Operational Note: Paola Perez-Aleman Presenting at UNRISD Two-Day Conference on the Role of Business in Developing Countries, 12 – 13 November 2007

Large corporations and business associations exert strong and growing influence over social development and government policy in developing countries, but how do changes in state-business-society relations affect the way in which poorer countries develop? Does the involvement of business improve the effectiveness of government or not? Also, what institutional, political and economic conditions encourage business to support the more ‘progressive’ social, labour market and industrial policies that favour inclusive and rights-based development?

These are some of the questions that this conference hopes to answer as it tries to get a better understanding of the role of business in development. It is hoped that the dialogue between the expert speakers attending the conference, who hail from a variety of different disciplines and backgrounds, will provide a new insight into the relationship between state, business and society.

Audio files of Paola Perez-Aleman’s presentation entitled ‘New Standards, MNC-NGO Partnerships and the Inclusion of Small Producers in Latin America: Some Lessons for State Policy’ are available upon request. For further information or to discuss possibilities of an interview, please contact Richard Warren or Julia Gin at UNRISD on +41 (0)22 917 1497.

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