Perspectives on Business and Economics, Volume 35 (2017): Leveraging Peru's Economic Potential

In the commodity-rich country of Peru, gold mining has helped the country's GDP triple in the last ten years, making it one of the fastest growing economies in South America. Yet much of the gold mining in Peru is done illegally, which drives numerous environmental and social issues. This article examines the major issues associated with illegal gold mining.

Since the impeachment of President Alberto Fujimori in 2000, Peru has not had any stable political parties. This article analyzes the consequences of Peru's somewhat problematic political system and discusses the implications of the 2016 election.

Although Peru's thriving mineral commodity economy has helped the country experience rapid economic growth since the 1990s, a more sustainable industry is needed to ensure Peru's future prosperity. This article examines the current state of Peru's tourism industry, describes the benefits that meetings tourism can offer Peru, and provides a comprehensive international meetings tourism strategy to ease the country's dependence on commodity exports.

An increase in public transportation infrastructure in Lima is crucial for continued growth and sustainable development since few public transportation options exist in Lima. This article examines how Peru can efficiently fund public transportation in Lima and reduce congestion and pollution to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

Peru's world-renowned microfinance sector has undergone significant consolidation over the past decade. This article analyzes the causes and effects of consolidation as well as examines the future of the Peruvian microfinance industry.

This article discusses the current ways in which the Peruvian government raises revenues, with a specific focus on the country's taxation system. The article suggests a tax reform proposal as an attempt to increase government revenues, while providing a vehicle to increase social equality.

The poor state of Peru's education system is one of the biggest challenges to the nation's continued development. This article reviews the recent decentralization of public education; gives an overview of the demographic, cultural, and financial difficulties faced by the system; and provides recommendations for further development.

The heavy reliance of Peru on metals exports has shown its limitations with the recent decline in global demand, which resulted in an economic slowdown after more than a decade of rapid growth. To sustain high long-term growth, Peru needs to adopt a productivity-based growth model, rather than its current commodity-based one, by diversifying its economy and fostering innovation.

A disjointed political environment in Peru contributes to continued deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. This article recommends governmental reforms to promote sustainable development and offers suggestions to increase the potential of alternative industries as deforesting industries become outmoded.

As a developing nation, Peru is plagued by its persistent and sizeable informal economy, which is linked with high levels of poverty, decreased economic growth, income inequality, and poor employment conditions. This article analyzes the key drivers of informal activities in Peru, suggests ways to reduce the size of the informal economy, and examines the impact this may have on future economic growth.

Over the past few decades Lima has experienced mass migration, which has created challenges for the city's already strained water and sanitation system. This article examines the city's current efforts to address water and sanitation problems and offers recommendations as to how the city should move forward on this issue.

Over the past 70 years, Peru's rapid urbanization has put great strain on the housing supply in the capital city of Lima. This article examines how the large migration waves to Lima have affected housing for lower-income groups and suggests how the city can mitigate the housing deficit through sustainable initiatives.