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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 countr