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Panama's Special Economic Zones: Balancing Growth and Development
Author(s) -
SIGLER THOMAS J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bulletin of latin american research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.24
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1470-9856
pISSN - 0261-3050
DOI - 10.1111/blar.12035
Subject(s) - capital (architecture) , development economics , special economic zone , economics , panama , political science , economic system , economic geography , economy , geography , ecology , archaeology , law , china , biology
The growth of S pecial E conomic Z ones ( SEZs ) in the G lobal S outh has been widespread and well documented. This article provides a comparative analysis of two SEZs in P anama that defy conventional export‐processing strategies by focussing on re‐exports and regional headquartering operations, which are relatively capital‐intensive rather than labour‐intensive. I argue that while this may be a sound economic growth strategy at the national scale, it must be complemented with directed, local strategies to address the country's chronic social development issues, which are underscored by centuries of institutional exclusion.