La Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) es la institución internacional que regula el comercio internacional. Esta entidad además de apoyar una política de liberalización del comercio, ayuda a los diferentes países miembros a resolver conflictos sobre el comercio. Nació mayoritariamente de las negociaciones en la Ronda de Uruguay de 1986 y 1994 y del Acuerdo General sobre Aranceles Aduaneros y Comercio. Se rigen por los gobiernos de la OMC, que fueron pactados y acordados por los países miembros. Es dirigida hacia ellos mismos que actualmente posee 153 miembros, entre ellos se encuentra Costa Rica.
A pesar de que nos encontramos en un mundo de globalización, donde el comercio internacional se ha vuelto la clave para el crecimiento económico, la OMC ha servido para regular el comercio de forma equitativa. Muchos de los países van hacia una liberalización del comercio, y la OMC ha ayudado para lograr esto, no obstante no todos se encuentra en el mismo nivel de globalización por lo que unos poseen ventajas sobre otros. Aquí es cuando se puede observar algunas de las ventajas y desventajas de la OMC.
Para sus países miembros la OMC ha logrado proveer de ciertas ventajas, como por ejemplo ayuda con los tratados de libre comercio, disminución de aranceles en ciertos productos y países. De la misma forma, si ha tenido que implementar políticas de protección de la industria como un paso más para liberar el comercio. Sin embargo, son más de 100 países los integrantes lo cual son muchos los problemas que deben manejar. No todos pueden solucionarse al mismo tiempo. Esto ocasiona conflictos internos y quejas de los mismos países.
Asimismo, la OMC ha apoyado mucho lo que son los tratados de libre comercio. Dependiendo de la perspectiva que se tome con respecto a este tema, existen comentarios positivos como negativos. Se ha comprobado en muchos países, como por ejemplo China que su apertura al comercio y la aprobación de Tratados Libre Comercio han aumentado su crecimiento económico, tanto así, que al día de hoy es la tercera economía más grande del mundo. Pero si se ve desde otro punto de vista, los TLCs ocasionan discriminación hacia aquellos países que no poseen uno. Uno de los lemas que tiene la OMC es igual trato para todos. Entonces, si los tratados favorecen a los países que lo firman, no se está recibiendo igual trato para todos.
Uno de los grandes retos que poseen es promover la competencia leal, el cual también es considerado uno de sus principios. Muchos países para captar inversión han optado por políticas desleales que les brindan mayor competitividad y es mucho más atrayente para los inversionistas. Si tomamos el ejemplo de Costa Rica, que utiliza las zonas francas en donde las compañías pagan el mínimo o no paga impuestos del todo tienen ventaja sobre aquellas empresas fuera del las zonas francas como por ejemplo su competencia. Para aquella compañía que no paga sus impuestos sus precios finales son bajos, y a la hora de competir a nivel nacional su competencia se va ver desfavorecida porque sus precios van a ser mucho mayores.
Tomando en cuenta todo lo anterior, considero que el papel de la OMC es muy importante porque ha ayudado y motivado a que países se unan al comercio internacional y hasta cierto punto a la liberalización. No obstante, no todos los países piensan de la misma manera y lo que han hecho es cerrarse al comercio. Sí creo que es necesario que exista un ente regulador del comercio porque de esta manera no se crea una brecha muy grande entre los diferentes países. Hoy, esa brecha si existe porque no todos los países poseen un mismo nivel de desarrollo pero talvez pudo haber sido mayor y esa línea divisoria entre países desarrollados y en desarrollo hubiera sido más marcada.
Link: http://www.wto.org/spanish/thewto_s/whatis_s/tif_s/fact2_s.htm
viernes, 29 de octubre de 2010
viernes, 15 de octubre de 2010
Eco friendly cars
One of the industries that have created a lot of polemic is the car industry. With the new trends about being eco friendly, the high prices of fuel and the fact that fossil fuels will come into an end in a close future, many companies started to invest in other technologies that use other sources of energy. From business perspective, they had experienced troubles in order to penetrate the different markets.
Around the world, there are different markets with cultural and ideology differences. For example, Americans and Europeans think differently when it comes to cars. A typical American seeks for a car that shows masculinity and power, therefore cars need to be fast, fuel consuming and big. On the other hand, Europeans look for those who are eco friendly, the ones that make the least harm to the environment.
Apart from the fact that the new green cars coming out in the market brings a lot of benefits to the environment, the disadvantage they have right now is cost. First, companies have invested a lot on money to develop these new technologies. Therefore, cars are not produced in big scale because the market prices are elevated. Until the demand for this cars start increase the prices are going to fall. It is a simple example of supply and demand. This will allow companies to mass produce them and reach an even larger market.
Additionally, in order to penetrate the different markets they should implement diverse global strategies, especially in this industry where there is tough competition. For example, the article “A sparky new motor” from The Economist talks about the alliance of Nissan and Renault for elaborating electric models. Carlos Ghosn, the head of Nissan-Renaults believes that by 2010 one of every ten Europeans will have an electric car. He also believes that the Prius will have a considerable percentage of the market.
I consider that companies like GM, Nissan, Toyota, among others, have to improve the characteristics of the car so that they could work just like a good fast fuel car. Since the markets are so different probably in Europe they would have a lot of acceptance since they have a culture of being green. Nevertheless, the United States, another important market in terms of consumption, will not sympathize a lot with the technology these cars uses right now. According to a study made by Dellotie, “three-quarters of Americans would not consider buying an electric car unless it had a range of 300 miles” which most of the electric cars do not have.
In order to accomplish success and to reduce CO2 emissions and global warming, the governments have to encourage their citizens to buy these cars. In many cases, subsidies are given and in others taxes are eliminated. I consider this a good motivation for consumers, particularly those who really care about the environment.
So, if we really want to see a change and worry about the environment eco friendly cars are the solutions. Nevertheless, the cost for building one is still high and not affordable by many. I can see that in the future, with innovation and technological advances like it has happen in history, some day we will each own an electric car, or any other alternative. For companies, this means innovation, investments, and global strategies in order to keep and gain more of the worlds market. It is a matter of time, in any moment electric cars boom just like the internet a few years ago, and the prices would start to fall down.
Link: http://www.economist.com/node/17202405
Around the world, there are different markets with cultural and ideology differences. For example, Americans and Europeans think differently when it comes to cars. A typical American seeks for a car that shows masculinity and power, therefore cars need to be fast, fuel consuming and big. On the other hand, Europeans look for those who are eco friendly, the ones that make the least harm to the environment.
Apart from the fact that the new green cars coming out in the market brings a lot of benefits to the environment, the disadvantage they have right now is cost. First, companies have invested a lot on money to develop these new technologies. Therefore, cars are not produced in big scale because the market prices are elevated. Until the demand for this cars start increase the prices are going to fall. It is a simple example of supply and demand. This will allow companies to mass produce them and reach an even larger market.
Additionally, in order to penetrate the different markets they should implement diverse global strategies, especially in this industry where there is tough competition. For example, the article “A sparky new motor” from The Economist talks about the alliance of Nissan and Renault for elaborating electric models. Carlos Ghosn, the head of Nissan-Renaults believes that by 2010 one of every ten Europeans will have an electric car. He also believes that the Prius will have a considerable percentage of the market.
I consider that companies like GM, Nissan, Toyota, among others, have to improve the characteristics of the car so that they could work just like a good fast fuel car. Since the markets are so different probably in Europe they would have a lot of acceptance since they have a culture of being green. Nevertheless, the United States, another important market in terms of consumption, will not sympathize a lot with the technology these cars uses right now. According to a study made by Dellotie, “three-quarters of Americans would not consider buying an electric car unless it had a range of 300 miles” which most of the electric cars do not have.
In order to accomplish success and to reduce CO2 emissions and global warming, the governments have to encourage their citizens to buy these cars. In many cases, subsidies are given and in others taxes are eliminated. I consider this a good motivation for consumers, particularly those who really care about the environment.
So, if we really want to see a change and worry about the environment eco friendly cars are the solutions. Nevertheless, the cost for building one is still high and not affordable by many. I can see that in the future, with innovation and technological advances like it has happen in history, some day we will each own an electric car, or any other alternative. For companies, this means innovation, investments, and global strategies in order to keep and gain more of the worlds market. It is a matter of time, in any moment electric cars boom just like the internet a few years ago, and the prices would start to fall down.
Link: http://www.economist.com/node/17202405
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