
developing countries. This definitely imposes a drain on their foreign exchange
resources and puts up their cost of imports and exports. There has been a
positive gain on the subject of shipping at the Santiago Session in so far on its
greatest achievement has been the agreement reached on an international code of
conduct. The two fundamental objects of code of conduct were:
1. Promotion of world trade, and
2. A new structure of world shipping in which the merchant marine of the
developing countries would play an increasing and substantial role.
It was also stressed that the conference practices should not involve any
discrimination against the trade and shipping interests of the developing
countries. The developed countries, however, favored the principle of self-
discipline and self-regulation, but the developing countries emphasized
enactment of legislation in support of the code of conduct. Ultimately, it was
resolved that a preparatory committee should be set up to study and recommend
on the points of disagreement and evolve a code of conduct for submission to
the General Assembly of UNCTAD. Further, it was decided in the resolution,
that by 1980, the developing nations should at least own 10 per cent of the total
world dead weight tonnage. The conference also specified that there should be a
minimum interval of two years between freight hikes and that freight rates
should be at as a low level as commercially feasible.
In short, it can be said that the urgent demands of the developing countries had
been denied there was some hope of getting some benefits as an outcome of
UNCTAD-III.
UNCAD-IV
In May 1976, the UNCTAD-IV meeting was held at Nairobi. In this conference,
the widening gap between developed and developing nations was pinpointed and
it was desired that the developed nations should be more generous in helping the
poor nations. It was also suggested that some kind of taxes may be imposed by
the advanced nations to raise funds for helping and assisting the developmental
process of the countries belonging to the third world. Further, a common fund of
6 thousand billion dollars may be created for the purpose of stabilizing the
prices of 10 primary products exported by the less developed countries. This
fund was meant to make provisions to finance buffer stocks of such products for
this purpose. The representatives of developing nations advocated the expansion
of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) by the indexation of export items.
The representatives of the developing countries did agree to give debt relief and
set re-scheduling in favour of the poor countries. However, with respect to the
integrated commodity programme, the participants of the conference failed to
come to any settlement, so the matter was kept pending for the future
conference.
UNCTAD?V
From May 7, 1979 a meeting of UNCTAD-V was held in Manila for nearly a
month, 150 member countries participated in this conference. But on the core
issues no concrete resolutions were passed. One major achievements has been
the contribution by several countries to the creation of the commodity
development facility, which aims at the development of product adaptation
processing and marketing skills and infrastructure in the developing countries.
However, some agreements were unanimously made on the issues like transfer
of resources to developing countries, protectionism etc. Some ideas about
monetary reforms were referred for future consideration. It also recommended
all members to refrain from exploiting resources until the adoption of an
international regime by the U.N. conference.
UNCTAD-VI
In July 1983, the sixth session of the UNCTAD was held at Belgrade, its focus
was on the attainment of a new international economic order. It reiterated its full
support to earlier programmes approved in previous UNCTAD Sessions.
Monetary issues such as SDR allocation, adequacy of fund resources,
conditionality etc. were discussed. Question of improvement in the quality of aid
was examined. Improvements in institutional arrangements were suggested.
Developed countries in this session insisted on liberalisation of trade policies by
the developing nations.
UNCTAD-VII
UNCTAD VII took place in Geneva during 1987. The UNCTAD VII also could
not achieve any substantial progress. It only emphasized that external financing
from official and private sources be increased on appropriate terms and
conditions to facilitate growth in the developing countries. It recommended that
a judicious combination of measures be worked out to reduce the debt burden,
such as debt-equity swaps and other non-debt-creating flows. The Conference
urged the developed countries to convert their official loans into grants. It also
asked for concerned efforts to achieve the Internationally agreed target of 0.7
per cent of GNP being given as official development assistance by the
developed to the developing countries.
UNCTAD VIII
UNCTAD VIII took place in Cartegena De Hidios, Colombia, during Feb. 1992.
The major issue at UNCTAD VIII was the role of UNCTAD itself. 170
members agreed on broad features of revitalizing UNCTAD and to make it more
effective in dealing with development related issues. UNCTAD VIII agreed on a
new structure. It was agreed to create Trade and Development Board (TDB)
which would meet twice a year in regular session, and in special session as
required. An Executive Committee of the permanent representative to UNCTAD
in Geneva was formed and was to meet periodically to guide UNCTAD work
programme. Other decisions related to the creation of new standing committee
on poverty alleviation, economic co-operation among developing countries and
services, establishment of five adhoc working groups to support the committees
and the TDB. The ad hoc working groups were to deal with the areas on
Investment and financial flow, non-debt creating finance for development, new
mechanics for creating or increasing investments and financial flow, non-debt
creating finance flow development, trade efficiency, comparative experiences
with privatization, expansion of trading opportunities for developing countries,
interrelationship between investment and technology transfers. With new
structure and sincere efforts, it was hoped UNCTAD may render some useful
services in improving the conditions of developing nations in the progressive
global economy soon marching towards the 21st century.
UNCTAD-IX
The UNCTAD-IX held at Midrand, South Africa in May 1996 urged its
members to provide more resources for sustainable development and debt relief
to developing countries and to carry on the issues relating to technology,
services and commodities in the light of the W.T.O. agreement of 1994 and the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
To ensure that all countries benefit from a mutually beneficial multilateral
trading system through Partnership for Development, the member-States agreed
upon the establishment of following common objectives and development of
joint action:
(a)
Strengthening inter-governmental cooperation between developed and
developing countries;
(b)
Enhanced cooperation between developing countries with special
attention to LDCs;
(c)
More effective coordination and complementarily of multilateral
institutions;
(d)
The mobilization of human and material resources towards development
through dialogue and common action between Governments and civil
society;
(e)
Partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve higher
growth rates and greater development.
In order to achieve the slated objectives of UNCTAD IX, the Conference will
strengthen its cooperation with WTO and other multilateral institutions to ensure
that the developing countries participate in the global economy on a more
equitable basis with regard to trade, investment, technology, services and
development. It was also agreed that UNCTAD should identify and analyze the
implications for development of issues relevant to a possible multilateral
framework on investment.
The major problem with the UNCTAD has been trying to tackle too many
problems at the same time. Partly it is due to the widely divergent interests of
the developing country members of the UNCTAD. As a result due to the lack of
any specific focus, it has not been able to achieve any tangible results.
Experience shows that whenever UNCTAD discussed specific issues, it has
been able to achieve significant success.
UNCTAD-X
The tenth session of UNCTAD was held in 2000 at Bangkok, Thailand. This
conference was held against global recessionary conditions as well as fears on
the part of many developing countries as to the adverse impact of globalization.
The Bangkok Conference emphasized the need for increased policy coherence at
the national and international levels. There should be complementarily between
macroeconomic and Sectoral policies at the national level and between policies
at the national and international levels. There is also a need for more effective
cooperation and coordination among multilateral institutions.
Many countries have difficulty in coping with the increased competition and
lack the capacity to take advantage of the opportunities brought about by
globalization. This requires a decisive effort in favour of those at the risk of
marginalization.
UNCTAD endorsed its commitment to a multilateral trading system that is fair,
equitable and rules-based operates in a non-discriminatory and transparent
manner and provides benefits to all countries, specially developing countries.
This will involve, among other things, improving market access for goods and
services of particular interest to developing countries, resolving issues relating
to the implementation of World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, fully
implementing special and differential treatment, facilitating accession to the
WTO and providing technical assistance. A new round of multilateral trade
negotiations should take account of the development dimension.
Specially, the Bangkok conference prepared a detailed Plan of Action which
included inter alia, the following:
- Reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers in export sectors of interest to
developing countries, particularly in developed country markets;
- Maintaining and further improving the level of tariff-free or reduced
tariff access to markets through national GSP schemes for all
beneficiaries.
- Maximizing market access benefits for the least developed countries,
for example, developed countries granting duty-free and quota-free
treatment for essentially all products originating in these countries.
- Impact of anti-dumping and countervailing duties actions:
UNCTAD should help developing countries in identifying:
- The priority sectors where early trade liberalization should take
place;
- The main trade barriers that developing countries face in sectors
which limit developing country ability to export their services;
- The preconditions, at the domestic level, which are necessary for
developing countries to benefit from trade liberalization in the
service sector in general.
UNCTAD-XI
Held at Sao Paulo (Brazil) in 2004, it agreed on the following:
(a) There was need to focus on the ability of international trade to
contribute to poverty alleviation, and instability in world
commodity prices.
(b) All countries at the international level should facilitate internal
adjustments and remove external constraints to put the
developing world on a firm and sustainable path to development.
(c) Policy instruments and measures were adopted to eradicate
poverty and hunger.
(d) To generate and better utilize additional international resources,
market access and technical assistance for the LDCs be
established, so as to form a solid base for their development.
(e) Attention be devoted to improve international capital flows for
development as well as deal with the volatility of international
capital markets.
Achievements of UNCTAD
Despite the disagreements over the years, UNCTAD has played a key
role various sphere. The more important of these are as follows:
1.
Trade in Primary Commodities:- The UNCTAD has been active in the
International Commodity Agreement since its inception, LDC`s (Last
Developed Countries) wanted to expand their market for their traditional
exports of primary commodities. Developed countries placed restrictions
of the exports of the latter in such form as licensing, quotas, tariffs etc.
and provided subsidies to domestic producers. Such trade restrictions
tend to be higher for processed products than for unprocessed ones.
Besides, exports form LDC`s have been subject to wide fluctuations.
Thus, there has been a continual deterioration in the terms of trade of
primary products of the LDC`s in relation to the export of manufactured
products from the developed countries. Since UNCTAD-II, the LDC`s
have been insisting on International Commodity Agreements to stabilize
the prices and markets for their exports of primary products. At
UNCTAD IV in 1976, it was proposed to have an Integrated Program for
Commodities (IPC) and to create common fund for buffer stock
financing. This fund was meant to provide a considerable benefit to the
exporters and importers of developing countries. Exporters of primary
products would be able to realize higher prices for primary products like
rubber, cocoa, tin etc. Similarly, exporters of such primary products also
would not be subjected to the uncertainties of price fluctuations which
sometimes are the results of speculative activity.
2.
Trade in Manufactured Goods: LDC`s have strongly urged the
developed countries to give them tariff preferences on their
manufactured and semi-manufactured goods. At UNCTAD-I, the G-77
urged the develop countries to grant generalized system of preferences
(GSP) to the exports of such goods to the developed countries. It was at
UNCTAD-II that all members unanimously agreed for the early
establishment of a mutually acceptable system of generalized, non-
reciprocal and non-discriminatory preferences. Under GSP, most
manufactured and semi-manufactured goods from LDC`s to developed
countries enjoy tariff reduction or exemptions from custom duties. A
majority of developed countries grant duty free treatment for all or most
products eligible for GSP. But there are certain limitations to the scheme
of GSP :-
(a)
Despite efforts made to expand the coverage of GSP, there are
items like textiles, clothing, steel, footwear etc., which are
excluded by a number of developed countries.
(b)
Many developed countries have devolved their own schemes
which subject the preferences to variety of restrictions.
(c)
There is no long term guarantee in the case of GSP concessions
which can be altered or withdrawn at short notice.
(d)
Among the LDC`s, the benefit of GSP have been consistently
concentrated among a few more advanced developing countries.
Thus, the scope for the extension of GSP is quite limited, as producers in the
LDC`s have to face a tough competitive position in the world market.
3.
Development Finance: UNCTAD is also endeavoring to reduce the debt
burden of the developing countries. These countries have taken large
amount of loans from bilateral and multilateral sources. As a result, the
servicing of the accumulated debts, i.e. the interest payments and
repayments, now account for a very substantial proportion from exports.
In fact, for some of the developing countries the outgo of foreign
exchange on account of debt servicing is more than the current inflows
of loans and credits. UNCTAD is trying to persuade the developed
countries, to write off a part of the accumulated debts. Some of the
developed countries, mostly Scandinavian group, have accepted the
proposal.
4.
Technology Transfer: In UNCTAD, measures were adopted to
strengthen technology capability of LDC`s. It was pointed out that better
research facilities, training programmes and establishment of local and
regional centers for technology transfer would serve the purpose. Thus,
the UNCTAD VI held at Belgrade in June 1983 emphasized the need for
transfer of technology to LDC`s in order to promote their speedy and self
reliant development. UNCTAD VI passed a resolution relating to the
transfer of technology to LDC`s on the lines of the policy paper
approved at UNCTAD VI. The UNCTAD has simply laid down the
broad principles for transfer of publicity funded technologies at the
intergovernmental level. It may facilitate the process of technology
transfer by freer access to sources of information, cutting down barriers
to free flow of technology etc.
5.
Economic Co-operation: UNCTAD-II held at Delhi in 1968
emphasized for the first time the need for promoting international co-
operation and self-reliance among the LDCs. UNCTAD VI again
emphasized the need for co-operative efforts among the LDCs through
widening the scope of preferential trading arrangements, harmonizing
industrial development programmes through infrastructural facilities
particularly in respect of shipping services and simple payment
mechanism under common clearing system. GSTP is major initiative of
developing countries to expand mutual trade through grant of tariff and
non-tariff concessions and other measures such as long term contracts
under UNCTAD.
Problems of UNCTAD
The following are the problems of UNCTAD:
1.
UNCTAD has had problems from its inception, which have kept the
organization from being fully effective in achieving its objectives. It has
been dominated by two organisations: The U.N. type and G-77. The
interest of each of the major political-economic classifications create so
much friction that the rule-by-consensus method of negotiating issues
results in few concrete accomplishments.
2.
UNCTAD has failed to adopt or implement a trade policy for
development.
3.
UNCTAD seems to be an international organization which, rather than to
do a proper job with short-meetings and clear focus on its objectives and
international realities, appears to be among those institutions which huff
and puff for weeks while revealing their own importance.
INTERNATIONAL COMMODITY AGREEMENTS (ICA)
International commodity agreements are inter-governmental arrangements
concerning the production and trade of certain primary products. Many
developing countries which have embarked upon ambitious development
programmes are in need of large foreign exchange resources to finance some of
their development requirements like capital goods imports. But they have been
facing the important problem of wide-fluctuations in the export prices of the
primary goods i.e. agricultural products and minerals, which form a major part
of their total exports. Apart form making the export earnings unstable, it has also
been causing a deterioration in their terms of trade. Hence, there has been a
growing demand for adopting stabilization measures to protect especially the
interests of developing countries. International commodity agreements, it is
believed, can help stabilize prices of the respective commodities.
Objectives of ICA
The main objectives of the international commodity agreements are:-
1. Price Stabilization: Price stabilization is a very important purpose for
which commodity agreements have been entered into.
2. The Promotion of Health and Morals: The outstanding example of
international agreements for the purpose of promoting health and morals
is the international regulation of trade in opium and narcotics.
3. Security Objectives: Inter governmental commodity agreements may
also be useful as a preventive of war by preventing scramble for scarce
strategic materials for national stock-piling or other security purposes.
4. The Conservation of Resources: The conservation of natural resources
is a direct or indirect objective of nearly all international raw material
schemes.
5. The management of surplus: Commodity agreements are sometimes
entered into to manage the surplus during times of bumper crops, there
may arise a problem of surplus. Such should be properly handled to
avoid serious adverse effects on price and also to hold stock for the lean
period.
Forms of Commodity Agreements
Commodity Agreements may take any of the four forms, namely, quotas, buffer
stock, bilateral contract, and multilateral contract.
I.
Quota Agreements: International quota agreements seek to prevent fall
in commodity price by regulating their supply under the quota
agreement. Export quota are determined and allocated to participating
countries according to some mutually agreeable formula and they
undertake to restrict the export or production by a certain percentage of
the basic quota as decided by the central committee or council. For
instance, the coffee agreement among the major producers of Latin
America and Africa limits the amount that can be exported by each
country.
Quota agreements have already been tried in case of coffee and
sugar, and commodities like tea and bananas have been suggested as
prospective candidates for new agreements.
II.
Buffer Stock Agreements: International Buffer Stock Agreements seek
to stabilize the commodity prices by maintaining the demand-supply
balance.
Buffer stock agreements stabilize the price by increasing the market
supply by selling the commodity when the price tends to rise and by
absorbing the excess supply to prevent a fall in the price. The buffer
stock plan, thus, requires an international agency to set a range of prices
and to buy the commodity at the minimum and sell at the maximum. The
buffer pool method has already been tried in case of Tin, and Sugar, and
commodities like Rubber, Tea and Copper have been suggested as
prospective candidates for new agreements. The buffer stock
arrangement, however, has certain limitations. It can be effected only in
case of those products, which can be stored at relatively low cost without
the danger of deterioration. Further, large financial resources and stock
of the commodity are required to launch the programme successfully.
III. Bilateral/Multilateral Contracts: Bilateral contract to purchase and sell
certain quantities of a commodity at agreed prices may be entered into
between the major importer and exporter of the commodity. In such an
agreement, an upper price and a lower price are specified. If the market
price throughout the period of the agreement remains within these
specified limits, the agreement becomes operative. But, if the market
price rises above the upper limit specified, the exporting country is
obliged to sell to the importing country a certain specified quantity of the
commodity at the upper prices fixed by the agreement. On the other
hand, if the market price falls below the lower limit specified, the
importer is obliged to purchase the contracted quantity at the specified
lower price.
Such international sale and purchase contracts may also be entered into
by two or more exporters and importers. The bilateral/multilateral
agreements are usually concluded between the major suppliers and major
importers of the commodities. The best example of this type of
agreement are the International Wheat Agreement.
The contract has disadvantage of creating a two price system. It requires
domestic controls of some sort and buffer stock to implement it. And it is quite
apt to put the participating governments into the commodities business. In an
extreme case, it may become nothing but a payment by the government of one
country to that of another without even touching the producer or consumer.
The experience of the post-war market stabilization schemes indicates that a
combination of different control techniques is likely to be more effective than
reliance on a single technique alone.
3.4
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
The International Monetary Fund, A Global Institution, is frequently in the
news, but its role and functions are often misunderstood.
The Origins of the IMF
The IMF was conceived in July 1944 at an international conference held at
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Delegates from 44 governments agreed
on a framework for economic cooperation partly designed to avoid a repetition
of the disastrous economic policies that had contributed to the Great Depression
of the 1930s.
During that decade, as economic activity in the major industrial countries
weakened, countries attempted to defend their economies by increasing
restrictions on imports; but this just worsened the downward spiral in world
trade, output, and employment. To conserve dwindling reserves of gold and
foreign exchange, some countries curtailed their citizens' freedom to buy abroad,
some devalued their currencies, and some introduced complicated restrictions on
their citizens' freedom to hold foreign exchange. These fixes, however, also
proved self-defeating, and no country was able to maintain its competitive edge
for long. Such "beggar-thy-neighbor" policies devastated the international
economy; world trade declined sharply, as did employment and living standards
in many countries.
As World War II came to a close, the leading allied countries considered various
plans to restore international monetary. The country representatives drew up the
charter (or Articles of Agreement) of an international institution to oversee the
international monetary system and to promote both the elimination of exchange
restrictions relating to trade in goods and services, and the stability of exchange
rates.
The IMF came into existence in December 1945, when the first 29 countries
signed its Articles of Agreement.
The statutory purposes of the IMF today are the same as when they were
formulated in 1944. Since then, the world has experienced unprecedented
growth in real incomes. And although the benefits of growth have not flowed
equally to all--either within or among nations--most countries have seen
increases in prosperity that contrast starkly with the interwar period, in
particular. Part of the explanation lies in improvements in the conduct of
economic policy, including policies that have encouraged the growth of
international trade and helped smooth the economic cycle of boom and bust. The
IMF is proud to have contributed to these developments.
In the decades since World War II, apart from rising prosperity, the world
economy and monetary system have undergone other major changes-changes
that have increased the importance and relevance of the purposes served by the
IMF, but that have also required the IMF to adapt and reform. Rapid advances in
technology and communications have contributed to the increasing international
integration of markets and to closer linkages among national economies. As a
result, financial crises, when they erupt, now tend to spread more rapidly among
countries.
In such an increasingly integrated and interdependent world, any country's
prosperity depends more than ever both on the economic performance of other
countries and on the existence of an open and stable global economic
environment. Equally, economic and financial policies that individual countries
follow affect how well or how poorly the world trade and payments system
operates. Globalization thus calls for greater international cooperation, which in
turn has increased the responsibilities of international institutions that organize
such cooperation--including the IMF.
The IMF's purposes have also become more important simply because of the
expansion of its membership. The number of IMF member countries has more
than quadrupled from the 44 states involved in its establishment, reflecting in
particular the attainment of political independence by many developing
countries and more recently the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
The expansion of the IMF`s membership, together with the changes in the world
economy, has required the IMF to adapt in a variety of ways to continue serving
its purposes effectively.
Countries that joined the IMF between 1945 and 1971 agreed to keep their
exchange rates pegged at rates that could be adjusted, but only to correct a
"fundamental disequilibrium" in the balance of payments and with the IMF's
concurrence. This so-called Bretton Woods system of exchange rates prevailed
until 1971 when the U.S. government suspended the convertibility of the U.S.
dollar (and dollar reserves held by other governments) into gold.
At the same time as the IMF was created, the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), more commonly known as the World
Bank, was set up to promote long-term economic development, including
through the financing of infrastructure projects, such as road-building and
improving water supply.
The IMF and the World Bank Group--which includes the International Finance
Corporation (IFC) and the International Development Association (IDA)--
complement each other's work. While the IMF's focus is chiefly on
macroeconomic performance, and on macroeconomic and financial sector
policies, the World Bank is concerned mainly with longer-term development
and poverty reduction issues. Its activities include lending to developing
countries and countries in transition to finance infrastructure projects, the reform
of particular sectors of the economy, and broader structural reforms. The IMF,
in contrast, provides financing not for particular sectors or projects but for
general support of a country's balance of payments and international reserves
while the country takes policy action to address its difficulties.
When the IMF and World Bank were established, an organization to promote
world trade liberalization was also contemplated, but it was not until 1995 that
the World Trade Organization was set up. In the intervening years, trade issues
were tackled through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
The Purposes of IMF
The purposes of the International Monetary Fund are:
i.
To promote international monetary cooperation through a
permanent institution which provides the machinery for
consultation and collaboration on international monetary
problems. ii. To facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of
international trade, and to contribute thereby to the promotion
and maintenance of high levels of employment and real income
and to the development of the productive resources of all
members as primary objectives of economic policy.
ii.
To promote exchange stability, to maintain orderly exchange
arrangements among members, and to avoid competitive
exchange depreciation.
iii.
To assist in the establishment of a multilateral system of
payments in respect of current transactions between members and
in the elimination of foreign exchange restrictions which hamper
the growth of world trade.
iv.
To give confidence to members by making the general resources
of the Fund temporarily available to them under adequate
safeguards, thus providing them with opportunity to correct
maladjustment in their balance of payments without resorting to
measures destructive of national or international prosperity.
v.
In accordance with the above, to shorten the duration and lessen
the degree of disequilibrium in the international balances of
payments of members.
Decisions making at the IMF
The IMF is accountable to its member countries, and this accountability is
essential to its effectiveness. The day-today work of the IMF is carried out by an
Executive Board, representing the IMF's 184 members, and an internationally
recruited staff under the leadership of a Managing Director and three Deputy
Managing Directors--each member of this management team being drawn from
a different region of the world. The powers of the Executive Board to conduct
the business of the IMF are delegated to it by the Board of Governors, which is
where ultimate oversight rests.
The Board of Governors, on which all member countries are represented, is the
highest authority governing the IMF. It usually meets once a year, at the Annual
Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. Each member country appoints a
Governor--usually the country's minister of finance or the governor of its
central bank--and an Alternate Governor. The Board of Governors decides on
major policy issues but has delegated day-to-day decision-making to the
Executive Board.
Key policy issues relating to the international monetary system are considered
twice yearly in a committee of Governors called the International Monetary
and Financial Committee, or IMFC (until September 1999 known as the
Interim Committee). A joint committee of the Boards of Governors of the IMF
and World Bank called the Development Committee advises and reports to the
Governors on development policy and other matters of concern to developing
countries.
The Executive Board consists of 24 Executive Directors, with the Managing
Director as chairman. The Executive Board usually meets three-times a week, in
full-day sessions and more often if needed, at the organization's headquarters in
Washington, D.C. The IMF's five largest shareholders --the United States,
Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom--along with China, Russia,
and Saudi Arabia, have their own seats on the Board. The other 16 Executive
Directors are elected for two-year terms by groups of countries, known as
constituencies.
Unlike some international organizations that operate under a one-country-one-
vote principle (such as the United Nations General Assembly), the IMF has a
weighted voting system: the larger a country's quota in the IMF--determined
broadly by its economic size--the more votes it. But the Board rarely makes
decisions based on formal voting; rather, most decisions are based on consensus
among its members and are supported unanimously.
The Executive Board selects the Managing Director, who besides serving as
the chairman of the Board, is the chief of the IMF staff and conducts the
business of the IMF under the direction of the Executive Board. Appointed for a
renewable five-year term, the Managing Director is assisted by a First Deputy
Managing Director and two other Deputy Managing Directors.
IMF employees are international civil servants whose responsibility is to the
IMF, not to national authorities. The organization has about 2,800 employees
recruited from 141 countries. About two-thirds of its professional staff are
economists. Directors, who report to the Managing Director, head the IMF`s 26
departments and offices. Most staff works in Washington, although about 90
resident representatives are posted in member countries to help advice on
economic policy. The IMF maintains offices in Paris and Tokyo for liaison with
other international and regional institutions, and with organizations of civil
society; it also has offices in New York and Geneva, mainly for liaison with
other institutions in the UN system.
Funding of IMF
The IMF's resources come mainly from the quota (or capital) subscriptions that
countries pay when they join the IMF, or following periodic reviews in which
quotas are increased. Countries pay 25 percent of their quota subscriptions in
Special Drawing Rights or major currencies, such as U.S. dollars or Japanese
yen; the IMF can call on the remainder, payable in the member's own currency,
to be made available for lending as needed. Quotas determine not only a
country's subscription payments, but also the amount of financing that it can
receive from the IMF, and its share in SDR allocations. Quotas also are the main
determinant of countries' voting power in the IMF.
Quotas are intended broadly to reflect members' relative size in the world
economy: the larger a country's economy in terms of output, and the larger and
more variable its trade, the higher its quota tends to be. The United States of
America, the world's largest economy, contributes most to the IMF, 17.5 percent
of total quotas; Palau, the world's smallest, contributes 0.001 percent. The most
recent (eleventh) quota review came into effect in January 1999, raising IMF
quotas (for the first time since 1990) by about 45 percent to SDR 212 billion
(about $300 billion).
If necessary, the IMF may borrow to supplement the resources available from its
quotas. The IMF has two sets of standing arrangements to borrow if needed to
cope with any threat to the international monetary system:
the General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB), set up in 1962, which has
11 participants (the governments or central banks of the Group of Ten
industrialized countries and Switzerland), and
the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB), introduced in 1997, with 25
participating countries and institutions. Under the two arrangements
combined, the IMF has up to SDR 34 billion (about $50 billion)
available to borrow.
Concept of SDR
The SDR, or special drawing right, is an international reserve asset introduced
by the IMF in 1969 (under the First Amendment to its Articles of Agreement)
out of concern among IMF members that the current stock, and prospective
growth, of international reserves might not be sufficient to support the expansion
of world trade. The main reserve assets were gold and U.S. dollars, and
members did not want global reserves to depend on gold production, with its
inherent uncertainties, and continuing U.S. balance of payments deficits, which
would be needed to provide continuing growth in U.S. dollar reserves. The SDR
was introduced as a supplementary reserve asset, which the IMF could
"allocate" periodically to members when the need arose, and cancels, as
necessary.
SDRs--sometimes known as "paper gold" although they have no physical
form--have been allocated to member countries (as bookkeeping entries) as a
percentage of their quotas. So far, the IMF has allocated SDR 21.4 billion (about
$32 billion) to member countries. The last allocation took place in 1981, when
SDR 4.1 billion was allocated to the 141 countries that were then members of
the IMF. Since 1981, the membership has not seen a need for another general
allocation of SDRs, partly because of the growth of international capital
markets. In September 1997, however, in light of the IMF's expanded
membership--which included countries that had not received an allocation--the
Board of Governors proposed a Fourth Amendment to the Articles of
Agreement. When approved by the required majority of member governments,
this will authorize a special one-time "equity" allocation of SDR 21.4 billion, to
be distributed so as to raise all members' ratios of cumulative SDR allocations to
quotas to a common benchmark.
IMF member countries may use SDRs in transactions among themselves, with
16 "institutional" holders of SDRs, and with the IMF. The SDR is also the IMF's
unit of account. A number of other international and regional organizations and
international conventions use it as a unit of account, or as a basis for a unit of
account.
The SDR's value is set daily using a basket of four major currencies: the euro,
Japanese yen, pound sterling, and U.S. dollar. On July 1, 2004, SDR 1 =
US$1.48. The composition of the basket is reviewed every five years to ensure
that it is representative of the currencies used in international transactions, and
that the weights assigned to the currencies reflect their relative importance in the
world's trading and financial systems.
The IMF helps its member countries by:
reviewing and monitoring national and global economic and financial
developments and advising members on their economic policies;
lending them hard currencies to support adjustment and reform policies
designed to correct balance of payments problems and promote
sustainable growth; and
offering a wide range of technical assistance, as well as training for
government and central bank officials, in its areas of expertise.
Advice on Policies and Global Oversight
The IMF's Articles of Agreement call for it to oversee the international monetary
system, including by exercising firm "surveillance"--that is, oversight--over its
member countries' exchange rate policies. Under the Articles, each member
country undertakes to collaborate with the IMF in its efforts to ensure orderly
exchange arrangements and to promote a stable system of exchange rates.
More specifically, member countries agree to direct policies toward the goals of
orderly economic growth with reasonable price stability, together with orderly
underlying economic and financial conditions, and to avoid manipulating
exchange rates for unfair competitive advantage. In addition, each country
undertakes to provide the IMF with the information necessary for its effective
surveillance. The membership has agreed that the IMF's surveillance of each
member's exchange rate policies has to be carried out within the framework of a
comprehensive analysis of the general economic situation and economic policy
strategy of the member.
The regular monitoring of economies, and associated provision of policy advice,
that IMF surveillance involves can help signal dangers ahead and enable
members to act in a timely way to avoid trouble.
The IMF conducts its oversight in three ways:
i) Country surveillance, which takes the form of regular (usually yearly)
comprehensive consultations with individual member countries about their
economic policies, with interim discussions as needed. The consultations are
referred to as "Article IV consultations" as they are mandated by Article IV of
the IMF's charter. (They are also referred to as "bilateral" consultations, but this
is strictly speaking a misnomer: when the IMF consults with a member country,
it represents the entire membership, so that the consultations are really always
multilateral). The IMF supplements its usually annual country consultations
with additional staff visits to member countries when needed. The Executive
Board also holds frequent, informal meetings to review economic and financial
developments in selected member countries and regions.
ii) Global surveillance, which entails reviews by the IMF's Executive Board of
global economic trends and developments. The main reviews of this kind are
based on World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability reports
prepared by IMF staff, normally twice a year, before the semiannual meetings of
the International Monetary and Financial Committee. The reports are published
in full prior to the IMFC meetings, together with the Chairman's summing up of
the Executive Board's discussion. The Executive Board also holds more
frequent, informal discussions on world economic and market developments.
iii) Regional surveillance, under which the IMF examines policies pursued
under regional arrangements. This includes, for example, Board discussions of
developments in the European Union, the euro area, the West African Economic
and Monetary Union, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community,
and the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
IMF management and staff also participate in surveillance discussions of such
groups of countries as the G-7 (the Group of Seven major industrial countries)
and APEC (the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum).
Instruments of IMF lending and their evolution
The IMF provides loans under a variety of policies or "facilities" that have
evolved over the years to meet the needs of the membership. The duration,
repayment terms, and lending conditions attached to these facilities vary,
reflecting the types of balance of payments problem and circumstances they
address.
Most of the IMF's financing is provided through three different types of lending
policies:
Stand-By Arrangements form the core of the IMF's lending policies. First used
in 1952, they are designed to deal mainly with short-term balance of payments
problems.
Medium-term extended arrangements under the Extended Fund Facility are
intended for countries with balance of payments difficulties related to structural
problems, which may take longer to correct than macroeconomic weaknesses.
Structural policies associated with extended arrangements include reforms
designed to improve the way economy function, such as tax and financial sector
reforms, privatization of public enterprises, and steps to enhance the flexibility
of labor markets. The IMF has been providing concessional lending to help its
poorest member countries achieve external viability, sustainable economic
growth, and improved living standards since the late 1970s. The current
concessional facility, the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF),
replaced the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) in November
1999, with the aim of making poverty reduction and economic growth the
central objectives of policy programs in the countries concerned.
In the late 1990s, the IMF introduced facilities designed to help countries cope
with sudden losses of market confidence, and to prevent "contagion"--the
spread of financial crises to countries with sound economic policies. (See pages
30-33 for highlights of the IMF's evolving facilities.) The IMF also provides
loans to help countries cope with balance of payments problems caused by
natural disasters, the aftermath of military conflicts, and temporary shortfalls in
export earnings (or temporary increases in cereal import costs) beyond their
control.
Just as new facilities have been introduced to meet new challenges, redundant
facilities have over time been terminated. Indeed, the Executive Board initiated
in early 2000 a review of facilities. The review led to the elimination of four
obsolete facilities. The Board's consideration of modifications to other
nonconcessional facilities led to agreement to:
adapt the terms of Stand-By Arrangements and Extended Fund Facility
loans to encourage countries to avoid reliance on IMF resources for
unduly long periods or in unduly large amounts;
reaffirm the Extended Fund Facility as one confined to cases where
longer-term financing is clearly required; and
enhance monitoring of IMF-supported programs after their expiration,
especially when a member's credit outstanding exceeds a certain
threshold.
Selected IMF Lending Facilities
i) Stand-By Arrangements?form the core of the IMF's lending policies. A
Stand-By Arrangement provides assurance to a member country that it can draw
up to a specified amount, usually over 12-18 months, to deal with a short-term
balance of payments problem.
ii) Extended Fund Facility?IMF support for members under the Extended Fund
Facility provides assurance that a member country can draw up to a specified
amount, usually over three to four years, to help it tackle structural economic
problems that are causing serious weaknesses in its balance of payments.
iii) Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility?(which replaced the Enhanced
Structural Adjustment Facility in November 1999). A low-interest facility to
help the poorest member countries facing protracted balance of payments
problems (see page 46, "A New Approach to Reducing Poverty"). The cost to
borrowers is subsidized with resources raised through past sales of IMF-owned
gold, together with loans and grants provided to the IMF for the purpose by its
members.
iv) Supplemental Reserve Facility?Provides additional short-term financing to
member countries experiencing exceptional balance of payments difficulty
because of a sudden and disruptive loss of market confidence reflected in capital
outflows. The interest rate on SRF loans includes a surcharge over the IMF's
usual lending rate.
v) Emergency Assistance?Introduced in 1962 to help members cope with
balance of payments problems arising from sudden and unforeseeable natural
disasters, this form of assistance was extended in 1995 to cover certain
situations in which members have emerged from military conflicts that have
disrupted institutional and administrative capacity.
At present, IMF borrowers are all either developing countries, countries in
transition from central planning to market-based systems, or emerging market
countries recovering from financial crises. Many of these countries have only
limited access to international capital markets, partly because of their economic
difficulties. Since the late 1970s, all industrial countries have been able to meet
their financing needs from capital markets, but in the first two decades of the
IMF's existence over half of the IMF's financing went to these countries.
Technical Assistance and Training
The IMF is probably best known for its policy advice and its policy-based
lending to countries in times of economic crisis. But the IMF also shares its
expertise with member countries on a regular basis by providing technical
assistance and training in a wide range of areas, such as central banking,
monetary and exchange rate policy, tax policy and administration, and official
statistics. The objective is to help strengthen the design and implementation of
members' economic policies, including by strengthening skills in the institutions
responsible, such as finance ministries and central banks. Technical assistance
complements the IMF's policy advice and financial assistance to member
countries and accounts for some 20 percent of the IMF's administrative costs.
The IMF began providing technical assistance in the mid-1960s when many
newly independent countries sought help in setting up their central banks and
finance ministries. Another surge in technical assistance occurred in the early
1990s, when countries in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet
Union began their shift from centrally planned to market-based economic
systems. More recently, the IMF has stepped up its provision of technical
assistance as part of the effort to strengthen the architecture of the international
financial system.
Specifically, it has been helping countries bolster their financial systems,
improve the collection and dissemination of economic and financial data,
strengthen their tax and legal systems, and improve banking regulation and
supervision. It has also given considerable operational advice to countries that
have had to reestablish government institutions following severe civil unrest or
war.
The IMF provides technical assistance and training mainly in four areas:
strengthening monetary and financial sectors through advice on banking
system regulation, supervision, and restructuring, foreign exchange
management and operations, clearing and settlement systems for
payments, and the structure and development of central banks;
supporting strong fiscal policies and management through advice on tax
and customs policies and administration, budget formulation,
expenditure management, design of social safety nets, and the
management of internal and external debt;
compiling, managing, and disseminating statistical data and improving
data quality; and
drafting and reviewing economic and financial legislation.
The IMF offers training courses for government and central bank officials of
member countries at its headquarters in Washington and at regional training
centers in Bras?lia, Singapore, Tunis, and Vienna. In the field, it provides
technical assistance through visits by IMF staff, supplemented by hired
consultants and experts. Supplementary financing for IMF technical assistance
and training is provided by the national governments of such countries as Japan
and Switzerland, and international agencies such as the European Union, the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations
Development Program, and the World Bank.
3.5
WORLD BANK
Introduction
A need arises to finance various projects in various countries to promote the
development of economically backward regions. The United States and other
countries have established a variety of development banks whose lending is
directed to investments that would not otherwise be funded by private capital.
The investments include dams, roads, communication systems, and other
infrastructural projects whose economic benefits cannot be computed and/or
captured by private investors, as well as projects, such as steel mills or chemical
plants, whose value lies not only in the economic terms but also, significantly in
the political and social advantages to the nation. The loans generally are
medium-term to long-term and carry concessional rates.
Even though most lending is done directly to a government, this type of
financing has two implications for the private sector. First, the projects require
goods and services which corporations can produce. Secondly, by establishing
an infrastructure, new investment opportunities become available for
multinational corporations.
The World Bank or the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) was established in 1945 under the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944.
An International Monetary and Financial Conference was held at Bretton
Woods, New Hampshire during July 1-22, 1944. The main purpose of the
conference was finalisation of the Articles of Association of IMF and
establishment of an institution for the reconstruction of the war shattered world
economies. Thus, the conference has given birth to World Bank or International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). World Bank was established
to provide long-term assistance for the reconstruction and development of the
economies of the member countries while IMF was established to provide short-
term assistance to correct the balance of payment disequilibrium.
The World Bank is an inter-governmental institution, corporate, in form, the
capital stock of which is entirely owned by its members-governments. Initially,
only nations that were members of the IMF could be members of the World
Bank. This restriction on membership was subsequently relaxed. The World
Bank makes loans at nearly conventional terms for projects of high economic
priority. To qualify for financing, a project must have costs and revenues that
can be estimated with reasonable accuracy. A government guarantee is a
necessity for World Bank funding. The Bank`s main emphasis has been on large
infrastructure projects such as roads, dams, power plants, education and
agriculture. However, in recent years the Bank has laid greater emphasis on
quick loans to help borrower countries to alleviate their balance of payments
problems. These loans are tied to the willingness of the debtor nations to adopt
economic policies that will spur growth, free trade, more open investment, and a
more vigorous private sector. Besides its members subscriptions, the World
Bank raises funds by issuing bonds to private sources.
Functions of the World Bank
The principal functions of the IBRD are set forth in Article I of the agreement
and are as follows :
1.
To assist in the reconstruction and development of the territories of its
members by facilitating the investment of capital for productive
purposes.
2.
To promote private foreign investment by means of guarantee of
participation in loans and other investments made by private investors
and, when private capital is not available on reasonable terms, to make
loans for productive purposes out of its own resources or from funds
borrowed by it.
3.
To promote the long term balanced growth of international trade and the
maintenance of equilibrium in balance of payments by encouraging
international investment for the development of the productive resources
of members.
4.
To arrange loans made or guaranteed by it in relation to international
loans through other channels so that more useful and urgent projects,
large and small a like, will be dealt first. It appears that the World Bank
was created to promote and not to replace private foreign investment. In
this respect the Bank considers its role to be a marginal one, to
supplement and assist private foreign investment in the member
countries.
Membership of the World Bank
All the members of the IMF are also the members of the World Bank. Any
country can join as a member of the IBRD by signing in the Charter of the Bank
as its subscriber. It had 184 members in 2003. Bank has the authority to suspend
any member, if the country concerned fails to discharge its responsibilities to the
IBRD. Similarly, every member is free to resign from the membership but it has
to pay back all loans with interest on due dates. The member is also required to
pay its share of the loss on demand if the Bank incurs a financial loss in the year
in which a member resigns.
Capital Structure of the World Bank
The World Bank or IBRD started with an authorised capital of US $ 10 billion
divided into 1,00,000 shares of US $ 1,00,000 each. The subscribed capital at
that at time was US $9.4 billion. The authorised capital was increased to
7,16,500 shares of the par value of SDR 1,00,000 each in 1985. In July 1992, the
total authorised capital of the bank was $14.1 billion with a capital increase of
$9.3 billion. This increase of 77,159 shares was subscribed by the republics of
the former Soviet Union. The bank has raised capital worth $23 billion in 2002.
The member countries contribute their share capital to the Bank as follows:
(1) 2% of the share in the form of gold and US dollars. The World Bank
utilizes this amount freely for granting loans.
(2) 18% of the share capital in the form of own currency. This amount is
also used by Bank for granting loans.
(3) 80% of the share capital is payable at the request of the Bank. This
amount is also used by Bank for granting loans. But it can use this
amount in discharging its responsibilities.
Organisation Structure of the World Bank
The World Bank like IMF is also managed by a three-tier structure including
Board of Governors, Executive Directors and President.
(1) Board of Governors: The Board of Governors has full authority and control
over the Bank`s activities. Normally, each country appoints its Finance Minister
as a Governor and the Governor of its Central Bank as Alternate Governor on
the Board of Governors for a period of 5 years. The strength of the voting rights
to the Governors depends upon the subscribed capital by the member country. In
the absence of Governor, the Alternate Governor can exercise the voting right.
Normally the Board of Governors meets annually.
(2) Executive Directors: The bank has 24 Executive Directors. They supervise
the entire operations of the Bank. Out of these 24 Directors, are appointed by
USA, UK, Germany, Finance and Japan. The remaining 19 Directors are elected
by the remaining member countries. The Executive Directors normally meet
regularly once in a month. The 24 Directors elect the President of the Bank who
presides over the meetings of the Board of Executive Directors.
The Scope of Decisions of the Executive Directors Include:
(a) Policy making within the framework of the Articles of Agreement.
(b) Loans and credit proposals.
Function of Board of Executive Directors
(a) To Present audited annual reports.
(b) To prepare administrative budget.
(c) To prepare and present to Board of Governors annual reports on the
operation and policies of the Bank.
(3) President: Normally the president does not have any voting right except in
case of exercising equal rights. He is assisted by senior Vice-Presidents and
Directors of various departments and regions.
Funding Strategy of the World Bank
There are the four basic objectives of the World Bank`s funding strategy:
(1) To make sure availability of funds in the market.
(2) To provide the funds at the lowest possible cost to the borrowers
through appropriate currency mix of its borrowing and opting to
borrow when interest rates are expected to rise.
(3) To control volatility in net income and overall loan changes.
(4) To provide an appropriate degree of maturity transformation between
its lending and the borrowing. Maturity transformation depicts the
Bank`s capacity to lend for longer period than it borrows.
Bank's Borrowings
Bank`s main function is to lend the money to the needy member. For lending
activities, it needs money and therefore it has to borrow.
Sources: The bank borrows from the following sources:
(1) The Bank borrows from international market both for long-term and
short-term periods.
(2) The Bank also borrows under currency swap agreements (CSA).
(3) The Bank also borrows under the Discount-Note Programme by two
methods. First, it places bonds and notes directly wih its member
countries. Second, it offer issues to investors and in public markets.
Two new borrowings instruments were evolved by the Bank. The first one is
Central Bank Facility and US Dollar Dominated Facility. The second instrument
is Floating Rate Notes. The World Bank borrows from the commercial banks
and other financial institutions with the help of this instrument.
(a) Bank's Lending Activities
The Bank grants loans to members in any one or more of the following ways:
(1) by participating or granting indirect loans out of its own funds;
(2) by granting loans out of funds raised in the market of a member or
otherwise borrowed by the Bank; and
(3) by guaranteeing in whole or part, loans made by private investors
through the investment channels.
The total outstanding amount of the total direct and indirect loans made or
guaranteed by the Bank is not to exceed 100 per cent of its total unimpaired
subscribed capital, resources and surpluses. Bank imposes following conditions
in granting loans:
(1) The bank is satisfied that the borrower is unable to borrow under
reasonable conditions in the prevailing market conditions.
(2) The project for which loan is required should be recommended by
the competent authority in the form of a written report after careful
examination of the project.
(3) The loan is required for productive purpose.
(4) The borrower or guarantor has reasonable prospects of repaying
loans and interest on loans.
(5) If the project is located on the territory of the member but itself is not
a borrower, then the member or its central bank has to guarantee the
repayment of loan, interest on loans and other charges on loan.
In 1991, the Executive Board of the Bank modified the repayment terms which
include extension of repayment period from 3 to 5 years for middle income
countries and review of repayment terms for middle income countries within 3
years. The cumulative lending of the Bank is of $ 383 billion and in the fiscal
year 2003, it has lended $ 11.2 billion for 99 new operations in 37 countries.
Facilities to Member Countries
The Bank provides the following facilities to member countries:
(1) Structural Adjustment Facility (SAF): In order to reduce their balance of
payment deficit and maintaining or regaining the economic growth of member
countries, the World Bank has introduced SAF in 1985. These funds are used to
finance the general imports with a few agreed exceptions such as luxury and
military imports. These funds are released in two parts and in a series of upto
five SAFs to a borrowing country. Generally, the bank imposes stiff conditions
for these. These are provided to support to programmes running from 5 to 7
years.
(2) Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF): In order to increase
the availability of concessional resources to the low income member countries,
ESAF was established in December 1987. It provides new concessional
resources of SDR 6 billion which will be financed by special loans and
contributions from developed and OPEC countries. The purposes for advancing
the amount is same, i.e., to reduce balance of payment deficits of borrowing
member countries and encourage growth. The interest rate charged by the Bank
is 0.5 per cent to be repaid in ten semi-annual installments beginning after 5?
years of disbursements.
(3) Special Action Programme (SAP): The Special Action Programme (SAP)
has been started in 1983 to strengthen the IBRD`s ability to assist member
countries in adjusting to the current economic environment. It has four major
elements:
(i)
Provide lending for structural adjustment, policy changes, export-
oriented production, full utilisation of existing capacity and
maintenance of critical infrastructure.
(ii)
Provide advisory services regarding policies.
(iii)
Enlisting familiar efforts by other donors for fast disbursing
assistance.
Other Activities of the World Bank
In addition to lending activities, the Bank also undertakes the following
activities:
(1) Training: In 1956, the Bank set up a staff college to provide training to
senior officials of the member countries. This college is known as Economic
Development Institute (EDI). The Institute helps the officials in improving the
management of their economies and to increase the efficiency of their
investment programmes. The EDI also organises seminars in Washington and in
different regions of the World in Cooperation with regional institutes.
(2) Technical Assistance: The World Bank also provides technical assistance to
its member countries. This assistance include:
(i)
Engineering ? related: It includes feasibility studies,
engineering design and construction supervision;
(ii)
Institution-related: It includes diagnostic policy and
institutional studies, management
The primary way of providing technical assistance is through loans made for
supervision, implementation and engineering services, energy, power,
transportation, water supply, etc. In 1975, the Bank created Project Preparation
Facility (PPF) for meeting gaps in project preparation and for institution
building. The Bank also acts as executing agency for project financed by the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
(3) Inter-Organisational Co-operation: The World Bank is also engaged in
inter-organisational cooperation. It is based on formal agreement between it and
international organisations, such as, the cooperative programmes between it and
FAO, the UNESCO, the WHO, the GATT, the UNCTAD, the UNEP (United
Nation Environment Programmes), The UNDP, The UNIDO (United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation) the ILO, the African Development Bank,
the Asian Development Fund, the International Fund for Agriculture
Development (IFAD), etc.
(4) Economic and Social Research: In 1983, the Bank established a Research
Policy Council (RPC). It provides leadership in the guidance, co-ordination and
evaluation of all bank research. The Bank`s own research staff undertakes
research activities and also in collaboration with outside researchers.
(5) Operations Evaluation: The Bank has set up the Operations Evaluation
Department (OED) to help borrowers in the post-evaluation of Bank assisted
projects. Members of borrowers` staff visit this Department for seeking help in
the preparation of project completion report.
(6) Settlement of Investment Disputes: The Bank has set up the International
Centre of Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) between states and
nationals of other states. The Bank has successfully mediated in solving many
international investment disputes such as the River Water Dispute between India
and Pakistan, and the Suez Canal dispute between Egypt and the U.K.
Criticism of the World Bank
The modus operandi of the Bank has been criticised on various counts by
different quarters as follows:
1. It is alleged that bank charges a very high rate of interest on loans. For
example, some of the loans which India has received in recent years bear
an interest of 5.75 per cent including the commission at 1% which is put
in the Bank`s special reserve.
2. The Bank`s insistence, prior to the actual grant of loan, on the country
having the capacity to transfer or repay, is open to criticism. The Bank
should not apply orthodox standards to judge the transfer capacity of any
borrowing country. Transfer capacity follows rather than precede the
loan.
3. The financial help given by the Bank does not amount to more than a
drop in the big ocean of financial requirements so essential for various
development projects.
India and the World Bank
India is the founder member of the Bank and held a permanent seat for number
of years on its Board of Executive Directors. India is one of the largest receiver
of assistance since 1949. Upto June 2002, cumulative lendings of the World
Bank to India amounted to $ 26.69 billion in 187 loans. The total amount
borrowed by India from the World Bank and the IDA till June 2002 amounted to
$ 58.54 billion in 434 loans. This amounted to 11.6 per cent of the total loans
and credits approved by the World Bank groups. During 2001-02, India received
$ 893 million from the World Bank accounting for 11.22 per cent of its total
loans.
India is helped by the World Bank in its planned economic development through
granting loans, conducting field surveys, sending study terms and missions and
through rendering expert advice. The Bank also provides training to Indian
personnel at EDI. There is also a Chief of Missions of the Bank at New Delhi.
He is representing the Bank for its aided projects in India for monitoring and
consultations. The Bank has been helping India in various objects like
development of ports, oil exploration including the Bombay high and gas power
projects, aircrafts, coal, iron, aluminum, fertilizers, railway modernisation and
technical assistance etc. It also helped India to solve its river water dispute with
Pakistan. The benefits desired by India from the World bank are:
(i)
India has received a lot of assistance from the World Bank for its
development projects.
(ii)
Aid India Club was founded in 1950 by the efforts of the World
Bank with a view to help India. This club is now called India
Development Forum. This Forum had decided to give loans
amounting to $ 600 crore to India for implementing its structural
adjustment.
(iii)
The bank`s role in solving the Indus water dispute between India
and Pakistan has been invaluable.
(iv)
General loans have also been granted by the World Bank to India,
to be utilised as per its own discretion.
(v)
As a member of the World Bank, India has become the members
of International Finance Corporation, International Development
Association and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency also.
(vi)
India has received technical assistance from time to time from the
World Bank for its various projects. The Expert Team of the
Bank has visited India and given valuable suggestions also.
(vii) The massive population of India has always created problems in
the economic development of the country. World Bank has been
helping India in the population control programmes and urban
development. For this purpose loans amounting to $ 495 crore
have also been given to India.
(viii) World Bank has been giving financial assistance to NGOs
operating in India e.g. Leprosy Elimination, Education Projects,
Child development service projects etc.
On the other hand, critics argue that the World Bank have endangered the
economic freedom of India. The basic points of criticism are as follows:
(i)
The World Bank has laid a great deal of emphasis on measures of
economic liberalisation and more free play of market forces.
(ii)
A lot of stress has been laid on going very slow on the setting up
of public sector enterprises including financial intermediaries and
encouraging private sector.
(iii)
India`s dependence on World Bank has been increasing which is
adversely affecting its economic freedom.
(iv)
The attitude of World Bank reflects the preference for free
enterprise and a market oriented economy. It shows
dissatisfaction with the general performance of economies which
are based on planning and regulation. At different occasions the
Bank has tried to undermine the Significance of our Planning
Commission.
(v)
The devaluation of Indian rupee in 1966 and 1991 was done at
the insistence of the World Bank only.
India`s main problem till now has been the government`s incapacity to act
rightly, firmly and effectively in time, on account of being more emotional to set
ideologies and compromising attitude to safeguard the political party`s interest
more than the national interest.
Affiliates to the World Bank
The Bank has four affiliates. These are:
International Development Association (IDA)
The IDA was set up in 1960 as a subsidiary of the World Bank to provide soft
loans to the member countries. Thus, the object of the IDA is to provide loans
to member countries on liberal terms with regard to the rate of interest and the
period of repayment. Another attraction of the IDA loans is that they can be
repaid in the currency of the member country.
In approving an IDA credit, three criteria are observed:
1.
Poverty Test : IDA`s assistance is limited to the poorest of those
countries classified as Part II countries, and which continue to face such
severe handicaps as excessive dependence on volatile primary products
markets, heavy debt servicing burden, and often, rates of population
growth eat outweigh the gains of production.
2.
Performance Test: Within the range of difficulties of establishing
objective standards of performance, the following factors serve as the
yardstick for an adequate performance test: satisfactory overall economic
policies and past success in project execution.
3.
Project Test: The purpose of the IDA is soft loans, not soft projects.
IDA projects are appraised according to the same standard as that
applied to the Bank projects ? the test essentially requires that proposed
projects promise to yield financial and economic returns adequate to
justify the use of scarce capital.
The Objective of IDA are:
1.
To provide development finance on easy terms to less developed
member countries; and
2.
To promote economic development, increase productivity and thus raise
standards of living in the underdeveloped areas.
Since the IDA charges nominal rates of interest on its loans, it has also
been nicknamed the soft-loan windows.
Membership: All the members of the World Bank are the members of the IDA.
It had 164 members in June, 2003. There are two types of members. In IDA-
Part I members are the developed countries which are 24 in number and
therefore are called as G-24 countries. Part II members are the developing
countries.
Organisation: The organisation of IDA is same as that of the World Bank.
Generally, the staff of the World Bank operates this association with few
separate sections.
Loans: IDA loans are known as IDA credits. Only a member country can
borrow from IDA with a restriction that a member country is eligible to borrow
from IDA only if its per capita income is less than US $ 695 at 1990 price index.
Those projects get assistance from IDA which are not financed by the World
Bank. IDA observes the poverty criterion, performance criterion and project
criterion while approving the projects.
Terms of Loans: Conditions for IDA loans are:
(1) Repayment period is 35-40 years.
(2) Grace period is 10 years.
(3) Interest rate varies between zero to 0.5% which is waived now.
(4) Administrative fee is 0.75% on the loan amount disbursed.
Gross disbursement by IDA during the year 2002-03 were $8.1 billion. India
received $686.6 million interest free loan during the year 2002-03. The
cumulative commitments of IDA were of $ 142 billion and commitments of $7.3
billion for 141 new operations in 55 countries were made in fiscal year 2003.
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the private sector arm of the
World Bank family which was established in July 1956. It is the major
multilateral agency promoting productive private investment in developing
private investment in developing countries. It helps finance private sector
projects to mobilise finance for them in the international financial markets, and
provides advice and technical assistance to businesses and governments.
Membership
The Articles of Agreement of the IFC are similar to that of the World Bank. A
country has to be a member of the World Bank in order to join the IFC. In June
2003, it had 175 members.
Objectives
The objectives for which the IFC was set up have been laid down in Article 1 of
its Articles of Agreement as under:
The purpose of the Corporation is to further economic development by
encouraging the growth of productive private enterprise in member countries,
particularly in the less developed areas, thus supplementing the activities of the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In carrying out this
purpose, the Corporation shall:
(i) in association with private investors, assist in financing the establishment,
improvement and expansion of productive private enterprise which would
contribute to the development of its member countries by making investments,
without guarantee of repayment by the member Government concerned, in cases
where sufficient private investment is not available on reasonable terms;
(ii) seek to bring together investment opportunities, domestic and foreign private
capital, and experienced management; and
(iii) seek to stimulate, and to help create conditions conducive to the flow of
private capital, domestic and foreign, into productive investment in member
countries.
IFC is the largest multinational source of loan and equity financing for private
sector projects in the developing world. It offers a full array of financial
products and services to companies in its developing member countries:
?
long-term loan in major currencies, at fixed or variable rates.
?
equity investment.
?
quasi-equity instruments (subordinated loans, preferred stock,
income rates).
?
guarantees and standby financing.
?
risk management (intermediation of currency and interest rate
swaps, provision of hedging facilities).
IFC has approved $3.9 billion in financing 204 project in various sectors in 64
developing countries in the fiscal year 2003. IFC invested in 11 projects
involving an amount of $48.1 million in India. It is composed to $25.4 million in
the form of loan and $ 22.7 million in the form of equity.
In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed by the corporation on helping
to develop resources and to increase the availability of foodstuffs.
The special feature of the IFC is that, unlike commercial financial institutions, it
judges potential ventures in terms of both their financial viability and their
contribution to the economic development of the country concerned. At the
same time, unlike other official development institutions, it participates directly
with the private sector in both the developed and developing worlds. Unlike
both types of institutions, it provides both equity and fixed rate financing.
The Multinational Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
The Multinational Investment Guarantee Agency was established in April 1988
as a new affiliate of the World Bank. It is a joint venture of the World Bank and
IFC. It was created to assist the World Bank and the IFC in the areas where the
Bank and the IFC do not reach. The authorised capital of MIGA is $ 1.08
billion.
Objectives: The MIGA has the following objectives:
(1) To encourage the flow of direct foreign investment into developing
member countries.
(2) To provide insurance cover against political risks to investors.
(3) The guarantee programme of MIGA protects investors against non-
commercial risks like danger involved in currency transfer, war and
civil disturbances, breach of contract by governments, etc.
(4) To provide promotional and advisory services.
(5) To insure only new investments, expansion of existing investment,
privatization and financial restructuring.
(6) To establish credibility among investors.
Membership: Any country can become its full-fledged member by ratifying the
convention and pay its capital subscription. By June 30, 2003, 162 countries had
signed the MIGA convention. Of these, 136 countries had become its full-
fledged members.
Activities: The MIGA provides promotional and advisory services to its
developing member countries, such as organisation of investment promotion
conferences, executive development programmes, foreign investment policy,
round table conferences, etc. It also operates the Foreign Investment Advisory
Service in policy, institutional and legal matters relating to direct foreign
investment.
Progress: 226 contracts of guarantee for investments in 52 developing countries
have been signed by MIGA. Its outstanding contingent liability was $2.8 billion
in 2000. The amount of insured projects of foreign investment was $8.4 billion.
It issued 68 investment guarantee contracts with $862 million. It assisted private
firms of 17 countries in making investment in 27 countries. Its cumulative
guarantee till fiscal year 2003 was of $12.4 billion and alone is fiscal year 2003,
it issued guarantee worth of $1.4 billion.
India became the 113th member country of MIGA in April 13,1992.
The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
The international Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes was established
in 1966. It has 139 members till date. It helps in encouraging foreign investment
by providing international facilities for conciliation and arbitration of investment
disputes. Therefore, it is helping in fostering an atmosphere of mutual
confidence between states and foreign investors. ICSID also conducts research
and publishing activities in the areas of arbitration law and foreign investment
law. It has registered 129 cases in total and in the fiscal year 2003, it had
registered 26 cases.
4.0
Summary
Economic environment is one of the most important factors that influences the
business environment. In the present times, there is a high degree of
interdependence among nations. Liberalization of economy, worldwide, is
creating several opportunities and the nations are becoming more open in their
policies. Last few decades has witnessed a high growth in the international trade.
However, the growth is skewed in favour of developed economies, in the
services sectors and limited to the nations that have developed exclusive
competitive advantages.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was a multilateral treaty
that laid down agreed rules for conducting international trade. It came into force
in January 1948. Its basic aim was to liberalize trade and for 47 years it had been
concerned with negotiating the reduction of trade barriers and with international
trade relations. Overseeing the application of its rules was an important and
continuing part of its activities. GATT also provided a forum in which countries
could discuss and overcome their trade problems and negotiate to enlarge
international trading opportunities. The rapid and uninterrupted growth in the
volume of international trade till 1994 provided a good testimony for the success
of the GATT.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into effect on January 1, 1995 with
the support of 85 founder members. India was one of them. It is third pillar of
worldwide economic dimensions along with the IMF and the World Bank.
GATT is replaced by the WTO. The WTO has taken charge of monitoring and
administering the new global trade rules agreed in the Uruguay Round. The
world income is expected to rise by over $ 500 billion annually by the year 2005
A.D. through the WTO agreements and market access commitments. The
expected annual trade growth will be a quarter higher in the same year than it
would otherwise have been.
The WTO is an international trade organisation, having set of rules and
principles, which were mutually designed and agreed upon to promote
international trade in general and also to reduce tariff barriers and to remove
import restrictions, in particular. It can be called as World Trade System. It is a
new trade organisation with global recognition and succeeded GATT on
renewed agreements. The WTO has a new vision with tougher and wider
enforcement power to promote international trade. Divergent views have been
expressed in support and against our country becoming a member of the WTO.
The UNCTAD secretariat has been doing yeoman`s service to LDCs in trade,
finance and debt problems vis-a-vis developed countries. The detailed reports
prepared by UNCTAD before each conference have create a new climate of
thought with regard to the problems and need of LDCs. These are again
discussed at other international forums such as the IMF, World Bank, OECD,
EEC, NAM etc. Often, positive measures follow, such as larger aid by the
World Bank and OECD, giving more trade concessions by EEC to LDCs etc. As
such, the UNCTAD reflects the sentiments, hopes and aspirations of LDCs in a
world still dominated by the developed countries, both politically and
economically.
It can be noted that although wide-range measures have been proposed and
devised from time to time by the UNCTAD and Commodity Agreements, there
have remained certain important shortcomings in the effective implementation
and follow up. Nevertheless, it can be said that the increasing awareness among
the developing countries has served the purpose of pressurizing the more
powerful developed countries to listen and to accommodate the interest of the
weaker developing countries to some extent, if not fully. This indeed, has been
the success of UNCTAD and Commodity Agreements.
It may be said that the World Bank has not come upto the expectations of many
nations. Nevertheless, it has been instrumental to a very large extent in initiating
and accelerating the work of economic reconstruction and development in
different countries. No doubt, India bas derived immense benefit from the World
Bank. The bank may have failed to finance most of the development projects,
but it should be remembered that it has financed quite a large number of them
which have proved a notable success. The Bank has also played a significant
role outside financial matters by serving as a mediator between different
countries on major economic and political issues. For instance, its help in the
solution of the Indus Water dispute between India and Pakistan and the Suez
Canal dispute between UK and UAE has been valuable.
The ADB has been playing an important role in providing finance in the form of
loans and grants to its member developing countries of their development. There
have been two factors for the increase in the Bank`s lending operations. First, at
the time of its establishment, India had agreed not to get loans from the Bank so
that smaller developing member countries might be given larger aid. But when
China became its member and started setting assistance from the Bank. India
followed it. This has led to increase in the Bank`s lending operations. The
second factor has been introduction of non-project loans. These are given to
member countries to solve their balance of payments problems with the
condition that the concerned countries should follow the policies laid down by
the Bank. However, industrialised developing countries like China and India do
not receive soft` loans from the Bank with a nominal rate of interest. The
ADB`s contribution to the economic development of the developing member
countries of the region has been creditable.
5.0 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1. Explain the origin, objectives and function of the World Bank.
2. What are the objectives of the International Development Association?
To what extent it has been successful in helping the developing
economies?
3. What is Multinational Investment Guarantee Agency? Discuss its
objectives and workings.
4. Discuss the objectives the Asian Development Banks. What has been its
contribution to the regional development of India.
5. Explain the working and achievements of the Asian Development Bank.
6. What do you understand by GATT? Discuss its main objectives and
principles.
7. Explain the main achievements and shortcomings of GATT.
8. What is WTO? Discuss its functions and objectives.
9. Bring out the arguments for and against India`s membership of WTO.
10. Discuss the achievements and failure of WTO.
11. Write a detailed note on Doha Ministerial Conference, 2001.
12. Discuss the functions of UNCTAD. Explain its basic principles.
13. What are the achievements of UNCTAD? Also explain the problems of
UNCTAD.
14. Explain the objectives of International Commodity Agreements (ICA).
Discuss the various forms of commodity agreements.
6.0 FURTHER READINGS
International Economies ? D.N. Krithani.
International Business ? Roges Bennett
International Business ? P. Subha Rao
WTO-Structure, Functions, Tasks and Challenges ? Alok Roy
Business Environment ? C.B. Gupta
International Business : Francis Cherunillam
Unit -III
ORGANISATIONS ENGAGED IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Multinational Corporations
MNCs Critics and Defenders
MNCs and Home Societies
MNCs and Host Societies
Technology Transfer
After learning this chapters nice these chapters you can
know the types and importance of MNCs
understand the home and host countries position with reference to MNCs
Understand the technology transfer, its ways importance and its
categories
Multinational Corporation
The multinational company (MNC) is a company involved in producing and
marketing its outputs in several countries. The outputs may be goods, services,
or various combinations of both. To develop the capacity to produce and market
multination ally a firm must acquire managerial control over operating entities
in a number of countries; in other words, it must establish subsidiary companies
in all host economies and endow each with the necessary operating assets, such
as factories, mines, department stores, hotels, banks, or whatever is required in
the particular company`s mines, field of activity.
The capacity to act simultaneously in numbers of countries of countries sets the
MNC clearly apart from the domestic or unemotional company (UNC). The
UNC has all its operating assets and organizational subunits (departments,
divisions, subsidiaries) in its home country. It may on occasion engage in
exporting or importing by transacting with foreign firms, but its own capacity to
function is limited to the domestic market.
Some MNCs are motivated by profits, some by raw material, and some by
markets, some by diversification, some by the stability that diversification of
markets and operating environments may offer. Many pursue several or all of
these objectives. Furthermore, the objectives vary with time, with place, and
with circumstances. From the market perspective, some MNCs cater to
individual consumers, some to government procurement, some to the industrial
sector, and some to the military. Some MNCs operate in a competitive markting
atmosphere, other in oligopolistic rivalry, and some in monopolistic autonomy.
Neither in structure nor in behavior are all the MNCs alike. Rather, they are very
highly differentiated and each variegated economic entities, each ranking as a
complex organization and each possessing characteristics of its own.
Organizations that engage in international business vary considerably in size and
the extent to which their business activities cross national boundaries. One
special type of organization engaged in global business is the multinational
corporation (MNC). An MNC is an organization that engages in production or
service activities through its own affiliates in several countries, maintains
control over the policies of those affiliates, and manages from a global
perspective. With a global perspective, top managers allocate resources and
coordinate activities to take the best possible advantage of favourable business
conditions throughout the world.
Some other expressions are also coined to name enterprises engaged in global
business.
WHAT `S IN A NAME?
There is a debate about what to call a company, whose business ranges across
national borders, tying together home and host countries through corporate
policies and practices. Here are some of the terms used to describe these
companies.
Transnational Corporation (TNC)
Because companies transcend or operate across national borders, some experts
prefer the term transnational corporation, or TNC. The United Nations favour
this term and has created a research centre for the study of Transnational
Corporations.
Multinational Corporation (MNC)
The fact that companies operate in multiple countries has led some experts to
adopt the term Multinational Corporation, or MNC. This term is very popular in
the business press and in textbooks. It seems to be the most generic name to
describe corporations operating around the world.
Multinational Enterprise (MNE)
Because some of the international giants are state-owned enterprise, rather than
corporations, the term multinational enterprise, or MNE, has entered the
vocabulary of international trade.
Global Corporation
This term became very popular in the 1990s. The term seems to have first been
used to describe a small number of companies whose business was conducted in
dozens of-perhaps more than 100-nations. Hence, Nestle has long been
described as truly because the scope of its operations extends to more than 150
nations around his globe. The term is often applied to companies doing business
in several areas of the world (e.g., Europe, Latin America, Asia-pacific, and
North America).
Colossal is the right word to describe the pre-eminent position of MNCs in the
world of business. There are about 35,000 MNCs around the world today,
controlling over 170,000 foreign affiliates. It is estimated that roughly half of all
cross-border corporate assets are accounted for just by the top 100 MNCs.
ABB is a typical MNC.ABB is a federation of national companies with a global
coordination culture. It is a Swiss company having headquarters in Zurich, but
only 100 professionals work at the headquarters. only two of the eight board
members are Swedes. Financial dates are reported in US dollars and English is
ABB`s official language.
It is argued that the MNC`s reign as the pre-eminent vehicle of international
trade is nearing its end. It is slowly being displaced by firms that represent a new
type of international enterprise, which is called the global corporation. The
MNC operates in a number of countries and adjusts its products and services to
each. The global corporation, on the other hand, operates as if the entire world
were a single entity. Global corporations essentially sell the same things in the
same way every where. Thus, a global corporation, such as Sony, sells a
standardized product--walkman`--throughout the world, components of which
may be made or designed in different countries.
Although multinational companies tend to be rather large engage in a substantial
amount of cross-border transactions, an increasing number of medium and small
business enterprises are also involved in international business. More than 75
per cent of Indian`s total export earnings, for instance, come from small-scale
units
INDIAN MNCs (LIST OF INDIAN ACQUIRERS OF FIRMS ABROAD)
Tata motors to takeover Daewoo in South Korea for $118 million
Ambanis to takeover flag international for $211 million
Ranbaxy to takeover RPG Aventis a France based firm
Wockhardt acquired CP pharmanceutical and Wallis Laboratories ?both
of Britain
Hindalco took over mount garden and Nifty--copper mines in Australia
Sundaram Fasteners has acquired Dana spicer Europe, the British arm of
an MNC.
Amtek Auto has acquired the GWK group in the UK
Kirloskar Brothers took over SPP pumps, UK
TYPES OF MNCs
Equity-based MNCs
Many older MNCs obtained their multinational capacities through direct foreign
investments. They either built from ground up or bought the equity of the
desired capital assets, such as assembly plants, pharmaceutical laboratories,
department stores, banks, flour mill, or whatever operating facilities they use.
Either way, they became owners of these operating entities.
Equity ownership provides the basis for managerial control over the foreign-
based entities and opens the way for their affiliation or integration with one
another internationally by the headquarters firm. The fact that all the older
MNCs and many new ones have followed the equity ownership route has
created the impression that direct foreign investment is the only way for a firm
to multinationalize. This is not true. Direct foreign investments are synonymous
with MNCs are no longer synonymous with direct investments.
The MNCs in which the managerial control derives from equity ownership of
affiliated enterprises in different host economies fall into four main types:
1) Resource-based companies. The main mission of these companies is to
produce raw materials, such as metallic ores, oil, rubber, and tropical
plantation crops (bananas, coffee, dates). Many of these are among the very
oldest MNCs , with roots in the colonial era.
2) Public utility companies. These companies, which include military
arsenals, differ from other economic sectors in that they are either natural
monopolies or they serve a monopolistic (single buyer) market such as the
national airline of the host nation.
3) Manufacturing companies. These were the largest growth sector of
multinational business from the 1950s to the 1970s. in many instances the
host countries were instrumental in attracting the manufacturing MNCs.
Foreign investment incentive programs have been the common device for
luring inbound industrial incentive. Intricate schemes of tax privilege,
protection against import competition, relaxation of foreign exchange
restriction, and government loan guarantees are parts of such arrangements.
4) Service industry MNCs. The largest components of this category are
banks, carriers, retail stores (F. W. Woolworth, sears, Takashimaya), and
firms that sell similar management services have followed the
multinationalization of industrial companies.
Technology-Based MNCs
A new generation of MNCs has started to emerge in which the source of
multinational managerial control is technology, including management
expertise, instead of ownership of operating assets. These are known as no
equity MNCs. The hotel, mining, and construction industries have pioneered this
new generation of MNCs. They offer an increasingly viable alternative to the
older, equity-based model.
Management Contracts
The main vehicles of the no equity MNC are long-term contracts with owners of
suitable operating facilities, such as hotels or mining properties. Often the
contracts are either formally or informally sanctioned by the host government.
Under such a contract the owners will let the MNC take over possession and
management of the business and the MNC will obligate itself to share profits
with the owners by some agreed-upon formula.
The management contract model of the hotel industry has become the basis for
a number of variations that are rapidly gaining status not only in other service
industries but also in the manufacturing and high-technology sectors, where
they the potential for even greater importance.
Production Sharing Arrangements
In mining, crude oil production, and other resource-based businesses, profit
sharing may be replaced by output sharing. These arrangements provide that the
MNC not only may produce in an extractive sector (iron ore, coal, petroleum),
but also must meet specific obligations for the development of indigenous
supplier industries, for training engineers and managers and for keeping pace
with developments in the industry concerned. This formula rests on an agreed
sharing of the output of the venture. For instance, if the contract provides of 40:
60 output sharing of a mining property, the MNC will retain 40 percent of the
tonnage and turn over to the owners or, what is more typical, market on the
owners` behalf the remaining 60 percent.
Industrial Lease Agreements
These are contracts under which an owner, sometimes a government
corporation, leases a complete industrial facility, such as a factor or chemical
laboratory, to an MNC. The rent consists normally of a fixed annual sum plus a
scale of payments based on the output of the plant. Such lease arrangements are
as yet limited to manufacturing activities in which there have been rapid
technological advances or in which complex specialized facilities are required.
Technology Transfer Agreements
In the high technology industries (electronics, aircraft, computers, biochemicals)
where the host government places the highest priority on indigenous production
capability, the new mode is a joint venture between the MNC, whose
responsibility it is to provide the technology, and one or several indigenous
companies, which are responsible for financing, often with government
assistance.
The communist countries (U.S.S.R., Poland, Rumania, and others) have
spearheaded negotiations to obtain from Western firms technologies for high
volume, low-cost products that are internationally competitive in quality. The
agreements completed so far cover not only the transfer of hard technology
(patent and trademark rights) but also efficient adaptation of a product to suit the
strategic objectives of the host enterprise, effective development of actual
production capacity by long-term enterprise-to-enterprise cooperation after the
plant starts production, and marketing of the output outside the host country.
Though still modest in total business volume compared to equity-based MNCs,
the industrial leases and technology transfer agreements signify the entrance of
the technology-based MNC into the manufacturing sector, which the equity-
based model has held as an exclusive domain in the past.
THE STRUCTURE OF MNCs
Regardless of which of these alternatives the contract provides, the organiza-
tional effect is the same. It transfers the management of the operation to the
MNC and motivates the latter to maximize its productivity. This calls for the
application of the most efficient alternatives in technology and management
know-how available to the MNC.
Objectives to foreign ownership of major business firms have risen in many
countries. Simultaneously, the national goals and economic development plans
of host countries are placing greater priority on technology imports and
modernization of management practices. These trends are favoring the new no
equity model at the expense of the old ownership model for multinational
growth.
The equity-based and technology-based models do not present an either/ or
proposition. The tow basic alternatives can be used separately or in combination
with each other. In either case, the final outcome is the same; a cluster of
production and marketing entities distributed multinationally but subject to
managerial control and coordination by the head quarters company.
NINE-COUNTRY COMPLEX
Fig I Spatial Model of Multinatinal Enterprises
MNCs Critics and Defenders
Because of their visibility across the globe, international businesses have invited
criticisms. They have defenders too. Let us examine MNCs as they are
perceived by critics. These critics are activist groups that attack MNCs on
environmental and rights issues.
1. Challenge to Nation-state Sovereignty The developing countries want
control of their economies and want to achieve their economic, political, and
social objectives. The power of the MNCs can influence each of these objectives
and in doing so may be obliged to give up some power and independence in
exchange for the wealth an MNC may bring.
2. Inequities One of the most enduring and persistent complaints about alleged
inequities by LDCs is that prices of raw materials extracted from their countries,
while prices of imported manufactured goods from industrialized countries are
rising. This they say creates a growing inequity. Other perceived inequities
include avoidance of taxes and giving the best management jobs to MNC home-
country citizens.
3. Interference with Economic Objectives interference can occur in many
ways. For example, an MNC may wish to locate a plant in an area of prosperity
when the host country would prefer its location in an underdeveloped region.
MNC demands of local support can add to host-country expenditures for
infrastructure. Since MNCs typically do their research and development at
home, hostn countries become technologically dependent on the MNCs for
innovation. The MNCs have the strength to attract bank loans that otherwise
might be available for local businesses.
4. Social Disruption The introduction of different mores, habits, behaviors,
and ethical values, new products, management styles, distribution systems, more
money, and technology, do affect local ways of thinking and doing things.
5. Environmental Degradation Many nations are becoming more concerned
about the impact of MNCs on their environment. Environmental concerns are
rapidly moving higher in the chain of priorities throughout the world.
6. Imperialism Many of the awakening nations look on foreign managers
with fear and distrust as the embodiment of an old, not easily forgotten,
exploitative colonialism.
7. Symbol of Frustration and Antipathy The LDCs have grievances about
their position in the world that have nothing to do with the MNC but the MNC is
a convenient visible target for their anger.
8. MNCs and Technology the technology brought in by MNCs is hardly
suitable to less developed countries. Such technology is highly capita intensive
but developing countries need a lab our intensive one. In addition, technology
brought in by MNCs is highly expensive. The MNCs charge exorbitantly in the
from of fee and royalty, which put a severe strain on the foreign exchange
resources of a developing country. There are also instances of technology is
dumping, which implies that MNCs use obsolete technology with the help of
turnkey projects shipped down from the principals of other counties. MNCs
tend to make industries in developing countries permanently dependent on
foreign expertise and technology.
Loss of
Technology
sovereignity
Frustration and
antipathy
Inequities
MNCs
Interference
Imperialism
with economic
objectives
Social
Environmental
disruption
degradation
Fig 2. Grouse against MNCs
MNCS AND HOME SOCIETIES
Public attitudes toward MNCs are biased by a nation`s position as a home or
host country. Historically, home countries have perceived MNC activities as
desirable extensions of their domestic business systems. Conversely host
countries have viewed MNCs as agents of foreign influenced and exploitation.
This historic dichotomy is now shot through with conflicting perceptions of the
MNCs. Different segments of society, such as labor, investors, consumers,
traders, and farmers, see their interests affected in different ways. As a result, a
multisided controversy about the societal merits and demerits of MNCs has
grown in both host and home countries.
Home country conflicts
The most aggressive challenge to the traditionally supportive home country
policies towards MNCs has come from organized labor.
Labor Conflict
Multinationalization has created for management new mobility and flexibility
that have greatly enhanced its bargaining power vis-?-vis labor. Since the
sourcing base of the multinational firm knows no national boundaries ? it can
draw anywhere in the world the capital, technology, raw materials, ideas, and
labor that it needs ? management is not dependent on any one country`s labor
supply or labor union`s policies, but can choose from among a number of
potential hosts for any particular operation. In the short run, this new
managerial latitude may be limited by the relative immobility of investment in
given facilities ? the sunk cost constraint ? but in the long run nearly all
operations can be transferred from one location to another. More significantly,
all new investment, whether for replacement or for replacement or for
expansion of plant capacity, is internationally footloose and will seek domicile
wherever the comparative advantages happen to lie.
To labor unions this international mobility of the MNC portends an ominous
doom. Though international in ideology, the unions have failed to acquire any
international operational capabilities of their own. Their organization and
policies have remained strictly national or sub national. Deriving their
legitimacy and enforceable powers through national and local legislation, labour
unions became an integral part of the nation state`s internal apparatus. This
worked in labor`s favor so long as business consisted of MNCs. By effective
organization and concentration of labor influences into large, well disciplined
unions, a sufficient counterweight to management power was created to allow
unions to bargain from a position of strength.
Having focused its efforts on countervailing the powers of the domestic firm,
labor scored impressively by achieving equivalence, if not dominance, at the
bargaining table. But its narrow focus missed the broader scene. As the
international expansion of business started converting UNCs into MNCs at an
accelerating rate, labor`s domestic entrenchment provided no possibility to
match the expansion of managerial powers. Thus a disparity gap was opened.
Given the continuation of the multinationalization of business, this gap is certain
to widen as long as labor unions remain uninational in scope and capacity.
This shift in the balance of power in management`s favor signals to labor leaders
a retreat to subservience and subordination that the movement can neither accept
nor endure. To labor, therefore, the MNC is not a villain or culprit of the normal
management sort, but an antagonist of an entirely new and mortally menacing
variety. Against it, a total struggle seems to be American labor`s resolute
response. The unions attack MNCs as inherently inimical to the domestic
economy and seek legislative remedies that would severely restrict multinational
corporate operations. Labor`s lobbying campaign charges the MNC with the
following detrimental effects:
1. Investment depression. The MNC foreign investments deplete capital
resources needed for domestic investment, thus undermining economic
growth and new job creation in the United States.
2. Technology drain. The MNC exports U.S. technology in order to exploit
low cost foreign labor, depriving the U.S. worked of his or her rightful
opportunity to share in the utilization and rewards of this technology.
Through technology transfers and foreign investments the MNC replaces
U.S. workers with foreign workers; that is, it exports jobs.
3. Export displacement. The MNC displaces U.S. exports with foreign
produced goods, thereby decreasing domestic employment and payrolls,
causing the U.S. trade balance to deteriorate, and depressing economic
conditions at home.
4. Low wage imports. The MNC substitutes imports from its U.S.-affiliates in
low wage countries for U.S.-made goods. These imports undermine U.S.
wage standards, cause unemployment, and idle plant facilities.
5. Tax evasion. The MNC evades taxes by deferring profit repatriation,
manipulating transfer prices, and circumventing government regulations.
The revenues lost to the national treasury result in a higher tax burden on the
general public.
6. Payments disbalancing. The MNC`s activities have afflicted the United
States with chronic balance of payments deficits, fueled inflation, debased
the dollar as a stable currency, and contributed to international monetary
disorders.
Offshore Plants
The recent proliferation of offshore manufacturing has become the focal point of
the labor union`s concern. Since the offshore plants represent clear-cut transfers
of production rates to low wage countries, unions depict them as inherently
symptomatic of all multinationalization projects of business. What the unions
leave unsaid is that manufacturers have transferred offshore production
processes in which they have lost their international competitive advantage. It
has been a relatively successful way for threatened firms to retain
competitiveness and for developing countries to exploit their own comparative
advantage.
For the MNCs the movement offshore is essentially a reactive strategy to low
cost competition which, from management`s perspective, can best be met by
international restructuring of production: locating capital intensive, high-
technology facilities in industrial countries and labor intensive, low-skill plants
in les developed areas.
To remedy the situation, organized labor has lobbied for legislation to regulate
MNC operations. It has called for (a) the creation of a federal investments
commission to license and supervise transnational capital transactions; (b)
restriction of outward transfers of technology, by subjecting patents to export
licensing and prohibiting foreign production of a patented product; and (c) by
eliminating the foreign tax credit and the deferred tax status of the affiliates
profits.
Ideological Dilemma
International solidarity has long been an ideal of the labor movement. Workers`
organizations everywhere confronted the same problems and strove for the same
goals. Devoted to collective action as counterforce to exploitation, labor unions
from the start aspired to cooperation and communication with their brothers,
regardless of country.
Labor unions in countries hosting the affiliates of MNCs find the present
protectionist offensive aimed more against them than against the MNCs. This
confrontation between the home country and the host country unions remains an
unpredictable source of conflict in multinational business relations.
MNC EFFECTS ON HOME COUNTRY
TRADE AND PAYMENTS
The mounting criticism of MNCs has produced a flurry of research projects
aimed at determining how the creation of foreign affiliates affects the domestic
economy. Several of thee studies have been conducted to support some group`s
special interest or ideological assertions; however, sometimes the truth is better
reflected by what the researchers failed to find than by what they did find.
MNCS AND HOST SOCIETIES
The presence of MNC affiliates is a profoundly significant reality in much of the
world. Most host countries have wooed MNCs through investment incentives
and many other means. To push back the tyranny of material wants, low
productivity, and aversion to change, various countries have sought the
cooperation and capabilities of MNCs. Even the Soviet Union and other
communist countries have started to seek ways to entice MNCs to cross their
previously ironclad borders. Thus, the push toward the propagation and growth
of the MNCs has been global in scope.
Increasingly, however, the MNC has become a source of controversy, at times
acute resentment, in many countries. Canada, France, India, Iran, and some
African states are widely publicized sites of recent dramatic clashes between
governments and MNCs. Similar conflicts have surfaced elsewhere throughout
the world.
ADAPTABILITY OF MNCs TO HOST ENVIRONMENTS
All MNCs are not equally likely to cause friction and tension in their host
economies. Some adapt with relative ease and become closely integrated with
their host environment, both economically and socioculturally; others remain
isolated and insulated, often forming alien enclaves in the host society. There
appears to be a causal relationship between the MNC`s organizational structure
that is, its organizational design as well as its underlying objectives and
strategies ?and its capacity for social adaptation to host country conditions.
In terms of inducement to social conflict, MNCs fall into three categories: home
dominated, host dominated, and internationally integrated.
Home or Parent Dominated MNCs
These enterprises are organized and managed in such a way that the foreign
based subsidiaries and other affiliates, whatever their specific legal form, serve
primarily in a complementary support role. Their function is to help the parent
company achieve its business objectives in the headquarters country. The
subsidiaries have an entirely dependent role. Their local interests and needs,
including social adjustment, are subordinated to and, if necessary, sacrificed for
the parent company`s home operations. Highly centralized, run by absentee
decision makers, and serving purposes external to the host countries, the home
dominated MNC is very likely to cause host country conflict. Its insensitivity
toward host nation needs is compounded by its ethnocentric managerial
behavior.
This type of MNC has been particularly, but not exclusively, characteristic of
extractive industries and notice entrants into multinational operations.
Increasing self-assertion of host country governments has put home dominated
MNCs under increasing pressure to reform or divest.
Federated or Host Dominated MNCs
In its pure form this model is an MNC whose headquarters is set up more like a
holding company than a management center. The actual management authority,
except for general policy guidelines, is delegated to individual subsidiaries. The
company is highly decentralized; the subsidiaries are managerially autonomous
or very nearly so. Each subsidiary is run by executives who are local nationals,
who rely on local methods and decision-making processes, whose leadership
style derives from the indigenous social norms, and whose personal standards
and loyalties are identified with the host society. In brief, there is a tight
integration of each affiliate with its host country.
The federated MNCs are the least susceptible to social conflict ? they seem to be
a sociologist`s ideal. From an economic perspective they are far less perfect.
The high degree of autonomy that each affiliate enjoys severely limits the
MNC`s ability to utilize its capacities as effectively as a more closely
coordinated structure.
Internationally Integrated MNCs
These firms are organized to pursue objectives and activities that are worldwide
in scope and concept. Their primary interests are not identified with the
headquarters country or with any other particular nation. They are apolitical and
anational institutions. To be sure, they must have nationality for the purposes of
meeting statutory requirements as legal entities to be licensed to do business, but
this is nationality only in form; in substance they are transnational or perhaps
even supranational. Their primary loyalty is to the company itself rather than to
any nation. Their purposes, behavior, vales, and operational incentives all
derive from their own multinational structure, not from home country or host
county policies or patriotisms.
The substantive essence of such companies lies in international specialization
and managerial integration, a process often called international ration alization.
These MNCs specialize production according to the principle of comparative
advantage: acquiring inputs from countries with lowest relative costs, that is,
locating production facilities for each component in the country best endowed
with the necessary resources, and distributing outputs in the markets where the
rewards are greatest. Thus, they possess a competitive advantage, a productive
superiority, over domestic or uninational firms in both developed or developing
countries. This productive superiority derives from the wider range of strategic
choices; they are always able to choose the least costly production alternative
and to combine it with the most profitable marketing alternative.
Because of their greater productive efficiency and profitability, the globally
integrated MNCs represent the fastest growing segment of international
business. The growth is propelled in part by the expansion of these companies
themselves and in an increasing part by the adoption of the globally integrated
model by other companies. The process of conversion from other structural
forms of international business to the globally integrated mode is only
beginning. Much further growth is certain to take place in the next several
years. Only a return to ultraprotectionist trade barriers could thwart this trend.
Consequently, the integrated MNC is the most likely to demand attention in any
search for solutions to the problems of social responsibility of multinational
firms.
Conflicts between the globally integrated MNCs and host nations arise from the
fundamental fact that the inner logic of such transnational enterprises is violated
if identification of corporate interest with the national interest of any particular
host state is imposed. The violation is interference with the international
optimalization process of the company, which tends to destroy its productive
superiority, not to mention profitability.
AREAS OF CONFLICT
Although the MNC has no power over the host government, if may have
considerable power under that government. By being able to influence certain
factors, the MNC has the opportunity to help or harm national economics; in this
sense, it may be said to have power against host governments. Critics of the
MNC perceive these powers as potential perils to host societies.
The strategic aspects of a host country`s national policy that are subject to the
influence of the MNC include:
1. Planning and direction of industrial growth
2. National control of key industries
3. Financial policy
4. Export-import policy
5. Pricing policy
6. Research and development
7. Human resource policy
(1) Planning and Direction of Industrial Growth
Host nations have viewed with concern the tendencies of many MNCs to
centralize strategic decisions in their headquarters. For the host governments this
signifies loss of control over industrial strategy to the foreign-based MNC. The
MNCs` allegiances are geocentric; their overall objectives are growth and profits
globally rather than in the host economy. These objectives require efficiency in
the functional areas of management ? production, marketing, finance, and so on.
Many MNCs have sought greater efficiency through centralization, with
headquarters domination of affiliates as the unavoidable result.
Risks of Excessive Centralization Empirical evidence indicates that a high
degree of centralization tends to lead to inflexibility of parent company polices,
Decisions are made in headquarters regarding the product mix for each affiliate,
extent of interaffiliate sales of semi finished and finished products, export
pricing, interaffiliate sales, input procurement, packaging, long-rang planning,
research and development, and, particularly, financial management. When the
authority over these vital business decisions is located beyond their jurisdictions,
local authorities counter with restrictions on affiliate activities. Clearly,
centralization extracts a price from the MNC. A satisfactory method of
calculating it is yet to be devised. When things are sorted out the price of
centralization many well turn out to be far greater for many firms than the
operational simplifications gained by it.
Government Goals Governments of all nations, particularly those of the less
developed countries, are assuming more responsibility for the achievement of
economic growth and social goals than formerly. To be successful they need a
fairly high degree of certainty in the business sector. The presence of affiliates
managed from foreign-based headquarters introduces uncontrollable factors that
interfere with the government`s planning and policies of economic development.
With substantial segments of industry owned and directed from abroad and with
home country governments bent on perceiving the affiliates as foreign
extremities of their economies, the host governments see a serous challenge to
their ability to affect the desired goals.
The more responsibility for economic growth and stability the government
accepts, the greater its direct involvement in business regulation and direction,
and the greater the possibility that the MNC will be perceived as a potential
agitator of the national plants.
(2) National Control of Key Sectors
The MNCs` technological power and their tendency to cluster in key industrial
sectors has given rise to another fear in the host countries. By permitting
foreign investors to control key industries, nations are in the precarious position
of losing control over strategic sectors. The fear of industrial domination is no
chauvinistic fiction but in many instances an obvious truth.
Technology Gap The ability of the headquarters company to determine
whether, when, and how the newest techniques are employed by affiliates has
aroused fears in host nations of an increasing dependence on the MNC for
technological progress. It has been argued that this dependence is attributable to
a technology gap between the United States and other countries. A lesser
commitment of European- and other non-U.S.- based companies to research and
development is given as the cause of the gap. Researchers who have attempted
to go beyond the expenditure figures discredit the technology gap theory by
showing that technological inventions and innovations have come no less
frequently from Europe than from the United States. Furthermore, the European
inventions have tended to be major breakthroughs. The issue is by no means
clear as far as Europe or Japan are concerned; however, there is no room for
argument on this point in reference to the developing nations.
The necessity of relying on the home country`s technology, in turn, leads to the
fear of foreign control and ownership of industry. As a given industry sector
becomes dominate by MNCs, the host country becomes dependent on the
technological in-transfers of the foreign-headquartered MNC for its growth and
product development. Once achieved, the dominant position of the MNC is
believed to be self-perpetuating. Dominance itself provides the affiliate with
resources to help perpetuate its role as the major innovator.
National policies aimed at greater independence in technology are a mixture of
the desire for local research and development facilities and their ownership as
well as the desire for technically advanced items produced locally. However, it
appears that many countries have no feasible alternative to relying on foreign
technology. They need MNCs in order to avoid stagnation of the economy and
bring about indigenous development.
Foreign Takeovers The strategy of some MNCs has been to place their direct
investments in the host country into acquisitions of pre-existing indigenous
firms. To the host country this strategy conjures visions of takeover by
foreigners. In smaller or less industrialized countries the point is quickly
reached when no nationally owned companies may be left in a particular
industry. Thus, a foreign monopoly control is created. Larger nations, too, are
sensitive to foreign takeovers.
A number of nations are reacted to such fears by restricting acquisitions to
prevent the elimination of local competitors and by channeling foreign
investments into the establishment of new firms that make a larger real
contribution to the host economy and avoid the disturbance in the market that
major acquisitions typically cause.
The possibility of the MNC eliminating indigenous competitors is real. With its
superiority in resources (financial, managerial, and technical), the MNC is often
at an obvious competitive advantage compared to the domestic firm. Oftentimes
the MNC enters a host country in which it already possesses a strong market
position built on imports. This makes it a much more formidable threat to local
competitors.
(3) Financial Policy
As a matter of financial policy the MNC can choose to invest its profits either in
the host country or elsewhere. The host country government naturally prefers
domestic investment, but the power lies with the MNC to determine where the
profits will be allocated.
Balance of Payments The MNC may help relieve a deficit in the host country
balance of payments. No conflict arises in this situation. The firm may also
contribute to the worsening of the host country balance of payments.
The MNC has been indicted for causing capital flows to fluctuate and even
reverse. In addition, increased investment in the host economy very likely
increases the market share held by the affiliate, which can conflict with host
country interests. This makes the allocation of profits a very sensitive area. If
the aren`t decides to transfer the profits outside the borders of the host country,
the latter gains no benefits from the investment potential of the firm. If the
dividends to the parent company fluctuate from year to year, the payments
position of the host country may be destabilized.
Borrowing Power The source of borrowed funds can also create conflict.
This enables the MNC to import much larger sums than a uninational company
could. The potential threat to the balance of payments position of the host
country is similarly greater.
Also, host government domestic monetary policy may be easily undermined by
the countering efforts of the MNC. A typical example involves the MNC`s
extension of credit to a foreign subsidiary at a time when the host nation is
attempting to dampen domestic purchasing power through import restrictions
and exchange controls. Thus, the foreign-owned affiliate has the power, cash,
and credit to avoid efforts by the state to constrain credit and investment.
Even though the magnitudes involved are not large in comparison to major
elements in the balance of payments, and many countries have substantial
earnings from overseas investments, these points are overlooked when attitudes
toward foreign investment are formed within the host country. The exact impact
of an inward foreign investment on a country`s balance of payments is usually
too complex to be easily explained.
(4) Export-Import Policy
The export-import activities of the MNC can also affect the host county balance
of payments. Exports from affiliates may be subject to decisions made in the
head office that seek to fit the affiliate`s trade into the international marketing
scheme of the MNC as a whole. This means the affiliate`s exports could go to
the parent or other affiliates instead of to customers desired by the host
government.
Another host country criticism of the MNC is that it may allocate export markets
among its affiliates, thereby preventing them from exporting as they might
otherwise and damaging the prospects for expansion of exports of the host
country.
Importing policies may be similarly dictated by the home office. Affiliates may
be directed to import from the parent itself or from other affiliates instead of
using resources from the host country, thus further contributing to a trade deficit
on the part of the host.
However much the MNC may contribute to economic growth and stability in the
host country, the fact that the parent has the ability to alter the activities of the
affiliates increases the uncertainty facing the host government. The fact that the
MNC`s decision center is outside the jurisdiction of the host government further
compounds the uncertainty.
(5) Pricing Policy
The controversial aspects of MNC pricing relate in part to intracompany pricing
or transfer pricing and in part to pricing policies for customers outside the
company itself.
Leakages Through Transfer Pricing Transfer prices can be calculated so as to
shift assets among the entities of the MNC through intracompany (interaffiliate)
sales, royalties, technical assistance fees, and the allocation of headquarters
expenses. The potential significance of these flows to the host country balance
of payments is indicated by the fact that remittances by foreign affiliates to the
headquarters of MNCs have been consistently far greater than the flow of funds
from headquarters to the affiliates.
Transfer pricing is capable of serving various other objectives unless it is
prevented from doing so by effective government regulations. If the host
countries employ foreign exchange restrictions, the transfer price may be
designed to circumvent the restrictions. If a particular host country has high
profit taxes, the transfer price may be used to reallocate the profits to a low tax
country. When economic or political instability plagues a host country, transfer
prices can be used to keep to a minimum the company`s cash reserves in that
country. Transfer prices can also be used to strengthen the competitive position
of a company or to neutralize the competitive advantage of others. If used for
these or similar purposes the transfer price becomes an obviously objectionable
device.
Power to Undercut Local Competitors
In market pricing, local industry
often fears the ability of the MNC affiliate to cut prices to any level necessary to
achieve either a foothold or to increase its market share. It is possible for a large
MNC to absorb sizable per unit losses on its sales in a small host country
without sacrificing its overall profitability. Thus, there is reason for the local
people in such countries to be on guard.
Some MNCs have established a global single price policy; that is, the same price
applies all over the world. By doing so the MNC denies itself the ability to
respond to the demands of individual country markets or to utilize to its
maximum advantage the oligopolistic market structure of most host countries.
The problem becomes further complicated when trade barriers and government
regulations create inducements for differentiating prices among host country
markets.
(6) Research and Development
Research and development can cause a conflict of interests between the MNC
and the host country in several ways. The first is the location of the research
and development facilities. Most host countries urge MNCs to establish local
research and development capacity. Having creative work going on helps to
accelerate efforts in other areas of scientific research and innovation in the host
society. MNCs, however, tend to concentrate research efforts in the home
country. Of host countries the most advanced nations are preferred because of
their educational institutions and scientific talent. Whatever the scope of the
affiliate`s research and development program, growth of such a department is
dependent on the home office. And whatever the pattern of relationships
concerning research within the firm, it is not one that eliminates the dependence
of the host economy on the parent company`s technological priorities.
Even if research is done by the affiliate in the host country, the issue of
ownership rights over the findings can cause conflict. Should the company
decide to use the results of the research in some other country, the benefit to the
local economy is minimized.
In sum, the MNC usually helps the host country reach a higher level of
technology, but not as fast as the nation wants, nor is the technology necessarily
the type that the host government deems appropriate for its needs. Further more,
there is the problem of who controls the results of the research. So long as
domestic ownership and control over key sectors and key technology have not
been achieved, national governments feel threatened. The conflict over
ownership of technology is taking on new dimensions as MNCs expand their
research bases to host countries and as more and more host countries assume the
dual role of both host and home country.
(7) Human Resource Policies
In the early stages of international growth, a firm tends to staff its foreign-based
affiliates with headquarters country managers, that is, home country expatriates.
The advantages here are twofold: first, simplicity of selection, appointment, and
promotion, all of which can be done in a unilateralist frame of reference without
disturbing the established practices and routines of the firm, and second, the
relative uniformity of backgrounds of all managerial cadres throughout the
multinational structure-everybody is the product of the same national and
corporate cultures and has reached his or her position by playing by the same
rules.
Third Country Expatriates Another source of executive talent is the third
country expatriate, who may be defined as a manager who is a citizen of
Country A and works in Country B for a company headquartered in Country C.
Most of these are multilingual Europeans or Orientals with a European
education. Many are refugees from communist countries. Third country
nationals are reported to be mo adept at integrating themselves into new
situations and making friends in a foreign social setting than the unilingual U.S.
expatriates.
A number of U.S. companies have expressed a definite preference for third
country expatriates in overseas management positions. The versatility of third
country executives may indicate high mobility toward top management
positions. For example, one establishment MNC, Nestle of Switzerland, has long
used non-Swiss in top corporate posts. Of the top eleven members of Nestle`s
present board of directors, six are non-Swiss.
All expatriates are a potential source of host country conflict. The local society
generally views them with mixed reactions. The upper classes may resist the
expatriate because he or she is an influential outsider who threatens the local
power and prestige structures. At the same time, they realize the expatriate
brings new technologies and behavior patterns that benefit their country and
themselves. The lower classes resent the presence of expatriates because they
are foreigners and because they hold prestigious high paying positions. Racial or
religious biases tend to compound the resentments further. The MNC must
learn to sense and be guided by the strength of these nationalistic and
xenophobic feelings. Host society reactions will range from slowing of permits
and documents in government offices to acts of terrorism and destruction of
property.
Host Country Nationals Established MNCs have come to rely heavily on host
country nationals as the source of executive personnel. The reasons for this
switch have been the following: the need for understanding the local
environment, the rapid growth of overseas operations requiring speedy
expansion of the management group, the increased ability to utilize individuals
with different national backgrounds successfully in the corporate structure, and
direct or subtle pressures by host country authorities to replace expatriate
managers with indigenous employees.
While all host governments appear to favor their people strongly in executive
assignments, they nonetheless can violently object to the salary policy of the
MNC. In this area the MNC can be criticized if it holds fast to local salary
standards, for underpaying local nationals in comparison with headquarters
executives, and criticized if it exceeds the local standards, for under mining local
firms and pirating their best people. This is a real dilemma.
Personnel Practices In the arena of employment policies, there are several
potential conflicts. One is the attempt to impose the home country`s methods,
mannerisms, and behavior patterns on the host society through the operations of
the affiliate. For example, an Italian affiliate of one MNC scheduled two hours
for lunch and a half day of work on Saturday, as is customary in Italy. Taking
for granted that shifting the working hours and workdays of the week would
lead to greater productivity, the head office ordered the affiliate to drop the
Saturday shift and to shorten the lunch time to 45 minutes. This change met
such strong resistance from the Italian workers that productivity plummeted.
The hiring and firing policies of affiliate of most U.S.-based MNCs parallel
those of the parent company; that is, firms shift management personnel, lay off
redundant employees, and regroup and retrain labor to meet new tasks. These
dynamic and sometimes harsh policies are contrary to the social values of many
foreign countries, where customarily both managers and labor receive more
stable treatment by the firm and are tied to the firm for extended periods of time.
In the area of worker recruitment and training the MNC encounters several
problems. In less-developed countries, the most common problem is the
scarcity of skilled people ? workers, managerial personnel, research and
development scientists, and technicians. If the firm imports the needed skills,
the host country must forego both the training and the jobs for its own nations;
for the MNC to undertake the required training programs locally is often
financially prohibitive.
In certain host countries manual work cannot be included in any training
programs for supervisory personnel because of the strong social stigma attached
to it. The same may be true sales. There are difficulties in interesting educated
nationals in sales positions in certain countries because in those countries sales
work is low in social esteem.
Conflicts may arise also from the promotion policies of the MNC. Some
countries have rigid social stratification in which on-the-job achievement and
economic performance are not recognized. Merit-based promotion of the most
competent or deserving personnel to management or supervisory positions, thus,
flies in the face of expectations and notions of social propriety. Perhaps the best
example of this problem would be the promotion of a member of a lower caste
to a position of supervision over a member of a relatively higher caste in India.
While less obvious, the same conflict is encountered in many other, particularly
developing, countries in a more subtle context.
Transborder Data Flow
Recent advances in both computer and telecommunication technologies have led
to their convergence into a new activity, telematics. Modern telecommunication
facilities have overcome time and distance as major obstacles to the access of
sophisticated computer services for the processing, storage, and retrieval of
machine-readable information.
Data did, of course, move across national boundaries before the advent of
telematics. But traditional media (such as postal, telephone, and telex services)
are increasingly being replaced by the electronic transmission of data. The
fusion of advanced electronic processing capabilities with modern tele-
communications facilities and the speed, accessibility, and interactive
capabilities through which time and distance are overcome as obstacles to large-
scale information mobility, give transborder data flow its potency.
MNCs play a central role in establishing the required telecommunications
infrastructure; they produce the necessary computer hardware, software, and
peripheral equipment; and they offer a growing range of data-processing
services as well as access to an expanding amount o machine-readable data.
This situation poses a dilemma to all LCDs. On one hand they recognize the
great significance of telematics for obtaining accurate economic and political
information both in their domestic and international spheres; on the other hand
they feel vulnerable because of their inability to match the MNC`s capacity with
their own facilities of telematics and transborder data transmission. The
competitiveness of their domestic companies is thus threatened by the MNCs`
growing superiority in identifying alternatives and reducing uncertainties,
facilitating implementations, and effectively pursuing profitable business
ventures. Beyond the activities of the MNCs, the host governments perceive the
increasing role of telematics and transboundary data flows as negatively
affecting all aspects of relations between the poor and the rich countries; to the
extent that their ability to collect, store, process, and access information is
inferior ? and the lag has been increasing ? they fear their ability to negotiate
persuasively and interact effectively with other nations will be eroded.
Because of these concerns, less-developed host countries have started to
promulgate regulatory measures requiring MNCs to share their telematic
equipment and software technology with various indigenous installations for the
production, processing, transmission, and dissemination of a wide variety of
data: economic, scientific, political, social, and legal. It is highly doubtful that
MNCs will be able to accommodate all these demands. The telematics issue is
too new to allow any informed predictions as to the compromises that will be
ultimately struck between the host governments and MNCs to resolve it.
NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY OF THE HOST COUNTRY
Erosion of national sovereignty appears to be the pervasive fear resulting from
the expansion of the MNC. This loss may be the consequence of dependence on
foreign technology, foreign industrial dominance, or the MNC`s ability to effect
its own desired results. Losing its sovereignty, the nation loses its power, and
without power the existence of nationhood, even its identity, becomes
problematic.
By increasing the international influences, the MNC may reduce choices open to
the host government regarding the most appropriate means of guiding the
domestic economy. The policies and activities of MNCs do affect the balance of
payments, economic planning, competitive climate, development of technology,
and many other aspects of host economics. Intensified by sensitized
nationalistic sentiments, these effects reinforce the perception of peril to the host
society. To alleviate host country fears, MNCs must learn to adjust their
activities to the indigenous needs and sociocultural attitudes of host societies.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Technology is a new variable in the equation of economic relations. Traditional
theory assumes that all nations have equal access to technology and, therefore,
that there is no need to transfer technology from one county to another. Recent
research findings have invalidated this assumption. In addition, they point to
technology differences as primary cause of international inequalities in
economic achievements. To reduce the inequalities, technology capabilities of
the backward nations must be strengthened. The quickest way to do so is to
transfer technology from the developed to the developing nations.
Definition
Technology is any device or process used for productive purposes. In its
broadest sense, it is the sum of the ways in which a given group provides itself
with good and services, the group being a nation, an industry, or a single firm.
There is a fundamental characteristic of technology that demands clear
recognition. Q unites unlike commodities and capital, technology is not depleted
or its supply diminished when it is transferred or used. It is usable but not
consumable. Once created, technology is inexhaustible until it becomes
obsolete. Therefore; export of technology need not cause the source country to
reduce its use of the technology. Indirectly, a decline may result if the recipient
country creates an industry large to change the global supply and demand
equilibrium of the goods produced by the technology involved. For most
technology sought by the developing nations this is not the case.
Sources of Technology
Contrary to the classical assumption, technology is not a free good but a
valuable property, nor is it evenly distributed around the globe. The supply
schedules differ widely from country to country. To obtain new technology, a
nation has three alternatives:
1. Produce the technology capability at home
2. Import it from abroad
3. Import goods containing the desired technology
For most LDCs, home production of technology is often uneconomic. Since
much of what they are seeking already exists in the industrially advanced areas,
they can fill their needs by importation. Normally, the importation can be
effected at savings over the domestic cost of research and development (R&D).
R&D expenditures devoted to projects duplicating existing know-how are
obviously wasteful. Thus, economic rationale requires that LDCs concentrate
their home production of new technology on any unusual requirements that
cannot be met from import sources.
The access to technology depends on its ownership. Nonproprietary technology
belongs to the public. It is there for the taking, but it is not free. The taker must
have the ability to gather it from libraries, public research institutions, or
wherever it may be found. To locate the sources and to sort out what is usable
and unsuitable from any given application may involve considerable cost, which
might be called the assembling and packaging of technology. Consulting firms
specialize in this type of service. They very sources and consumers of
technology but instead act as intermediaries between the sources and consumers
of technology.
Proprietary technology is privately owned. It consists, trademarks, and secret
processes. The most efficient and profitable technology, often also the newest,
belong in this category. Access to proprietary technology is at the owner`s
discretion. It may or may not be for sale. If the sale creates potential
competitors, the owners` interest is served by not selling it unless the expected
loss from new competition is less than the price for which the technology can be
sold.
Much proprietary technology is not for sale. It can move only with investments
of owner firm. This is embodied technology, as distinguished from disembodied
technology, which can be transferred without the original owner`s investments.
All nonproprietary technology is disembodied.
At the macro and micro levels, nations people, and Organizations increasingly
depend on technology for prosperity and quality of life.
The competitive edge of an individual firm vastly depends on technology. One
of the means of acquiring technology is through its transfer.
Technology transfer coves various activities, including the internal transfer of
technology from the R&D or engineering department to the manufacturing
department of a firm based in a country. It also includes the same transfer of
technology from a laboratory or operations of a MNCs in one country to its
laboratory or operations in another country. Finally, It includes the transfer of
technology from a research consortium supported by many firms to one of the
members. Simply told, technology transfer is a process that permits the flow of
technology from of technology from a source to a receiver .The source is the
owner or the holder of the knowledge and it can be individual, a company, or a
country. The source is the owner or the or holder of the knowledge and it can be
individual, a company .or a country. The receiver is the beneficiary of the
transfer technology. Technology is transferred through published material (such
as journals, books): purchase and sale of machinery, equipment and intermediate
goods, transfer of data and personal: and interpersonal communication.
Technology transfer comprises six categories:
1. International Technology Transfer, in which the transfer is across
national boundaries. Generally, such transfers take place between
developed and developing countries.
2. Regional Technology Transfer, in which technology is transferred from
one another .
3. Cross-industry or Cross-sector Technology Transfer, in which
technology is transferred from one industrial sector to another .
4. Interfirm Technology Transfer ,in which technology is transferred
from one company to another.
5. Intra-firm Technology Transfer, in which technology is transferred
within a firm ,from one location to another. Intrafirm transfers can also
be made from one department to another within the same facility.
6. Pirating or Reverse-Engineering, whereby access to technology is
obtained at the expense of the property rights of the owners of
technology.
Modes of Transfer
Since technology defies delineation as a discrete variable, the analysis of its
transfer is encumbered by such other factors as capital investments, economic
organization, labor resources, entrepreneurship, and even en sociocultural
systems. Lacking disaggregated data, different analysts have used different
composites as poxies for data on technology flows. Many economists treat direct
foreign investments and licensing agreements as synonymous with international
technology transfers. Others tabulate scientific and professional conferences,
technical assistance programs, exchanges of educators and students, plus many
other kinds of information flows. Obviously, all of these have some technology
content, but few are pure technology.
Importing Nonproprietary Technology
Non proprietary technology can be transferred from one country to another in
any number of ways. Technology in pure from can be imported if the transferee
possesses the capacities to collect and employ it. LDCs many rely on indigenous
enterprises or on foreign firms to do the importing. Since LDCs often lack
indigenous firms who can affect the transfer, they rely heavily on foreign
consultants.
Another way for an LDC to obtain nonproprietary is by importing the hardware
required and then either implementing a training program for its use or
dispatching managerial personnel to study how to use the hardware. Experience
tends to favor home-based training programs, initially with expatriate instructors
from developed countries and later with indigenous instructors, over the
alternative of sending people from LDCs to learn abroad. The advantage is
twofold:
1. The home-based program ensures better adaptation of the technology to
local conditions.
2. Fallout from the program is minimized by reducing the risk of brain
drain, which has ravaged many foreign-based programs.
Importing technology intensive goods is the third method of obtaining new
technology.
Importing Proprietary Technology
An LDC`s access to proprietary technology is far more complicated. To acquire
embodied technology it must attract direct investments by the desired industry.
The direct cost of such acquisition is any special incentives that the country is
required to offer to interest the potential investor, who may have more profitable
investment alternatives elsewhere. If the incentives offered exceed the investor`s
opportunity cost of forgoing its other alternative, parties, the LDC and the
multinational corporation (MNC), benefit. The LDC has no concrete way of
assessing data and the MNC`s opportunity cost: it lack both the necessary data
and the expertise. This gives the MNC a strategic bargaining advantage and
wide latitude for its demands for incentives.
Proprietary technology that are readily for sale can be transferred by exporting
turnkey projects, licensing patents or trademarks, selling formulas or blueprints,
organizing training programs, Orr dispatching experts. The choice depends
again on the seller`s preference-which serves the MNC`s objectives best. Owner
willingness to sell proprietary technologies varies widely. Some technologies,
such as that of the latest IBM computers or coca-cola syrup, are absolutely
nonnegotiable. At the other extreme are the so-called sheleved technologies, for
which their owners are anxious to find any takers at all.
The shelved technologies are mainly by-products of corporate R & D activities.
For example, in the process of seeking improvements in aircraft and spacecraft
technologies, Boeing researchers have discovered numerous patent-able
techniques and compounds for which the company has no anticipated use.
The Market Model
LDCs` comparative technology deficiencies require access to technologies that
belong to private firms. The governments of developed nations can facilitate the
international transactional transfer process. But they cannot force the transfer to
take place without expropriating private property. LDCs` requests for treaty
obligations or other official commitments by industrial national to guarantee an
expeditious and an expeditious and inexpensive transfer of technology is,
therefore, largely a misdirected rhetoric.
Right and Wrong Technology
Any manufacturing process can usually set up using alternative configurations
of equipment. In selecting the optimal equipment configuration, we must look
beyond the general goals of low cost and high productivity and consider each
configuration`s demands for labor skills and attitudes, supervision, industrial
engineering for tools and manufacturing techniques, materials and supplies,
maintenance, product scheduling, inventory controls, and quality control
procedures. Each of these ingredients is directly affected by the environment.
The economic environment affects costs and availability of workers; the
political environment establishes what is acceptable for a plant to make and
how. Thus, it is imperative that a technical strategy be derived in part from a
realistic assessment of the total environment in which it is to operate.
Nationalism
The technology supply of LDCs is powerfully influenced by the policies of
public authorities. Some groups in developing countries oppose technology
imports and insist on indigenous production of new technology. They argue that
since technology and growth are closely linked, those nations who are behind in
the production of technology are destined to perpetual backwardness. This is
false reasoning.
As high technology applications--automation, computerization, and robotics--
are replacing many traditional factory systems in industrial countries, much old
equipment is surpluses as economically obsolete, though physically intact. Many
LDCs` needs for industrial systems can be met by utilizing this technological
slack. Indeed, a number of multinationals have already affected transfers of
entire factories to their affiliates in LDCs. Automobiles, trucks, refrigerators,
shoes, pharmaceuticals, and metal fabrication head the list, but there are more
and more others. Such they benefit the multinationals by extending the
productive life of their capital assets.
PARTIES IN THE TRANSFER PROCESS
International technology transfer has both horizontal and a vertical dimension,
each with its own elements. From the horizontal perspective, the three basic
elements in technology transfer are the home country, the host country and the
transaction The vertical dimension of technology transfer refers to the issues
specific to the nation state, or to the industries or firms within the home and host
countries.
In general, the various elements may be categorized as (i) home country, (ii)host
country ,and (iii)the transaction.
Home Country's Reactions to Technology Transfers
Home countries express apprehensions about the export of their technology
.they have reasons to oppose the export of technology .They argue that the
established of production facilitates by MNCs in subsidiaries abroad decreases
their export potential .Additionally, they claim, because some of the MNCs
imports stem from their subsidiaries, the volume of imports of the home
country tends to increase. Given the decrease in exports and increase in imports,
the balance of trade tends to be adverse to be adverse to the home country.
Besides technology transfer tends to affect adversely comparative advantages of
the country .Labour unions in the home country too oppose technology transfer
on the ground that the jobs generated from the new technology will benefit the
country citizens.
Host Country's Reactions to technology Transfers
More serious are the reactions of the host country to transfer. The subject of
technology transfers is highly sensitive, often evoking strong reservations
against it from the country citizens. The criticisms against technology transfer
are based on economic and social factory.
Economic Implications Economic implications include payment of fee, royalty,
dividends, interest and salaries to technicians and tax concessions resulting in
loss to the national exchequer. All these are payable to the transferring country
and might prove very expensive to the host country. In addition to the payments
just stated, the technology supplier often succeeds in extracting payments
through various other techniques like over-pricing and buying intermediates at
high prices. There are malpractices too, for example, tie-up purchase, and
restriction on exports, and charging excessive prices.
Many times, the type of technology transferred by international business is not
appropriate to developing countries. The technology that is developed is
inevitably the one most suitable for industrial countries which are appropriate to
resources endowment of developed nations. Such technology are not in the
interest of developing countries.
Social Implications The social and cultural implications of technology transfer
are more serious than the economic significance. Along with the transfer of
technology, there is the transmission of culture from the exporting countries.
The Indians who work in firms using such imported technology get influenced
and accustomed to the skills, concepts, policies, practices, thoughts, and beliefs
.Then there are social problems like pollution, urbanisation , congestion,
depleted natural resources, and similar other evils.
Transaction
This element focuses on the nitty-gritties of the transfer. The issues here relate to
the terms and conditions of technology transfer.
INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
The more important International technology issues are ways of technology
acquisition, choice of technology, terms of technology transfer, and creating
local capability.
Barriers
Foreign
Choice
Technology
of
Acquisition
Technology
International
Technology
issues
Creating
Terms of
Local
Technology
Capability
Transfer
Globalisation
Fig. 3 Technology Issues
Foreign Technology Acquisition
One of the major issues in technology relates to the mode of acquisition.
Developing new technology may conjure up visions of scientists and product
developers working in R&D laboratories. In reality, new technology comes from
many different sources, including suppliers, manufactures, users, other
industries, universities, government, and MNCs . While every source needs to
be explored, each firm has specific sources for most of the new technologies.
For example, because of the limited size of most farming operations,
innovations in farming mainly come from manufacturers, suppliers, and
government agencies. In many industries, however, the primary sources of new
technologies are the organizations that use the technology.
Broadly the acquisition routes are three: (i)internal, (ii)external, and
(iii)combination.
(i) Internal Technology Acquisition This is result of technology development
efforts that are initiated and controlled by the firm itself. Internal acquisition
requires the existence of a technology capability in the company .This capability
could vary from one expert who understands the technology application well
enough to manage a project conducted by an outside research and development
(R&D) group to full blown R&D department. Internal technology acquisition
options have the advantages that any innovation becomes the exclusive property
of the firm.
(ii) External Acquisition External technology acquisition is the process of
acquiring developed by others for use in the company .External technology
acquisition generally has the advantage of reduced cost and time implement and
lower and risks. However, technology available from outside sources was
generally developed for different applications.
(iii) Combined Sources Many of technology acquisition are combinations of
external and internet activities. Combined acquisition seek to limitations and
external sources, taking advantages of both the actions at the same time.
Making Decision
The technology manager must weigh the advantages and limitations of each
specific route of technology acquisition and then make a decision about its
choice.
Seizing Tacit Knowledge Taking advantage of knowledge available in- house is
least expensive and has no risks. It will not leave when the knowledgeable
person leaves the firm. Every firm will have employees who are knowledgeable
and it is up to the company to identify and make use of the know-how.
Internal R&D Technology acquisition via internal R&D consists of having a
research and development group within the firm. The group is responsible for
creating the technology that the firm uses. This source of technology acquisition
enables the firm to become stronger, has the advantage to exclusivity, and may
entail tax or other government incentives. Long time required, high cost and
risk of failure are the demerits of this internal route of technology acquisition.
Internal R&D with Networking Internal R&D networking has all the same
advantages and disadvantages discussed under internal R&D. the main
difference is the fact that the R&D staff make a fairly concerted effort to keep
abreast of the state of development of the technologies affecting their products.
They network with technology creators at conferences and trade shows.
Reverse Engineering Reverse Engineering is the determining of the technology
embedded in a product through rigorous study of its attributes. It entails the
acquisition of a product that the firm believes would be an asset, disassembling
it, and subjecting its components to a series of tests and engineering analysis to
ascertain how it works and studying the engineering design criteria used in the
product`s creations.
Reverse Brain Drain This involves attracting expatriate entrepreneurs and
experts who have gained adequate experience abroad to set up or develop
enterprises in their countries of origin. Taiwan and China are known for this
type of technology transfer.
Covert Acquisition with Internal R&D It entails finding out the technology
developments being conducted by a competitor that are not open to the public.
Most businesses do this to some extent by questioning suppliers about
components being sold to the competitors or by socializing with the
competitor`s employees. The less scrupulous firms even become involved in
industrial espionage using cameras, binoculars, and break-and-enter techniques
to learn about the happening inside the competitor`s plant.
Covert Acquisition This without internal R&D, guarantees that the product will
be a copy (generally a poor one) of the competitor`s product. The firm can
introduce it at a lower price because there are no development costs to recover.
However, with the exception of the price, the product will have no other
competitive advantage.
Technology Transfer and Absorption This route is similar to internal R&D
with networking. The difference is that there is much more effort put into
searching for, learning about, and translating, no-cost technology to the firm`s
applications. Internal technical ability is necessary to understand the
technologies found and to develop them into solutions for the firm`s application.
Contract R&D Firms resort to contract R&D for more than one reason. This is
the ideal option for those that lack the necessary facilities and expertise to
conduct the required work but still want to maintain control over the
development and own the results exclusively. It is also a good choice for those
that need a specialized set of equipment or expertise for occasional short term
projects. This avoids the investment in these facilities and the on-going
commitment to staff that would be underutilized. It allows short-term access to
world class personnel and facilities for specialized projects that would otherwise
be completely beyond the company`s means. The advantages of this route are no
investment in facilities, and low investment in staff. The disadvantages are: no
hands ?on-knowledge in house and difficulty in keeping information
confidential.
R&D Strategic Partnership R&D strategic partnerships are almost the same as
contracting R&D. They generally consist of a group of companies with a
common need that collectively contract a research institution to conduct the
work for them. This allows the firms to share the risk and costs. It also creates
a situation where they can learn from each other as well as from the experts
conducting the research.
The advantages of this route of technology acquisition are : shared risks,
reduced cost, and possibility of learning from others. Need to share knowledge
with others and the necessity of adopting research results to own application are
the drawbacks of this route.
Licensing Another route of technology acquisition is licensing. Its major benefit
is a significant reduction in time to market relative to other forms of technology
acquisition that require development. It also enables the acquiring firm to share
the financials risks of acquiring the technology with the provider because the
bulk of the payments are generally in the form of royalty-a percentage of sales
of product made using the new technology.
The circumstances under which licensing may be a preferred strategy are
the following :
Where host countries restrict imports and/ or direct investment.
Where a specific foreign market is small.
Where prospects of technology feedback are high.
Where licensing is a way of testing and developing a market that can be
later exploited by direct investment.
Where the pace of technology change is sufficiently. Rapid that the seller
can remain technologically superior.
Where opportunities exist for licensing auxiliary processes without
having a licenses of basic product technologies.
Where small companies have limited resources and expertise for direct
foreign expansion.
Among the advantages of licensing technologies are costs and risks are less than
internal R&D and time required to commercialise is less. The disadvantages are
: exclusivity may be lost and internal capability may not be developed.
Purchasing A common and effective external technology acquisition method is
purchasing. This is normally done in the form of buying a piece of production
machinery with embedded technology. This is the quickest form of technology
transfer because the technology is already packaged and is ready for use. It is
low risk because the equipment has been proven to be technically competent and
there are already users to evidence the machine`s capability.
Joint Venture Entering into a joint venture agreement with a technology
provider is another form of external acquisition that can be very effective.
Typically, this is a partnership between two firms, one with a technology and
another with market access. It can take the form of the creation of a new firm
with each of the partners owning shares in the new firm in proportion to the
value of their contribution to the new firm. In this case production facilities are
installed in the new firm with the partners bringing technology and market know
? how along with capital investment into the new firm. The distribution and
marketing of the product may use the system that the firm with market access
has in place, or that firm`s know-how may be used to create a dedicated system
for the new firm. The advantages are the technology can be implemented
immediately, as it is already proven. Risk involved is less and there are
possibilities of learning from the provider of technology. The disadvantages are
market risks are high and there are no chances of developing technical strengths.
Acquisition of a Technology Rich Firm The final form of external technology
acquisition is the acquisition of a firm that has the know how which the
acquiring firm desires. This can happen when one firm has a technological
innovation that is impacting another company`s innovation the second company
negotiates to purchase the entire company. This can result from a defensive
action or it can be deliberate strategy to acquire technology.
The outright purchase has advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side
are: short time to market, low risk, and probability of buying good image. The
problems are: possibility of acquiring negative baggage and merger problems.
Choice of Technology
The second major issue relating to technology transfer is its choice. It is argued
that it is the industrialized countries that develop technology, and the know-how
thus developed will be mainly useful to them. This means that the rich countries
become monopolists in developing, using and managing technology. This also
means that the technologies tend to be designed for the production of high
quality sophisticated goods on a large scale, using as much as possible capital
and higher-level professional skills in place of sheer labour, and replacing
natural resources by synthetics.
Terms and Conditions of Technology Transfer
The issue relating to terms and conditions of technology transfer and the
question of the suitability of the transferred technology are related to each other.
Some of the restrictive conditions, for example, make technology less suitable
than it would otherwise be. This clearly applies to such restrictions as
prohibitions on the adaptation of the imported technology, preventing the use of
imported technology as a basis for local R&D development, and clauses
stipulating that the results of local technological research and development
based on the imported technology must be transferred to the owner or supplier
of the technology.
Creating Local Capability
Creating local technological capability is essential to absorb imported
technology. This stems from several reasons. Technology, it may be stated, is
not simply a matter of blueprints, which can be transferred without any local
effort, to any part of the world, Each time some technology is installed, some
local adoption to required, which demands local technological capability. The
greater the capacity, the more efficient the resulting operations. The need for
local adaptation arises from the fact that the environment in which any
technology operates is unique in any situation when it is installed and may even
differ radically from the environment for which the know-how was developed in
the first place. This is especially true when technology is transferred from
MNCs to developing countries.
Globalisation :
The world economy is passing through structural changes. These changes are
driven by globalization business as well as by the revolution in information,
communication, and transportation technology, Non now have powerful
technology in their hands, fundamentally transforming the way in which
business conducted around the globe.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is contributing to globalization by
removing trade barriers between countries and evolving mechanisms to manage
technology better. The main provisions of we WTO that influence technology
transfer are included under the following sections:
Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs)
Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs)
Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCMs)
The Information Technology Agreements
Barriers to Technology Transfers
The final international technology issue relates to barriers. The problems
encountered in transfer of technology are :
A limited general understanding of the concept of technology, and the lack
of a consistent framework for its study.
Lack of systematic planning for technology transfer in developing countries
or misunderstanding of its underlying philosophy.
Lack of bilateral scientific/ technology advantages in the process of
technology transfer (mutual benefits).
Lack of systematic and integrated engineering and socio-economic approach
to the technology transfer process.
Lack of a relevant quantitative framework/approach to the analysis and
evaluation of technology transfer to developing countries.
SUMMARY
MNCs have their business activities in corss national boundaries. MNCs has its
own critics as well as the defenders too. Mainly the transfer of technology plays
a vital role in MNCs and the nation`s development. Since their inception the
affiliates of MNCs have been a source of controversy in host countries. In the
last few years the controversies have been complicated by the fact that an
increasing number of host countries have started to acquire a dual status as some
of their own firms multinationalize.
The most troubled MNCs are the home dominated ones, while the host
dominated MNCs enjoy the greatest political tranquility. Neither can complete,
however, with the internationally integrated MNC when it comes to productive
efficiency and market power. Through international integration, MNCs locate
their production facilities in the least cost countries and market their outputs in
the most profitable countries.
Conflicts between MNCs and host nations often arise from differences between
the internal structure of MNCs and the government of host nations. Other
conflicts can be traced to the specific policies of MNCs, especially in highly
centralized firms. Takeovers of local enterprises, financial policies, pricing, and
export-import activities are typical areas of MNC government confrontations.
The employment of expatriate managers and technicians has met with increasing
hostility in host nations. This has led to hiring and training of local nationals for
management roles in affiliates. The compensation and promotion of local
nationals in light of pay scales and opportunities elsewhere remain controversial
issues.
SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1. Define MNCs and explain the types of MNCs
2. List the MNCs critics and defenders
3. Centralization may decrease not only costs but also earnings of an MNC.
Comment.
4. A number of MNC-host nation conflicts derive from central economic
planning. Why?
5. Some MNCs expand by building new facilities; others by buying up
existing firms. Which is preferable? Under what conditions?
6. Identify and analyze conflicts that arise from MNC financial policies and
practices.
7. Explain international Technology issues
8. Describe the advantages and limitations in technology acquisition
9. Analyse the scope and mode of technology transfer
10. Enlist the barriers to technology transfer.
UNIT IV
4.1 Nature of International Business Environment
Learning Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.1.1 The Forces
4.1.2 Bases for going global
4.1.3 The Frame work for analyzing International Business Environment
a).Methods
b).The PEST Analysis
c) The Macro-Environment
4.2 Political Environment
4.2.1 Types of Political Systems
4.2.2 Political Risks Of Global Business
4.2.3 Forecasting Political Risks
4.2.4 Good Corporate Citizenship
4.2.5 Strategies To Lessen Political Risks
4.2.6 Government Encouragement Of Global Business
4.2.7 Instruments used by government for trade control
4.2.8 The Impact of the Political System on Management Decisions
4.2.9 Formulating and Implementing Political Strategies
4.2.10 Governmental Influence On Trade
4.3 Legal Environment
4.3.1 Origins of International Law
4.3.2 Sources of International Law
4.3.3 International Dispute Resolution
4.3.4 Types of Legal Systems
4.4 Technological Environment
4.4.1 Technological phases in production
4.4.2 Benefits of Technology in Management Decision Making
4.4.4 Effect of Technology on Strategy & Competition
4.4.5 Features of Technology
4.4.6 Diffusion of Technology
4.4.7 The Technological Cycle
4.4.8 Business Implications of Technology
4.5 Cultural Environment
4.5.1 The Concept Of Culture
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4.5.3 Reconciliation Of International Differences
4.5.4 The Elements of culture
4.6 Country Classifications
4.7 Economic Environment
4.7.1 Economic Environment
4.7.2 Classifying Economic Systems
4.7.3 Economic Trade Policies (Protectionism)
Learning Objectives
After reading this unit you should be able to
Understand the nature of international business environment
Understand the different forces acting upon international business
Understand political environment and its implications on international
business
Ascertain the legal practices in different countries
Understand what difference technology can create and know various
technological tools used in international business
Understand different cultures of the world and its impact on international
business
Understand different economic policies.
Introduction
Business has fascinated man down the centuries, starting form barter system to
the global business. Business plays a pivotal role in the growth of the economy
of any nation. Because of the explosion of knowledge and invention of Internet,
time and distance are shrinking globally and the world has become a global
village.
In developing countries like India the traditional business are affected by
MNC`s and many Indian firms are forced to compete with the global firms, and
it`s the game of The survival of the fittest, and many local companies are forced
to merge with global firms Eg. Vishya bank has merged with ING forming ING
Vishya Bank, ICICI Bank has merged with Prudential forming ICICI Prudential
Life insurance etc.
As part of their expansion in international markets Indian firms like M.T.R,
Ranbaxy, Dabur, L.I.C, S.B.I etc are on their toes to globalize their operations.
In simple terms, the products which we use, in our day-to-day life are either
imported from other countries are produced in India in collaboration with
companies in other countries so international business is the process of
exchanging goods and services internationally for value.
4.1 Nature of International Business Environment
The business operations performed without any barriers, with the
implementation of L.P.G (Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization) there is
boom in the global business and the trade barriers have been liberalized.
This has given rise to
Attracted F.D.I Foreign direct investment
Encouraged flexible import and export policies
Import of jobs in the field of I.T enabled services (B.P.O)
Increase in foreign currency reserves
Improved standard of living
Increase in purchasing power
Improved quality of goods and services
Today, any company which is going globally need to assess different
environmental factors like economic, technological, political, cultural, legal and
design their operations.
To understand the international business environment we divide the terms
International
Integration and interrelation of different nations.
Business
Systematic effort of an organization to meet the needs of customers with goods
and services for profit.
Environment
Environment is surroundings which we live in, the external forces acting upon
the business is business environment.
The environment includes the factors outside the firm, which can lead to
opportunities for or threats to the firm. These factors can be economic,
technological, political, cultural etc.
Thus international business environment is the business operations in different
countries with different external forces acting upon them.
Environment is further classified as domestic environment, foreign environment,
and international environment
Domestic Environment
Forces with in a country, which are very familiar and which are controllable or
uncontrollable
Foreign Environment
Forces outside the country, which are not very familiar and which are
controllable or uncontrollable
International Environment
Forces acting on business from different nations which are not familiar and
which are controllable or uncontrollable
4.1.1 The Forces
Forces acting upon business are classified as follows
Internal Environmental Forces
Forces with in the organization, which are controllable, like production, finance,
marketing, human resources research and development etc
External Micro Environmental Forces
Forces outside the organization, which are controllable, like competitors,
suppliers, creditors, consumers, financial institutions etc
External Macro Environmental Forces
Forces outside the organization, which are uncontrollable, like political
environment, legal environment, technological environment, economic
environment, cultural environment etc
External Macro Environmental Factors
Political
Legal
Technological
External Micro Environmental Forces
Competitors
Suppliers
Internal Environmental Forces
Production
Human
Resources
Busine
Finance
ss
R & D
Marketing
Customers
Creditors
Cultural
Economic
Fig 4.1 Environmental Forces acting on Business
4.1.2 Basis for going global
a) Arability of Highly Skilled & Cheap Labour
India is a country with the potential of highly skilled human resources with
comparatively cheaper labour, which has attracted many M.N.C s from U.S.A
and U.K to outsource these resources from India which will cut short their heavy
expenditure on wage and salary. Eg. T.I enabled services outsourced form India,
business process outsourcing (B.P.O) , knowledge process outsourcing (K.P.O),
recently legal process outsourcing (L.P.O)
b) Bigger Pie in Market Share
To increase the market share of the firm many companies are going global eg. In
1888, less than four years after William Hesketh Lever launched Sunlight Soap
in England, his newly-founded company, Lever Brothers, started exporting the
revolutionary laundry soap to India. By the time the company merged with the
Netherlands-based Margarine Unie in 1930 to form Unilever, it had already
carved a niche for itself in the Indian market. Coincidentally, Margarine Unie
also had a strong presence in India, to which it exported Vanaspati
(hydrogenated edible fat).
A year after the merger, Unilever set up the Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing
Company, its first subsidiary in India and went on to strengthen its position by
establishing two more subsidiaries, Lever Brothers India Limited and United
Traders Limited, soon afterwards. The three companies, which marketed Soaps,
Vanaspati and Personal Products, merged in 1956 to form Hindustan Lever
Limited
c) Sever Competition in Home Country
Due to many players in the home country and the increase in competition the
weaker companies, which are unable to withstand competition has moved its
operations to other countries
d) Quality Improvement and new product development
To improve the quality of existing products and developing new products the
companies with joint collaboration with companies of other countries has gone
globally eg. M.R.F a leader in Indian tyres market has entered into a technical
collaboration with the B.F. Goodrich Tyre Company of USA, which was
involved with the development of tyres for the N.A.S.A space-shuttle. With this
began a significant exercise in quality improvement and new product
development.
e) To Reach Higher Profits Level
To reach higher levels of profits the companies has expanded globally.eg The
roots of Nokia go back to the year 1865 with the establishment of a forest
industry enterprise in South-Western Finland by mining engineer Fredrik
Idestam. Elsewhere, the year 1898 witnessed the foundation of Finnish Rubber
Works Ltd, and in 1912 Finnish Cable Works began operations. Gradually, the
ownership of these two companies and Nokia began to shift into hands of just a
few owners. Finally in 1967 the three companies were merged to form Nokia
Corporation. Today we find Nokia in every part of the globe.
f) Free Trade Policies
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has lifted all the trade
barriers among U.S.A, Canada and Mexico which has enabled companies to
expand their operations among those countries eg. General Motors has 284
operations in 35 states and 158 cities in the United States. In addition GM of
Canada operates 21 locations, GM de Mexico operates 5 locations, and GM has
assembly, manufacturing, distribution or warehousing operations in 49 other
countries, including equity interests in associated companies.
g) Availability of Abundant Raw Materials
India is rich in natural resources like coal, iron etc which is attracting many
foreign companies to establish their facility. Eg. Volkswagan and Nokia are
planning to establish their facility in India
h) Government Regulations
Business firms prefer to enter the countries where there are flexible government
policies, which will not change because of political instability. Countries like
U.S.A has stable government policies which will attract business firms to enter
into their country eg. All the U.S automobile industry is flooded by Japanese
automobile companies like Toyota because of stable government regulations.
i) Availability of Technology
To keep abreast of world technology and to protect its competitive edge, Asian
Paints has from time to time entered into technology alliances with world
leaders in the paint industry. It has a 50:50 joint venture with Pittsburgh Paints
& Glass Industries (PPG) of USA , the world leader in Automotive coatings, to
meet the increasing demand of the Indian automotive industry.
j) Limited Home Market
Toyota motors of Japan has extended its base to U.S and India because of
limited home market and U.S and India has got a greater demand for
Japanese automobiles.
4.1.3 The Frame work for analyzing International Business Environment
a). Methods
There are three ways of scanning the International business environment:
Ad-hoc scanning - Short term, infrequent examinations usually initiated
by a crisis
Regular scanning - Studies done on a regular schedule (say, once a
year)
Continuous scanning - (also called continuous learning) - continuous
structured data collection and processing on a broad range of
environmental factors .
Most commentators feel that in today's turbulent business environment the
best scanning method available is continuous scanning. This allows the firm
to act quickly, take advantage of opportunities before competitors do, and
respond to environmental threats before significant damage is done.
b). PEST analysis
PEST analysis stands for "Political, Economic, Social, and Technological
analysis" and describes a framework of macroenvironmental factors used in
environmental scanning. It is also referred to as the STEP, STEEP or PESTLE
analysis (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal,
Environmental). Recently it was even further extended to STEEPLED, including
ethics and demographics.
It is a part of the external analysis when doing market research and gives a
certain overview of the different macroenvironmental factors that the company
has to take into consideration. Political factors include areas such as tax policy,
employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs and
political stability. The economic factors are the economic growth, interast rates,
exchange rates and inflation rate. Social factors often look at the cultural aspects
and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution,
career attitudes and emphasis on safety. The technological factors also include
ecological and environmental aspects and can determine the bassiers to entry,
minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. It looks
at elements such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the
rate of technological change.
The PEST factors combined with external microenvironmental factors can be
classified as opportunities and threats in a SWOT analysis
Political Environment
Economic Environment
Business
Technological
Environment
Social
Environment
Fig 4.2 PEST analysis
A PESTLE analysis of Tesco must consider all the factors affecting a large supermarket company.
A PE STLE analysis, in general, must create a good overall picture of the external impacts on an
organisation by breaking them into useful, and obvious, categories.
In Jamie Oliver's world, a pestle is a bowl in which different ingredients are mixed together to
create an overall good result. That's exactly what a PESTLE analysis aims to achieve. It looks
at all the "ingedients" that affect a company and tries to mix them together to create a tasty dish.
The external factors affecting a company range from the political to the environmental. The
politi
cal impacts can be local, national or international. Many governments can be involved.
For instance, Tesco might have to deal with British and Columbian politics in regards to its
coffee supply.
Economic factors have a large impact. Fluctuations in the stock market, or tax increases, can
serio
usly affect the bottom line of a company like Tesco
Sociological factors are more subtle, but still important.
Less subtle are the obvious impacts new technologies can have on a large corporation. For
instance, online shopping has become a major factor in Tesco's recent success. The nexus of
change created by all these factors lead to many legal problems, which keep the lawyers busy.
Last, but not least, any large organisation has a massive environmental impact. For instance,
Tesco uses up vast amounts of fossil fuel in its transport network. Reducing this demand on
planetary resources is a major challenge for Tesco and similar organisations.
Any PESTLE Analysis for Tesco, must consider each external factor in detail, and how their
impact continually changes. Examples of possible drastic changes that could affect Tesco in the
next few years or decades:
Political: government bans the sale of alcohol to people over the age of 21.
Economic: the government decides to put a tax on food.
Sociological: Tesco moves into Russia, tries to adapt to the different shopping patterns of the
native population..
Technological: Hydrogen powered lorries impact on Tesco's distribution costs.
Legal: Mad cow disease has a long term impact. How can Tesco avoid paying large
compensation claims?
Environmental: Climate change decimates Tesco's third world suppliers. How can it adapt?
Case Study 4.1
c) The Macroenvironment
Environmental scanning usually refers just to the macroenvironment, but it can
also include industry and competitioe analysis, consumer analysis, product
innovations, and the company's internal environment. Macroenvironmental
scanning involves analysing:
The Economy
GNP or GDP per capita
GNP or GDP growth
Unemployment rate
Inflation rate
Consumer and investor confidence
Inventory levels
Currency exchange rates
Merchandise trade balance
Financial and political health of trading partners
Balance of payments
Future trends
Government
Political climate - amount of government activity
Political stability and risk
Government debt
Budget deficit or surplus
Corporate and personal tax rates
Payroll taxes
Import tariffs and quotas
Export restrictions
Restrictions on international financial flows
Legal
Minimum wage laws
Environmental protection laws
Worker safety laws
Union laws
Copyright and patent laws
Anti- monopoly laws
Sunday closing laws
Municipal licences
Laws that favour business investment
Technology
Efficiency of infrastructure, including: roads, ports, airports, rolling
stock, hospitals, education, healthcare, communication, etc.
Industrial productivity
New manufacturing processes
New products and services of competitors
New products and services of supply chain partners
Any new technology that could impact the company
Cost and accessibility of electrical power
Ecology
Ecological concerns that affect the firms production processes
Ecological concerns that affect customers' buying habits
Ecological concerns that affect customers' perception of the company or
product
Socio-Cultural
Demographic factors such as:
Population size and distribution
Age distribution
Education levels
Income levels
Ethnic origins
Religious affiliations
Attitudes towards:
Materialism, capitalism, free enterprise
Individualism, role of family, role of government, collectivism
Role of church and religion
Consumerism
Environmentalism
Importance of work, pride of accomplishment
Cultural structures including:
Diet and nutrition
Housing conditions
Potential suppliers
Labour supply
Quantity of labour available
Quality of labour available
Stability of labour supply
Wage expectations
Employee turn-over rate
Strikes and labour relations
Educational facilities
Material suppliers
Quality, quantity, price, and stability of material inputs
Delivery delays
Proximity of bulky or heavy material inputs
Level of competition among suppliers
Service Providers
Quantity, quality, price, and stability of service facilitators
Special requirements
Scanning these macroenvironmental variables for threats and opportunities
requires that each issue be rated on two dimensions. It must be rated on its
potential impact on the company, and rated on its likeliness of occurrence.
Multiplying the potential impact parameter by the likeliness of occurrence
parameter gives us a good indication of its importance to the firm
Activity 4.1
Visit an MNC and study the method used by the firm to study the
macroenvironmentmental forces acting on the firm and list the forces
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4.2 Political Environment
The critical concern Political environment has a very important impact on every
business operation no matter what its size, its area of operation. Whether the
company is domestic, national, international, large or small political factors of
the country it is located in will have an impact on it. And the most crucial &
unavoidable realities of international business are that both host and home
governments are integral partners. Reflected in its policies and attitudes toward
business are a governments idea of how best to promote the national interest,
considering its own resources and political philosophy. A government control's
and restricts a company's activities by encouraging and offering support or by
discouraging and banning or restricting its activities depending on the
government. Here steps in international law. International law recognizes the
right of nations to grant or withhold permission to do business within its
political boundaries and control its citizens when it comes to conducting
business. Thus, political environment of countries is a critical concern for the
international marketer and he should examine the salient features of political
features of global markets they plan to enter.
The Sovereignty Of Nations
From the international laws point of view a sovereign state is independent and
free from external control; enjoys full legal equality; governs its own territory;
selects its own political, social, economic systems; and has the power to enter
into agreements with other nations. It is extension of national laws beyond a
country's borders that much of the conflict in international business arises.
Nations can and do abridge specific aspects of their sovereign rights in order to
coexist with other countries. Like the European Union, North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are examples of nations voluntarily agreeing to give
up some of their sovereign rights in order to participate with member nations for
common, mutually beneficial goals.
The ideal political climate for a multinational firm is stable, friendly
environment. Unfortunately, that is never really the case, it's not always friendly
and stable. Since foreign businesses are judged by standards as variable as there
are nations, the friendliness and stability of the government in each country must
be assessed as an ongoing business practice.
Stability Of Government Policies
The most important of the political conditions that concern an international
business is the stability or instability of the prevailing government policies.
Political parties may change or get reelected but the main concern for MNCs is
the continuity of the set rules or code of behavior regardless of the party in
power. A change in the government does not always mean change in the level of
political risks. In Italy the political parties have changed 50 times since the end
of World War II but the business continues to go on as usual inspite of the
political turmoil. In comparison is India, where the government has changed 51
times since 1945 but however much of the government policies remain hostile to
foreign investments. Conversely, radical changes in policies toward foreign
business can occur in the most stable of the governments. Some of the African
countries are among the unstable with seemingly unending civil wars, boundary
disputes and oppressive military regimes. Like one of the region with the
greatest number of questions concerning long-term stability is Hong Kong as
since China has gained control, the official message is that nothing will change
and thus everything is seemingly going smoothly but the political analysts say
that it is too early to say how will the business climate change, if it will. If there
is potential for profit and if given permission to operate within a country, MNCs
can function under any type of government as long as there is some long-term
predictability and stability.
Political Parties
Particularly important to the marketer is the knowledge of all philosophies of all
major political parties within a country, since anyone might become dominant
and alter prevailing attitudes. In those countries where there are two strong
political parties where usually one succeeds the other, it is important to know the
direction each of the parties is likely to take. Changes in direction a country may
take toward trade and related issues are caused not only by political parties but
also by politically strong interest groups and factions within different political
parties, which cooperate to affect trade policies.
4.2.1 Types of Political Systems
a). Democracy
Democracy is for the people, by the people, and of the people, its similar to
participative management, in this system people are encouraged to participate in
decision making, a peoples representative can be selected by the people through
a process of election, and the responsibility of leading the nation is kept on the
shoulders of the elected representative. Eg. India
b). Dictatorship
It is also called as authoritarianism, which is quite opposite to democracy, here
the hole power is in the hands of the leader, and people should follow the leader,
all the policies related to economy, business etc are governed by the leader. Eg
Saudi Arabia
4.2.2 Political Risks Of Global Business
a) Confiscation
The most severe political risk is confiscation, which is seizing of company's
assets without payment.
b) Expropriation
Which requires reimbursement, for the government seized investment.
c) Domestication
Which occurs when host country takes steps to transfer foreign investments to
national control and ownership through series of government decrees.
A change in the government's attitudes, policies, economic plans and
philosophies toward the role of foreign investment is the reason behind the
decision to confiscate, expropriate or domesticate existing foreign assets.
Assessing Political Vulnerability
Some products are more politically vulnerable than others, in that they receive
more government attention. This special attention may result in positive or
negative actions towards the company. Unfortunately there are no absolute
guidelines for marketer's to follow whether the product will receive government
attention or not.
Politically Sensitive Products
There are some generalizations that help to identify the tendency for products to
be politically sensitive. Products that have an effect upon the environment
exchange rates, national and economic security, and the welfare of the people
are more apt to be politically sensitive. For products judged non essential the
risk would be greater, but for those thought to be making an important
contribution, encouragement and special considerations could be available.
4.2.3 Forecasting Political Risks
A number of firms are employing systematic methods of measuring political
risk. Political risk assessment can:
Help managers decide if risk insurance is needed
Devise and intelligence network and an early warning system
Help managers develop a contingency plan
Build a database of past political events for use by corporate
management Interpret the data gathered and getting forewarnings about
political and economic situations
Reducing Political Vulnerability
Even though the company cannot directly control or alter the political
environment, there are measures with which it can lessen the susceptibility of a
specific business venture.
4.2.4 Good Corporate Citizenship
A company can reduce its political vulnerability by being a corporate citizen and
remembering:
1. It is a guest in the country and should act accordingly
2. The profits are not it's solely, the local employees and the economy of
the nation should also benefit.
3. It is not wise to try and win over new customers by totally
Americanizing them.
4. A fluency in the local language helps making sales and cementing good
public relationships.
5. It should train its executives to act appropriately in the foreign
environment.
4.2.5 Strategies To Lessen Political Risks
MNCs can use other strategies to minimize political risks and vulnerability.
They are:
Joint ventures
Expanding the investment base
Marketing and distribution
Licensing
Planned domestication
Political payoffs
4.2.6 Government Encouragement Of Global Business
Foreign Government Encouragement
Governments also encourage foreign investment. The most important reason to
encourage investment is to accelerate the development of an economy. An
increasing number of countries are encouraging investments with specific
guidelines toward economic goals. MNCs may be expected to create local
employment, transfer technology, generate export sales, stimulate growth and
development of the local industry.
National Government Encouragement
The US government is motivated for economic as well as political reasons to
encourage American firms to seek opportunities in the countries worldwide. It
seeks to create a favorable climate for overseas business by providing the
assistance by providing the assistance that helps minimize some of the
troublesome politically motivated financial risks of doing business abroad.
Basic ways government controls trade
Economic Rationales for Governmental Intervention
Unemployment
Protection of infant industry
Using intervention to increase industrialization
Economic relationships with other countries
Non-Economic Rationales for Governmental Intervention
Maintaining essential industries
"Unfriendly" countries
Maintaining spheres of influence
Preserving culture and national identity
4.2.7 Instruments used by government for trade control
Trade Restrictions / Trade Barriers
Dumping
Subsidies
Countervailing Duties
Tariffs
Quotas
VERs - Voluntary Export Restraints
Tariffs and the "Political Environment"
"The United Steelworkers union [in Canada] wants provincial governments to
lobby Ottawa to protect the country's steel industry now that federal officials
have decided against penalizing low-cost imports....A spokesperson for Finance
Minister John Manley confirmed yesterday that the government had decided
against
imposing
tariffs
on
steel
imports"
Canadian Press (as quoted by the Toronto Star 2003 Oct 7th) reported
This is a part of the "Political Environment" because if the Steelworkers do not
get tariffs they may go on strike, or they may work to make sure the local
Member of Parliament is not re-elected in that constituency. If the governing
party [in the case the liberals] really needs to hold that constituency they may
give in
Non-Tariff Barriers
Subsidies
Aid (loans and grants)
Customs valuation
Quotas
"Buy national" policies
Standards
Trade sanctions
The WTO Initiative
The WTO has become increasingly involved in dealing with the "challenging"
area of non-tariff barriers. It is challenging because more and more countries are
trying to show they will abide by bi-lateral and multi-lateral trade agreements so
they cut tariffs - but at the same time, domestic political pressure cause the
politicians to think of ways they can erect non-tariff barriers to still keep out
lower priced foreign products, so that domestic industries can still sell
competitively to their citizens.
Case: The Taipan's Dilemma
Hong Kong comprises Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and
the New territories. Mutual distrust and misunderstanding
between the Chinese and foreigners. Trade with foreigners
restricted to the port of Macao Around the early 1830s, trade
between Britain and China became particularly important (tea
for opium). Three opium wars. Netted for the British
temporary ownership of Hong Kong. Lease expired June 30,
1997. The new arrangement, China assumed control of Hong
Kong, two systems Hong Kong will retain its separate
political and economic status for 50 years. Democracy has
never been a major part of the political landscape in Hong
Kong. Given the political instability in Hong Kong, why don't
more companies leave? Hong is the world's eighth-largest
trading nation, boasts a higher per capita income than
Britain, has one of the world's lowest tax rates. It was once
a heaven for low cost manufacturing. Manufacturing jobs are
moving to China. Singapore is trying to grab away business
from Hong Kong.
Case Study 4.2
4.2.8 The Impact of the Political System on Management Decisions
Managers must deal with varying degrees of governmental intervention and
varying degrees of political stability.
Managers must understand the critical functions that a government performs in
the economy.
In a democracy, for instance:
a) Protect the liberty of its citizens
b) Promote the common welfare of its citizens
c) Provide for public goods
d) Handle market defects ; and spillover effects
The political process also affects international business through laws that
regulate business activity at both the domestic and international levels.
In addition government action is not always consistent.
For instance in the U.S. at least three government agencies share responsibility
for regulating nonagricultural exports (The Department of Commerce; The State
Department; and the Department of Defense).
4.2.9
Formulating
and
Implementing
Political
Strategies
Political action always is a sensitive area. However, there are certain steps that a
company must follow if it wants to establish an appropriate political strategy:
a) What is the specific issue facing the firm - protectionism, environmental
rights, worker rights?
b) Assess the potential political action of other companies and of special interest
groups.
c) Identify important institutions and key individuals
d) Formulate strategies and implement
Case: United States - Japanese Auto Trade
Imports started in 1973
VERs: ceiling 1.68 million cars (Voluntary Export Restraints)
Arguments for helping the U.S. industry:
- The costs of unemployment are higher than the increased
costs to consumers
- Help overcome temporary problems
Antiprotectionists: blame poor management and taxpayers should
not be expected to reward the companies
Efforts to penetrate the Japanese market
Case Study 4.3
4.2.10 Governmental Influence On Trade
The Rationale For Governmental Intervention
a) Unemployment
Import restrictions may lead to retaliation by other countries, may decrease
export jobs. Loss of jobs in industries that rely on imported Products
Cost of protectionism: higher prices, low quality, lack of Innovation
b) Infant Industry Argument
Production becomes more competitive over time because of increased
economies of scale and greater workers efficiency
c) Industrialization Argument
Countries seek protection to promote industrialization Because:
a) Brings faster growth than agriculture
b) Diversifies the economy
c) Brings more price increases than primary products do.
d) Shifting Workers from Agriculture into Manufacturing
a) Output increases if the marginal productivity of agricultural workers is very
low.
b) Social concerns
e) Promoting Investment Inflows
Import restrictions increase direct investment
f) Diversification
g) Terms of Trade
Deterioration of terms of trade may prompt countries to protect and promote
industrialization
h) Import Substitution versus Export Promotion
Export-Led Development
i) Balance-of-Payments Adjustments
-Countries may choose to restrict the least essential Imports
-Export restrictions
- Import Restrictions may prevent dumping
j) Maintaining Essential Industries
k) Preserving Cultures and National Identity
Activity 4.2
Visit an MNC and study the impact of political system on management's
decision making
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Activity 4.3
List out the instruments used by Indian government to control the trade
________________________________________________________________
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4.3 Legal Environment
All business occurs within a particular legal and regulatory environment
the current legal environment in the United States spins on a variety of complex
issues that have an impact on business: international trade, capital gains taxes,
unemployment, aging baby boomers, technology, employment laws, and social
concerns such as health care, child care, and job training. This legal tapestry
means businesses must be even more vigilant to include consideration of the
legal environment in their strategic planning. The legal environment is well
recognized as one of the most significant influences with which strategic plans
must contend.
4.3.1 Origins of International Law
There is no comprehensive system of laws or regulations for guiding business
transactions between two countries. The legal environment consists of laws and
policies from all countries engaged in international commercial activity. Early
trade customs centered around the law of the sea and provided, among other
things, for rights of shipping in foreign ports, salvage rights, and freedom of
passage. During the Middle Ages, international principles embodied in the lex
mercatoria (law merchant) governed commercial transactions throughout
Europe. Although laws governing international transactions were more
extensive in some countries than others, the customs and codes of conduct
created a workable legal structure for the protection and encouragement of
international transactions. The international commerce codes in use today in
much of Europe and in the United States are derived in part from those old
codes.
4.3.2 Sources of International Law
The main sources of international commercial law are the laws of individual
countries, the laws embodied in trade agreements between or among countries,
and the rules enacted by a worldwide or regional organization--such as the
United Nations or the European Union. There is no international regulatory
agency or system of courts universally accepted for controlling international
business behavior or resolving international conflicts among businesses or
countries. International law can be enforced to some degree through (1) the
International Court of Justice, (2) international arbitration, or (3) the courts of an
individual country. However, the decisions of those tribunals in resolving
international business disputes can be enforced only if the countries involved
agree to be bound by them.
a) International Trade Agreements
Countries improve economic relations through trade agreements that cover a
variety of potential commercial problems. This helps the investment and trade
climates among countries. For example, virtually all industrialized countries
have bilateral tax agreements to prevent double taxation of individuals and
businesses. Two important trade agreements for the U.S. are the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO)
b) North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA is a treaty that was ratified by the legislatures in Canada, Mexico, and
the U.S. and went into effect in 1994. It reduces or eliminates tariffs and trade
barriers among those nations. Although some tariffs were eliminated
immediately, many are phased out through the year 2009. The industries most
affected include agricultural products, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and
textiles. NAFTA will create the largest free trade area in the world; 360 million
people. NAFTA includes a variety of issues not usually found in trade
agreements, such as protection of intellectual property and the environment, and
the creation of special panels to resolve disputes involving unfair trade practices,
investment restrictions, and environmental issues. NAFTA could eventually
include North and South America; 850 million people with over $18 trillion in
annual purchasing power.
c) World Trade Organization
For 48 years, GATT worked to reduce trade barriers imposed by governments.
GATT focused on trade restrictions (import quotas and tariffs); it published
tariff schedules to which its signers agreed. Tariff schedules were developed in
multinational trade negotiations or rounds. In the most recent round--the
Uruguay Round--124 nations participated. GATT was replaced by the WTO,
one of the most significant developments of the last round. Since 1995, WTO
has overseen the trade agreement and has a dispute-resolution system, using
three person arbitration panels. The panels follow strict schedules for rendering
decisions. WTO members cannot veto decisions, unlike before (unless they
withdraw from the agreement). The latest round will eventually lower world
tariffs by 40 percent. The U.S., Japan, members of the EU, and other
industrialized nations agreed to eliminate all tariffs in 10 industries:
Beer
Construction equipment
Distilled spirits
Farm machinery
Furniture
Medical equipment
Paper
Pharmaceuticals
Steel
Toys
The WTO agreement provides world protection for intellectual property; 7 years
of protection for trademarks, 20 years for patents, and up to 50 years for
copyrights (generally moving to 75 years plus in most places). Only in the film
and television industry was the U.S. not able to gain a barrier to trade reduction
in Europe. France was particularly adamant about maintaining the barrier
because of its concerns about the heavy cultural influence of such programming
(and the demise of the not very successful French film industry).
d) Import Policy
Countries have long imposed restrictions or prohibitions on the importation and
exportation of certain products. In addition, export laws and regulations are
often enacted to encourage international business activity by domestic
industries.
e) Taxes on Imports
Restrictions on imports may be imposed to generate revenue for the government
or to protect domestic industries from foreign competition. Import licensing
procedures, quotas, testing requirements, safety and manufacturing standards,
government procurement policies, and complicated customs procedures are all
ways to regulate imports. The most common means of regulating imports into a
country is through tariffs.
Tariff Classes
A tariff is a duty or tax levied by a government on imports. Tariffs can be
classified into:
Specific Tariffs which impose a fixed tax or duty on each unit of the product,
Ad Valorem Tariffs which impose a tax based on a percentage of the price of
the product. In the U.S. the duty or tax is published in the Tariff Schedules that
apply to all products entering U.S. ports. Customs officials classify products and
determine the tariff rates when products enter the country. Any tariff imposed
must be paid before the good may enter the country. Most disputes that occur in
this area arise over the classification of products under the tariff schedules.
f) Import Controls
The Department of Commerce, the International Trade Administration (ITA),
and the International Trade Commission (ITC) have certain abilities to restrict
foreign imports. The agencies are concerned with foreign companies that
practice dumping or receive a subsidy from their governments to lower their
costs of production. The agencies may also restrict imports in the absence of
dumping or subsidies. As barriers to trade are lowered, some domestic industries
and their workers face economic hardships due to foreign competition. The ITC
can temporarily restrict imports to provide those industries with an opportunity
to adjust to the new competitive environment created by the lower trade barriers.
Antidumping Orders--Under both the WTO and U.S. antidumping laws,
dumping is the business practice of charging a lower price in the export market
then in the home market, after taking into consideration important differences in
the sale (such as credit terms and transportation) and the goods being sold. This
was first prohibited in 1916, when Congress enacted the Antidumping Duty
Act. If a company is dumping goods in the U.S., an antidumping order will be
issued. Goods from the company are subject to payment of an antidumping duty
(tax). The amount of the duty is determined by comparing the market price in
the company`s home market with the price charged in the U.S. The percentage
difference between the home and U.S. markets will form an ad valorem duty to
be applied to the price when sold in the U.S. This duty is paid to Customs by
cash deposit at the port, normally by the importer. Duty orders generally remain
in place until the importer has demonstrated three consecutive years of fair
market value sales and Commerce is convinced there is a low likelihood of
less than fair market value sales in the future.
g) Export Regulation and Promotion
Most governments encourage exporting to stimulate domestic employment and
bring in foreign exchange. This is believed needed to help prevent a trade
deficit. at the same time, for policy reasons, it a governments may restrict
exports of certain products.
Export Restrictions
The U.S. imposes restrictions on the sale of a good or a technology may
a) Injure domestic industry (e.g., the export of a raw material in short
supply),
b) Jeopardize national security (e.g., selling military hardware to the wrong
country)
c) Conflict with national policy (e.g., selling goods to a country the
government has embargoed because of terrorist activities).
Restrictions are managed by licensing according to terms of the Export
Administration Act (EAA).Commerce imposes licensing requirements under
strict standards. Licensing Agreements. The EAA allows Commerce to require
the following export licenses, depending on the type of good or technology
being exported:
1) A validated license, authorizing a specific export;
2) A qualified general license, authorizing multiple exports;
3) A general license that applies to most U.S. goods; and
4) Other licenses as may assist in the implementation of the Act.
The Commodity Control List lists products subject to licenses and the
restrictions imposed. Goods not on the List are subject to a general license--
which often only requires a Shipper`s Export Declaration filed with Commerce.
A validated export license is required for the export of certain goods on the List
because of national security. Commerce may impose controls only to the extent
necessary to restrict the export of goods and technology which would make a
significant contribution to the military potential of any other country or
combination of countries which would prove detrimental to the national security
of the United States. Application to Reexported U.S. Goods. Commerce`s
licensing requirements apply to the reexport of U.S. goods. That is, an export
license is needed to ship U.S.-origin controlled goods from say, India to Taiwan.
This is to stop shipment of sensitive goods from the U.S. to a safe country and
then to a controlled country.
Case: International Perspective: Controlling International Pirates
The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that pirates (companies or
individuals that copy or clone) cost U.S. industry more than $100 billion in
lost profits each year. Microsoft Corporation found an extensive network
pirating its Windows software. The group was talented enough to even copy
the hologram used to discourage pirating. Microsoft filed a lawsuit privately
and elicited the
assistance of the International Trade Commission to sanction Taiwan (the
location of the pirating organization). For the computer industry, pirating is
one of the most serious problems facing management.
Case Study 4.4
h) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Government is more involved in business in many countries than in the U.S.
When approval of business action is at the discretion of a government official,
the likelihood of corruption rises. Scandals shook many countries in the 1990s,
notably in Italy, Japan, and Korea. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
prohibits U.S. companies from bribing foreign officials. A study of U.S.
companies by the SEC found the practice was wide spread--over 400
companies (117 were Fortune 500 companies) admitted making bribes to
foreignofficials.
Corruption
Many countries are rife with corruption; even the U.S. only gets a score of 7.5
on a 10 point scale used by experts on international corruption of government
officials.
i) International Antibribery Movement
The U.S. encourages other countries to enact antibribery laws, but until recently
has been the only nation with such a law. Numerous other nations have agreed
in principle to the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials, but
while Congress ratified the treaty in 1998, other countries have been slow to act.
j) Antibribery Provisions
The FCPA prohibits U.S. companies from corruptly paying or offering
to pay a foreign official to gain assistance in obtaining or retaining business.
The Act also prohibits payments to a person--such as a foreign agent--when
the payment will go to bribe an official. The ability to know of such payments
by an agent is controversial. An exception is made for a payment that is a
facilitating or expediting payment ... the purpose of which is to expedite or
secure the performance of a routine government action. Routine actions may
include processing visas and providing utilities. The basic test of whether the
bribe is allowed focuses not on the person to whom payment is made, but on the
purpose for which payment is made. It is complicated by the fact that payments
are often made by local freight forwarders or other service organizations without
the knowledge of the U.S. manager.
k) International Contracts
The basis for any international agreement is the contract between parties.
International contracts often involve parties from differing cultural backgrounds
who do not know each other well at the outset of negotiations.
i) Cultural Aspects
Sensitivity to cultural differences is important in international contracting.
Although language should not be a barrier, contract terms must be clearly
defined and understood. Attitude toward relationships is a cultural difference in
some countries. Contracts based on trust are often relatively short in length, with
few contingencies expressly provided. The expectation is that issues can be
worked out as they arise with the parties working to maintain the underlying
relationship.
ii) Financial Aspects
In managing financial risks that may arise, care should be taken in the
specification of the method of payment and the currency in which payment is to
be made.
iii) Exchange Markets
Foreign exchange markets allow trading (buying and selling) currencies. In
general, trade between countries can occur only if it is possible to exchange the
currency of one country for the currency of another country. Exchange of money
is not always simple. Losses in international business sometimes center on
exchange risk--the potential loss or profit that occurs
between the time the currency is acquired and the time the currency is
exchanged for another currency.
iv) Financial Instruments Used in International Contracts
Although many financial instruments are available, two commonly used are bills
of exchange and letters of credit.
A bill of exchange is a written instrument that orders the payment of a certain
sum of money to the party specified by the bill. Payment is made at the time
specified on the bill or understood from the form of the standardized bill used. A
sight bill specifies immediate payment upon receipt of the goods by the buyer. A
time bill specifies payment at a later date, usually 30, 90, or 180 days after the
goods have been received by the buyer.
A letter of credit is an agreement or assurance by the buyer`s bank to pay a
specified amount to the seller upon receipt of documentation proving that the
goods have been shipped and that any other contractual obligations on the seller
have been fulfilled. The usual documentation required includes a certificate of
origin, an export license, a certificate of inspection, a bill of lading, a
commercial invoice, and an insurance policy. Letters of credit can be either
revocable or irrevocable.
v) Repatriation of Monetary Profits
Repatriation refers to the ability of a foreign business to return money earned in
the foreign country to its home country. It is often governed by a country`s laws.
vi) Key Clauses in International Contracts
Certain clauses are often included in international contracts and have become
standard items to consider.
a) Payment Clauses
How payment is to be received should be clearly specified. The problems of
repatriation should be addressed. Problems with inflation and currency exchange
risks, especially in unstable economies or in long-term agreements, should also
be addressed in this clause of the contract.
b) Choice of Language Clause
A word or phrase in one language may not be readily translatable to another. A
contract should have a choice of language clause, which sets out the language by
which the contract is to be interpreted.
c) Force Majeure Clause
Force majeure is a French term meaning a superior or irresistible force. It
protects the contracting parties from problems or contingencies beyond their
control.
d) Forum Selection and Choice-of-Law Clauses
To reduce uncertainty in the event of a dispute, the parties select the court in
which disputes are to be resolved and the law that is to be applied. This
eliminates the possibility that the parties will go forum shopping--looking for
the most favorable forum for the resolution of a dispute.
e) UN Convention on Contracts: Most major trading countries have agreed to
the U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Contracts
that incorporate that law are subject to rules very essentially the same as the
Uniform Commercial Code. See 71 F.3d 1024.
f) Loss of Investment
Governmental action can result in loss of investment through nationalization,
expropriation, and confiscation. Investors concerned about such losses may
purchase insurance.
g) Nationalization
Occurs when a country takes over, or nationalizes, a foreign investment.
Compensation by the government is often less than the true value of the
business. The stated purpose of nationalization is related to public welfare.
Nationalization is not uncommon, averaging over 100 incidents per decade.
h) Insuring against Risk of Loss
Investors concerned with the risk of loss of investment may obtain insurance.
An all-risk insurance policy can help in case of nationalization or upon
occurrence of a specific problem. Outstanding risks such as currency blockages,
embargoes, and a government`s arbitrary decision to recall letters of credit may
be insured through major insurers such as Lloyds of London. Some countries
have agencies to assist in insuring their exporters from risk of loss. In the
U.S., the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) insures investors
willing to invest in less-developed countries friendly to the U.S.
4.3.3 International Dispute Resolution
Contract disputes arise for any number of reasons. Disputes must be resolved as
parties wish to enforce their rights under a contract.
a) Litigation
Parties in a contract dispute may seek relief in the court system of either
country. Litigation is complicated; evidence, individuals, and documents central
to the dispute are often located in two or more countries. If the action is in a
foreign court, the U.S. participant may encounter a very different judicial
system. Courts in some countries are influenced by political pressures. Another
difficulty may be attempting to establish jurisdiction. U.S. courts require proof
of minimum contacts within the country for the courts to have proper
jurisdiction over a foreign defendant.
b) Arbitration
Courts are not effective in resolving many international disagreements. One of
the most effective alternative techniques has been the arbitration process.
Attempts to standardize arbitral rules resulted in creation of organizations such
as the U.N. Commission on International Trade Law, the International Chamber
of Commerce, the American Arbitration Association, the InterAmerican
Commercial Arbitration Commission, and the London Court of Arbitration. In
over fifty countries, including the United States, enforcement of arbitral awards
is facilitated by the 1958 U.N. Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement
of Foreign Arbitral Awards. U.S. federal district courts have jurisdiction to
entertain motions to confirm or challenge a foreign arbitration award involving a
U.S. business.
c) International Court of Justice
Certain disputes may be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for
resolution. The ICJ is headquartered at The Hague, Netherlands, and is a part of
the United Nations. Only countries have standing to go before the Court;
individuals and businesses have no standing to initiate a suit. The countries
decide whether to pursue claims on behalf of their citizens. IJC decisions
providing monetary judgments or injunctive relief may be referred to the United
Nations Security Council for enforcement.
d) Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity
This allows a court to give up its jurisdiction over foreign parties that otherwise
would be subject to the court`s jurisdiction. This is based on traditional notions
that a sovereign should not be subject to litigation in a foreign court. The
application of the doctrine can have severe consequences on parties when the
suit involves a commercial transaction. The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act
(FSIA) of 1976 is intended to provide a uniform rule for the determination of
sovereign immunity in legal actions in U.S. courts and to bring the U.S. into
conformity with other countries in its application of the doctrine.
4.3.4 Types of Legal Systems
a) Common Law System
Based on tradition, precedent, and custom and usage, and the courts fulfill an
important role in interpreting the law according to those characteristics.
b) Civil Law System or a Codified Legal System
Based on a very detailed set of laws that are organized into a code. This code is
the foundation for doing business. Over 70 countries operate on a civil law
basis.
The two legal systems differ primarily in that common law is based on the
courts interpretation of events, whereas civil law is based on how the law is
applied to the facts. Ex: Contracts.
c) Theocratic Law System
Based on religious preceps. Islamic law
The U.S. has the most lawyers of any country in the world and is one of the
highest in the number of lawyers per capita. Ex: 312 lawyers per 100,000
compared to 101 lawyers per 100,000 in Japan
Activity 4.4
Visit an MNC and study impact of legal system on business operations
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4.4 Technological Environment
Technology has played a major role in the life of people, right from snail mail to
e-mail the way we live has dramatically changed from the past decade.
Technology has removed the global barriers like distance, time etc thanks to the
latest technological developments like Internet, e-mail, video conferencing, cell
phone etc that plays a major role in international business.
4.4.1 Technological phases in production
a) Cottage System
Before 1700s
b) Industrial Revolution 1770-1800s
Eight inventions were made
Substitution of machine power from man power
Establishment of factory system
c) Scientific Management
Developing science for each person`s work
Selecting workers scientifically
Dividing work & responsibility
d) Human Relations Movement
Basic understanding of workers & their attitudes towards their work
e) Operations Research(O.R)
Mathematical techniques to solve management problems
First OR team formed by British army to solve complex problems in
World war II
f) Computers & Advanced Production Technology
Clerical Job
Decision Support System (DSS)
Executive Support System(ESS)
Artificial Intelligence
Neural Networks
g) Service Revolution
Design Engineers
Computer Operators
Production Planners
4.4.2 Benefits of Technology in Management Decision Making
The managerial decisions are of two types
a) Structured or programmed decisions
b) Un-structures or non-programmed decisions
Technology helps the manager to make decisions related to business in the
following ways
a) Decision Support System
It is an information system which collects the information from various sources
like government, customers and suppliers and global market and competitors
and helps the manager to interact with the mathematical decision models to
make decision.
b) Group Decision Support System
An expert system with set of hardware, software & procedures that support a
group of people engaged in a decision-related meeting
c) Office Automation System
An office automation system uses computers or networks to carry out various
office operations
d) Transaction Processing System
A system that handles the processing and tracking of transactions is called TPS
e) Management Information System
MIS is a set of software tools that enables managers to gather, organize, &
evaluate information about a workgroup, department or entire organization
f) Expert System
Expert System is a specialized application that performs tasks that would
normally be done by a human.
Ex: Medical diagnosis
Credit History
4.4.3 Communication Tools used in International Business
a) Video Conferencing
b) E-mail
c) Internet
d) Laptop
e) Cell Phone
4.4.4 Effect of Technology on Strategy & Competition
a) Creating Barriers to entry
The cutting edge technology used by MNCs has created barriers for the new
entrants into the industry and also caused a major threat to the domestic
industries this has given rise to the increase in competition and importance for
companies to invest in research and development
b) Generating New Products
Technology has always created new to the world products and modified new
products; there is a greater need for the business organizations to invest in large
volumes in research and development to bring out new products
Some minor changes in features of the product with the same technology has
given rise to new products eg. The modified features of the tape recorder has
given rise to Walkman where both uses the same technology
c) Changing Relationships with Suppliers
The relationships maintained by the suppliers has dramatically changed from
traditional procurement to e-procurement, e-supply chain management, global
integration etc which has given rise to quality, efficiency, of production in less
time.
d) Changing the Basis for Competition
Technology has formed as a main basis for competition, the superior technology
used by the business firms has resulted in improved quality of producing goods,
improved efficiency by automation and mechanization, Total Quality
Management (TQM)
4.4.5 Features of Technology
a) Technology Brings Change
Technology brings change in every walk of life, like the way we cook, the way
we commute, the way we communicate etc. technology has brought lot of
changes in business from barter system to e-business
b) Technology Reduces Time
Technology has drastically reduced time between conceiving an idea and
implementing that idea. The world has become a global village, which has no
barriers by the invention of internet technologies which has reduced time of
transferring information in no time.
c) Technology Reduces Distance
With the invention of advanced transportation systems which has reduced the
time to travel
e.g. By the invention of supersonic jets etc
d) Technology Improves Quality of Life
The quality of life of people has definitely improved, the advancements of
medical technology the life expectancy rate is increased and the control of
various diseases is possible
4.4.6 Diffusion of Technology
Diffusion is a process of spreading, if a bottle of perfume is opened the
molecules will diffuse in the entire atmosphere similarly the technology will
diffuse in the following ways
Joint Ventures
Two companies A and B can jointly work on a venture for a certain period by
exchanging technology, human resources etc
Licensing
Companies in the domestic market can produce the produce the products by
license permission from MNCs
E.g. Coco-cola is produced in India by the way of license
Technological Transfer
Technology can be transferred from on country to another by way of
collaboration many times we hear terms like German collaboration, Japanese
collaboration etc
e.g. Maruti Suzuki is collaboration between Maruthi Udyog of India and Suzuki
motors of Japan
4.4.7 The Technological Cycle
The technological cycle is an organized way to develop technology
Needs analysis
Design of Technology
Development of Technology
Implementation of Technology
Maintenance of Technology
Phase 1: Need Analysis
Defining the problem and deciding weather to proceed and analyzing the
current system in depth and developing possible solutions to the problem and
selecting the best solution and defining its function
Phase 2: Designing Technology
The project team describes how the selected solution will work. Each system
activity is identified
Phase 3: Development of Technology
Includes creating or customizing the technology for various parts of the system.
There two alternative paths:
1.Acquisition 2.Local development
Technical & user documentation is written testing is also integral part of this
phase
Phase 4: Implementation of Technology
The technology is installed in the user environment
Phase 5: Maintenance of Technology
Training & support to the users of technology, improvements to the technology
are made regularly during the remaining cycle.
Need
Analysis
Maintenan
Designing
ce
Technology
Implementat
Developm
Fig 4.2 The Technological Cycle
4.4.8 Business Implications of Technology
Launch new products and services to your sales force without taking
them out of the field.
Highlight introductions and product releases to employees, shareholders,
and clients.
Provide certification programs to geographically dispersed audiences.
Conduct focus group sessions to help bring products to market faster.
Create personalized sales presentations for your customers and reduce
timely sales cycles.
Provide a simple but effective way to get more out of training sessions
by giving your audience something for their eyes as well as their ears.
Great for Human Resources departments to get out information about
policy and procedure changes. Ideal for new employee orientations and
employment interviews.
4.5 Cultural Environment
When doing business abroad, a company first should determine whether a usual
business practice in a foreign country differs from its home-country experience.
Understanding the cultures of groups of people is useful because business
employs, sells to, buys from, is regulated by, and is owned by people.
4.5.1 The Concept Of Culture
The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with its root meaning "to cultivate",
generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that
give such activity significance Culture consists of specific learned norms based
on attitudes, values, and beliefs, all of which exist in every society. Culture
cannot easily be isolated from such factors as economic and political conditions.
4.5.2 Behavioral Practices Affecting Business
a) Group Affiliation
A person's affiliations reflecting class or status.
b) Role of Competence
Rewarded highly in some societies. Seniority in Japan
c) Gender Based Groups
There are strong country-specific differences in attitudes towards males and
females.
d) Age-Based Groups
Many cultures assume that age and wisdom are correlated
e) Family-Based Groups
f) Importance of Work
Protestant ethic, belief in success and reward; work as a habit, high-need
achiever.
g) Need Hierarchy
People try to fulfill lower-order needs sufficiently before moving on to higher
ones. The hierarchy of needs theory is helpful for differentiating the reward
preferences of employees.
h) Importance of Occupation
The importance of business as a profession
i) Self-Reliance
Uncertainty avoidance, trust, fatalism, individual versus group
j) Preference for Autocratic versus Consultative Management
4.5.3 Reconciliation Of International Differences
a) Stereotypes
A generalized picture of a person, created without taking the whole person into
account; to make such a generalization.
When we stereotype a group of people, we depict all of the individuals within
that group as having the same characteristics Differences in our society are
many, including age, religion, physical and mental abilities, gender, sexual
orientation, income, family or social status, and physical appearance. Anyplace
where
differences
are
found
leaves
room
for
stereotypes.
Stereotypes are generalizations about people usually based on inaccurate
information or assumptions rather than facts. Stereotypes do not take into
account the great diversity of people within a group of people. Nor do
stereotypes consider the present circumstances of the individual. Even worse,
stereotypes
can
lead
to
prejudicial
or
discriminatory
behavior
b) Cultural Shock
The term, culture shock, was introduced for the first time in 1958 to describe the
anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment. This
term expresses the lack of direction, the feeling of not knowing what to do or
how to do things in a new environment, and not knowing what is appropriate or
inappropriate. The feeling of culture shock generally sets in after the first few
weeks of coming to a new place.
c) Polycentrism
Polycentrism is the principle of organisation of a region around several political,
social or financial centres. An example of a polycentric city is the Ruhr area in
Germany: Today, the area is a large city that grew from a dozen smaller cities.
As a result, the "city" has no single centre, but several.
A county is said to be polycentric if its population is distributed almost evenly
among several centres in different parts of the county.
d) Ethnocentrism
The belief that one's own culture is superior to all others and is the standard by
which all other cultures should be measured. Early social scientists in the
nineteenth century operated from an ethnocentric point of view. So-called
primitive tribes, for example, were studied by anthropologists to illustrate how
human civilization had progressed from savage customs toward the
accomplishments of Western industrial society. The feeling that one's group has
a mode of living, values, and patterns of adaptation that are superior to those of
other groups. It is coupled with a generalized contempt for members of other
groups. Ethnocentrism may manifest itself in attitudes of superiority or
sometimes hostility. Violence, discrimination, proselytizing, and verbal
aggressiveness are other means whereby ethnocentrism may be expressed.
The view of things in which one`s group is the center of everything, all others
are scaled & rated with references to his own cultural value.
Symptom: self reference criteria
Example : criticism about diet patterns.
Danger : provoke retaliation
e) GeocentrismThe view of things in which one looks at positive aspects of
both home & host cultures & accept the differences.
e) Cultural Dimensions
Sl.No Dimension
Criteria
1.
Low Context Vs High Context
Communication Style
2.
Doing Vs Being
Amount of action
3.
High Contact Vs Low Contact
Amount of physical contact
4.
Dionysian Vs Apollonian
Ways to handle emotion
5.
Masculine Vs Feminine
Attitude towards sex
6.
Collective Vs individualistic
Attitude about themselves
7.
High Vs Low Risk avoidance
Amount of anxiety
8.
High Vs Low Power distance
Attitude about power
9.
Universalistic Vs Particularistic
Obligation
10.
Regressive Vs Progressive
Time
4.5.4 The Elements of Culture
The major elements of culture are material culture, language, aesthetics,
education, religion, attitudes and values and social organisation.
a) Material Culture
Material culture refers to tools, artifacts and technology. Before marketing in a
foreign culture it is important to assess the material culture like transportation,
power, communications and so on. All aspects of marketing are affected by
material culture like sources of power for products, media availability and
distribution. For example, refrigerated transport does not exist in many African
countries. Material culture introductions into a country may bring about cultural
changes which may or may not be desirable.
b) Language
Language reflects the nature and values of society. There may be many sub-
cultural languages like dialects which may have to be accounted for. Some
countries have two or three languages. In Zimbabwe there are three languages -
English, Shona and Ndebele with numerous dialects. In Nigeria, some linguistic
groups have engaged in hostile activities. Language can cause communication
problems - especially in the use of media or written material. It is best to learn
the language or engage someone who understands it well.
Material
Language
Culture
Aestheti
cs
Social
Organization
Culture
Education
Attitudes
Fig 4.3 Elements of Culture
c) Aesthetics
Aesthetics refer to the ideas in a culture concerning beauty and good taste as
expressed in the arts -music, art, drama and dancing and the particular
appreciation of colour and form. African music is different in form to Western
music. Aesthetic differences affect design, colours, packaging, brand names and
media messages. For example, unless explained, the brand name FAVCO would
mean nothing to Western importers, in Zimbabwe most people would instantly
recognise FAVCO as the brand of horticultural produce.
d) Education
Education refers to the transmission of skills, ideas and attitudes as well as
training in particular disciplines. Education can transmit cultural ideas or be
used for change, for example the local university can build up an economy's
performance.
The UN agency UNESCO gathers data on education information. For example it
shows in Ethiopia only 12% of the viable age group enrol at secondary school,
but the figure is 97% in the USA.
Education levels, or lack of it, affect marketers in a number of ways:
Advertising programmes and labeling
Girls and women excluded from formal education (literacy rates)
Conducting market research
Complex products with instructions
Relations with distributors and,
Support sources - finance, advancing agencies etc.
e) Religion
Religion provides the best insight into a society's behaviour and helps answer
the question why people behave rather than how they behave.
A survey in the early 1980s revealed the following religious groupings (see table
3.1)3.
Table 3.1 Religious groupings
Groups
Million
Animism
300
Buddhism 280
Christianity 1500
Hinduism 600
Islam
800
Shinto
120
Religion can affect marketing in a number of ways:
Religious holidays - Ramadan cannot get access to consumers as shops
are closed.
Consumption patterns - fish for Catholics on Friday
Economic role of women ? Islam
Caste systems - difficulty in getting to different costs for
segmentation/niche marketing
Joint and extended families - Hinduism and organizational structures;
Institution of the church - Iran and its effect on advertising, "Western"
images
Market segments - Maylasia - Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures
making market segmentation
Sensitivity is needed to be alert to religious differences.
f) Attitudes and values
Values often have a religious foundation, and attitudes relate to economic
activities. It is essential to ascertain attitudes towards marketing activities which
lead to wealth or material gain, for example, in Buddhist society these may not
be relevant. Also "change" may not be needed, or even wanted, and it may be
better to relate products to traditional values rather than just new ones. Many
African societies are risk averse, therefore, entrepreneurialism may not always
be relevant. Attitudes are always precursors of human behaviour and so it is
essential that research is done carefully on these.
g) Social Organisation
Refers to the way people relate to each other, for example, extended families,
units, kinship. In some countries kinship may be a tribe and so segmentation
may have to be based on this. Other forms of groups may be religious or
political, age, caste and so on. All these groups may affect the marketer in his
planning.
There are other aspects of culture, but the above covers the main ingredients. In
one form or another these have to be taken account of when marketing
internationally.
Activity 4.5
Visit an MNC and study the impact of culture on business
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4.6 Classifying Countries
A country's international competitiveness is a function of several factors,
including factor conditions and demand conditions
Factors Conditions
Essential inputs to the production process (human resources, physical resources,
knowledge resources, capital resources, and infrastructure)
Demand Conditions
Composition of home demand, the size and pattern of growth of home demand.
Gross National product (GNP): broadest measure of economic activity. Defined
as the market value of final goods and services newly produced by domestic
factors of demand.
Note: the production by domestic factors could take place at home or abroad.
a) Gross Domestic Product
Measures the value of production that occurs within a country's borders without
regard to whether the production is done by domestic or foreign factors of
production.
b) Per Capita GNP
Low-income ($725 or less),Mozambique ($80)
Middle-income ($726-$8,955) Colombia ((2,140)
High-Income ($8,956 or more)
Ex: Luxemburg (45,360)
Japan (40,940)
U.S. (28,020)
Low-and middle-income countries is where the vast majority of the world's
population lives.
North-South Dialogue
c) Relative Importance of High-Income Countries
They represent only 21% of the number of economies and 15.2% of the
population, but they generate 79.5% of the world's GNP.
d) Relative Importance of Middle-Income Countries
They represent 28.1% of the world's population, 15.6% of its GNP, and
represent 48.3% of the total countries.
e) Relative Importance of Low-Income Countries
Account for 30.6% of the number of economies in the world, 56.7% of the
population, but only 4.9% of the GNP.
f) Purchasing Power Parity (PPP):
The basic idea is to identify the number of units of a country's currency required
to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic economy as one
dollar would buy in the U.S.
Thus, even though per capita GNP is the primary measure of wealth in a
country, purchasing power GNP is an alternative way to measure wealth that is
more indicative of the purchasing power of a country's currency.
Structure of Production: percentage of GDP generated by agriculture, industry,
manufacturing, and services.
The key is to note that as income rises, the percentage of GDP devoted to
agriculture falls, and the percentage devoted to services rises.
g) Other Indicators
i) Quality of Life
Life expectancy, educational standards, individual purchasing power, health,
sanitation, and treatment of women (Canada, the U.S., Japan, Norway, the
Netherlands)
ii) Capability Poverty Measures
Rate of female illiteracy, number of children in school, proportion of tended
births. Widening Gap between the Rich and Poor; Income Distribution
Sector-Wise Distribution of GDP
GDP
Country
Agriculture
Industry
Service
World
3.9
29.8
66.3
Australia
3.5
26.1
70.4
Brazil
7.4
28.3
64.3
China
15.9
50.9
33.2
Egypt Arab Republic
16.7
33.1
50.2
France
2.8
25.3
71.8
Germany
1.2
31.5
67.3
Hong Kong
0.1
14.3
85.6
India
24.9
26.9
48.2
Indonesia
17.0
47.0
35.9
Itlay
2.9
29.2
67.9
Japan
1.4
31.8
66.8
Korea Republic
4.7
42.4
52.9
Malaysia
8.7
51.2
40.1
Mexico
4.1
27.9
68.0
Nepal
40.7
22.1
37.2
Netherlands
2.7
27.2
70.1
Nigeria
29.5
46.0
24.5
Norway
1.8
42.9
55.2
Philippines
15.9
31.1
52.9
Portugal
3.7
30.5
65.8
Russian Federation
6.4
39.0
54.6
Singapore
-
34.7
65.2
South Africa
3.2
30.9
65.9
Spain
3.7
30.3
66.0
Sri Lanka
19.5
27.5
53.0
Sweden
1.8
28.0
70.2
Thailand
10.3
40.5
49.3
Turkey
15.4
25.3
59.4
United Kingdom
1.1
28.7
70.3
USA
1.6
24.9
73.5
POPULATION
(Million)
2001
2002
2003
World
6130.1
6214.8
6271.6
Australia
19.4
19.6
19.8
Brazil
172.4
174.4
176.5
China
1300
1280.4
1288.4
Egypt Arab Republic
65.2
66.3
67.5
France
59.2
59.4
59.7
Germany
82.3
82.4
82.5
Hong Kong
6.7
6.7
6.8
India
1000
1048.6
1064.3
Indonesia
209
211.7
214.4
Italy
57.9
57.6
57.6
Japan
127
127.15
127.2
Korea Republic
47.3
47.6
47.9
Malaysia
23.8
24.3
24.7
Mexico
99.4
100.8
102.2
Nepal
23.6
24.1
24.6
Netherlands
16
16.1
16.2
Nigeria
129.9
132.7
135.6
Norway
4.5
4.5
4.5
Philippines
78.3
79.9
81.5
Portugal
10
10.1
10.1
Russian Federation
144.8
144
143.4
Singapore
4.1
4.1
4.2
South Africa
43.2
47.6
45.2
Spain
41.1
40.9
41.1
Srilanka
18.7
18.9
19.1
Sweden
8.9
8.9
8.9
Switzerland
7.2
7.2
7.3
Thailand
61.2
61.6
62
Turkey
68.5
69.6
70.7
United Kingdom
58.8
59.2
59.2
USA
285.3
288.3
291
(Source: World Development Indicators Database: World Bank
GNI (Fomerly )GNP
(Billion US$)
2001
2002
2003
World
31400
31483.9
34491.4
Australia
385.9
386.6
430.5
Brazil
528.9
497.3
478.9
China
1100
1209.5
1417.3
Egypt Arab Republic 99.6
97.6
93.8
France
1400
1342.7
1523
Germany
1900
1870.3
2084.6
Hong Kong
170.3
167.6
173.3
India
477.4
501.5
567.6
Indonesia
144.7
149.8
172.7
Italy
1100
1097.9
1242.9
Japan
4500
4265.6
4389.7
Korea Republic
447.6
473
576.4
Malaysia
79.3
85.9
93.6
Mexico
550.2
596.7
637.1
Nepal
5.8
5.6
5.8
Netherlands
390.3
386.7
426.6
Nigeria
37.1
38.6
42.9
Norway
160.8
171.7
197.6
Philippines
80.8
81.4
87.7
Portugal
109.3
108.7
123.6
Russian Federation
253.4
307.9
374.9
Singapore
88.8
86.1
90.2
South Africa
121.9
113.4
125.9
Spain
588
594.1
698.2
Srilanka
16.4
15.8
17.8
Sweden
225.9
221.5
258.3
Switzerland
277.2
274.1
292.8
Thailand
118.5
122.2
136
Turkey
167.3
173.9
197.2
United Kingdom
1500
1486.1
1680.3
USA
9800
10110
10945.7
(Source: World Development Indicators Database: World Bank)
Surface Area
(Million Sq. KM)
World
133.80
Australia
7.70
Brazil
8.50
China
9.60
Egypt Arab Republic
1.00
France
0.55
Germany
0.36
India
3.30
Indonesia
1.90
Italy
0.30
Japan
0.38
Korea Republic
99.26
Malaysia
0.33
Mexico
2.00
Nepal
0.15
Netherlands
41.53
Nigeria
0.92
Norway
0.32
Philippines
0.30
Portugal
91.98
Russian Federation
17.10
South Africa
1.20
Spain
0.51
Srilanka
0.07
Sweden
0.45
Switzerland
41.29
Thailand
0.51
Turkey
0.78
United Kingdom
0.24
USA
9.60
(Source: World Development Indicators Database: World Bank)
4.7.1 Economic Environment
As a company considers where in the world to build factories and sells products,
it must analyze the countries in which it may do business
Country analysis requires, understanding national goals, priorities, and policies.
It also involves understanding economic performance, as indicated by economic
growth, inflation, and budget and trade deficits.
4.7.2 Classifying Economic Systems
Economic Systems usually are classified as capitalist, socialist, or mixed. No
country is purely market or purely command.
As the economy moves to more balance, between market and command or
between public and private ownership, it is considered mixed.
We can also classify economic systems according to two other criteria:
- Type of property ownership
- Method of resource allocation and control
a) Market Economy:
The individual and the company play important roles.
The market mechanism involves an interaction of price, quantity, supply and
demand for resources and products.
The key factors that make the market economy work:
-consumer sovereignty
-freedom of the enterprise to operate in the market
In addition, freedom from government restrictions, and legal and Institutions
frameworks to safeguard economic freedoms
b) Centrally Planned Economy:
The government coordinates the activities of the different economic sectors.
Goals are set for every enterprise in the country.
The government determines how much is produced, by whom, and for whom.
c) Mixed Economy
Partly Free, Mostly Not Free
Government intervention can be classified in two ways:
- Government ownership of the means of production
- Government influence in decision making
Ex: MITI was organized to guide industrial development through "strategic
planing and authority over investment and production priorities."
d) Political-Economic Synthesis
Clearly, numerous combinations of political and economic systems are possible
Asian experience, Latin American experience, European, U.S.
Case: McDonald's Corporation
- Burgers round trip back to Russia
- Overseas moves compatible with McDonald's growth strategy
- From 1990-1995, 56% of the new restaurants have been opened
overseas
- Of the 1,007 restaurants added in 1995, 45% were from 6
foreign markets (Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany,
and Japan)
- Supply procurement, a major problem
- 27,000 Russian applicants for its 650 positions
- 30,000 people were served during the first day of
operations
- strong investment in training
Case Study 4.5
4.7.3 Economic Trade Policies (Protectionism)
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between nations,
through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and
anti-dumping laws in an attempt to protect domestic industries in a particular
nation from foreign take-over or competition. This contrasts with free trade,
where no artificial barriers to entry are instituted.
The term is mostly used in the context of economics, where protectionism refers
to policies or doctrines which "protect" businesses and living wages by
restricting or regulating trade between foreign nations:
Subsidies - To protect existing businesses from risk associated with change,
such as costs of labour, materials, etc.
Tariffs - to increase the price of a foreign competitor's goods. ( Including
restrictive quotas, and anti-dumping measures.) on par or higher than domestic
prices.
Quotas - to prevent dumping of cheaper foreign goods that would overwhelm
the market.
Tax cuts- Alleviation of the burdens of social and business costs.
Intervention - The use of state power to bolster an economic entity.
Protectionism has frequently been associated with economic theories such as
mercantilism, the belief that it is beneficial to maintain a positive trade balance,
and import substitution. There are two main variants of protectionism,
depending on whether the tariff is intended to be collected (traditional
protectionism) or not (modern protectionism).
Modern protectionism
In the modern trade arena many other initiatives besides tariffs have been called
protectionist. For example some commentators, such as Jagdish Bhagwati, see
developed countries' efforts in imposing their own labor or environmental
standards as protectionism. Also, the imposition of restrictive certification
procedures on imports are seen in this light.
Recent examples of protectionism are typically motivated by the desire to
protect the livelihoods of individuals in politically important domestic
industries. Whereas formerly blue-collar jobs were being lost to foreign
competition, in recent years there has been a renewed discussion of
protectionism due to offshore outsourcing and the loss of white-collar jobs. Most
economists view this form of protectionism as a disguised transfer payment
from consumers (who pay higher prices for food or other protected goods) to
local high-cost producers.
Traditional Protectionism
In its historic sense, protectionism is the economic policy of relying on revenue
tariffs for government funding in order to reduce or eliminate taxation on
domestic industries and labor (e.g., corporate and personal income taxes). In
protectionist theory, emphasis is placed on reducing taxation on domestic labor
and savings at a cost of higher tariffs on foreign products. This contrasts with
the free trade model, in which first emphasis is placed on exempting foreign
products from taxation, with the lost revenue to be compensated domestically.
Traditional protectionism sees revenue tariffs as a source of government
funding, much like a sales tax, that can be used to reduce other domestic forms
of taxes. The goal of traditional protectionism is to maximize tax revenue from
the purchase of foreign products with the goal of being able to reduce or
eliminate other forms of domestic taxation (income taxes, sales taxes, etc.) as a
result. Tariffs were the predominant source of tax revenue in the United States
from its founding through World War II, allowing the country to operate
through most of that period without income and sales taxes. Traditional
protectionism remains highly dependent on large amounts of imports. It also
requires tariffs to be kept at reasonable rates to ensure maximum government
revenue.
a) Dumping
A practice of charging a very low price in a foreign market for such economic
purposes as putting rival suppliers out of business.
If a company exports a product at a price lower than the price it normally
charges on its own home market, it is said to be dumping the product. Is this
unfair competition? The WTO agreement does not pass judgement. Its focus is
on how governments can or cannot react to dumping -- it disciplines anti-
dumping actions, and it is often called the Anti-dumping Agreement.
Legal Framework
Based on Article VI of GATT 1994
Customs Tariff Act, 1975 - Sec 9A, 9B (as amended in1995)
Anti-Dumping Rules [Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection
of Anti Dumping Duty on Dumped Articles and for Determination of Injury)
Rules,1995] Investigations and Recommendations by Designated
Authority, Ministry of Commerce Imposition and Collection by Ministry of
Finance
b) Subsidies
In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by government to
lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it
is considered to be in the public interest. Subsidies are also referred to as
corporate welfare by those who oppose their use. The term subsidy may also
refer to assistance granted by others, such as individuals or non-government
institutions, although this is more usually described as charity. A subsidy
normally exemplifies the opposite of a tax, but can also be given using a
reduction of the tax burden. These kinds of subsidies are generally called tax
expenditures or tax breaks.
Subsidies protect the consumer from paying the full price of the good consumed,
however they also prevent the consumer from receiving the full value of the
thing not consumed ? in that sense, a subsidized society is a consumption
society because it unfairly encourages consumption more than conservation.
Under free-market conditions, consumers would make choices which optimize
the value of their transactions; where it was less expensive to conserve, they
would conserve. In a subsidized economy however, consumers are denied the
benefit of conservation and as a result, subsidized goods have an artificially
higher value than expenditures which do not consume. Subsidies are paid for by
taxation which creates a deadweight loss for that activity which is taxed
c) Countervailing Duties
Means to restrict international trade in cases where imports are subsidized by a
foreign country and hurt domestic producers. According to WTO rules, a
country can launch its own investigation and decide to charge extra duties. Since
countries can rule domestically whether domestic industries are in danger and
whether foreign countries subsidize the products, the institutional process
surrounding the investigation and determinations has significant impacts beyond
the countervailing duties.
d) Tariffs
A tariff is a tax on imported goods. When a ship arrives in port a customs officer
inspects the contents and charges a tax according to the tariff formula. Since the
goods cannot be landed until the tax is paid it is the easiest tax to collect, and the
cost of collection is small. Smugglers of course seek to evade the tariff.
An ad valorem tax is a percentage of the value of the item, say 10 cents on the
dollar, while a specific tariff is so-much per weight, say $5 per ton.
A "revenue tariff" is a set of rates designed primarily to raise money for the
government. A tariff on coffee imports, for example (by a country that does not
grow coffee) raises a steady flow of revenue.
A "protective tariff" is intended to artificially inflate prices of imports and
"protect" domestic industries from foreign competition For example, a 50% tax
on a machine that importers formerly sold for $100 and now sell for $150.
Without a tariff the local manufacturers could only charge $100 for the same
machine; now they can charge $149 and make the sale.
A prohibitive tariff is one so high that no one imports any of that item.
The distinction between protective and revenue tariffs is subtle: protective tariffs
in addition to protecting local producers also raise revenue; revenue tariffs
produce revenue but they also offer some protection to local producers. (A pure
revenue tariff is a tax on goods not produced in the country, like coffee perhaps.)
Tax, tariff and trade rules in modern times are usually set together because of
their common impact on industrial policy, investment policy, and agricultural
policy.
There are two main ways of implementing a tariff:
Ad valorem tariff
Fixed percentage of the value of the good that is being imported. Sometimes
these are problematic as when the international price of a good falls, so does the
tariff, and domestic industries become more vulnerable to competition.
Conversely when the price of a good rises on the international market so does
the tariff, but a country is often less interested in protection when the price is
higher. They also face the problem of transfer pricing where a company declares
a value for goods being traded which differs from the market price, aimed at
reducing overall taxes due.
Specific tariff
Tariff of a specific amount of money that does not vary with the price of the
good. These tariffs may be harder to decide the amount at which to set them, and
they may need to be updated due to changes in the market or inflation.
Adherents of supply-side economics sometimes refer to domestic taxes, such as
income taxes, as being a "tariff" affecting inter-household trade.
Quotas
A quota is a prescribed number or share of something.
In common language, especially in business, a quota is a time-measured goal for
production or achievement. An assembly line worker might have a quota for the
number of products made; a salesperson might have a quota to meet for weekly
sales; In trade, a quota is a form of protectionism used to restrict the import of
something to a specific quantity The number of cars imported from Japan may
have a quota of 50,000 vehicles per annum to protect auto manufacturers in the
United States
IMF member`s quota is broadly determined by its economic position relative to
other members. Various economic factors are considered in determining changes
in quotas, including GDP, current account transactions, and official reserves.
When a country joins the IMF, it is assigned an initial quota in the same range as
the quotas of existing members considered by the IMF to be broadly comparable
in economic size and characteristics.
Quotas are denominated in Special Drawing Rights, the IMF's unit of account.
The largest member of the IMF is the United States, with a quota of
SDR 37.1 billion (about $53.5 billion), and the smallest member is Palau, with a
quota of SDR 3.1 million (about $4.5 million).
e) VERs - Voluntary Export Restraints
A voluntary export restraint is a restriction set by a government on the quantity
of goods that can be exported out of a country during a specified period of time.
Often the word voluntary is placed in quotes because these restraints are
typically implemented upon the insistence of the importing nations.
Typically VERs arise when the import-competing industries seek protection
from a surge of imports from particular exporting countries. VERs are then
offered by the exporter to appease the importing country and to avoid the effects
of possible trade restraints on the part of the importer. Thus VERs are rarely
completely voluntary.
Also, VERs are typically implemented on a bilateral basis, that is, on exports
from one exporter to one importing country. VERs have been used since the
1930s at least, and have been applied to products ranging from textiles and
footwear to steel, machine tools and automobiles. They became a popular form
of protection during the 1980s, perhaps in part because they did not violate
countries' agreements under the GATT. As a result of the Uruguay round of the
GATT, completed in 1994, WTO members agreed not to implement any new
VERs and to phase out any existing VERs over a four year period. Exceptions
can be granted for one sector in each importing country.
Some interesting examples of VERs occured with auto exports from Japan in the
early 1980s and with textile exports in the 1950s and 60s.
US-Japan Automobile VERs
f) Customs Valuation
The rates of customs duties leviable on imported goods (& export items in
certain cases) are either specific or on ad valorem basis or at times specific cum
ad valorem. When customs duties are levied at ad valorem rates, i.e., depending
upon its value, it becomes essential to lay down in the law itself the broad
guidelines for such valuation to avoid arbitrariness and to ensure that there is
uniformity in approach at different Customs formations. Section 14 of the
Customs Act, 1962 lays down the basis for valuation of import & export goods
in the country. It has been subject to certain changes ? basic last change being in
July-August, 1988 when present version came into operation. Briefly the
provisions are explained in the following paragraphs.
g) Trade Sanctions
Trade sanctions are trade penalties imposed by one or more countries on one or
more other countries. Typically the sanctions take the form of import
tariffs(duties), licensing schemes or other administrative hurdles. They tend to
arise in the context of an unresolved trade or policy dispute, such as a
disagreement about the fairness of some policy affecting international trade
(imports or exports).
For example, one country may conclude that another is unfairly subsidising
exports of one or more products, or unfairly protecting some sector from
competition (from imported goods or services). The first country may retaliate
by imposing import duties, or some other sanction, on goods or services from
the second.
Trade sanctions are distinguished from economic sanctions, which are used as a
punitive measure in international relations (examples being recent US or
multilateral sanctions against Cuba, Iraq, or North Korea).
Trade policy reviews: ensuring transparency
Individuals and companies involved in trade have to know as much as possible
about the conditions of trade. It is therefore fundamentally important that
regulations and policies are transparent. In the WTO, this is achieved in two
ways: governments have to inform the WTO and fellow-members of specific
measures, policies or laws through regular notifications; and the WTO
conducts regular reviews of individual countries` trade policies -- the trade
policy reviews. These reviews are part of the Uruguay Round agreement, but
they began several years before the round ended -- they were an early result of
the negotiations. Participants agreed to set up the reviews at the December 1988
ministerial meeting that was intended to be the midway assessment of the
Uruguay Round. The first review took place the following year. Initially they
operated under GATT and, like GATT, they focused on goods trade. With the
creation of the WTO in 1995, their scope was extended, like the WTO, to
include services and intellectual property.
Activity 4.6
Collect and list all the trade policies of Indian government in relation to
International Business
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)
1.External Macro Environment Forces involves _________ ,_________,
___________, _____________
a) Political, Economic, Marketing, Cultural
b) Legal, Finance, Technological, Competitors
c) Suppliers, Customers, Creditors, Competitors
d) Political, Economic, Social, Technological
2.List the internal micro environmental forces
__________________________________________________________
3.List the ways of scanning international business environment
_________________, _______________________,_____________
4.Expand the following
a) PEST ___________________________________
b) GDP _____________________________________
c) GNP _____________________________________
d) BPO _____________________________________
e) LPO _____________________________________
f) KPO _____________________________________
g) FDI _______________________________________
h) LPG ______________________________________
i) NAFTA ___________________________________
j) MNC _____________________________________
k) VER ______________________________________
l) GATT _____________________________________
m) WTO ______________________________________
n) ICJ _______________________________________
o) PPP _______________________________________
p) IMF _______________________________________
5.List all the instruments used by government for trade control
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6.The members of WTO has agreed to eliminate all tariffs in 10 industries list
them?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7.List the strategies followed my MNCs to eliminate political risk?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8.List the conditions used in country classification?
______________________________________________________________
9.The Economic System is classified into
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
10.The Political System is classified into
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Summary
International business provides both opportunities for growth and
success and also poses threat to business
There are five macro-environmental forces acting on international
business, they are Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal etc
There are three ways of scanning international business environment
Ad-hoc Scanning, Regular Scanning, Continuous Scanning
PEST analysis is the framework for analyzing international business
environment.
A stable political system is needed for the success of international
business
The political system is classified into two they are democracy and
dictatorship
MNCs can play the strategies like Joint ventures, Expanding the
investment base, Marketing and distribution, Licensing, Planned
domestication, Political payoffs to reduce political risk
Government can actively control the trade by designing trade policies on
Dumping, Subsidies, Countervailing Duties, Tariffs, Quotas, VERs -
Voluntary Export Restraints
Political Risks Of Global Business Confiscation, Expropriation,
Domestication
MNCs can play strategies like Joint ventures, Expanding the investment
base, Marketing and distribution, Licensing, Planned domestication,
Political payoffs to reduce political risk.
The Legal system is classified into common law system, civil law system
or codified legal system and theocratic law system
The different cultural behaviour practices will affect international
business
Technology plays a major role in removing the barriers like distance and
time to promote international business
Countries can be classified as High-Income countries, Middle-Income
countries and Low-Income countries
Countries can be classified based on Gross Domestic Product, Gross
National Product, Purchasing Power Parity
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between
nations, through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods,
restrictive quotas, and anti-dumping laws in an attempt to protect
domestic industries in a particular nation from foreign take-over or
competition.
Answer Key for Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)
1.Political, Economic, Social, Technological
2.Competators, Suppliers, Customers, Creditors
3.Ad-hoc Scanning, Regular Scanning, Continuous Scanning
4. a) Political, Economic, Social, Technological
b) Gross Domestic Product
d) Gross National Product
e) Business Process Outsourcing
f) Legal Process Outsourcing
g) Knowledge Process Outsourcing
h) Foreign Direct Investment
i) Liberalization Privatization Globalization
j) North American Free Trade Agreement
k) Multi National Company
l) Voluntary Export Restraints
m) Generally Accepted Tariff and Trade
n) World Health Organization
o) International Court of Justice
p) Purchasing Power Parity
q) International Monitory Fund
5. Trade Restrictions / Trade Barriers
Dumping
Subsidies
Countervailing Duties
Tariffs
Quotas
VERs - Voluntary Export Restraints
6.Beer, Construction equipment, Distilled spirits, Farm machinery, Furniture
Medical equipment, Paper, Pharmaceuticals, Steel, Toys
7. Strategies To Lessen Political Risks
Joint ventures
Expanding the investment base
Marketing and distribution
Licensing
Planned domestication
Political payoffs
8. Factors Conditions and Demand Conditions
9. Market Economy, Centrally Planned Economy, Mixed Economy
10. Democracy and Dictatorship
Keywords
Globalization
Tariffs
Ad Valorem Tariff
Subsidies
Dumping
Polycentrism
Ethnocentrism
Stereotypes
Cultural Shock
Geocentrism
Home Country
Multi-National Company (MNC)
Protectionism
Technological Environment
Economic Environment
Political Environment
Legal Environment
Low-Income Countries
Middle-Income Countries
Litigation
Arbitration
Diversification
Political Risk
Macro Environment
Micro Environment
Other References
Dr.P.Subba Rao, International Business, Himalaya Publishing House
K.Aswathappa, International Business, Tata McGraw Hill
Review Questions
1.Write short note on
a) Polycentrism
b) Ethnocentrism
c) Stereotypes
d) Cultural Shock
e) Geocentrism
2. What do you understand by external macro environmental forces explain?
3.Explain the reasons for going global?
4. Give a note on PEST analysis?
5.What is political environment? What are the political risks faced by global
business?
6.What do you mean by good corporate citizenship?
7.Give a note on the instruments used by the government to control trade?
8.What are the reasons for government`s involvement in business?
9.What do you understand by legal environment?
10. Give a note on International Court of Justice (ICJ)?
11.Give a note on effect of technology on strategy and competition?
12.What is technological cycle explain?
13.What are the behaviour practices affecting business?
14.Write a note on classification of countries?
15.What do you understand by protectionism?
Honesty and Hard Work gives Honor
UNIT V
FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND FDI
CONTENT OUTLINE
Introduction
The role of foreign investment
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
Capital Inflows and Overheating
Summary
Review Questions
INTRODUCTION
Economic development remains an urgent global need. Globalization ? which
links countries closer than ever before with each other - reinforces this need. The
countries have achieved impressive increases in income, over a billion people
than a hundred countries stilt live in poverty. Economic inequalities within co
remain large, and there is little sign of convergence in incomes across countries.
A number of developing countries face increasing marginalisation.
Globalisation accentuates the increasing importance of the international
ecocomics for developing countries. Flows of finance, information, skills,
technology, go services between countries are increasing rapidly. FDI is one of
the most dynamic increasing international resource flows to developing
countries, FDI flows are particularly important because FDI is a package of
tangible and intangible assets, and because firms TNCs deploying them are
now important players in the global economy can affect development, by
complementing domestic investment and by undertaking trade and transfers of
knowledge, skills and technology. However, TNCs do not substitute for
domestic effort: they can only provide access to tangible and intangible assets
and catalyse domestic investment and capabilities. In a world of intensifying
competition and accelerating technological change, this complementary and
catalytic role can very valuable. Since globalisation has its dangers, countries
need to prepare their capabilities to harness its potential including through FDI.
However, FDI on its own cannot counteract the marginalization of developing
countries.
THE ROLE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT
The factors that propel sustained economic development have not changed o
time. They include the generation and efficient allocation of capital and labour,
application of technology and the creation of skills and institutions. These fact
determine how well each economy uses its endowments and adds to them. They
also affect how flexibly and dynamically each country responds to changing
economic conditions, However, the global context for development has changed
enormous the past three decades. These changes affect not only the role of FDI
in host countries, but also government policies on EDT. The following three are
of particular significance.
i) The nature and pace of knowledge - and, particularly, technological
knowledge - change
The creation and diffusion of productive knowledge have become central to
growth and development. Knowledge includes not only technical knowledge
(research and development, design, process engineering), but also knowledge of
organisation, management and inter-firm and international relationships. Much
of this knowledge is tacit. Today, the resources devoted to such knowledge
exceed investment in tangible machinery and equipment in many of the world`s
most dynamic firms, and the costs of generating new knowledge are rising
constantly. The importance of knowledge is not limited to modern or high-tech
activities but pervades all sectors and industries, including traditional activities
in the primary sector (for instance, vegetable and flower exports), manufacturing
(such as textiles, clothing and footwear), and services (such as tourism and
banking). As a result, achieving development objectives is, more than ever, a
continuous learning process.
The sheer pace of technological change, in particular, is unprecedented arid is
accelerating. This means that enterprises that want to be competitive
internationally reed both the knowledge to use technologies efficiently and to
keep pace with developments. Innovators need to invest more in creating new
knowledge, but even followers need the capacity - difficult to acquire - to access
and use this new knowledge, or in fortuitous circumstances, to identify windows
of opportunity for technological caps. The skills required for this are changing
concomitantly, as are institutions and their relations with productive enterprises;
one development is the closer linking of science with technology-generation in
industry. An important result of this new technological paradigm is that
research-intensive activities are growing more rapidly than others in production
and trade; thus, sustained economic growth calls increasingly not just for the
application of new technology to existing activities, but also for a shift of
activities up the value-added chain.
The most profound technological changes today emanate from a merger of
communications and information processing technologies. While the telegraph,
telephone and computer were significant technological achievements; they pale
in comparison with emerging technologies based on the interface between
microprocessors arid telecommunications. These are generic technologies that
affect practically the whole range of economic and even social and cultural
activities. Information can now be transmitted across the globe at very low cost.
ii) Shrinking economic space and changing competitive conditions
Technical progress in transport and communications has caused economic space
to shrink dramatically. Countries now face much more intense and immediate
competition than ever before. This leads to a significant restructuring of their
comparative advantages ad activities. The nature of competition itself is
changing, with the rapid introduction of new products, shorter product cycles,
flexibility of response to demand, and customer interaction becoming more
important than traditional forms of competition based on lower costs. At the
enterprise level, this calls for new management and technical skills and
organisational forms. In many instances, it leads to flatter hierarchies and greater
use of networking and cooperation between related firms and also competing
firms (for instance, component suppliers now play a much more direct role in
new technology development). At the national level, it requires countries to be
more open to international flows of information, and to improve national
capabilities to absorb and use that information: to develop new skills,
institutions and innovative capacities. Countries that cart do that - either
generally or in niche markets - can move up the value-added ladder.
iii) Changing attitudes and policy regimes
Most developing and transition countries have moved to market-oriented and
private sector led economies. This shift reflects disillusionment with past
strategies and growing. Difficulties in pursuing them in the new technological
and competitive setting. The shrinking of economic space has itself rendered
elements of traditional strategies absolute while the flow of information has
made governments more aware of policies a performance in other countries.
Policy benchmarking in all areas is becoming more common which, in turn, puts
more pressure on countries to innovate in the policy arena. There is widespread
reduction and removal of trade barriers, deregulation of internal markets,
privatisation and liberalization of technology and investment flows at the
national level. At the international level, regulation has intensified and is being
harmonized. For instance, the TRIPS agreement of the Uruguay Round has
introduced a common more rigorous, system of intellectual property protection;
the TRIMs agreement established disciplines over certain performance
requirements; and quality requirements such as ISO standards are becoming
prerequisites for participating in international production and trade.
Perhaps nowhere is the policy change more striking than in the changing attitude
o governments to TNCs. Why have governments changed their attitudes to
TNCs? There are several reasons for the change in attitudes towards TNCs and
the intensification of competition for PD Governments recognize that TNCs can
provide a packag4 external resources that can contribute to development. There
is also now an increasing number of TNCs from developing countries, reflected
in the fact that the share c developing countries in PD outflows has increased
from about two per cent at h beginning of the 1980s to approximately 15 per
cent of a much higher total in the mid, 1990s; their home governments want
access for their firms to foreign markets and locations. At the same time, many
governments have improved their administrative capabilities and feel more
comfortable in dealing with TNCs. Efficient FDI screening has been difficult
even for countries with sophisticated bureaucracies, given the need to relate it to
changing country and sectoral advantages, changing firm strategies a
competition, and political pressures from other countries. On the aggregate 1evel
external financing has shifted from official to private sources, especially towards
FDI. Finally, the liberalisation of FDI (and trade) policy is often part of the
conditionality in IMF and World Bank adjustment programmes, and is
promoted by many leading aid donors.
Reflecting this change of attitude, FDT is now not just permitted - it is avidly
sought governments and, indeed, many sub- national public sector entities at all
levels, from provinces to individual communities. Apart from active promotion
(which has led to the establishment of investment promotion agencies in a great
number of counties, having their disposal an array of incentives), policy
liberalisation is the principal tool. Liberalisation has been extended to such
service industries as telecommunication, transportation and power generation
and distribution, previously closed to foreign investors. Many developing
countries and economies in transition have concluded bilateral treaties to protect
FDI and avoid double taxation. A number of regional schemes (notably the
European Union, NAFTA, ASEAN and MERCOSUR) have reduced barriers to
FDI or are in the process of doing so, facilitating intra-regional investment trade
flows. At the multilateral level, the General Agreement on Trade in Services has
contributed to the liberalisation of EDT in services, and the TRIMs Agreement
has r the use of certain performance requirements. The FDI global regime that
has emerged after these changes, though uneven, is much more friendly towards
foreign investors than in the past.
CHANGING CONTEXT FOR TNCs
Knowledge-intensive production, technological change, shrinking economic
space greater openness have also changed the context for TNCs. There are new
opportunities and pressures - to utilise them. The opening of markets creates
new geographical space TNCs to expand in and access tangible and intangible
resources. It also permits wider choice in the methods firms can use (PDI, trade,
licensing, subcontracting, franchising, partnering and so on) to operate in
different locations. At the same time, advances in information, communication
and transportation technologies, as well as in managerial and organizational
methods, facilitate the transnationalisation of many firms, including SMEs. The
combination of better access to resources and a better ability to organise
production transnationally increases the pressure on firms to utilise new
opportunities, lest their competitors do so first and gain a competitive advantage.
Competition is everywhere - there are fewer and fewer profit reservations and
market niches that remain protected from the fierce winds of competition.
Indeed, a portfolio of locational assets - allowing firms to combine their mobile
advantages most effectively with the mobile tangible arid intangible resources of
specific locations - is becoming an increasingly important source of corporate
competitiveness.
Firms have reacted accordingly. A highly visible group of large traditional
TNCs continues to grow, often with turnovers larger than the national incomes
of many developing countries. There are also many new entrants, such as large
firms from developed countries that had confined themselves previously to
domestic operations (e.g., telecommunications operators). Many are smaller
firms from these countries that find it necessary to invest overseas to exploit
their ownership advantages or to see advantages and alliances. An increasing
number are firms from developing co both small and large. And some are large
and small firms from economies transition, countries that previously had
isolated them largely from international investment. As a result, the number of
TNCs has increased substantially, having reached at least 60,000 at the end of
the 1990s. Their growth rate was faster than that of both and domestic
production.
The changing context and the quest for a portfolio of locational assets has
brought about a change in corporate strategies. The following developments are
particularly noteworthy:
A shift from stand-alone, relatively independent, foreign affiliates to integrated
international production systems relying on specialised affiliates to service the
entire TNC system. Within the framework of this international intra-firm
division of labour, any part of the value-added chain of an enterprise can be
located abroad while remaining fully integrated into a corporate network.
Corporate strategies of this kind seek to exploit regional or global economies of
higher degree of functional specialisation.
This shift broadens the range of resources sought by TNCs in host countries
making firms more selective if their choices. However, it can also encourage in
countries that cannot provide a wide range of resources but haves, specific assets
that are sought by TNCs (eg. accounting or software skills).
A shift towards greater use of non-equity and cooperative relationthip with other
enterprises, such as alliances, partnerships, management contracts or
subcontracting arrangements. These arrangements serve a variety of corporate
objectives. They can provide better access to technologies or other assets firms
to share the cost and risk of innovatory activities. They can reduce production
cost of labour-intensive products.
Emergence of a network type of organisation. This expands the scope of
interactions between TNCs and enterprises from host countries, and also the
forms of these interactions.
These changing corporate strategies bring with them a different pattern of
international economic integration. Originally, this involved the integration of
markets through length trade shallow integration. Integrated international
production moves this integration to the level of production in all its aspects
deep integration. In process, a significant part of international transactions
becomes internalised, i.e. the form of transactions between various parts of
transnatioal corporate systems located in different countries. It is estimated that
more than one-third of world trade some four-fifths of technology flows are
internalised within TNCs. The share of world production under the common
governance of TNCs is estimated at one-quarter.
The ability of firms to allocate their economic assets internationally, and the
international production system created in the process, have become themselves
a part of the new global system. As a result, TNCs have indeed become
important actors in the world economy and, hence, the development process - a
fact reflected in the competition of all countries for EDT. Indeed, increasingly,
the decision where to locate production facilities of any kind becomes crucial for
development, because the decision where to locate becomes a decision where to
invest and from where to trade. And it becomes an FIJI decision if the location
chosen is abroad.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Direct investment abroad is a complex venture. As distinct from trade, licensing
or investment, EDT involves a long-term commitment to a business endeavour
in a foreign country. It often involves the engagement of considerable assets
and resources I that need to be coordinated and managed across countries and to
satisfy the principal of successful investment, such as sustainable profitability
and acceptable risk/profitability ratios. Typically, there are many host country
factors involved in deciding where an FDI project should be located and it is
often difficult to pinpoint the most decisive factor. However, it is widely agreed
that FDI takes place when three sets of determining factors exist simultaneonsly:
the presence of ownership-specific competitive ages in a transnational
corporation (MNC), the presence of locational advantages in a host country, and
the presence of superior commercial benefits in an intra-firm as against an
arm`s-length relationship between investor and recipient
The ownership-specific advantages (e.g. proprietary technology) of a firm if
exploited optimally can compensate for the additional costs of establishing
production facilities in a foreign environment and can overcome the firm`s
disadvantages vis-a-vis local firms.
The ownership-specific advantages of the firm should be combined with the
locational advantages of host countries (e.g. large markets or lower costs of
resources or superior infrastructure). Finally, the firm finds greater benefits in
exploiting both ownership specific and locational advantages by internalisation,
i.e. through FDI rather than arm`s length transactions. This may be the case for
several reasons. For one, markets for assets or production inputs (technology,
knowledge or management) may be imperfect, if they exist at all, and may
involve significant transaction costs or time-lags. For another, it may be in a
firm`s interest to retain exclusive rights to assets (e.g., knowledge) which confer
upon it a significant competitive advantage (e.g. monopoly rents).
While the first and third conditions are firm-specific determinants of FIJI, the
second is location-specific and has a crucial influence on a host country`s
inflows of FDI. If only the first condition is met, firms will rely on exports,
licensing or the sale of patents to service a foreign market. If the third condition
is added to the first, FDI becomes preferred mode of servicing foreign markets,
but only in the presence of boa specific advantages. Within the trinity of
conditions for FDI to occur, locational determinants are the only ones that host
governments can influence directly.
To explain differences in FDI inflows among countries and to formulate poll
capture inbound investment, it is necessary to understand how MNCs choose
investment locations. The relative importance of different location-specific
determinants depends on at least four aspects of investment: the motive for
investment (e.g. resource-see or market seeking FDI, the type of investment (e.g.
new or sequential FDI), the sector investment (e.g. services or manufacturing)
and the size of investors (small and medium sized MNCs or large MNCs). The
relative importance of different determinants also changes as the economic
environment evolves over time. It is therefore entirely pos that a set of host
country determinants that explains FDI in a particular country at a given time
changes as the structures of its domestic economy and of the international
economy evolve. At the same time, there are also location determinants remain
constant. Therefore, there is need to review the location-specific (host-country)
determinants of FDI flows and stocks and to analyse how these have changed in
a liberalising and globalising world economy. The review of host country
determinants begins with the role of national policies and especially the
liberalisation of policies key factor in globalisation) as FDI determinants. Then
follows a review of business facilitation measures: as the world economy
becomes more open to international bus transactions, countries compete
increasingly for FDI not only by improving their policy and economic
determinants, but also by implementing pro-active facilitation measures that go
beyond policy liberalisation. While not as important as the other two
determinants, these measures are receiving increased attention. Economic
determinants and, in particular, their changing significance in the context of
liberalisation, global and issues related to the impact of international investment
frameworks have bet all the more topical as discussions and negotiations
whether at the bilateral, regional or multilateral levels have gathered momentum
and the possibility of a multilateral framework on investment has raised
questions as to whether, why and how international investment agreements
matter for the location of FDI and the activities of MNCs. In particular, a key
question (one similar to that faced by the creators of the post-Second World War
multilateral trading system) is what effect, if any, a multilateral framework on
investment might have for the growth and pattern of FDI.
THE NATIONAL FDI POLICY FRAMEWORK
As a general principle, host countries that offer what MNCs are seeking, and/or
host countries whose policies are most conducive to MNC activities, stand a
good chance attracting FDI.
But firms also see locational determinants in their interaction ownership-specific
and internalisation advantages in the broader context of their corpora strategies.
These strategies aim, for example, at spreading or reducing risks, pursuing,
oligopolistic, competition, and matching competitors` actions or looking for
distinct sources of competitive advantage. In the context of different strategies,
the same motive and the corresponding host country determinants can acquire
different meanings. For example, the market-seeking motive can translate, in the
case of one MNC, into the need to enter new markets to increase the benefits
arising from multi plant operations; in the case of another MNC, it can translate
into the desire to acquire market power; and for N` another MNC, it can aim at
diversifying markets as part of a risk strategy.
Core FDT policies consist of rules and regulations governing the entry and
operations of foreign investors, the standards of treatment accorded to them, and
the functioning of the markets within which they operate. These policies can
range from outright prohibition of FDI entry to non-discrimination in the
treatment of foreign and domestic firms and even preferential treatment of
foreign firms. They typically satisfy various objectives reducing or increasing
FDI, influencing its sectoral composition or geographical origin, encouraging
specific contributions to the economy and affecting ways in which these
contributions are made. To achieve these objectives, PD policies are usually
accompanied by other policies that also influence investors` decisions.
Among these supplementary policies used to influence locational decisions,
trade policy plays the most prominent role. For example, to attract FDI and to
maximise its contributions to their import-substituting development strategies,
countries in Latin America used a mix of protectionist trade policies combined
with policies allowing FDI manufacturing. Asian countries, in contrast, used
both FDI and trade policies (e.g. exemptions from import duties) to encourage
MNCs to contribute to their export oriented economic strategies. For example,
Hong Kong, China pursued laissez-faire trade and FDI policies. On the other
hand, the FDI policies of such economies as the Republic of Korea, Taiwan
Province of China and Japan were embedded in a broader set of industrial
policies guiding and selectively inducing MNCs to link up with local firms to
help increase local innovative and export capacities.
Other related policies may include Privatisation policies and policies determined
by the international agreements a country has signed:
i) .
Privatisation is a special case of acquisition, as it involves purchases of
firms from the state. It has two dimensions: an FDI-policy dimension and a
competition F policy dimension. If privatisation welcomes foreign investors, it
broadens the scope of FDI. The competition-policy dimension becomes relevant
if, in industries characterised as natural or near-natural monopolies, the sale of a
privatised company to a domestic or foreign investor only means the transfer of
a monopoly from the state to a private agent.
ii)
International investment agreements provide an international dimension
to national FDI policies. Some of them focus on insurance and, protection, while
others deal with broader issues.
Policies used intentionally to influence FDI and its location constitutes the
inner ring of the policy framework for FDI. The features of such a framework
vary among countries and also vary over time in the same country. This has
become obvious since the broad-front advance of more market-based economic
policies began in the mid- 1980s. Core FDI policies themselves have become
more liberal and, coupled with more liberal trade policies; have contributed to a
more cohesive policy framework.
INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT FDI
Incentives are any measurable economic advantage afforded to specific
enterprises or categories of enterprises by (or at the direction of) a government,
in order to encourage them to behave in a certain manner. They include
measures either to increase the rate of return of a particular FDI undertaking, or
to reduce (or redistribute) its costs or risks. They do not include broader
nondiscriminatory policies, relating to the availability of physical and business
infrastructures, the general legal regime for FDI, the general regulatory and
fiscal regime for business operations, free repatriation of profits or the granting
of national treatment. While these policies certainly bear on the location
decisions of TNCs, they are not FDI incentives per se. The main types of
incentives used are fiscal incentives (e.g. reduction of the standard corporate
income-tax rate, investment and reinvestment allowances, tax holidays,
accelerated depreciation, exemptions from import duties), financial incentives
(e.g. government grants, subsidised credits, government equity participation,
government insurance at preferential rates) and market preferences (e.g. granting
of monopoly rights, protection from import competition, closing the market for
further entry, preferential government contracts). Other types of incentives
frequently used include preferential treatment on foreign exchange and
subsidised dedicated infrastructure and services.
ECONOMIC RATIONALE FOR INCENTIVES
The economic rationale behind incentives is to correct the failure of markets to
reflect the wider benefits arising from externalities in production -- for
example, those resulting from economies of scale, the creation of widely
diffused knowledge and the upgrading of skills of mobile workers. Incentives
can thus be justified to cover the wedge between the private and the social
returns on an investment. In a more dynamic context of growth and
development, incentives can be justified to correct the failure of markets to
reflect the gains that can accrue over time from declining unit costs and learning
by doing the classic infant-industry argument used in a very different context.
Incentives can also be justified to compensate investors for lost return due to
other government interventions (for example, duty remissions on imports or
performance requirements) or for carrying certain public costs where a
government lacks the institutional capacity to bear them itself. In sum,
incentives can serve a number of development purposes. However, they also
have the potential to introduce economic distortions (especially when they are
more than marginal) that are analogous to subsidies on trade, and they involve
financial and administrative costs. It is not in the public interest that the cost of
incentives granted exceed the value of the benefits to the public.
COMPETITION FOR FDI WITH INCENTIVES
Governments use incentives to attract FDI, to steer investment into favoured
industries, activities or regions, or to influence the character of an investment,
as, for example, when technology- intensive investment is being sought. Today,
most investment incentives are directed to domestic and foreign investors alike,
although sometimes only foreign investors can access certain incentives (as
when special incentive packages are geared towards large projects or specific
foreign investors, or where advanced technologies are involved that can only be
provided by foreign investors). The range of incentives available to foreign
investors and the number of countries that offer incentives have both increased
considerably since the mid-1980s, as barriers to PDJ and trade have declined. In
addition, many countries are experiencing increasing incentives competition
among regional or even local authorities to attract FDI. Also, incentives are
becoming increasingly focused and targeted and are sometimes contingent upon
certain conditions being met by the investor, In fact, countries often offer a
broad array of options linked to different objectives. Thus further multiplying
the number of incentive programmes available to foreign investors. However, it
is difficult to discern clear patterns across countries and regions on the type of
industries or activities favoured by incentive programmes. An increasing
number of countries target investment activity in industries involving
technology and high value-added (such as electronics, robotics, computer
software) and in infrastructure projects. While manufacturing industries are still
the main focus of incentive programmes, some governments continue to offer
incentives in agriculture, fisheries, mining and oil exploration. Some countries
are also offering incentives to encourage companies to locate specific corporate
functions within their territories (say, to set up regional headquarters). As a
general rule, developed countries make more use of financial incentives than of
fiscal ones, partly because fiscal incentives are less flexible and their adoption
involves more difficult parliamentary procedures. However, this pattern is
reversed in developing countries, presumably because these countries lack the
resources needed to provide financial incentives. Market incentives have played
an important role until recently, although market reforms and the introduction of
competition policy in an increasing number of countries are narrowing the scope
for these incentives.
Whatever the rationale for FDI incentives, they are ultimately successful only to
the extent that they succeed in attracting investment to a country away from
another; if it were otherwise, and the investment were to take place anyway, the
incentive would be superfluous. In an open world economy, in which barriers to
FDI are falling, many countries have increased their incentives with the
intention of diverting investment away from competing host countries.
Competition for FDI with incentives is pervasive not only among national
governments but also among sub-national authorities. When governments
compete to attract FDI, there will be a tendency to overbid, if bidders may offer
more than the wedge between public and private returns. The effects can be both
distorting and inequitable since the costs are ultimately borne by the public and
hence represent transfers from the local community to the ultimate owners of the
foreign investment. In such competition for FDI, the poorer countries are
relatively disadvantaged.
THE EFFECT OF INCENTIVES ON INVESTMENT DECISIONS
In spite of this competition, there is considerable evidence to suggest that
incentives are a relatively minor factor in the locational decisions of TNCs
relative to other locational advantages, such as market size and growth,
production costs, skill levels, adequate infrastructure, economic stability and the
quality of the general regulatory framework. For example, in many companies
incentives are frequently not considered and simply made an already attractive
country more attractive. Investment decisions are made mainly on the basis of
economic and long-term strategic considerations concerning inputs, production
costs and markets. However, as regards individual investment projects, there is
increasing evidence that when the location is broadly determined, e.g. a member
country of the European Union or a country with a large national market, then
incentives can play a decisive role in choosing, e.g. between Scotland and
Wales; Ireland and Scotland; or North of England and North of France.
Foreign investors may respond differently to different types of incentives
depending on their-strategies. Generally, the export-oriented investors seeking
inexpensive labour valued fiscal incentives more highly than market protection
or other incentives. Market seeking investors, on the other hand, value market
protection more than fiscal incentives. In the case of regional incentives,
financial incentives, particularly grants seem to have a greater impact on
investors` decisions than fiscal incentives. In recent years, a wide variety of
incentives are being offered for foreign investors to transfer advanced
technologies and attract R&D facilities (including tax reductions, subsidised
infrastructure and land and industrial parks); governments have also intervened
through the creation of markets (with defence expenditures and government
purchasing) and research funding. However, a fiscal incentives and financial aid
did not influence location, while the establishment of enterprise zones and
research parks did.
In brief, while incentives do not rank high among the main FDI determinants,
their impact on locational choices can be perceptible at the margin, especially
for projects that are cost-oriented and mobile.
FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT (FPI)
While FPI has traditionally been concentrated in developed markets, new
interest has been sparked by the so-called emerging capital markets. The
emerging markets have at least three attractive qualities, two of which are their
high average returns and their low correlations with developed markets.
Diversification into these markets in expected to give higher expected returns
and lower overall volatility.
Many individual investors, as well as portfolio and pension fund managers, are
reexamining their basic investment strategies. The 1990s, fund managers
realised that significant performance gains could be obtained by diversifying
into high-quality global equity markets. These gains are limited, however, by the
fairly high cross-correlations returns in these markets. The resulting investment
strategy reflects current information.
In terms of portfolio theory, adding low-correlation portfolios to an optimisation
enhances the reward-to-risk profile by shifting the mean-variance frontier to the
left.
The portfolio optimisation problem requires important inputs--the expected
returns and the variance-covariance matrix. In principal, all of these measures
should be forward-looking. That is, the returns, volatilities, and correlations
should be forecasted.
An upsurge in portfolio investment in developing countries has marked the end
of the debt crisis, or perhaps even helped to end it. Using the World Bank`s
definition of portfolio flows as consisting of bonds, equity (comprising direct
stock market purchases, American Depository Receipts (ADRs), and country
funds), and money market instruments (such as certificates of deposits (CDs)
and commercial paper. Broadly speaking, there are six groups of investors in the
emerging markets, each having a tolerance for different degrees of risks and
returns:
i) Domestic residents of developing countries with overseas holdings and other
private foreign investors, who constitute the dominant category of portfolio
investors who are currently active in the major emerging markets. These
investors keep abreast of developments in their country on a regular basis and
monitor change in government policy. Their investments in emerging markets
are motivated by expected short-term high yields. Preference is given to
instruments that are in bearer form and provide returns in hard currency. These
external fund as Hot Money which are kept in the Latin American Bank
which mayor may not be beneficial to the long-term growth prospects of
developing country depending on the manner in which they are invested.
ii) Managed funds (closed-end country funds and mutual funds), whose portfolio
managed buy and sell shares and high-yield bonds in one or more of the
emerging markets for performance-based trading purposes.
iii) Foreign banks and brokerage firms, who allocate their portfolio for inventory
and trading purposes.
iv) Retail clients of Eurobonds houses who are involved in emerging securities
markets due to portfolio diversification motives. They are generally interested in
high-yield, high portfolio investments in the emerging markets.
v) Institutional investors (such as pension funds, life insurance companies), who
have a longer time horizon for expected gains from their portfolio and look for
stability and long-term growth prospects in the market in which they invest.
vi) Non resident nationals of developing countries, who could be a potential
source of portfolio investment from abroad (as opposed to flight capital).
The first three groups are active in the emerging securities markets primarily
because of expectations of short-term returns and have been observed to move
funds among different branches frequently. Purely speculative traders also
continuously move funds between the emerging markets and the developed
markets (primarily the United States).
The lower degree of integration of the emerging markets in the global capital
markets , often makes them better avenues for achieving higher yields relative to
the more globally integrated developed securities markets. Since all listed
companies in the ESMs are not very well researched by foreign investors and
their market information may be limited, there exists the potential for finding
undervalued stocks which may yield high returns to potential investors. In
general, P/E ratios in several ESMs may be lower than those in developed
markets. Therefore, one expects to see larger inflows of portfolio investments
into the emerging markets from institutional investors worldwide.
The integration of international equity markets observed in recent years can be
attributed to several factors:
(a) the emergence of international banking syndicates and brokerage houses
which have the necessary information technology and communication
facilities to be able to place large international equity issues within
shorter periods of time at lower syndication and distribution fees than
domestic issues;
(b) the introduction of foreign equity-based instruments, such as ADRs and
Rule 144A issues in the United States, which have significantly reduced
the regulatory and physical impediments that in the past hindered such
investments; and
(c) and widespread practice of multiple listing of shares across different
stock exchange in different countries have become widespread. The
globalisation of the international capital markets has resulted in global
allocation of portfolios in a relatively inexpensive manner.
It should be understood, however, that at the earlier stages of openness of the
ESMs, the return of flight capital that is observed is generally motivated by
short-term speculative motives. Significant movements of such funds in and out
of these markets give rise to increased volatility in stock prices as well as
potential problems for domestic monetary management. Rapid increases of
international reserves due to these large capital inflows have to be dealt with
carefully by policymakers. These rising international reserves will strengthen the
domestic currencies of the countries where these large inflows occur and have
lowered inflationary expectations. Investors have observed the underutilised
capacity, especially in the infrastructure sector of the emerging markets, and
expect increased demand for manufactured products as a result of impending
free trade agreements.
It is crucial for developing countries that the experiencing such large capital
inflows in the short term to endeavor to continue to attract these private
financing flows in the long term. Given the increasing integration of the
international financial markets and the increasingly advanced communication
and information technology facilities that are emerging today, the task of
maintaining financial competitiveness in the international capital markets is a
challenge that the emerging markets must face. To this end, the role of
appropriate market-oriented domestic policy reforms and an endeavour to
maintain a sustained growth performance in the developing countries concerned
will go a long way in keeping the repatriated capital with their boundaries. From
the long-term point of view it has been observed that flight capital is the last to
return. This makes the task at hand for the emerging markets very challenging.
If developing countries wish to attract a sustained inflows of portfolio
investment from abroad rather than short-term speculative movements of funds
in and out of their countries, it is crucial to address some of the major constraints
that inhibit such flows. These constraints exist both on the demand as well as the
supply side of ESM securities.
On the demand side for emerging market securities, the most important hurdle
inhibiting institutional investors abroad from investing in these markets are
regulatory impediments imposed by source country governments and restrictions
on investment practices imposed by the trustees of these institutions. Some
governments have imposed restrictions on foreign investment by their
institutional investors because they feel that possible large foreign exchange
outflows may have an adverse impact on the country`s balance of payments, by
institutionalising capital flight. However, institutional investors need to be
strictly monitored in the absence of a strong and transparent pension system and
when pension fund managers lack a thorough understanding of the complexities
of their investment in the international financial markets. The role of the
domestic securities and exchange commissions and regulatory agencies for
institutional investors in the emerging markets is crucial in maintaining a steady
inflow of foreign capital and ensuring responsible behaviour on the part of
domestic institutional investors.
Tight regulation of investment decisions by institutional investors (in both
developed and developing countries) is not necessary for ensuring for safety of
contractual savings.
In the United Kingdom, for example pension funds and life insurance companies
are only expected to demonstrate that their portfolio of assets, when prudently
valued, meet the requirements for technical reserves and solvency margins. This
enables these institutions to appropriately manage their portfolios by ensuring
flexibility in matching assets and liabilities. Excessively strict investment limits
may undermine the private management of a portfolio and, in effect, result in
government-directed investment. Nevertheless, pension funds and insurance
companies of most developed countries are still subject to restrictive regulations
on their foreign investment. These include Canada, Germany, and the
Netherlands.
The introduction of Rule 144A ADRs in the U.S. stock exchanges has
considerably simplified trading in foreign equities by eliminating costly
settlement delays, registration difficulties, and divided payment problems.
Under Rule 144A, Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) in the United States
also no longer need to hold the securities they traded the private placement
market for a two-year period before they can be sold. Foreign issues can now
gain access to a relatively large number of U.S. institutional investors. The
credit rating standards for public placements of bonds have also been relaxed.
On the supply side of the emerging market securities, institutional fund
managers are concerned about the illiquidity of most of the emerging markets
due to restrictions on direct entry by foreigners, the small number of players
(and therefore inefficient market making), poor accounting practices, high
transaction costs, and unreliable settlement systems. Almost all ESMs suffer
from the shortage of good-quality, large capitalization shares. This results in
quick overheating (i.e. rapid increases in market capitalization) once domestic
and international interest is generated in these markets due to regulatory changes
or other factors. The relatively small turnover of most stock in the emerging
markets also makes it difficult for large foreign investors to consider substantial
portfolio investment in these markets In fact, larger institutional investors often
prefer that companies they may invest in have a domestic market turnover of at
least $1 million per week. Custodial services in ESMs also continue to be a
major constraint to increased participation by large foreign institutional
investors.
Another concern among U.S. institutional investors is that the management staff
of the newly privatised firms may not be sufficiently concerned about enhancing
the value of their company`s shares (i.e. there appears to be an agency
problem). This will have adverse implications for attractiveness of these
investments from the long-term point of view. Under these circumstances, short-
term yields would be high (which may interest a different group of investors
private investors and performance-based traders). Regulatory constraints and the
tower level of sophistication of the capital markets in the developing countries
were cited by U.S. institutional investors as other impediments to greater
portfolio flows to emerging markets. U.S. institutional investors are expected to
take advantage of Rule 144A and significantly increase their investment in
private equity and debt offerings by non-U.S. entities.
PORTFOLIO CAPITAL FLOWS: HOT OR COLD?
Much of the literature implicitly presumes that it is possible to distinguish hot
from cold capital flows simply by knowing the nature of the financial instrument
being traded or the identity of the transactor. Perhaps the most salient example
of this is the presumption that short-term flows are hotter than long-term flows.
The basic idea in the literature is that a hot money inflow is likely to disappear
or even reverse itself in the near future, whereas a cold money inflow is more
likely to persist. Short-term capital inflows are like cars sitting in the parking lot
with the engine running.
The nation that one can make inferences about the characteristics of financial
flows by just observing their label is not new in economic. There is much
convention wisdom that show capital flows reflect speculative, unstable
behaviour while flows reflect evaluations of long run profitability and are based
on fundamental economic condition. The flows of funds approach used by many
central banks and others for a analysis of the domestic economy developments is
based on labels which are deemed meaningful.
This view has also been an important part of the traditional analysis of
international finance for many years. In fact, the structure of balance of
payments accounts reflects an implicit theory that different types of capital
flows have different economic implications. For example, the distinction
between short-term hot money and long-term capital flows undoubtedly
reflects the view that short-term capital movements are speculative and
reversible while long-term capital flows are based on fundamentals and are
reversed only when the fundamentals change. The fact that capital control
programmes in many countries distinguish between short-and long-term
positions also points to the importance attached to this distinction.
Another important distinction found in balance of payments accounts is between
official capital flows, including changes in international reserves, and private
capital flows. A common view in the context of current capital inflows into
developing countries which is based on labels is that such flows are
fundamentally different form inflows to these same countries in the 1970s
because the current inflows are private-to-private transactions not guaranteed by
the government of any country.
Finally, it is often argued that direct investment has different implications for the
host and recipient countries as compared to other capital flows. For example,
direct investment capital flows are often associated with technology transfers
and a range of costs and benefits for both countries. An implicit assumption
behind these ideas is that the transactions reported in the balance accounts are
closely related to the behaviour of interest in the real economy.
This reasoning based on the label of the flow at times underlies substantive
policy measures. Once a flow is identified as hot money, it is then seen as
requiring some policy response. At various times countries (especially
developing countries) have responded with exchange rate management,
(sterilised) intervention, fiscal contraction, borrowing taxes, absolute foreign
borrowing constraints, and reserve requirements.
There are a number of good reasons to doubt, however, that the micro nature of
international capital flows reveals much about the economic importance of such
flows. Since many assets are (increasingly becoming) tradable, a distinction
between flows based on their terms (for example, short versus long) is
(increasingly becoming) less meaningful. A treasury bond with a 30-year
maturity can easily be more liquid, and thus lead to a higher volatility of short-
term flows than a 30-day time deposit at a commercial bank. And, a short-term
asset, which is, rolled over can in many ways he identical to a long-term asset.
Furthermore, the explicit label given to a flow may not cover its implicit nature.
For instance the inflows to developing countries in the 1970s were private
capital flows in name, the universal government guarantees of both lenders and
borrowers considerably subdued the discipline of the market. In effect the
capital flows that helped generate the debt crisis of 1982 should have been
considered official capital flows since the private parties undertaking the
transactions relied on a government guarantee (and ex post, private claims
indeed became the liability of the government). This presumably made private
investors less careful than they would have been in the absence of guarantees.
This experience should act as a warning against evaluating capital flows
according to their label (for example, the instrument traded or the transactor
recorded in the balance of payments statistics). In the past few years inflows to
developing countries have taken the form of non-guaranteed portfolio
investments and direct investments. If the behaviour behind such investments is
different in some important way, it follows that we may not be inviting another
debt crisis even if conditions change as they did in 1982. But if the flows are to a
significant extent guaranteed by the government, their label private may be
meaningless. Clearly, in thinking about stability, an important attribute is thus
the contingent liability of the government.
The starting point should then also be a clear methodology on how the
hypothetical economic implications of different types of capital flows can be
identified empirically. If credit markets were perfect and complete, the form of
capital flows would not be important. A useful analog here is the Miller-
Modigliani theorem from corporate finance. Under a set of strong assumptions,
the structure of assets and liabilities among various types of debt and equity
have no effect on the value of the firm because investors can offset the structure
chosen by the firm in credit markets. If we think of the balance of payments
accounts as records of how a country finances its international capital Position it
follows that under the Miller-Modigliani assumptions, the structure of capital
flows and the structure of the gross international asset and liability positions
would be unrelated to the country`s net indebtedness.
It might be useful here to look at an analogous issue that has recently been
carefully explored in a closed economy context. That issue is whether a credit
crunch contributed to a downturn in economic activity. This is an interesting
hypothesis because it explicitly rests on the view that one type of financial
transaction, in this case loans by domestic banks to domestic non-financial
firms, had important economic effects.
This view is an important part of the (new literature on business cycles, which
links financial structures and real activity. This literature provides a useful
analytical framework that can be adapted to a discussion of international
financial flows. It points out that the importance of changes in bank credit for
economic activity, as opposed to bank liabi1ities or money, is an empirical
issue. If good substitutes for bank credit exist in an economy, it follows that a
decline in bank credit that is not matched by a decline in money will have no
effect on economic activity. Firms would easily substitute other forms of credit,
for example commercial paper, to offset the reduction in bank credit. In contrast,
if banks have special information about their customers that is not easily
transferred to other lenders, a reduction of bank credit will not be easily offset
by borrowing from other institutions or markets. In this case an interruption in
bank credit could have a depressing effect on expenditures and output.
There are two important lessons from this,. First, meaningful tests of the
importance of capital account transactions require a specification of the
economic behaviour of interest. Second, a financial transaction is likely to have
measurable effects on the specified economic behaviour in cases where the
institutional environment, information structures, or other departures from
complete markets limit the ability of investors to substitute one type of
transaction for another in response to changing incentives.
The view that labels matter can take comfort from the fact that international
financial markets are not complete and transactions are subject to a large number
of distortions. Many of these are imposed by governments in the form of
controls on types of transactions that are considered undesirable. Moreover,
subsidies often take the form of a government guarantee of private liabilities,
favourable tax treatment on earnings (direct investment), or access to special
government facilities (debt equity swaps). Each of these distortions is designed
to encourage or discourage a given type of capital transaction.
Furthermore, governments also intervene directly in international capital
markets. Developing country governments borrow for long-term objectives and,
increasingly, in middle-income countries, to offset short-run pressures on
exchange rates and domestic interest rates. A difficulty thus arises in interpreting
private capital flows that are sterilised by intervention transactions by the central
bank as, to some extent, the composition of private capital flows is conditioned
by governments` capital transactions. Clearly a country trying to maintain
interest rates above its trading partners in some sense generates the private
capital inflow by standing ready to match private inflows with official outflows
in the form of increases in reserve assets. Such private inflows are sustainable
as long as the official capital outflows are sustainable.
In general, if international capital transactions are effectively distorted by taxes,
subsidies and direct intervention, the structure of private capital flows might
follow predictable patterns as long as the structure of distortions itself is stable.
Over a period the financial transactions are motivated by a variety of economic
forces. Over time the institutional framework changes, the behaviour of the
official sector probably changes, the exchange rate regime changes, capital
control programmes come and go, and banking markets (both on and offshore)
develop, fail, and are recapitalised.
The final economic behaviour that seems to provide the most appropriate test for
the importance of various capital flows is the net inter trade among countries,
conventionally measured by the current account. While there are other
interesting candidates, for example, the exchange rate, questions about the
sustainability of certain type of capital flows are motivated by concern about the
sustainability of a path for changes in net indebtedness to the rest of the world,
that is, the mirror image of the cumulative current account balance.
Policymakers wish to assess the likelihood of sudden and destabilising changes
in the total capital account not just its components.
On a macro level, national accounts identities state that the sum of all capital
flows is equal to the difference between savings and investment. For a given
savings investment imbalance, capital flows have to satisfy an adding-up
constraint. Unless flows influence domestic investment or domestic savings (or
a combination of the two), some substitution between the various flows has to
occur, for a given current account, the volatility of one flow will on aggregate be
canceled out. The extent of interaction between the various components and the
possibility of systematic interactions between components thus needs to be
addressed before making inferences from the parts to the whole.
A fundamental difficulty this is that the linkage between current account and any
of the capital flows data series might be very weak. For one thing we know that
gross capital inflows and outflows are several times larger than net capital flows.
Yet it is the net flow that we are interested in when considering sustainability of
current account position. It seems clear that the motivation for two-way flows of
international capital are very different from the genera! view that developing
countries should be net capital importers and that each type of transaction should
show a net inflow.
For example, residents of a small open economy might hold most of their
financial wealth in the form of foreign clans since this allows them to diversify
their income streams and protect themselves from domestic taxation and income
shocks. Offsetting this preference would be the tendency for foreign investors to
purchase claims on the country again in order to diversify their risk. This
diversification motive for international capital movements might account for
much of the recorded flows in balance of payments data.
Moreover, it might be the case that residents of wealthy countries prefer long-
term investments such as bonds or loans while residents of developing countries
prefer short-term investments such as bank deposits. In this case, we would
expect to see short-term capital outflow from developing countries matched by
long-term loans to residents of developing countries. These preferences imply
nothing about the desired imbalance in the capital or current account.
In fact, the short-term positions of residents might be quite stable if there are
relatively few alternative investments. In contrast, the long-term capital inflow
to the developing country might take several alternative forms. In one year
foreign investors might prefer equities, in another bank loans, and in another
bonds, These preferences might in tutu reflect subtle changes in tax rules (in the
industrial countries) that the analyst would find difficult to identify. The point is
that the pattern of financial intermediation might be quite stable for a while but
that small differences in the institutional framework, due to either regulation or
innovation in credit markets, might alter the form that the intermediation taken
in balance of payments statistics.
In general, direct investment is a difficult capital flow to interpret. Balance of
payments data on direct investment include short-and long-term capital
transactions of a loosely defined set of reporters who own more than a given
percent of the equity in a domestic or foreign chartered firm. Because direct
investors hold factories and other assets that are impossible to move, it is
sometimes assumed that a direct investment inflow is more stable than other
forms of capital flows.
This need not be the case. While a direct investor usually has some immovable
assets, there is no reason in principle why these cannot be fully offset by
domestic liabilities. Clearly, a direct investor can borrow in order to export
capital, and thereby generate rapid capital outflows. In most developing
countries, there are Laws against
This, so it would be surprising to see negative flows for foreign domestic
investment in developing country. There could, however, be offsetting
movements in other balance payments accounts or in errors and omissions.
On a micro level, there is also much (anecdotal) evidence that, from the point of
view of foreign direct investors, flows with very different classifications are
actually close substitutes. Multinationals often substitute between and among the
various forms of intercompany transfers (retained earnings, provision of and
repatriation of capital, and intercompany loans) and loans from local or foreign
banks for example, to achieve higher profits net of overall taxes. In other cases,
flows may be complementary, that is foreign investment may take place through
a combination of FDI and portfolio equity investment.
THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF A POSSIBLE MULTILATERAL
FRAMEWORK (MFI)
The development of an MFI if such a framework were to be negotiated, would
represent a change in the policy-framework cluster of determinants. Although
such a framework might also affect some elements of business facilitation (such
as investment incentives), it would not involve significant and direct changes in
the principal economic determinants. Indeed, by making FDI policies potentially
more similar, an MFI would underline the importance of economic (and
business facilitation) factors in determining FDI flows.
The precise effect of an MFI on the policy-framework cluster of determinants
would depend on its content, including definitions, scope and safeguards.
Because an MFI is only a hypothesis, three scenarios, based on differing
assumptions, are discussed below for purely analytical purposes. The specific
implications of each scenario would vary from country to country in accordance
with specific economic and developmental conditions and specific national
stances vis-a ?vis FDI.
If there were an MFI, how would it affect the volume and pattern of FDI flows?
One conceivable outcome of an MET is that -it would help to increase FDI
flows and perhaps affect other features of such flows as well. Such an outcome
is based in part on the assumption that a multilateral agreement would not only
consolidate recent changes towards more liberal policies by many countries but
would incorporate rollback provisions requiring countries to commit
themselves to reducing or eliminating existing barriers to PDI and strengthening
investment protection and the proper functioning of markets. Even in the
absence of further liberalisation, a multilateral framework could facilitate
investment by providing stronger assurances as compared with unilateral or even
bilateral measures when it comes to the protection of FDI and the stability of
domestic FDI regimes. The presumably greater stability, predictability and
transparency resulting from an MFI would create a generally more favourable
climate for investors. The impact on inflows might be greatest for those
countries that we not already signatories to bilateral, regional, multilateral or
multilateral investment agreements, and countries whose current policies, even
if favourable to FDI are not considered sufficiently predictable by investors. At
the same time, whether or not FDI flows would actually increase and whether
there would be a change in the quality and patterns of flows would depend on
the precise content of an agreement, the nature of national commitments and
exceptions to the generalised multilateral rules and, of course, the other EDT
determinants that would come into play at that point.
A second conceivable outcome of an MFI is that it could actually reduce the
quantity and quality of FDI flows, because the negotiation of an MFI would take
several years creating uncertainties about the investment climate worldwide and
thereby discouraging foreign investors. Further, even if negotiations did produce
an agreement, the MFI that would result could conceivably enshrine a less
liberal multilateral environment than has already evolved unilaterally or
regionally. Such an MFI could also alter the patterns of PDI flows across
geographic regions and industries In particular, an MFI might reduce FDI flows
to countries that gain from the currently restrictive policies of their competitors
for such investment and increase flows to otherwise desirable locations that are
receiving little inward FDI because of uncertainties about policies.
A third conceivable outcome of a possible MFI is that it would have little or no,
impact on the quantity and quality of FDI flows, as it would not materially alter
the policy framework for FDI. One reason why this might be the result is that
there has already been significant liberalisation in many countries, in particular
in many developing countries and countries in transition, during the 1980s and
1990s; and this liberalization has contributed to surge of FDI flows that reached
a new record in 1997. Therefore, an MET that contains, for example, standstill
provisions requiring countries to commit themselves not to introduce new
barriers to FDI, lower standards of investment treatment or measures likely to
impair the proper functioning of markets would essentially maintain the status
quo, as far as the openness of economies to FDI, their treatment of foreign
affiliates and the functioning of their markets are concerned. Moreover the:
extensive network of bilateral investment treaties, which numbered over 1,500
by the end of 1997 would provide protection for investors and could be easily
extended to additional countries, Finally, on this view, there would be no
significant effects on the geographic patterns of FDI flows, as they are largely
influenced by other FDI determinants.
On balance, these considerations suggest that an MFI would improve the
enabling environment for FDI, to the extent that t would contribute to greater
security for investors and greater stability, predictability and transparency in
investment policies an rules. This, in turn, could encourage higher FDI flows
and potentially some redistribution of those flows particularly to countries
whose investment climates would newly reflect the multilateral framework.
How much difference an MFI would make, however, in terms of the quantity,
quality anti patterns of actual FDI flows difficult to predict because as in the
case of BITs, it is precisely the function of enabling framework to allow other
determinants, and especially economic determinants to assert their influence.
Expectations about the impact of an MFI on FDI flows (if it were indeed to be
negotiated) in comparison to the current regulatory framework and the direction
in which it is developing should, therefore, not be exaggerated. There are, of
course, other issues that need to be considered in connection with a possible
MFI especially the possible role of such an agreement in providing a framework
for intergovernmental cooperation in the area of investment.
Although the most profound shifts among FDI determinants result from
integrated international strategies, especially complex strategies, the traditional
economic determinants related to large markets, trade barriers and non-tradable
services are still at work, and account for a large share of worldwide FDI flows.
Data on the distribution of sales of foreign affiliates of United States TNCs in
host countries are indicative in this regard: two-thirds of TNC activity is still of
this type. These figures are higher in the services sector, including trading
affiliates, and lower in manufacturing bat they do not change the overall
outcome.
Some of the largest national markets remain unmatched in size by the largest
regional markets or even by entire continents. For example, the market the
European Union during most of its existence has been smaller than the United
States market; the market of the African continent (without South Africa) is
smaller than that of the Republic of Korea; and the combined markets of the 14
Central and Eastern European countries are smaller than the market of Brazil.
As regards trade barriers, even though the general trend h been towards the
reduction or even abolition of tariffs and quotas, they continue to remain in force
in several (especially developing) countries and in some industries in a much
wider group of countries, These continue to generate import FDI and discourage
efficiency-seeking FDI. In non-tradable services, as well as goods that are
perishable or need to be adapted to consumer preferences or local standards, the
market-seeking motivation, and the corresponding locational attractiveness of
host countries, remain as strong as ever. In fact, there has been an explosion of
FDI in the services sector as a result of the general trend towards the
liberalisation of FDI frameworks for services.
Still, although FDI remains strongly driven by its traditional determinants, the
relative importance of different locational determinants for competitiveness-
enhancing FDI is shifting. For example, again using United States data for
foreign affiliates in manufacturing though it is still true that these affiliates are
predominantly oriented towards domestic markets: their domestic sales have
dropped from 64 per cent in 1982 to 60 per cent in 1993. A similar trend can be
observed in tradable services (e.g. computer and data-processing services) in
which domestic sales declined from 85 to 81 per cent over the same period.
Perhaps more telling are data for United States foreign affiliates in the European
Union, as the evolving policy framework there is more indicative of the EDI
policy framework emerging globally: sales to local markets in that region
declined from 76 per cent to 64 per cent between 1966 and 1993, while exports
increased from 24 per cent to 36 per cent.
In their quest for competitiveness, TNCs assign a particularly important role to
obtaining access to created (or strategic) assets: the principal wealth-creating
assets and a key source of competitiveness for firms. Created assets can be
tangible like the stock of financial and physical assets such as the
communication infrastructure or marketing networks, or intangible. The list of
intangible assets is long, but they have a common denominator: knowledge.
They include skills, attitudes (e.g. attitudes to wealth creation and business
culture), capabilities (technological, innovatory, managerial and leading
capabilities), competencies (e.g. to organise income-generating assets
productively), relationships (such as interpersonal relationships forged by
individuals or contacts -with governments), as well as the stock of information,
trade marks, goodwill and brainpower. These assets can be embodied in both
individuals and firms and the can sometimes be enhanced by clusters of firms
and economic activities.
The importance of created intangible assets in production and other economic
activities has increased considerably. A large proportion of the costs of many
final goods and services, ranging from simple products such as cereals through
books computers to automobiles, consists of the costs of such created assets as
R&D, design, advertising, distribution and legal work. Less than 10 per cent of
the production of automobiles now consists of labour costs; the rest relates to the
contributions various created assets. Moreover, international competition
increasingly takes place through new products and processes and these are often
knowledge based. R&D activities leading to new products and processes are
costly and risky. At the same time, markets for knowledge-based resources and
assets are becoming more open and enterprises embodying these assets can be
bought and sold. The result is that TNCs have taken advantage of these
opportunities and used FDI as a major means of acquiring created assets and
enhancing corporate competitiveness.
CAPITAL INFLOWS AND OVERHEATING
The key short-run macroeconomic concern associated with a surge in capital
inflows that of an excessive expansion of aggregate demand that is,
macroeconomic overheating. This outcome can be produced through the
following transmission mechanism :
i) If a country maintains an officially determined exchange rate, the commitment
to defend the parity causes the central bank to intervene in the foreign exchange
market to purchase the foreign exchange generated by the capital inflow. To do
so, the central bank creates high-powered domestic money.
ii) This expansion of the monetary base creates a corresponding expansion in
broader measures of the money supply, lowering domestic interest rates and
raising domestic asset prices.
iii) This action in turn triggers an expansion of aggregate demand. If the
economy possesses excess capacity, the short-run implications maybe to
increase domestic economic activity and cause the current account of the
balance of payments to deteriorate. Eventually, however (and perhaps rather
quickly if domestic excess capacity is limited), excess capacity will be absorbed
and the expansion in demand will trigger acceleration in domestic inflation.
iv) If the exchange rate peg is maintained, rising domestic prices will cause real
exchange rate to appreciate, abetting the current account deterioration associated
with the expansion in aggregate demand.
POLICIES TO CONTROL OVERHEATING
To avoid potential overheating, developing countries can and have intervened
every step in this transmission process. Policy can attempt to reduce the required
scale of intervention in the foreign exchange market, restrict the monetary
expansion associated with a given magnitude of intervention, and offset through
other means the effects on aggregate demand of a given magnitude of monetary
expansion. These policies are not exclusive, and most countries have brought a
wide variety of these instruments into play.
Some policies have restricted the required scale of intervention in the foreign
exchange market, either through reducing the capital account surplus of the
balance of payments or through an offsetting increase in the current account
deficit. The main instruments available to the authorities are the following:
The magnitude of gross capital inflows can be reduced by imposing a variety of
direct or indirect controls on inflows.
Even if gross inflows are freely allowed, the liberalisation of capital outflows or
the accelerated repayment of public debt can be undertaken to attempt to reduce
net inflows.
The implications of a net capital account surplus on the foreign exchange market
can he counteracted by accelerating trade liberalisation to increase the current
account deficit.
The most extreme option in this category would be to eliminate all foreign
exchange market intervention by floating the exchange rate. The resulting
appreciation of the domestic currency would both reduce net inflows through the
capital account and create a current account offset.
There are two policies that restrict the magnitude of the monetary expansion
associated with a given amount of intervention in the foreign exchange market:
i) Expansion of base money associated with a given amount of intervention car
be restricted by sterilising the effects of intervention on the monetary base--
that is, by contracting domestic credit to offset the expansion of the net foreign
assets of the central bank, through mechanisms such as open market operations
or transferring public sector deposits from commercial banks to the central bank.
ii) Increasing reserve requirements on domestic financial institutions reduces the
impact of the expansion of the monetary base on the growth of broader
monetary aggregates
Sterilised intervention was the most widely and intensively used policy response
to the arrival of capital inflows among the countries. But can sterilisation be
effective? This essentially depends on relative substitutability among assets,
both between domestic and foreign interest-bearing assets and among` different
types of domestic assets. If domestic interest-bearing assets are perfect
substitutes among themselves, then the issue of whether sterilisation can work
amounts to whether it is possible to prevent a change in demand for domestic
interest-bearing assets from causing a change in their price through a suitable
quantity response. Clearly, this will depend on the degree of substitutability
between domestic and foreign interest-bearing assets. If they are close to perfect
substitutes, then the quantity response would have to approach infinity to
prevent a price response. This is what is typically meant by the impossibility of
sterilisation.
However, it is also possible for sterilisation to be ineffective in preventing a
change in the price of domestic assets even if foreign and domestic interest-
bearing assets are imperfect substitutes. This is the case when domestic assets
are imperfect substitutes among themselves and a capital inflow represents an
increased demand for a particular type of domestic asset that the central bank
cannot provide, either directly or indirectly. In this case, sterilised intervention
that keeps the monetary base constant, by issuing an asset other than that
demanded by the agents generating the capital inflow, could not prevent relative
price adjustments among domestic assets as portfolio equilibrium is restored. If
such price adjustments cannot be avoided, then it may not feasible to insulate
aggregate demand. For example aggressive sterilisation in Mexico did not
prevent the arrival of capital inflows from being associated with a stock market
boom. One interpretation of this experience is that external creditors wished to
acquire equity in Mexican firms, while the sterilisation instrument issued by the
central bank consists of claims on the Mexican government. In this case the
maintenance of portfolio equilibrium in the wake of increased external demand
for Mexican equity would ha required higher equity prices in Mexico even if the
sterilisation of capital inflows had been complete.
Because sterilisation involves the issuance of additional domestic debt, and
because its effectiveness depends on substitutability among domestic assets the
form that it takes may matter for both its effectiveness and its desirability.
Capital-importing countries have used three alternative sterilisation techniques:
i) transferring public sector deposits out of the commercial banking system and
into the central bank.
ii) selling public sector bonds in secondary bond markets.
iii) increasing the reserve requirements on domestic banks.
While these techniques share the common objective of stabilising the domestic
money supply, the analysis below suggests that their macroeconomic effects
may be quite different.
STERILISATIONS THROUGH TRANSFERS OF PUBLIC SECTOR
DEPOSIT
Consider the effects of a capital inflow triggered by a shift in private sector
(domestic or foreign) preferences from foreign to domestic interest-bearing
assets. To effect this portfolio reallocation, the private sector has to sell foreign
exchange to the domestic central bank. When the public sector offsets a
purchase of foreign exchange by transferring public sector deposits from
commercial banks to the central bank, it leaves the stock base money unchanged
but exchanges a claim on the domestic banking system for an external claim. At
the same time the private sector changes its portfolio in the opposite direction.
There are two ways that the macroeconomic equilibrium can be affected by
transaction, even if the monetary base is unchanged. First, if interest-bearing
deposits in the domestic banking system are imperfect substitutes in private
portfolios for other domestic interest-baring assets, then private portfolio
equilibrium will be disturbed unless the domestic asset for which there is
increased demand happens to be deposits in the domestic banking system. If that
is the case, then the private sector and government simply exchange claims on
the banking system and there are no price implications the transaction. But if it
is not the case, then relative domestic asset prices will have change to maintain
portfolio equilibrium. If the initial asset shift was toward dome securities, for
instance, the yield on such securities would presumably have to fall a interest
rates on bank assets and liabilities would have to rise.
The second effect is a fiscal one. To the extent that the yield on domestic
deposits differs from the yield on foreign exchange reserves, the solvency of the
domes public sector will be affected by the transaction. In the particular case of
sterilisation through shifts in public sector deposits, the liquidity services
provided by such deposits suggest that the public sector`s net interest receipts
could rise or fall as a result of sterilisation operation.
STERILISATION THROUGH OPEN MARKET OPERATIONS
Open market sterilised intervention requires the central bank to sell enough
domes bonds to purchase the foreign exchange associated with the inflow,
thereby leaving the monetary base unchanged but increasing the stock of
outstanding domestic pub sector debt. The amount of new debt is therefore equal
to the increase in demand interest- bearing claims on the domestic economy.
The effect of the transaction on central bank`s balance sheet is to leave its
liabilities (the base) unchanged, but change the composition of its assets,
reducing its claims on the domestic government and increasing its international
reserves. From the standpoint of the nonfinancial public sector as a whole,
sterilised intervention amounts to a portfolio transaction in which the domestic
nonfinancial public sector issues interest debts denominated domestic currency
in order to acquire a foreign interest-bearing claim.
Sterilised intervention through open market operations is not likely to be
costless, however. The portfolio reallocation implied for the public sector
involves issuing a high yielding liability (domestic currency debt) in exchange
for a lower-yielding asset (international reserves). This interest differential
leaves the public sector in a weakened financial position. The net adverse effect
of such transactions on the public sector`s solvency is overstated by the interest
differential, however, because this differential exists in part to compensate
creditors for the currency and country risk associated with holding domestic
public debt. By issuing such debt in exchange for reserves, the public sector is
receiving a benefit that partly offsets the interest penalty that is, the option to
reduce the real value of its obligations by devaluing or defaulting. Nonetheless,
these benefits may be worthless to a government that never intends to , exercise
these options (but is unable to convince its creditors of this fact). In this case,
sterilised intervention carries a fiscal burden, the cost of which depends on the
ease with which an offsetting fiscal adjustment can he effected.
As in the previous case, the conditions required for sterilisation through open
market operations to be effective in insulating the domestic economy are that
domestic interest-bearing assets must be perfect substitutes among themselves
or, if they are not, that sterilisation operations must be capable of supplying
precisely those assets that are in increased demand.
STERILISATION THROUGH RESTRICTIONS ON DOMESTIC
CREDIT GROWTH
Sterilised intervention through transfers of public sector deposits and open
market bond sales operates by fixing the size of the monetary base. An
alternative is to allow the base to expand as a result of central bank intervention
in the foreign exchange market, but to restrict expansion of the money sup ply
by raising reserve requirements on banks, thus causing the money multiplier to
contract.
Again, the objective is to fix the price of domestic interest-hearing assets in the
face of an increase in the demand for such assets. From a portfolio allocation
perspective, this policy works, in principle, by having the private sector rather
than the central bank issue the domestic interest assets that are in increased
demand. When commercial banks face higher reserve requirements, they are
forced to absorb the additional monetary base emitted by the central bank in the
course of its foreign. exchange operations, rather than acquire domestic interest
assets in the form of credit extended to domestic agents. The contraction of
credit on the part of commercial banks causes domestic agents who would
otherwise have borrowed from these banks to instead issue securities. Since
these securities are precisely the assets that are in increased demand by the non
bank public, the supply of domestic interest-bearing assets expands to meet
demand, so there is no change in the price of such assets.
However, bank borrowers squeezed out of credit markets by higher reserve
requirements may not have access to securities markets and thus may he unable
to supply the assets that are in higher demand. Borrowers with low net worth
who lack other forms of collateral are able to obtain credit only from institutions
that are highly specialised in evaluating and monitoring loans (banks). Such
borrowers cannot securitise their liabilities. If this is the case, then there is a
prima facie case for m substitutability among the relevant domestic assets when
sterilisation is pursued a policy of altering reserve requirements, suggesting that
insulation of the economy is less likely to be achieved under this policy than
through open market operations.
An additional difference between sterilisation through restrictions on domestic
credit and through open market operations is fiscal cost. In the case of domestic
credit restriction, the public sector still acquires interest foreign assets but does
so by emitting non interest-bearing liabilities (that is, the monetary base). Thus,
the public sector`s fiscal situation actually improves when sterilisation is
effected by increasing reserve requirements. This approach, however, implicitly
taxes private agents. The requirement that banks hold a larger stock of non-
interest hearing reserves imposes an explicit tax on them, which must be
apportioned in some way among bank depositors, borrowers, and shareholders.
The incidence of the tax will depend on the elasticity supply of bank deposits,
as well as on the demand for bank loans.
OFFSETTING THE IMPACT OF MONETARY EXPANSION ON
AGGREGATE DEMAND
If the arrival of capital inflows is permitted to result in the expansion of broad
monetary aggregates, the expansionary effects on aggregate demand can be
neutralised through fiscal contraction.
Fiscal adjustment was a key component of the stabilization and market-oriented
refer programmes that many countries undertook prior to receiving capital
inflow Consequently, it is difficult to interpret a tight fiscal stance, or a further
tightening of that stance, as a policy response to capital inflows rather than as a
continuation of an ongoing adjustment process. Whatever the reason, a tighter
fiscal stance during the inflow episode does help reduce aggregate demand
pressures.
How successful are these policies in preventing the overheating associated with
a surge in capital inflows? Once again, macroeconomic performance can be
understood in terms of the transmission mechanism, that operates during the
inflow episodes According to this mechanism two conditions are necessary for
capital inflows to have a expansionary impact on aggregate demand. First, a
change in the net private capital inflow must represent an addition to the
country`s capital account surplus, rather than merely a change in the identity,
whether private or public, of the country`s external creditors. Second, the central
bank must intervene actively in the foreign exchange market, purchasing the
additional foreign exchange generated by the capital inflows.
POLICY REGIMES AND VULNERABILITY
In the context of financial integration, vulnerability refers to the possibility that
a country may find itself confronted with a sudden, large, and relatively lo
reduction in net capital inflows. The challenge to policymakers is to identify and
implement policies that can minimise (or at least do rot magnify) vulnerability to
external financial shocks. The creditors (both domestic and foreign) can be
expected to take their capital out of a country when they think that a policy
change could impair the value of their investment, then vulnerability will arise
when the perception is created that a devaluation, nonpayment of public sector
debt, or the imposition of restrictions on capital outflows is about io occur. Such
expectations are likely to arise when the real exchange rate is perceived to be out
of line, the government`s debt obligations are large, fiscal adjustment is
perceived as politically or administratively infeasible, or the country`s growth
prospects are bleak. From the perspective of creditors, therefore, a high share of
investment in absorption and a strong record of growth, a low stock of
government obligations coupled with demonstrated fiscal flexibility (in the form
of small deficits and low inflation), and a real exchange rate broadly perceived
to be in line with fundamentals all augur well for future debt service. These
characteristics are most directly associated with a country`s ability to avoid
vulnerability. From a policy perspective, countries need to have an active
exchange rate policy that avoids substantial appreciation of the real exchange
rate and responsible fiscal policies.
MACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT WITH GROWING
INTEGRATION
Short of the crisis situation associated with vulnerability, cross-border capital
flows may exhibit substantial volatility that is temporary shocks to either capital
inflows or out flows caused by changes in world economic conditions or by less
extreme changes in portfolio managers` perceptions of domestic
creditworthiness. This increased volatility may well be a fact of life for
developing countries as they become more integrated with international
financial markets, even after stock adjustment inflows associated with the
transition have tapered oft, and even if severe crises are avoided.
The most direct response to external financial volatility is to contain its impact
by restricting the movement of capital that is, imposing capital controls.
However, economists have long questioned both the effectiveness and the
desirability of such restrictions. We take up each of these issues in turn.
CAPITAL CONTROLS ARE OF QUESTIONABLE EFFECTIVENESS
Although economists tend to have strong views about the effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of capital controls, empirical evidence on the issue is ambiguous.
Assessing the effectiveness of controls is complicated by a host of factors,
including the definition of effectiveness itself (that is, what is the objective to be
achieved) and the conditions that determine the effectiveness of different types
of controls. It may b argued that the effectiveness of capital controls can only be
measured relative to the objective they are designed to achieve. There are three
basic types of objectives: to preserve some degree of domestic monetary
autonomy over a period of time, to restrict the magnitude of net capital flows
into or out of the country, and to affect the composition of capital flows.
However, because monetary autonomy cannot be achieved unless the magnitude
of net flows is restricted, these three objectives boil down to two: restricting the
size of net capital flows and affecting their composition.
CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CONTROLS
The effectiveness of controls may depend on a variety of factors that not only
differ across countries but also change over time as the process of financial
integration proceeds. These factors includes:
The state of technology. This affects transaction costs in conducting
arbitrage among different financial centers. The lower the costs, the more
difficult it will be to implement effective controls.
The extent of international cooperation in reporting cross-border
claims. In the case of controls on outflows, for example, host countries
may be unwilling to declare the assets of residents from capital-exporting
countries, whether or not these residents try to circumvent foreign
exchange regulations.
The size of the misalignment motivating inflows or outflows. If effecting
a capital inflow or outflow for an arbitrage operation involves a fixed
cost imposed by the control regime, then the deterrent effect of this cost
may be nullified if the arbitrage gains promise to exceed the cost.
The design of the controls themselves, in particular their
comprehensiveness. Controls that are not comprehensive for example,
those that apply to only certain types of flows can be evaded by changing
the composition of flows. While such controls would be ineffective in
preserving monetary autonomy (or limiting the total magnitude of
flows), they may, however, still be able to alter the composition of flows.
The structure of the domestic financial system. This may determine
the effectiveness of partial controls that leave room for evasion by
channeling flows through alternative domestic intermediaries.
The size of trade flows. This would determine the scope for under and
over invoicing, as well as for altering leads and for lags on trade credit.
The type of cross flows targeted by the controls that is, controls on
capital outflows may differ in effectiveness from controls on inflows, all
other things (that is, potential arbitrage margins) being equal. One
argument is that the residence of the capital-importing or exporting agent
may matter. Domestic residents may be more prepared than foreign
agents to evade restrictions, making controls on outflows less effective
than controls on inflows.
The efficiency of the controlling bureaucracy. In practice, restrictions
on capital movements have taken many forms, ranging from the outright
prohibition of a wide array of capital account trans-actions (such as those
that have given rise to parallel foreign exchange markets in both
industrial and developing countries) to prudential restrictions on the
acquisition of foreign assets by domestic pension funds or of foreign
liabilities by domestic banks. Different restrictions designed to achieve
different objectives can be expected to vary in effectiveness, both in
achieving their stated purposes and in the wider sense of financially
insulating the domestic economy from external shocks .Some analysts
have argued that controls of any type can be effective under any arbitrary
set of circumstances, while others have argued that controls of any type
can never be effective. Neither argument is valid. This means, in
particular, that the size of capital flows in the presence of controls is not
a reliable indicator of the effectiveness of controls, since large flows may
simply indicate large arbitrage opportunities.
ARE CAPITAL CONTROLS DESIRABLE?
Even if capital controls can be effective, that does not mean they should be used.
Since effective controls distort private economic decisions, the benefits of
imposing them should outweigh the costs. Arguments for restricting capital
movements as a way to control volatility and achieve macroeconomic
stabilisation under a high degree of financial integration are:
Incredible reforms. The first argument is that controls may be effective in
coping with distortions that arise when the government implements an incredible
stabilisation or trade liberalisation (one that observers do not believe it can carry
out). Lack of confidence in the government`s ability to sustain its announced
exchange rate or tariff policies may make external borrowing appear temporarily
cheap, with potentially destabilising effects on the domestic economy. The best
solution to this problem is for the government to take steps to achieve
credibility--most commonly, by getting its fiscal accounts into order--since
fiscal problems are often the cause of policy reversal. If this is not feasible,
controls on capital movements may be a second-best policy.
Insulation from shocks arising in the international financial market. The second
argument for capital controls on both inflows and out- flows is that they can
insulate the domestic economy from identifiable external financial shocks--that
is, they can limit the incidence of volatility by preserving some degree of
financial autarky. Since controls directly address the source of the shock they
may, it is argued, succeed in stabilizing the economy without introducing new
distortions. This argument for quantitative controls however, is less persuasive
than the first. From the country perspective, fluctuations in world interest rates
are just an inter temporal dimension of what terms of trade fluctuations are intra
temporally. If intra temporal price fluctuations do not require insulation, it is not
cleat why inter temporal fluctuations should do so.
Preservation of short-run monetary auto under perfect capital mobility, the
effectiveness of monetary policy can be preserved only if exchange rate policy is
flexible. In this case, however, unpleasant tradeoffs may arise between internal
(inflation) and external (current account) balance targets. Tight monetary policy
adopted to combat inflation, for example, would increase the domestic real
interest rate while causing the real exchange rate to appreciate, possibly
resulting in a deterioration of the trade balance. Capital controls would enable
the monetary authorities to avoid this tradeoff between targets by making it
possible to preserve monetary autonomy with an officially determined exchange
rate. Thus controls would, in effect, provide a second independent
macroeconomic instrument either monetary policy or the exchange rate-to
simultaneously address the two targets of inflation and the external balance of
payments. The benefits for macroeconomic management are large, however,
only if other stabilisation instruments are not available. If fiscal policy is
sufficiently flexible to be used for stabilisation purposes, for example, then price
stability and satisfactory current account performance can be pursued through
the combined use of fiscal and exchange rate policy.
Changing the composition of inflows. Finally, there is the argument that controls
can be used to alter the composition of capital inflows. Even if controls can be
used for this purpose, whether or not they should be depends on whether the
composition of inflows matters. Unfortunately, there is currently no consensus
on this issue.
A separate argument for being concerned with the composition of flows is that
certain types of inflows maybe driven by implicit government guarantees (for
example, external borrowing by domestic financial institutions) and thus may
not be welfare enhancing. But even if such flows could be discouraged by
capital controls, it is riot clear that the same implicit guarantees do not also
apply to other types of flows (such as direct lending to domestic firms) through
less direct means. If they do, then the case for altering the composition of flows
would have to rely on the differential welfare effects of direct government
guarantees extended to financial institutions for different types of flows. This
case seems plausible a priori.
Although many developing countries that maintained controls during the initial
period of financial integration seem to have preserved a meaningful degree of
monetary autonomy, i-he effectiveness of controls is likely to decrease as these
countries become more integrated. As condition change in these countries, the
evidence from industrial countries may become more relevant for them, and
controls will be able to preserve a degree of monetary autonomy for only a
limited period of time. In addition, controls have not been able to prevent large
capital outflows and inflows in response to large prospective arbitrage profits.
Finally, the controls can be effective in altering the composition of flows.
With regard to the desirability of implementing controls, it can be concluded
that,
Prudential restrictions on external borrowing and lending by domestic financial
institutions may plausibly be warranted. These restrictions on capital movements
have a clear second-best rationale, since they are directed at a specific distortion:
the inability of the government to credibly commit to removing certain implicit
guarantees.
Temporary restrictions on capital movements designed to address incredible
liberalisation or incredible stabilisation problems are also warranted if
credibility is not achievable, again on second-best grounds. Such restrictions
may be of limited effectiveness, however, if the size of the perceived arbitrage
margin is large.
Restrictions on capital inflows for more general macroeconomic stabilisation
purposes may he motivated by the desire to insulate the domestic economy from
pure external financial shocks or to preserve monetary autonomy in an effort
to free up an additional policy instrument. The first goal is questionable, since it
is based on the premise that the government is better informed about the
duration of shocks than the private sector. With regard to the second objective,
the best solution to this problem may be to increase the flexibility of fiscal
policy rather than adopt capital controls. At best, this objective provides an
argument for retaining restrictions as a transitory device, until the fiscal system
can be reformed to make fiscal policy an effective stabilisation tool.
EXCHANGE RATE POLICY
Different exchange rate systems can be and have been used by countries while
becoming integrated with (he rest of the world in particular, pure floating;
managed, or dirty, floating; fixed exchange rate; or a currency (or quasi-
currency) board. Each system has consequences for the effectiveness of
monetary and fiscal policy. Thus, while in a pure floating system fiscal policy is
less effective and monetary policy more effective, in a fixed exchange rate
system the opposite results. Therefore, the advantages or disadvantages of each
system vary from country to country depending on the nature nominal versus
real of the shocks affecting each country and the ability of the authorities to have
a flexible fiscal policy. Countries in which fiscal policy cannot be modified
effectively in the short run should not relinquish monetary policy completely by
adopting a fixed exchange rate system.
In the recent years an increasing number of economies have adopted flexibly
managed exchange rate systems, which give them the option of effectively
using monetary policy at the cost of eroding their credibility regarding inflation
targets. The few exceptions have been economies where the credibility of the
government was extremely low Hong Kong during the 1980s and Argentina and
Estonia during the 1990s of whom adopted currency boards because of the need
to regain market confidence. The major difficulty facing these economies,
however, is to maintain a flexible enough fiscal policy and build cushion such as
a large stock of international reserves to improve the resilience of the economy
to shocks.
In the aftermath of the Mexican crisis, many thought that the days of managed
exchange rate systems were over. However, most countries were able to go
through the Mexican crisis without modifying their exchange rate systems. The
evidence to date shows that in capital markets have been selective since the
Mexican episode and that fundamentals matter. Thus, there are indications that
officially determined exchange rates can be managed successfully within a
consistent macroeconomic policy framework.
Since managing the exchange rate indeed seems to be the preference of most
developing countries, the issue of how to manage the rate in a financially
integrated world become an important one. One way to approach this problem is
to consider the exchange rate regime as consisting of a band around a moving
central parity. The decisions that need to be made then consist of how to adjust
the parity, how wide to make the band, and how to intervene within the band.
The objective of central parity should be to maintain the competitiveness. This
means adjusting the parity not only in accordance with the domestic foreign
inflation differential but also in accordance with changes in underlying
equilbrium real exchange rates, which are given by permanent changes in
fundamental factors such as terms of trade, commercial policy, fiscal policy, and
condition in external financial market. Since the central parity seeks to track the
long-run equilibrium real exchange rate, the desirable width of the band depends
on the value to the domestic economy of an independent domestic monetary
policy. The larger the scope for the exchange rate to deviate from its central
parity that is, the wider the band-the greater the scope for an independent
domestic monetary policy, In turn, the usefulness of an independent monetary
policy for reducing volatility depends on the availability of alternative
stabilisation instruments (a flexible fiscal policy) and on the sources of shocks to
the economy. The traditional analysis of this issue focuses on the implications of
shocks in the domestic money (nominal) and goods (real) markets, the standard
prescription being that, holding fiscal policy constant, domestic real shocks call
for exchange rate flexibility, while domestic nominal shocks call for fixed
exchange rates. This suggests that if fiscal policy is not available (or is costly to
use) as a stabilisation instrument, countries in which domestic real shocks
predominate should adopt fairly wide bands, while those in which domestic
nominal shocks are dominant should keep the exchange rate close to its central
parity. With a flexible fiscal policy, however, domestic real shocks can be
countered through fiscal adjustments, thereby diminishing the value of
independent monetary policy as a stabilisation instrument. Thus the adoption of
a fairly narrow band is more likely to be consistent with the stabilisation
objective if fiscal policy is available as a stabilisation instrument.
Regarding intervention within the band, the logic of this analysis suggests that
for a given band width, active intervention should accompany nominal shocks,
whereas real shocks instead call for some combination of exchange rate and
fiscal adjustment. Consider, however, an alternative source of shock that is,
pure external financial shocks, say in the form of fluctuations in world interest
rates. In this case, exchange market intervention policy determines the form in
which the shock is transmitted to the domestic economy. If world interest rates
fall, for example, and active (unsterilised) intervention keeps the exchange rate
fixed at its central parity, domestic monetary expansion and lower domestic
interest rates will ensure an expansionary shock. If, on the other hand, the
central bank refrains form intervention, the domestic currency will appreciate in
real terms and the domestic real interest rate will rise a contractionary shock.
Purely from the perspective of stabilising domestic aggregate demand, the
appropriate intervention policy within the band in this case depends on the
direction in which it is feasible or desirable to move fiscal policy. If fiscal policy
is literally inflexible, then the choice confronting monetary authorities is
between real appreciation (under no intervention) or overheating (under full
unsterilised intervention). To avoid both overheating and real appreciation
requires a mix of fiscal contraction and intervention to keep the nominal
exchange rate close to its central parity.
Though crawling pegs remain a viable exchange rate option for developing
countries that become integrated into world capital markets. However, this
reduces the scope for deviating from fundamentals, as well as form commitment
to the announced regime. Managed rates are certainly capable of generating
macroeconomic volatility in this environment, but they have not generally done
so.
The following conclusions can be drawn with regard to exchange rate
management:
The central parity should be managed so as to track, to the extent possible, the
underlying long equilibrium real exchange rate, This means not just offsetting
inflation differentials but also adjusting the real exchange rate target to reflect
permanent changes in fundamentals. Large and persistent temporary
misalignments should be avoided, primarily because they threaten the
sustainability of the regime and make speculative attacks more likely.
Small temporary deviations from the central parity can play a useful stabilising
role when fiscal policy is inflexible and either real domestic shocks dominate or
exchange rate flexibility is required to ensure that external shocks affect
domestic demand in the right direction. In general, fiscal flexibility can
substitute for exchange rate flexibility as a stabilising device.
MONETARY POLICY
Fixing an exchange rate target in the face of capital movements implies central
bank intervention in the foreign exchange market, which has the effect of
altering the stock of base money. Sterilised intervention is the indicated policy
for a government attempting to simultaneously run an independent monetary
policy (targeting either some monetary aggregate or some domestic interest rate)
and fix the nominal exchange rate. However, if capital mobility is high, such an
attempt may not be successful in the absence of capital controls.
The purpose of sterilised (as opposed to unsterilised) intervention is to prevent a
change in the demand for domestic interest-bearing assets from causing too
large a change in the price of those assets, essentially by meeting the demand
shift with a supply response. Thus, sterilisation in response to capital inflows
involves an increase in the supply of domestic debt in one form or another. As in
the case of capital controls, the general issues that arise in this context are not
only whether sterilised intervention can work to stabilise domestic aggregate
demand but also, if it can, whether it is desirable. Even if sterilisation remains
possible for financially integrating developing countries, its effectiveness in
insulating domestic demand from external financial shocks is questionable.
Sterilisation is most effective when domestic interest-bearing assets are close
substitutes among themselves but are poor substitutes for foreign interest
bearing assets. Under these circumstances, sterilised intervention can insulate
domestic aggregate demand from transitory portfolio shocks. However, the
conditions necessary for sterilised intervention to be effective imply that its
effectiveness may depend on how it is attempted. Because bank borrowers may
not have access to securities markets, for example, sterilising by raising re3erve
requirements on banks is likely to be less effective in insulating the domestic
economy from portfolio disturbances than is sterilising through open market
bond sales.
If sterilisation is possible, when is it beneficial? The answer is that sterilisation
is beneficial whenever the prices of domestic assets need to be insulated from
shocks; that is, whenever the economy experiences transitory shocks to portfolio
preferences-- domestic nominal shocks or external financial shocks--or when
the authorities seek to accommodate a permanent change in portfolio
preferences in a gradual fashion. When this happens, domestic aggregate
demand can be stabilised by preventing changes in -4 portfolio preferences from
being transmitted to the real sector through changes in exchange rates and asset
prices. On the other hand, domestic real shocks do riot call for sterilised
intervention, since in this case the asset price adjustments triggered by the shock
are likely to prove stabilising.
The point for policymakers is that sterilised intervention may be indicated when
an economy experiences shocks to portfolio preferences. Even when it is
desirable for stabilisation purposes, however, sterilisation may carry a fiscal
cost, particularly for governments whose claimed intentions not to devalue or
default on debt are not fully credible, resulting in high domestic interest rates.
Thus, the use of this tool without impairing the government`s solvency requires
fiscal flexibility. Countries that lack such flexibility may be tempted to sterilise
through changes in reserve requirements, despite the likelihood that the use of
this tool will result in imperfect insulation, because the fiscal implications of
doing so are less adverse than those of open market operations. This advantage,
however, is at the cost of implicit taxation of banks and their customers.
FISCAL POLICY
From the standpoint of reducing volatility, the key characteristics of fiscal policy
are short-run flexibility, the perceived solvency of the public sector, and its
vulnerability to liquidity crises.
Short-run fiscal flexibility plays an important role in neutralising shocks
The importance of short-run fiscal flexibility can be observed from the reference
case of a pure external financial shock for a country with well-integrated
financial markets. In this case, sterilised intervention is not an option, and thus
the country has only one independent monetary policy instrument. Faced with an
external financial shock, the domestic monetary authorities can choose a value
for either the exchange rate or the domestic money supply (and thus the
domestic interest rate), but not for both. Therefore, when both the level and the
composition of aggregate demand are important, the authorities will find
themselves one instrument short and may face an unpleasant choice between,
say, stabilising domestic demand and safeguarding the competitiveness of
exports. This tradeoff suggests an important role for short-run fiscal flexibility.
If fiscal policy can be counted upon to sustain the level of aggregate demand at
its pre-shock value (by adopting a more or less expansionary stance as needed),
then the choice of monetary response can be based on the desired composition
of aggregate demand. In the absence of short-run fiscal flexibility, however, the
nature of the monetary response may depend on tradeoffs between the level and
composition of demand.
How can fiscal flexibility he achieved? There are at least two important
constraints tending to limit the flexibility of fiscal policy. The first concerns
inflexibility of fiscal instruments arising from inefficient tax systems that
associate large excess burdens with policy-induced changes in tax revenues, as
well as from political imperatives that tend to drive up the level of public
expenditures. Structural measures that remove rigidities on either the
expenditure or revenue side of the government`s budget-such as privatisation of
state enterprises and tax reform designed to widen the tax base and remove
egregious distortions in marginal tax rates, as welt as to improve the efficiency
of tax administration--can thus make an important contribution to enhancing
fiscal flexibility. The second restriction on fiscal flexibility arises from the
behaviour of creditors. If fiscal profligacy during good times causes creditors to
question fiscal solvency during bad times, then countercyclical fiscal measures
will be ruled out by an inability to finance deficits during downturns. The upshot
is that overly expansionary fiscal policy in response to positive shocks is likely
to make fiscal policy procyclical in both directions by constraining fiscal
flexibility when the economy is hit by adverse shocks. Thus a key step in
achieving symmetric fiscal flexibility is the implementation of mechanisms that
permit the fiscal authorities to restrain spending when times appear to be good.
Beyond the role of short-run stabilisation in response to external financial
shocks, fiscal policy plays a more fundamental role in the context of increased
financial integration, when both the direction and the magnitude of capital flows
are likely to become very sensitive to perceptions of domestic public sector
solvency. Potential Solvency can generate large capital outflows and large
interest rate premiums, as creditors try to avoid taxation of domestic assets while
demanding compensation for exposing themselves to the risk of taxation they
face by continuing to lend in the domestic economy. This situation is aggravated
when the government makes explicit guarantees to creditors, however, since the
value at the guarantees will fluctuate with the governments perceived financial
ability to back them. The key point is that in the context of high financial
integration, the stock dimension of fiscal policy, in the form of changes in the
government`s perceived net worth, may itself represent an important source of
shocks to the domestic economy, transmitted through the terms on which both
domestic and foreign creditors are willing to hold claims on the domestic
economy.
The stock and flow dimensions of fiscal policy are not independent. A critical
link between them is created by the fact that what matters for creditors is the
perceived solvency of the public sector. For a government whose long-run fiscal
stance is uncertain, short-run policy changes will be scrutinised for information
about the government`s longer-run intentions. Knowing this, governments may
be reluctant to act in ways (may be perceived as sending the wrong signal to
creditors, and this reluctance may limit the government`s abort-run policy
flexibility. Thus, achieving a reputation for fiscal responsibility may maximise
the government`s short-run policy flexibility.
Debt management policies will determine the likelihood of debt run. Public
sector solvency requires that the public sectors comprehensive net worth be
positive. However, the need to preserve macroeconomic stability in a financially
integrated environment may impose stricter conditions on the public sector`s
balance sheet than simply maintaining a positive value of comprehensive net
worth. The composition of assets and liabilities may matter as well. In
particular, a public sector that is solvent (that is, one that can credibly honour its
obligation over a sufficiently long horizon) may nevertheless he vulnerable to
short-run liquidity crises. If the public sector is - perceived a unlikely to honour
its short-term obligations, then creditors will he reluctant to take on the
government`s short-term liabilities, and in a vicious cycle, the government may
then be unable to meet its short-run obligations. The likelihood of such a debt
run depends on the maturity and currency composition of the public sector`s
liabilities relative to that of its assets that is, on the government`s debt
management policies.
In managing the composition of its debt, the government faces a difficult
tradeoff between enhancing its credibility, on the one hand, and exposing itself
to liquidity crises, on the other. The existence of long-term (fixed-interest)
domestic-currency- denominated (nominal) debt provides the government with
some financing options that it does not have if its debt is short-term and
denominated in foreign currency that is it can effectively repudiate the long-
term debt by inflating or devaluing, thereby reducing the debt`s real value.
Given the nominal interest rate on this debt, it may indeed be sensible for a
welfare-maximising government to do so, since by acting in this way it would
have the option of sustaining productive expenditures or reducing distortionary
taxes. However, the prospect of the government exercising this option would
raise domestic nominal interest rates, making it expensive for the government to
borrow long-term in nominal terms. And even it the government never intends
to behave in this fashion, the time inconsistency problem involved may make it
very difficult for the government to convince its creditors of its intentions. To
reduce its borrowing costs, the government may therefore be induced to borrow
short-term and in foreign currency. By doing so, it eschews the option of gaining
for devaluation or inflation at the expense of its creditors, and thus enhances the
credibility of its promise to do neither. The problem is, of course, that in doing
so it incurs liquid foreign currency-denominated liabilities, thereby making itself
vulnerable to debt runs, as happened in the Mexican crisis.
The way out of this dilemma is to note when -it arises in acute form that is,
when the government actually retains the discretion to act as creditors fear,
when it lacks credibility on other grounds (for example, when it has a reputation
for acting in a discretionary fashion), and when the government`s revenue needs
are high and conventional taxation is highly distortionary. In other words, the
existence of long term nominal debt is only one factor in the government`s
decision to, devalue or inflate, and creditors can rationally expect the
government to forgo the option of inflating away the real value of their assets if
it is institutionally unable to do so, if it is perceived as placing a high value on
the credibility of its policy announcements, or if inflating creates few net
benefits from the government`s perspective. Thus, the government can avoid
making its borrowing costs overly sensitive to the composition of its debt by
creating institutions that limit its discretion (for example, by increasing the
independence of the central bank), by establishing a reputation for
nondiscretionary behaviour, and by choosing levels of expenditure and
mobilising sources of taxation that minimise distortions. Under these
circumstances, the option to borrow long-term in domestic currency terms may
be retained, and the likelihood that macro economic stability will be impaired by
runs on government debt would be minimised.
In sum, when financial integration is high, short-run fiscal flexibility is very
important, since it provides an additional instrument for stabilising domestic
aggregate demand in response to external financial shocks, thereby freeing
monetary or exchange rate policy to address other macroeconomic objectives.
Moreover, a stable perception of fiscal solvency becomes crucial for preventing
the domestic public sector itself from becoming an important source of
macroeconomic shocks, transmitted through the terms on which creditors are
willing to hold claims on the domestic economy. Indeed, the perception of
public sector solvency may itself be the most important component in freeing up
fiscal policy to play a short-run stabilising role. Finally, under high financial
integration, institutional arrangements that limit the government`s ability to act
in a discretionary fashion, or that enhance its incentives to avoid doing so, may
preserve the government`s access to low-cost long-term finance, thereby
preventing the emergence of debt runs that could introduce an important source
of macroeconomic instability even when the public sector is solvent.
SUMMARY
Today`s multinational enterprises must deal with an international monetary
system full of complexities, challenges and risks. Finance managers and
treasurers in particular play a key role in managing worldwide money matters.
It is important for international marketers to possess insight into multinational
finance and accounting functions, because these functions usually have a
significant impact business. Eventually, all business decisions that involve
capital investment or other types of long-term financial commitment on the part
of the parent corporation must be reviewed in the context of international
finance and monetary policies. The financial strength of the company is deeply
affected by the foreign investment that it decides to make when it starts going
global. This chapter is an attempt to analyse the foreign investment decisions by
the multinational corporations. This would lead many companies to look for
foreign portfolio investment. These decisions would strengthen the company`s
financial investment globally. Also, the foreign direct investment by many
companies largely affects the operations of the local businesses. The deeper
insight in to the concepts of capital flows and overheating would help us to
understand the financial operations of multinational corporations.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the role of foreign investment
2. How will you determine whether the portfolio inflows are hot or cold?
3. Explain the concept of incentives in foreign investment.
4. What is Foreign Direct Investment? Discuss the foreign direct
investment scenario in India.
5. Explain the role of exchange rate policy, monetary policy and fiscal
policy in foreign investment.
6. What is foreign portfolio investment? Explain with examples
7. What is overheating of capital flows? Explain in detail.
8. Macro economic management is the fundamental for integration ?
Comment.
REFERENCES
1. Subhash C Jain, International Marketing, Thompson Learning, Singapore
2. K. Aswathappa, Business Environment for Strategic Management,
Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai
3. Francis Cherunilam, Business Environment, Himalaya Publishing
House, Mumbai
4. Adhikhary, World Economic Institutions, Asian Books
5. Adhikary, Manab: Global Business Management, Macmillan, New
Delhi.
6. Bhattacharya.B: Going International Response Strategies for Indian
Sector, Wheeler Publishing Co, New Delhi.
7. Black and Sundaram: International Business Environment, Prentice Hall
of India, New Delhi.
8. Gosh, Biswanath: Economic Environment of Business, South Asia Book,
New Delhi.
9. V.K. Bhalla & S. Shiva Ramu: International Business Environment &
Management, Anmol Publication Pvt.Ltd, New Delhi.
10. web references.
This post was last modified on 14 March 2022