Competitive Spirit

COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

Global organizations, take note: The world’s most competitive economies all thrive in four categories, according to Swiss business school IMD: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. Here’s what makes the very best different from the rest—and each other.

Leading the Pack

The most competitive economies in 2014 all ranked at or near the top of IMD’s list in recent years.

4 Factors Defined

For the 2014 edition of its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook, IMD sifted data and surveyed business executives to rank each economy in four areas. Taking all four rankings into account, researchers then determined overall rankings.

Economic Performance

Government Efficiency

Total government expenditure as percentage of GDP in 2013:

Business Efficiency

Productivity as measured by GDP per hour:

Infrastructure

Quality of general infrastructure (transportation, telecommunications, energy) on a scale of 1-7, with 1 being extremely undeveloped and 7 being extensive and efficient

Sources: The Conference Board, Economic Policy Institute, Hong Kong Construction Industry Council, IMD, International Monetary Fund, PwC, U.S. Department of the Interior, World Bank, World Economic Forum