International competitiveness has never been more important as globalization and new technology shrinks distances between markets and competitors. Improved international competitiveness is anchored more often than not in continuous improvements in productivity. Achieving continuous improvement in productivity is a challenging, but very rewarding target. With it comes to growth and prosperity which enables higher living standards and poverty reduction.

The two most frequently used databases for measuring competitiveness are the World Economic Forum and the World Bank’s Doing Business. Transparency International’s governance and corruption indexes play an important supporting role, especially for countries that have weak institutions. While there are a number of pillars to the competitiveness framework the four that stand out most frequently are: Institutional strength; Infrastructure; Macroeconomic stability; and Microeconomic performance. Countries that get these four pillars of competitiveness performing well can look forward to sustained growth and prosperity.

 

Assignments Include: International Competitiveness Advisor in the Uganda Ministry of Finance for the World Bank’s Private Sector Competitiveness project- deals with competitiveness method, capacity building in Ministry (from micro-economic to tax policy and governance), support for the Presidential Investor’s Round Table and coordination of development partner activity. Also facilitated the establishment of Harvard University’s affiliate program on the microeconomics of competitiveness with Makerere University in Uganda. Numerous other assignments involving improved sectoral competitiveness.