Olga Solleder

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development | UNCTAD · Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes

Global megatrends such as income inequality, climate change, demographic shifts, technological progress, and urbanisation are shaping the future of societies. Yet, their quantitative impacts on development are neither well understood nor established. This paper examines the individual and combined effects of these global forces on poverty, using b...

This paper explores how the international exposure of companies influenced their strategies in responding to the COVID-19 crisis, and the extent to which they were affected. Our conceptual framework formulates two hypotheses that can be empirically tested. First, we posit that international companies, due to their connections with domestic and fore...

Research and data indicate that wealth inequality is more concentrated than income inequality and that there is a high correlation between both variables. Yet, most empirical studies on the determinants of economic inequality focus on income and not wealth inequality and they rarely examine the nexus between the two variables. Against this backdrop...

This paper examines the drivers of income inequality within and across countries using relevant measures of inequality and an estimation technique that jointly accounts for both model and estimation uncertainties. The estimations are applied to a global sample and to three categories of vulnerable developing countries: Africa, least developed count...

The SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021 analyses how small businesses can rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic so they are prepared to face the looming climate crisis. It provides a 20-point Green Recovery Plan to foster competitive, resilient and environmentally sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The report finds that small firms ar...

Standard trade theory suggests that the profile of exporting firms is characterized by large firms which dominate domestic productivity distribution. Large manufacturing multinationals have increased their productivity by participating, creating and shaping global production networks. In recent decades, trade flows have become increasingly dominate...

The SME Competitiveness Outlook 2020 analyses the impact of the pandemic on small firms, international supply chains and trade. It provides projections and a 15-point action plan for businesses, policymakers and business support organizations to weather the crisis – and gear up for a ‘new normal’ that needs to be resilient, digital, inclusive and s...

ITC COVID-19 will reduce global exports of manufacturing inputs by at least $228 billion due to supply-chain disruptions Over two-thirds of world trade occurs through global value chains (GVCs), in which production crosses at least one border before final assembly¹. The COVID-19 pandemic has already hit three major GVC hubs, or as we call them in t...

Increasing annual investments in small and medium-sized enterprises by $1 trillion would yield disproportionate dividends in terms of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. These investments also have the potential to deliver healthy returns for investors. To boost investment in developing country small firms, this report finds that...

The paper investigates two policies geared toward stimulating and shaping Global Value Chains (GVCs), namely Deep Regional Trade Agreements (DRTAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). In an augmented gravity model, we test the impact of both policies on a variety of trade in value added indicators. We find that both policies are likely to inc...

Export promotion agencies (EPA) attempt to provide support to firms willing to expand their operations across borders. EPAs can assist firms in overcoming information asymmetry and find markets for their products (Olarreaga et al., 2017). The objective of this paper is to assess whether allocating more EPA’s budget to new exporters effectively incr...

Digitalization and the rise of the platform economy are rapidly changing the way in which firms do business. A strong business ecosystem is necessary to manage this change. This year’s SME Competitiveness Outlook tells how to build it. The report combines data analysis, academic insights, thought leader views and case studies to guide policymakers...

Motivation Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) have become a significant element of the governance of international trade and production. Even though VSS are not mandatory (required by law), in practice they often are necessary for producers to participate in global value chains. Finally, VSS are often considered costly for producers. Purpose...

This year’s report focuses on regional trade, the most common form of trade for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It finds that deep regional trade agreements help deliver inclusive growth. These agreements attract value chain activity and narrow the competitiveness gap between large and small firms. When investment is part of such agreeme...

Large manufacturing multinationals have increased their productivity by creating, shaping and participating in Global Value Chains (GVCs). Contemporary international trade theory specifies how opening up to trade reorganizes exporting firms based on their productivity levels. The paper builds a case for the role that GVC participation may play on t...

The paper looks at the role of two policies geared toward stimulating and shaping Global Value Chains (GVCs), namely deep Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). In an augmented gravity model, we test the impact of both policies on a variety of trade in value-added indicators. We find that both policies are likely...

The report focuses on the role of standards and regulations in increasing the competitivenss of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The report combines data analysis, academic insights, thought leader opinions and case studies to provide guidance for policymakers, SME managers and standard setters. It discuses standards as different as food...

The report highlights the fundamental role SMEs have in addressing global income inequality and presents a new analytical framework to measure, identify and enhance SME competitiveness. It introduces a working definition of firm competitiveness and introduces the SME Competitiveness Grid as a tool to classify determinants of firm competitiveness ac...

Organized around the theme Connect, Compete, Change for Inclusive Growth, it shows that SMEs are generally less productive than large firms. The productivity gap is wider in developing countries, and the wage gap is similar. It also shows that firms connected to international markets are more productive and create more employment. The book combines...