International trade is not war
29/09/2005International trade is currently an important issue for Brazil. From soy to airplanes, the country started to mobilize more and more in the search for new international markets. Competitiveness and protectionism become central concerns for those who find the axis of their strategies in the international market. Thus, é comum escutarmos que "o comércio internacional é uma guerra".
A first impact of this vision is that we now see other international actors as enemy armies, which must be fought with the weapons we have.
Both in the domestic and international markets there will always be actors who complement our work and those who are in direct confrontation with him. Trade disagreements do not occur between the USA and Brazil, but between sectors of the American economy and sectors of the Brazilian economy.
A second problem that arises is the difference between the behavior of the government and the private sector. While the private sector is fragmented and has several representative entities, the government must present itself on the international stage with a unique and coherent positioning.
It is certainly not possible to ignore the existence of government as the role it should play in the economic logic of the countries, however, more intense participation by entrepreneurs is necessary, creating international forums for businessmen and coalitions.
Following examples of countries with high international negotiating power, we must seek better interaction between the government and the private sector; however, this does not mean that it is up to the private sector to provide the government, which should carry out international negotiations. Convergence must occur towards the determination of macro-objectives, being that each side must assume its respective responsibilities in the pursuit of these objectives.
The creation of representative offices in other countries can and should count on government support, However, it shouldn't be an initiative like this, however, from the representative entities of the national productive sectors. This reaffirms that international trade is not war, but convincing, commitment and competence.
The creation of representative offices in other countries can and should count on government support, However, it shouldn't be an initiative like this, however, from the representative entities of the national productive sectors. This reaffirms that international trade is not war, but convincing, commitment and competence.
Ultimately it is the final consumer who determines the products consumed, so we must offer them a product that has the requested quality.
On the other hand, we cannot forget the distributors and all other intermediaries, that are critical to business success. We must offer them commitment and sustainability in business.
To foreign governments, in its turn, we must present the necessary competence, reaching the minimum levels required by them. In & uacute; last & inst acirc; INSTANCE, should not be seen as the high command of war – as those who see trade as a war usually do – but as an actor who must be convinced of the need to buy imported products.
*Rodrigo Cintra is director of Focus R. I. – advisory & Consulting International Relations [www.focusri.com.br] and vice president of the Argentine-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce of São Paulo [www.camarbra.com.br].
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