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Costa Rica
Author(s) -
Mirchandani Dilip,
Condo Arturo
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
thunderbird international business review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.553
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1520-6874
pISSN - 1096-4762
DOI - 10.1002/tie.20055
Subject(s) - openness to experience , balance (ability) , democracy , investment (military) , foreign direct investment , politics , political stability , economics , business , resource (disambiguation) , economic policy , international economics , international trade , political science , medicine , psychology , social psychology , computer network , computer science , law , physical medicine and rehabilitation , macroeconomics
Costa Rica is often cited as a model for Central American economies because of its strong democratic institutions, political stability, and open economy. Foreign investment continues to play a pivotal role in fueling economic growth, particularly in the electronics, services, and medical components sectors. A strong record of social investments has resulted in a superior human resource base, a skilled labor pool, and preservation of its biodiversity. The recent formation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) provides new opportunities for the country but has also increased the pressures for more openness and privatization, particularly in the telecommunications industry, provoking fresh internal debate about the balance between economic growth and preserving social institutional arrangements. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.