March 20, 2018
Throughout history, lower-income countries have relied on manufacturing, which provides jobs for unskilled workers, helps increase productivity, and drives economic growth, as a central driver of development. However, success in manufacturing and global value chains is currently concentrated in a limited number of countries. In 2015, 55% of the world’s manufactured goods were produced in high-income countries. China, the world’s largest producer, accounted for another 25%. Where does this leave other countries?
Mary Hallward-Driemeier is the Senior Economic Adviser in the Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank, overseeing T&C’s analytical agenda. A Canadian national, she joined the World Bank in 1997 as a Young Professional. She has published widely on entrepreneurship, firm productivity and firm dynamics, the impact of financial crises, and women's economic empowerment. She has served as an advisor to the Chief Economist of the World Bank, a co-manager of the Jobs Group, the Deputy Director for the World Development Report 2005: A Better Investment Climate for Everyone and is a founding member of the Microeconomics of Growth Network. Her latest book is Empowering Women: Legal Rights and Economic Opportunities in Africa. Mary received her A.B. from Harvard University, her M.Sc. in Development Economics from Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and her Ph.D. in Economics from M.I.T.