Introduction

Promotion of international business benefits all the countries across it which takes place.

The countries from which goods are exported benefit by incoming foreign exchange and

wealth, while creating employment for their workers. In countries which import those

goods, the consumers benefit by getting better products at a lesser price, thereby creating

a 'consumer surplus'. Because international business benefits all concerned, there is an

onus these days on all governments to facilitate it, a task that is easier said than done.

The main problem faced by governments is that even though the majority of people

benefit by international business and trade, there is always a section of local business

which stands to lose in the competition brought about by international business, and

which leaves no stone unturned to oppose and thwart them. In the face of such opposition

and lobbying, the role of governments in international business becomes even more

critical.

Role of Government in Facilitating Business

There are many other aspects in which also governments play a very important role in

facilitating international business. First of them is infrastructure. International transit of

goods require ports with adequate capacity to handle high quantity cargo, as well as

adequate roads or railway networks for transporting them to the markets, and by creating

such infrastructure, the government can make business in their country an attractive

prospect for international companies.

Second, the law and order, and rent seeking are two very important factors for businesses

coming from outside the country. Today, few companies are likely to be tempted towards

a country where safety of property is doubtful, and not every company would be ready to

live with graft and illegal rent seeking. Governments can make a big difference by taking

care of these factors.

Third, international business if full of various risks, and governments can play a great

role in minimizing those risks. A clear and consistent policy towards foreign investment

and international trade can, by itself, be a significant contribution because

unpredictability of government policies is one of biggest source of these risks. Managing

currency, inflation and foreign exchange rate is another important way of reducing these

risks. Ensuring property rights and contract enforcement is also one of the ways in which

business risks can be minimized.

Businesses are run on the basis of market forces, but that does not undermine the

necessity of their facilitation by the governments. Market and government, both

complement each other in this regard. Apart from this, the domestic industry might not have

the capabilities to succeed in a particular sector nor the expertise to develop that sector.

Therefore, FDI becomes necessary for the growth of that sector. Moreover, opening up of the

economy is needed for admission into the WTO or the World Trade Organization, which means

that in order to export to other countries, emerging and developing market economies have to

open up. These are some of the reasons why many governments in developing countries

encourage foreign investment and allow international businesses to setup operations in their

countries. However, whether the successive governments continue the same policies or not

depends on a host of factors that include the ideological bent of the governments, the
compulsions of politics, and the fact that foreign investment might not have succeeded in kick

starting the economy as planned.