the.world.is.flat-第70部分

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him；　Ina　needs　to　notify　and　get　approval　from　the　union；　and　pay　five　months'　
severance　pay。　Ina　rejects　the　more　qualified　applicant　she　would　like　to　hire　and　
keeps　the　underperforming　worker　on　staff。　
〃Ali；　a　trader　in　the　United　Arab　Emirates；　can　hire　and　fire　with　ease。　But　one　of　
his　customers　refuses　to　pay　for　equipment　delivered　three　months　earlier。　It　takes　
27　procedures　and　more　than　550　days　to　resolve　the　payment　dispute　in　court。　Almost　
all　procedures　must　be　made　in　writing；　and　require　extensive　legal　justification　
and　the　use　of　lawyers。　After　this　experience；　Ali　decides　to　deal　only　with　customers　
he　knows　well。　
〃Timnit；　a　young　entrepreneur　in　Ethiopia；　wants　to　expand　her　successful　consulting　
business　


by　taking　a　loan。　But　she　has　no　proof　of　good　credit　history　because　there　are　no　
credit　information　registries。　Although　her　business　has　substantial　assets　in　
accounts　receivable；　laws　restrict　her　bank　from　using　these　as　collateral。　The　bank　
knows　it　cannot　recover　the　debt　if　Timnit　defaults；　because　courts　are　inefficient　
and　laws　give　creditors　few　powers。　Credit　is　denied。　The　business　stays　small。　
〃Having　registered；　hired　workers；　enforced　contracts；　and　obtained　credit；　Avik；　
a　businessman　in　India；　cannot　make　a　profit　and　goes　out　of　business。　Faced　with　
a　10…year…long　process　of　going　through　bankruptcy；　Avik　absconds；　leaving　his　
workers；　the　bank；　and　the　tax　agency　with　nothing。〃　
If　you　want　to　know　why　two　decades　of　macroeconomic　reform　wholesale　at　the　top　have　
not　slowed　the　spread　of　poverty　and　produced　enough　new　jobs　in　key　countries　of　
Latin　America；　Africa；　the　Arab　world；　and　the　former　Soviet　Empire；　it　is　because　
there　has　been　too　little　reform　retail。　According　to　the　IFC　report；　if　you　want　
to　create　pro…　

ductive　jobs　（the　kind　that　lead　to　rising　standards　of　living）；　and　if　you　want　to　
stimulate　the　growth　of　new　businesses　（the　kind　that　innovate；　compete；　and　create　
wealth）；　you　need　a　regulatory　environment　that　makes　it　easy　to　start　a　business；　
easy　to　adjust　a　business　to　changing　market　circumstances　and　opportunities；　and　
easy　to　close　a　business　that　goes　bankrupt；　so　that　the　capital　can　be　freed　up　for　
more　productive　uses。　
〃It　takes　two　days　to　start　a　business　in　Australia；　but　203　days　in　Haiti　and　215　
days　in　the　Democratic　Republic　of　Congo；〃　the　IFC　study　found。　〃There　are　no　monetary　
costs　to　start　a　new　business　in　Denmark；　but　it　costs　more　than　five　times　income　
per　capita　in　Cambodia　and　over　thirteen　times　in　Sierra　Leone。　Hong　Kong；　Singapore；　
Thailand　and　more　than　three　dozen　other　economies　require　no　minimum　capital　from　
start…ups。　In　contrast；　in　Syria　the　capital　requirement　is　equivalent　to　fifty…six　
times　income　per　capita　。　。　。　Businesses　in　the　Czech　Republic　and　Denmark　can　hire　
workers　on　part…time　or　fixed…term　contracts　for　any　job；　without　specifying　maximum　
duration　ofthe　contract。　In　contrast；　employment　laws　in　ElSalvador　allow　fixed…term　
contracts　only　for　specific　jobs；　and　set　their　duration　to　be　at　most　one　year　。。。　
A　simple　commercial　contract　is　enforced　in　seven　days　in　Tunisia　and　thirty…nine　
days　in　the　Netherlands；　but　takes　almost　1；500　days　in　Guatemala。　The　cost　of　
enforcement　is　less　than　1　percent　of　the　disputed　amount　in　Austria；　Canada　and　the　
United　Kingdom；　but　more　than　100　percent　in　Burkina　Faso；　the　Dominican　Republic；　
Indonesia　。　。。　and　the　Philippines。　Credit　bureaus　contain　credit　histories　on　almost　
every　adult　in　New　Zealand；　Norway　and　the　United　States。　But　the　credit　registries　
in　Cameroon；　Ghana；　Pakistan；　Nigeria　and　Serbia　and　Montenegro　have　credit　histories　
for　less　than　1　percent　of　adults。　In　the　United　Kingdom；　laws　on　collateral　and　
bankruptcy　give　creditors　strong　powers　to　recover　their　money　if　a　debtor　defaults。　
In　Colombia；　the　Republic　of　Congo；　Mexico；　Oman　and　Tunisia；　a　creditor　has　no　such　
rights。　It　takes　less　than　six　months　to　go　through　bankruptcy　proceedings　in　Ireland　
and　Japan；　but　more　than　ten　years　in　Brazil　and　India。　It　costs　less　than　1　percent　
of　the　value　of　the　estate　to　resolve　insolvency　in　Finland；　the　Netherlands；　Norway　


and　Singapore…and　nearly　half　
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the　estate　value　in　Chad；　Panama；　Macedonia；　Venezuela；　Serbia　and　Montenegro；　and　
Sierra　Leone。〃　
As　the　IFC　report　notes；　excessive　regulation　also　tends　to　hurt　most　the　very　people　
it　is　supposed　to　protect。　The　rich　and　the　well　connected　just　buy　or　hustle　their　
way　around　onerous　regulations。　In　countries　that　have　very　regulated　labor　markets　
where　it　is　difficult　to　hire　and　fire　people；　women；　especially；　have　a　hard　time　
finding　employment。　
〃Good　regulation　does　not　mean　zero　regulation；〃　concludes　the　IFC　study。　〃The　optimal　
level　of　regulation　is　not　none；　but　may　be　less　than　what　is　currently　found　in　most　
countries；　and　especially　poor　ones。〃　It　offers　what　I　call　a　five…step　checklist　
for　reform　retail。　One；　simplify　and　deregulate　wherever　possible　in　competitive　
markets；　because　competition　for　consumers　and　workers　can　be　the　best　source　of　
pressure　for　best　practices；　and　overregulation　just　opens　the　door　for　corrupt　
bureaucrats　to　demand　bribes。　〃There　is　no　reason　for　Angola　to　have　one　of　the　most　
rigid　employment　laws　if　Portugal；　whose　laws　Angola　adapted；　has　already　revised　
them　twice　to　make　the　labor　market　more　flexible；〃　says　the　IFC　study。　Two；　focus　
on　enhancing　property　rights。　Under　de　Soto's　initiative；　the　Peruvian　government　
in　the　last　decade　has　issued　property　titles　to　1。2　million　urban　squatter　households。　
〃Secure　property　rights　have　enabled　parents　to　leave　their　homes　and　find　jobs　
instead　of　staying　in　to　protect　the　property；〃　says　the　IFC　study。　〃The　main　
beneficiaries　are　their　children；　who　can　now　go　to　school。〃　Three；　expand　the　use　
of　the　Internet　for　regulation　fulfillment。　It　makes　it　faster；　more　transparent；　
and　far　less　open　to　bribery。　Four；　reduce　court　involvement　in　business　matters。　
And　last　but　certainly　not　least；　advises　the　IFC　study；　〃Make　reform　a　continuous　
process　。　。　。　Countries　that　consistently　perform　well　across　the　Doing　Business　
indicators　do　so　because　of　continuous　reform。〃　
In　addition　to　the　IFC's　criteria；　reform　retail　obviously　has　to　include　expanding　
the　opportunities　for　your　population　to　get　an　education　at　all　levels　and　investing　
in　the　logistical　infrastructure…roads；　ports；　telecommunications；　and　
airports…without　which　no　reform　retail　can　take　off　and　collaboration　with　others　
is　impossible。　Many　countries　today　still　have　telecommunications　systems　dominated　
by　state　
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monopolies　that　make　it　either　too　expensive　or　too　slow　to　get　highspeed　Internet　
access　and　wireless　access；　and　to　make　cheap　longdistance　and　overseas　phone　calls。　
Without　reform　retail　in　your　telecom　sector；　reform　retail　in　the　other　five　areas；　
while　necessary；　will　not　be　sufficient。　What　is　striking　about　the　IFC's　criteria　
is　that　a　lot　of　people　think　they　are　relevant　only　for　Peru　and　Argentina；　but　in　
fact　some　of　the　countries　that　score　worst　are　places　like　Germany　and　Italy。　（Indeed；　
the　German　government　protested　some　of　the　findings。）　
〃When　you　and　I　were　born；〃　said　Luis　de　la　Calle；　〃our　competition　＇was＇　our　next…door　
neighbors。　Today　our　competition　is　a　Japanese　or　a　Frenchman　or　a　Chinese。　You　know　


where　you　rank　very　quickly　in　a　flat　world　。　。　。　You　are　now　competing　with　everyone　
else。〃　The　best　talent　in　a　flat　world　will　earn　more；　he　added；　〃and　if　you　don't　
measure　up；　someone　will　replace　you…and　it　will　not　be　the　guy　across　the　street。〃　
If　you　don't　agree；　just　ask　some　of　the　major　players。　Craig　Barrett；　the　chairman　
of　Intel；　said　to　me；　〃With　very　few　exceptions；　when　you　would　think　about　where　
to　site　a　manufacturing　plant；　you　would　think　about　the　cost　of　labor；　transportation；　
and　availability　of　utilities…that　sort　of　stuff。　The　discussion　has　been　expanded　
today；　and　so　it　is　no　longer　where　you　put　your　plant　but　now　where　do　you　put　your　
engineering　resources；　your　research　and　development…where　are　the　most　efficient　
intellectual　and　other　resources　relative　to　cost？　You　now　have　the　freedom　to　make　
that　choice　。。。　Today　we　can　be　anywhere。　Anywhere　could　be　part　of　my　supply　chain　
now…Brazil；　Vietnam；　the　Czech　Republic；　Ukraine。　Many　of　us　are　limiting　our　scope　
today　to　a　couple　of　countries　for　a　very　simple　reason：　Some　can　combine　the　
availability　of　talent　and　a　market…that　is；　India；　Russia；　and　China。〃　But　for　every　
country　Intel　considers　going　into；　added　Barrett；　he　asks　himself　the　same　question：　
〃What　inherent　strength　does　＇the＇　country　bring　to　the　party？　India；　Russia…crummy　
infrastructure；　good　educational　level；　you　have　a　bunch　of　smart　folks。　China　has　
a　little　bit　of　everything。　China　has　good　infrastructure；　better　than　Russia　or　India。　
So　if　you　go　to　Egypt；　what　unique　capability　＇does　that　country　have　to　offer＇？　
Exceedingly　low　labor　rates；　but　what　is　＇the＇　infrastructure　and　education　base？　
The　Philippines　or　Malaysia　have　good　literacy　rates…you　get　

to　employ　college　grads　in　your　manufacturing　line。　They　did　not　have　infrastructure；　
but　they　had　a　pool　of　educated　people。　You　have　got　to　have　something　to　build　on。　
When　we　go　to　India　and　are　asked　about　opening　plants；　we　say；　'You　don't　have　
infrastructure。　Your　electricity　goes　off　four　times　a　day。'〃　
Added　John　Chambers；　the　CEO　of　Cisco　Systems；　which　uses　a　global　supply　chain　to　
build　the　routers　that　run　the　Internet　and　is　constantly　being　wooed　to　invest　in　
one　country　or　another；　〃The　jobs　are　going　to　go　where　the　best…educated　workforce　
is　with　the　most　competitive　infrastructure　and　environment　for　creativity　and　
supportive　government。　It　is　inevitable。　And　by　definition　those　people　will　have　
the　best　standard　ofliving。　This　may　or　may　not　be　the　countries　who　led　the　Industrial　
Revolution。〃　
But　while　the　stakes　in　reform　retail　today　are　higher　than　ever；　and　countries　know　
it；　one　need　only　look　around　the　world　to　notice　that　not　every