1. Growth in Latin America has slowed in recent years while political capital is limited.
2. The region is lagging in terms of productivity, skills development, infrastructure investment, and participation in global and regional value chains which has contributed to the middle-income trap.
3. While inequality has decreased with social programs and redistribution, challenges remain in terms of quality jobs, gender equality, and informality which hampers efforts for inclusive growth.
1. On productivity and inclusive growth in
Latin America
Angel Melguizo,
Head, Latin American Unit
OECD Development Centre
Foro Empresarial: Futuro de la productividad
en America Latina
ILO
Lima, August 23-24 2016
2. Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is gone
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
%
OECD Latin America and the Caribbean
Source: OECD Economic Outlook 99 database for OECD. For Latin America 2000- 2014 CEPALSTAT, and 2015- 2017 Latin American Consensus
Forecasts May 2016
GDP growth in Latin America and the OECD (% annual)
3. And political capital is limited
Note: Favorable tweets to Neves or Rouseff according to geographic location
Source: FT
4. The test on socio-economic progress is coming
Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2016), Latin American Economic Outlook 2017. Youth, skills and entrepreneurship. Forthcoming
GDP growth and poverty rates in Latin America (%)
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1980 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
Poverty Growth (RHS)
5. Americas Latinas
ARG
BHS
BRB
BOL
BRA
CHL
COL CRI
DOM
ECU
SLV
GTM
HND
JAMMEX
NIC
PAN
PRY PER
URY
VEN
-0.04
-0.03
-0.02
-0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
Illustration of the cyclical position of selected Latin American economies
(2016, deviation from the trend using the HP filter)
Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2016), Latin American Economic Outlook 2017. Youth, skills and entrepreneurship. Forthcoming
6. “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is
almost everything” (P. Krugman)
Labour productivity in selected Latin American and Asian economies
(% productivity of the US, 5 year moving average, PPP)
Source: Melguizo, A. and J.R. Perea (2015), “Skill gaps in emerging economies: An empirical analysis”, Working Paper No. 329,
OECD Development Centre
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010
Chile
Korea
Latin America
China
Argentina
Brazil
8. Agenda for productivity and inclusive growth: pillars
• Productivity
Middle-income trap
Infrastructure, Skills, Finance, Taxes, …
• Inclusion
Poverty and middle-class vulnerability
Taxes, transfers (pensions, CCTs), services, jobs …
• Governance
Domestic and international - Shifting Wealth
Regional integration, trust…
OECD LAC Regional Programme
9. Agenda for productivity and inclusive growth
• Productivity
Middle-income trap
Infrastructure, Skills, Finance, Taxes, …
• Inclusion
Poverty and middle-class vulnerability
Taxes, transfers (pensions, CCTs), services, jobs …
• Governance
Domestic and international - Shifting Wealth
Regional integration, trust…
OECD LAC Regional Programme
10. Lack of productivity convergence...
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
11. … at the core of per capita income differences
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
12. Latin America and the middle income trap
Source: OECD Development Centre (2016), “Overcoming the middle income trap in Latin America: The role of skills, infrastructure, finance and
fiscal policy”
GDP per capita in Latin American economies and OECD
(GDP per capita, PPP in USD from 1990)
1800
2800
3800
4800
5800
6800
7800
8800
9800
10800
11800
1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010
GDPpercapitaconstant1990PPPdollars
Uruguay Chile Argentina Panama
Costa Rica Mexico Colombia Brazil
Peru Venezuela LAC 8 OECD average
HIGH
MIDDLE
LOW
13. Learning from OECD experiences?
Source: OECD Development Centre (2016), “Overcoming the middle income trap in Latin America: The role of skills, infrastructure, finance and
fiscal policy”
GDP per capita in OECD economies and LAC (GDP per capita, PPP in USD from 1990)
1800
2800
3800
4800
5800
6800
7800
8800
9800
10800
11800
GDPpercapitaconstant1990PPPdollars
Ireland Israel Poland Singapore Spain Portugal
Greece Malaysia South Korea China LAC avg
HIGH
MIDDLE
LOW
14. 14Source: Carranza, L., C. Daude and A. Melguizo (2014), “Public investment and fiscal sustainability in Latin America: Incompatible goals?” , Journal
of Economic Studies, vol.41, n.1, pp.29-50
Infrastructure investment in Latin America (% GDP)
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
2.5%
3.0%
3.5%
4.0%
4.5% 1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
Total Publica
Low infrastructure investment (despite PPPs)…
15. 15Source: Balmaseda, M., C. Daude, A. Melguizo and L. Taft(2010), “Infrastructure patterns in emerging markets: An empirical analysis with a focus
on Latin America” , Global Economic and Construction Outlook, June, pp. 25-31, CEMEX Economic Analysis
Infraestructure gaps in Latin America and emerging economies (% pattern)
Paved roads Electric energy
0%
40%
80%
120%
160%
200%
240%
280%
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
LatAm MAX-min LatAm
Asia
Eastern Europe
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
140%
160%
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
LatAm MAX-MIN LatAm
Asia
Eastern Europe
… has generated a significant gap (roads and energy)
16. Source: OECD-ECLAC-CAF (2013), Latin American Economic Outlook 2014, using The Conference Board Total Economy Database, World Bank (LPI) and
COMTRADE
Logistics and productivity (Partial correlation, 2012)
ARG
BOL
BRA
CHL
COL
CRIDOM
ECU
GTM
JAM
MEX
PER
URYVEN
-40000
-30000
-20000
-10000
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
OECD Other countries Latin America
LabourproductivitynotexplainedbyGDPpercapita
Logistics performance not explained by GDP per capita
Beyond infrastructures: logistics matter…
17. 17
Source: OECD-ECLAC-CAF (2013), Latin American Economic Outlook 2014,using COMTRADE
Note: Logistics-intensive sectors include mining, forestry and logging, wood manufacturing, paper publishing and printing
Time-sensitive sectors include agriculture, fisheries, food and drink manufacturing, clothing and horticulture. LAC-18
Time-sensitive, logistics-intensive exports (%, 2010)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Logistics-intensive Time-sensitive
… given Latin American exports basket
19. Latin America is lagging behind in global value chains…
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
20. Note: LAC6 covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico. ‘Full sample’ covers 61 high- and middle-income countries
Source: OECD-ECLAC-CAF (2015), Latin American Economic Outlook 2016, based on TiVA database and OECD/WTO (2015)
.. as well as in regional value chains
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Intraregional China Intraregional China
Backward linkages Forward linkages
%
Intraregional and China's share in Latin America's
GVC linkages
2000 2011
21. Low accumulation also affects knowledge capital…
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
22. … and the spread of the digital economy
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
23. The skills gap is also pervasive in Latin America…
Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2014), Latin American Economic Outlook 2015. Education, skills and innovation for development , using WB
Entreprise Survey
24. Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2014), Latin American Economic Outlook 2015. Education, skills and innovation for development , using WB
Entreprise Survey
.. notably in dynamic industries
25. Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
Regulation burden (i.e. barriers to trade, investment and
entrepreneurship) is higher than in the OECD
26. Agenda for productivity and inclusive growth
• Productivity
Middle-income trap
Infrastructure, Skills, Finance, Taxes, …
• Inclusion
Poverty and middle-class vulnerability
Taxes, transfers (pensions, CCTs), services, jobs …
• Governance
Domestic and international - Shifting Wealth
Regional integration, trust…
OECD LAC Regional Programme
28. … reducing the gap with OECD countries
Inequality in Chile, Mexico, the US and the OECD
(Gini of income inequality)
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Ginicoefficientofincomeinequality
Source: OECD (2014), “Does income inequality hurt economic growth?”, Focus in Inequality and Growth.
29. 29 Source: ECLAC (2014), El impacto distributivo de la accion fiscal en America Latina.
Inequality in Latin America and the OECD
(Gini indexes before direct taxes, education and health services)
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6 ARG
BOL
BRA
CHL
COL
CRI
ECU
SLV
HND
MEX
NIC
PAN
PAR
PER
DOM
URY
OECD
Inequality is similar in OECD and Latin America
before taxes, transfers and services…
31. 31
… but redistribution is weaker
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
32. Source: OECD (2011), Latin American Economic Outlook 2012: Transforming the State for Development
Inequality in Chile, Mexico and the OECD
(Gini indexes before and after taxes and public spending)
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Chile Mexico OECD
Market income
+ Monetary transfers
- Direct taxes
+ Education (in kind)
+ Health (in kind)
Direct taxes and cash transfers at the core
33. Gender inequality is also evident in many dimensions
(education, jobs, credit, …)
Figure 3: Uneven progresses in gender pay gaps across
Pacific Alliance countries
Difference between male and female median earnings
divided by the male median earnings (a)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
COL MEX OECD CHL PER
%
2010-2014 average 2000-2009 average
Source: OECD (2016), Gender equality in the Pacific Alliance. Promoting women's economic empowerment
Figure 4: Women are more likely than men to live in
poverty in Chile and Mexico
Poverty headcount for total population, measured as 50% of
current median income, before and after taxes and transfers
2013 (Chile) and 2014 (Mexico)
Note: Based on pre- and post-tax and transfer household income.
34. Most jobs are informal…
ALC-19, 55%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
HND NIC BOL GTM PER PRY SLV MEX ECU VEN DOM COL JAM ARG PAN BRA CHL CRI URY
Source: IDB Labor Markets and Social Security Information System (SIMS)
Informality in Latin America
(% of workers 16-64 who contribute to social insurance, 2013)
35. …dampening quality
Note: The sample covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and Russia
Fuente: OECD (2015), Enhancing job quality in emerging economies
Jobs quality framework in emerging economies
36. Better jobs are needed to build and consolidate the
emerging middle class
Source: Lustig, N. and A. Melguizo (2015), “How middle class are middle-income households in Latin America?”. VoxLACEA, May 20, 2015
Informality among the emerging middle class
(% of households without a contributor to pensions/health)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
URY CRI BRA MEX COL PER BOL SLV GTM
Vulnerables (4-10 USD/dia) Clase media (10-50 USD/dia)
37. Agenda for productivity and inclusive growth
• Productivity
Middle-income trap
Infrastructure, Skills, Finance, Taxes, …
• Inclusion
Poverty and middle-class vulnerability
Taxes, transfers (pensions, CCTs), services, jobs …
• Governance
Domestic and international - Shifting Wealth
Regional integration, trust…
OECD LAC Regional Programme
38. Positioning in a shifting wealth world…
Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2015), Latin American Economic Outlook 2016. Towards a new partnership with China
Contribution to global growth by regions (%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1991-95 1996-2000 2001-05 2006-10 2011-15 2016-21
Economías avanzadas China América Latina India
39. … and regaining trust domestically (transparency)
Confidence in elections (%, 2014)
Source: OECD/ECLAC/CAF (2016), Latin American Economic Outlook 2017. Youth, skills and entrepreneurship. Forthcoming, using Gallup
World Monitor, 2015
40. Agenda for productivity and inclusive growth: nexus
Productivity and inclusiveness are closely linked
41. Inequalities are evident in productivity among firms in
OECD countries, impacting wages
Source: OECD (2016), The productivity-inclusiveness nexus
42. Inequalities in productivity are also visible among
territories…
Source: OECD (2016), The productivity-inclusiveness nexus
43. … notably urban vs rural (impacting regional income)
Source: OECD (2016), The productivity-inclusiveness nexus
44. Double dividend from good investments in
education&skills: productivity and equity…
Source: OECD (2016), Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin America – Better Policies Series
45. 45
Quality of schools’ resources and students’ socio-economic status
(Correlation; value between 0=no impact and 1=full impact; PISA 2012 database)
Source: OECD-ECLAC-CAF (2015), Latin American Economic Outlook 2015. Education, Skills and Innovation for Development
… starting with a more progressive allocation of
resources
46. • Latin America needs a proactive agenda for inclusive
growth
• Productivity, inclusion and governance should drive
the short- and long-term policy agenda
• Middle-income trap (infrastructures, skills…)
• Middle-class economies (jobs, taxes, expenditure)
• Trust
• Policies should factor in the linkages between
productivity and inclusiveness
• Wave of presidential elections 2016-2018: window of
opportunity?
Conclusions
48. OECD recent and forthcoming work
• Promoting productivity for inclusive growth in Latin
America – Better Policies Series
• The productivity-inclusiveness nexus
• Latin American Economic Outlook 2015. Education,
Skills and Innovation for Development
• Latin American Economic Outlook 2017. Youth, Skillls
and Entrepreneurship