Can compliance to the international management standards enhance the competitiveness of firms in South Latin America?

Abstract

This paper explores the motivations and facilitators underlying ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certification in South America. In particular, we explore the impact of internationalisation of these economies on the diffusion of certification. Relying on both national aggregated data for a period of 19952005 as well as on firmlevel data from the Chilean salmon farming industry, we find that exposure to international markets influences positively the decision of compliance with these international standards. Still, certification relies heavily on the meso and macro institutional capabilities, and consequently on the economic development of these economies.