The national competitiveness indexes: what are they measuring, what should they do

Abstract

National competitiveness often is a source of debates regarding its importance for strategic and policy analysis. Those who support the importance of this concept argue that it is based on concerns about the level and quality of jobs, quality of life, wages and revenues, technological development, among other topics regarded the dynamic of the economic development. The debate on the validity of the concept of competitiveness when applied to nations does not set off the development of a new set of metrics that would enable countries to assess the actors that induce competitiveness. To fill this gap, this article aims to present an alternative methodology for measuring national competitiveness. This methodology seeks to measure the drivers of competitiveness, which improve capabilities in a country. It is understood capabilities as the central element for developing countries seeking to foster the competitiveness of its economy.