Working Paper - Investment Climate in Haiti: The Case of the Garment Indutry
So far, during my undergraduate career, I have worked on two major working papers. First, I had the privilege of writing a paper with my game theory professor on the effects of increased competition in the credit rating industry on the quality of ratings. I recently presented that paper at a Princeton University conference.
My next paper I’m starting on is about Haiti. The country has had a long history of economic, social, and political turmoil. Most of the nation’s suffering can be attributed to foreign powers and natural disasters. The international community has recently flooded Haiti with money and favorable legislation (HOPE II ACT). Seeing the aid as an opportunity to rebuild Haiti’s economy, I want the funds to be allocated in the most efficient areas. Investing in infrastructure and building Haiti’s apparel industry are the areas that meet this goal.
Most international organizations are proficient in building and maintaining infrastructure. For example, the World Bank and IMF both have a history of successfully rebuilding countries’ infrastructure throughout the world. The more complex problem is building Haiti’s garment industry. In my latest paper I seek to breakdown the conditions necessary for international garment companies to see Haiti as a competitive option. Here is my latest draft.
Find a topic for my papers is often the most difficult part. My past post on my reaction to Freakonomics (the movie), actually helped quite a bit. “Looking for causation not correlated variables” and “putting myself in the subjects position” lead me to research the Investment Climate in Haiti: The Case of the Garment Industry.
