Introduction to Vol. 20 Issue 1

Sir,

The Latin American Business Review just completed 20 years of publishing with the first issue appearing in October 1998. The uniqueness of the journal is a focus on the business and economic environment of Latin America from a perspective across various disciplines. Since the beginning, the goal was to provide an outlet for research on the region for Latin American scholars, in English to reach a worldwide audience, with abstracts also published in Spanish and Portuguese.

In 1998 there were not many international publishing outlets for scholars doing research on the region. For example, from 1997 to 1999, the Global Finance Journal had only 7% of their publications mention anything related to Latin America. A higher-ranked journal in finance, such as the Journal of Finance, had only 2% of their published articles in 1997 and 1998 on topics specific to Latin America and none of the authors were currently associated with Latin American universities or organizations. Relatedly, there was only one paper presented at the American Finance Association Annual meeting in 1998 on Latin America.

Economically 1998 was not a high point for the region. The annual average GDP had grown by 5.1% in 1997, but by 1999 Latin America and the Caribbean saw growth fall dramatically to only 0.13%. The 1990s had brought about an opening of most of markets in Latin America with multinational companies moving into the region and local companies becoming more regionally and globally focused. So, the importance of business and economic research was growing exponentially at a time of increased market uncertainty. The Latin American Business Review tried to help fill this gap providing an outlet for academic research that solely focused on Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition to this regional focus was also a commitment of publishing across various business disciplines. To increase knowledge, prosperity and development requires an understanding beyond a single subject. Over the past 20 years, papers have had a strong focus in economics and finance but have also included a wide variety of other business disciplines (see Table 1). Of course, these categories are very broad, and if disaggregated would show greater diversity. For example, within the “economics” category this includes trade, foreign investment, globalization issues, macroeconomic cycles, etc. The “finance” category includes risk management, banking, exchange rates, corporate governance, etc.

Table

Broad discipline	Percentage of papers
Economics	30%
Finance	27%
Management	15%
Marketing	8%
Labor	5%
Strategy	5%
Innovation and technology	8%
Supply Chain	1%
Accounting	1%
Environmental issues	1%
Legal environment	1%

The Latin American Business Review also set a goal of contributing to the knowledge of the entire region. Although the topics over the past 20 years have included several individual countries, cross-country comparisons, and broader regional topics, papers that include Brazil have dominated the publication (see Table 2). This is not particularly surprising given that the journal has always had a coeditor, managing editor, or both from Brazil. In addition, Brazil hosts several PhD programs in business and management and the journal has provided an excellent outlet for scholars doing research on the region from those institutions. The Co-editors of the journal will continue to encourage and solicit papers focused on other countries in Latin America.

Table

Country	Percentage of papers
Argentina	4%
Brazil	42%
Belize	<1%
Canada	4%
Chile	4%
Colombia	3%
Costa Rica	1%
Cuba	<1%
Dominican Republic	<1%
Ecuador	1%
Guatemala	<1%
Mexico	13%
Paraguay	1%
Peru	2%
United States	6%
Uruguay	1%
Venezuela	<1%
Regional	17%

Over the past 20 years Latin American scholars and papers focused on business and economic issues in the region have increased. Continuing with the previous examples, in the past two years the Global Finance Journal had 9% of their published articles related to Latin America and the Caribbean and scholars in the region have themselves published in the Journal of Finance. However the uniqueness and importance of the Latin American Business Review remains, as an interdisciplinary journal committed to bringing attention to issues relevant and important for the growth, development, and prosperity of Latin America and the Caribbean. As a region hosting almost 9% of the world’s population with a median age younger than 30 years, business development is critical. The Latin American Business Review will continuing bringing relevant articles expanding knowledge and understanding of the region’s business and economic environment.

A special thanks to the current and previous editors, as well as the institutions that have supported the journal over the years. The original coeditors included myself, Ricardo Leal (COPPEAD Graduate School of Business, Brazil), and Jaime Alonso Gómez (at the time with EGADE - Tec de Monterrey, Mexico). Later coeditors and editors included Angela da Rocha, Carlos Alberto Hemais, Cesar Gonçalves Neto, Alexandre Medeiros Rodrigues, Carlos Heitor Campani, and Luis Antonio da Rocha Dib, all with COPPEAD Graduate School of Business, Brazil at the time of their supporting the journal. Current editors and coeditors include Maribel Suarez (COPPEAD Graduate School of Business), Sergio Olavarrieta (University of Chile) and Marcelo Cabus Klotzle (IAG, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro) along with myself. In addition, for over 10 years, Luciia Silvia (COPPEAD) has very professionally served as the journal’s Managing Editor. It is very clear that that the strong support of COPPEAD, throughout the last 20 years, has contributed greatly to achieving the mission of the Latin American Business Review.

The entire team of current and past editors, coeditors, editorial advisory board members and reviewers look forward to continuing to help support the transmission of knowledge and the encouragement of scholarship on the business and economic environment of Latin America and the Caribbean.