Meeting the employment challenge: Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in the global economy

Arguing that economic policies in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico favor markets over institutions and the international economy over the domestic - to the detriment of the workforce in those countries - Meeting the Employment Challenge presents extensive evidence in support of placing employment concerns at the center of economic and social policies.

The authors discuss the challenges the three countries face in creating employment, as well as the evolution of the labor market since 1990 in terms of the quantity and quality of jobs. They then explore the impact of five policy areas on employment creation: macroeconomic policy, trade liberalization, foreign direct investment, labor market regulations and policies, and social dialogue. Their concluding recommendations offer concrete steps for balancing market forces and policy intervention in the interest of employment growth in a sound economy.

Janine Berg and Christoph Ernst are labour economists in the Employment Analysis and Research Unit of the Employment Strategy Department, International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva. Peter Auer is chief of the Employment Analysis and Research Unit of the Employment Strategy Department.

This is a co-publication with Lynne Rienner Publishers.