Services in the International Economy

Services in the International Economy Synopsis

This book contains selected papers from the First World Services Congress, a forum designed to enhance awareness of the increasingly important role of services in the global economy and to reach out to governments, the business community, international organizations, academicians, and the media. The Congress served as a vehicle for the presentation and discussion of academic research on the entire spectrum of services issues, as well as business options and issues.
The volume is divided into three parts. Part 1 deals with measurement, modeling, and analysis and covers such topics as measuring productivity in services; forecasting trade in services; data needs for services negotiations; modeling the economic effects of barriers to trade in services; imperfect competition and services liberalization; multilateral and regional liberalization of services; and measurement of service sector performance. Part 2 examines the role of services in developing economies, including geographic determinants of business services location; electronic commerce; and case studies of the structure and potential for services liberalization in India, Egypt, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa. Part 3 explores options and issues in the Services 2000 negotiations to be conducted under the auspices of the WTO, covering telecommunications policy reform; insurance services; media services; negotiating proposals for effective services liberalization; and the formation of negotiating coalitions. An appendix contains recommendations on issues to be addressed in the Services 2000 negotiations, as agreed by business and government representatives.
At the cutting edge of research on global services issues, this volume will be of special interest to scholars and students in economics, business administration, public policy, and international political economy, as well as government officials and staff and business executives.
Robert M. Stern is Professor Emeritus of Economics and Public Policy, University of Michigan.