Exporting Services A Developing Country Perspective

The services sector is key to economic growth, competitiveness, and poverty alleviation. In addition, services exports have become an important part of export diversification strategies for some developing countries. Although industrial countries are still the largest exporters of services, a number of developing countries are among the most dynamic. The share of developing countries in world services exports increased from 14 percent in 1990 to 21 percent in 2008. In fact, service sector exports of a number of developing countries are growing faster than their goods exports.This book aims at identifying factors that helped developing countries succeed in exporting services and provides lessons for others. It focuses on how developing countries succeeded in increasing key services exports and the strategies that were successful for services exports as well as those that did not deliver the expected results. The framework for analyzing the determinants of services trade is set through an econometric model which is then applied country case studies. Given the paucity of services trade statistics, the case study approach is found to be a successful way of dealing with policy specific determinants. Acknowledging the data constraints and weaknesses, the book brings out the determinants of trade in services by analyzing the experiences of Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, and the Philippines.This book is for trade specialists and policymakers interested in improving their understanding of the fundamentals as well as specific factors that influenced services exports performance. It is a useful tool for governments to design successful trade and promotion strategies, as well as sound domestic policy reforms in the service sector.