Research Centers

Introduction

For more than 30 years, the World Competitiveness Center has pioneered research on how nations and enterprises compete to lay the foundations for future prosperity. The center cooperates with a network of partners in 58 countries and produces research for governments, business and academia, including four yearly competitiveness rankings.

Year in review

Programs
In 2021, the center ran a competitiveness program that provided six days of blended learning for a national government, covering the areas of global trends, competitiveness, digital transformation and sustainability. The template of this program, which was very well received, will be used in future educational journeys facilitated by the center.

Research
The center’s 2021 World Competitiveness Ranking placed Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark as the top three most competitive economies. In a sign of the impact and influence of this global research, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted about the UAE’s performance in the ranking to his 10+ million followers. The United States topped the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, and Switzerland scored highest in the World Talent Ranking. Singapore came first in the Smart City Index, which featured Lausanne (in 5th) for the first time.

Experts from the center published two books “The Right Place” and “Cities in a Time of Global Emergencies”, and contributed to or authored three white papers and six articles in academic journals and popular media publications. Topics covered included competitiveness during the pandemic, ESG, and the value of CEOs. Center Director Professor Arturo Bris was also very active in IMD’s quarterly magazine I by IMD, publishing one competitiveness article per issue.

After reaching out in 2021, the Hinrich Foundation has partnered with the center to publish the Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index, which will measure countries' capacity to participate in international trade in a way that supports global economic, social and environmental goals. The first index, due in November 2022, will cover 29 Asian economies and trade partners.

Outreach
The center hosted three webinars, variously on the World Competitiveness Ranking, the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking and the Smart City Index. These events attracted a wide range of stakeholders who explored insights and lessons learned from the indices. Research experts from the center also participated in more than 40 other webinars, where they presented and discussed their competitiveness findings.