“When markets don’t work – is policy or the private sector to blame?”
Tuesday 27 July 2010 at 13:00-14:30 (GMT+01 (BST))
Speakers:
Karen Ellis – Head of Business and Development Programme, ODI
Rohit Singh – Research Officer, Business and Development Programme, ODI
Discussants:– Chief Economist, DFID
Chilufya Sampa – Director for Mergers and Monopolies, Zambian Competition Commission
A major ODI research project comparing the climate for competition and economic outcomes across countries, shows huge differences in market performance caused by both policy and private sector behaviour. These differences can have significant implications for poor people as consumers, employees and taxpayers, and for wider economic growth and industrial development. Karen Ellis and Rohit Singh will present the results of the study, which involved primary research in Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
Key findings from the study include:
- Competitive markets can deliver dramatically better market outcomes, but market performance is often undermined by both government policy and anti-competitive business practices, with significant economic costs.
- Governments should assess and take into account the likely impact of their policy decisions on competition and market dynamics.
- Business behaviour needs to be monitored, and disciplined where necessary.Strong vested interests – an economic elite of government and big business – often oppose the creation of more open and competitive markets. They need to be tackled by mobilising the majority of the population, who stand to gain from reform.
Places are limited. To register to attend the event, or to watch it live on video, please visit:
http://www.odi.org.uk/events/details.asp?id=2455&title=markets-dont-work-policy-private-sector-blame