Seoul, North Korea: Represents centrally planned government with strict control.
Pyongyang, South Korea: Characterizes a more open economic and political system.
Objective: To analyze a country for business viability using previous week's content on political economy and this week's focus on economic development and PEST analysis.
Inequality in Development: Notable disparities in global development; dysfunctional systems hinder growth.
Corruption is detrimental to economic progress.
Protection of intellectual property encourages innovation.
Essential factors: Fair court systems and rule of law.
PEST Analysis:
Political, Economic, Social, and Technological aspects to evaluate investment opportunities.
Recommended sources: BBC country profiles and CIA World Factbook for insightful data.
Critical Institutions:
Property rights, rule of law, freedom of press, honest governance, open markets, trust.
Diversity of Institutions: Influenced by:
History, Geography, Culture.
Impact on Legal Systems: Untrustworthy legal systems in highly corrupt countries hinder business.
Dysfunctional Economies: The firms that succeed are often those who are well-connected rather than efficient.
Investment Deterrence: High corruption leads to asset seizures and increased risks, causing low investment attraction.
Corruption is measured on a scale from highly corrupt (0-9) to very clean (90-100).
Visual representation of corruption indexes highlights global disparities.
Review of India’s economic landscape through videos focusing on:
Social and economic costs of bribery
Role of agents in corrupt economies
Challenges posed to international businesses by endemic corruption.
Economic Measures:
Per-capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and GNI (Gross National Income).
Outcomes Evaluated:
Health, life expectancy, literacy, women’s rights, education, and standard of living.
Human Development Index (HDI): Measures broader socio-economic variables beyond just income.
Dimensions:
Life expectancy, education, and standard of living (GNI per capita).
Indicators:
Life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, GNI per capita (PPP).
Countries with Very High Human Development:
Norway: 0.944; Australia: 0.935; Switzerland: 0.930.
Countries with Low Human Development:
Kenya: 0.548; Nepal: 0.548; Pakistan: 0.538.
This index provides a clearer understanding of a nation’s development by accounting for income distribution discrepancies.
Gender equality is crucial; restricting women limits overall national development prospects.
Relationship: Corruption engenders a cycle of underdevelopment, poor tax revenue, and inadequate infrastructure.
Inversely correlated: Countries with lower GDP tend to have higher corruption levels; e.g., Democratic Republic of Congo.
Corruption undermines property rights, thus reducing entrepreneurial motivations and innovation.
Leading countries in innovation: South Korea, Sweden, Germany; new entrants to the top ranks include Israel.
Geographical: Favorable geography promotes trade and growth.
Education Levels: Investment in education correlates with economic development success.
Influence of historical, infrastructural, and capital availability on economic growth.
Concluded thematic review of political economy and development.
Next discussion topic: The role of culture in business attractiveness.
A structured approach to assess political, economic, social, and technological factors affecting business decisions.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Analytical benefits vs. high risks, corruption, and lack of infrastructure that can impact business decisions.
Political Risk: Changes in government affecting business.
Economic Risk: Economic mismanagement impacts business viability.
Legal Risk: Contracts being violated or property rights not protected.
Political Costs: Bribes and lobbying expenses.
Economic Costs: Infrastructure deficiencies affecting overall costs.
Legal Costs: Higher costs from varying standards across jurisdictions.
Steps to evaluate each factor (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) and gather strategic insights.
Assess prospect for Apple’s manufacturing presence in India.
Variability in development levels (GNI, GDP, and HDI) corresponds to political, economic, and legal risks.
Fast-growing economies may bear higher risks, necessitating thorough risk assessment for business ventures.