To assist developing countries in building their national capacity to nurture internationally competitive industries and enterprises in a strategic and sustainable manner.
 
Globalisation has reshaped the economic context in which the private sector operates today in both developing and developed countries. Unparalleled opportunities now exist for firms in developing countries to profit from the new global economy. New avenues are opening up to provide access to technical skills, knowledge, technology, capital, resources and markets. Conversely however, greater openness means that the private sector faces increasing competition for goods, services, investment and resources in both domestic and export markets.
 
Strategically managing these new complexities in order to reap the benefits of globalisation is one of the greatest challenges facing governments and businesses in developing countries. The public sector must create an environment that allows the private sector to be competitive. At the same time, enterprises such as SMEs, must come to terms with how best to manage the new global market. Effective strategies are needed to address the new demand conditions, production capabilities and supply relationships.
 
We have successfully assisted governments worldwide to establish effective competitiveness strategies and create business environments based on best practice. We have helped develop and co-ordinate policies that successfully nurture small enterprises, and we have facilitated the transfer of knowledge and technology by providing programmes that promote foreign investment and information flows. Our in-house research programme ensures we are at the leading edge of best practices and provides us with a wide range of analytical techniques and modeling frameworks.
 

Enhancing the Business Environment
 
Maxwell Stamp has developed an international reputation for providing governments with the support and assistance they need to promote efficient and competitive business environments.
 
Policy And Strategy Support
We provide governments with short, medium, and long-term assistance in preparing and implementing competitiveness-related strategies that are in line with the countries' comparative and competitive advantages. In each case we evaluate the impact of policy changes on the business environment and develop practical proposals and recommendations to reduce the transaction costs faced by business.
 
Legal, Institutional and Procedural Reform
The effectiveness of sound policies is often dampened by complex legal and procedural frameworks and by weak institutional arrangements. We assist governments in effecting legal, institutional and procedural changes that increase the flexibility, transparency and simplicity of the business environment. These include reform of competition and labour legislation, company law, financial regulation, intellectual property, and customs and taxation.
 
Investment Climate Support
We offer a broad range of services related to investment climate support. We specialise in providing institutional support to investment promotion agencies, foreign investment approval procedures, and compliance with international agreements. We have also developed considerable expertise in designing and restructuring economic zones, including building capacity for their management and promotion.
 

Firm-Level Competitiveness
 
Our work aims to enhance the capabilities of companies through business development services support, clustering strategies, access to finance, and a range of other key supply-side initiatives.
 
Business Development Services
We help structure and implement initiatives that stimulate the development of sustainable markets for business services, improving firms' access to training, technology, financial planning and marketing support.
 
Clustering Strategies
SMEs in particular can often significantly improve their competitiveness by establishing inter-firm links and ties to specialised support institutions. We have provided valuable assistance in creating cluster and network initiatives in developing countries around the world.
 
Value Chain Analysis
The behaviour of suppliers in the value chain can have a significant impact on a company's performance. We are skilled in examining the impact of value chain factors on competitiveness, an area often overlooked in narrower examinations of competitiveness.
 
Access to Finance
Access to business finance is a major constraint on the competitiveness of firms in developing countries and emerging markets. We specialise in establishing innovative, non-distortionary, market-based arrangements that improve access to finance for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises.
 

Quantitative Tools and Analysis
 
Maxwell Stamp is a specialist in the application of quantitative analysis to competitiveness issues.
 
Benchmarking Competitiveness
Benchmarking competitiveness against global best practice is an integral part of evaluating private sector development. Our benchmarking initiatives not only provide a comparative international measure of an economy's business environment but also enable companies to improve their production capabilities.
 
Firm Level Surveys
We have extensive experience in the design and implementation of firm-level surveys in developing countries and data-sparse environments. Our survey work is an essential component in the policy formulation process and the evaluation of the impact of policy reforms on the performance and competitiveness of firms and sectors.
 
Modeling Techniques
We have developed a range of sophisticated, in-house, modeling and quantitative analytical techniques that enable us to examine the relative effects of government policy on competitiveness; identify policy conflicts; and assess the impact of policy changes on the business environment.