Venezuela, the challenge of competitiveness /

An exemplary model of how a case study of a developing economy should be written, this volume is a well-organized and comprehensive review and analysis of, and prescription for, Venezuela's economy at the levels of the firm, the industry, and the nation. The authors focus on the period from the 1960s to the present, during which time a transition occurred from a state-led industrialization and import substitution policy to, starting in the late 1980s, a market-driven approach. The organizing framework is drawn from Michael Porter's classic study (on which Enright was a key participant) of international competitiveness, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (CH, Oct'90). Following this approach, separate chapters examine productive factor conditions; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure, and rivalry. Other chapters discuss the impact of government policy on the economy's competitiveness. Much of the book focuses on 13 key Venezuelan industries, six of which are described in detail. Venezuelan researchers prepared 36 background papers, which are smoothly integrated into the narrative. Despite the very thorough coverage, it is written in a lucid and accessible manner. Highly recommended for Latin American collections, upper-division undergraduate and above. M. C. Bird Colorado College