Abstract Six 2013

GLOBAL

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

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Volume Seven Winter-Spring 2012-2013 Numbers 1-2.

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INTEGRATING INTO GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS FOR SERVICES: THE CASE OF JAMAICA’S

OFFSHORE SERVICES INDUSTRY

Marie Freckleton

Senior Lecturer

Department of Economics

The University of the West Indies

Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica

Email: marie.freckleton@uwimona.ed

Published online: February 10, 2017

ABSTRACT

Jamaica is promoting the development of offshore services as a means of diversifying exports, creating employment, and promoting economic growth. This article presents an analytical review of Jamaica’s attempt to integrate into global value chains for services. The findings suggest that Jamaica’s offshore services industry remains small and underdeveloped. The limited success in integrating into global value chains for services is attributed to constraints on competitiveness, especially a shortage of high quality human capital. The article concludes that the policy measures being used to promote development of the offshore services industry are inadequate and need to be supplemented by development of human capital, upgrading of infrastructure and strengthening of weak institutions