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 regulation, and labor relations. 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 economists in the Employment Analysis and Research Unit of the Employment Strategy Department, and Peter Auer is chief of the unit, at the International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva.Contents: Foreword?Daniel Martinez. Introduction. The Evolution of the Labor Market in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Macroeconomic Policy and Employment. Trade Liberalization, Export Dynamism, and Employment Growth. Foreign Direct Investment and the Creation of Quality Employment. The Impact of Labor Market Regulations and Policies. Social Dialogue and Employment. Strategies for Meeting the Employment Challenge.