Honors Theses

Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2022

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Croft Institute for International Studies

First Advisor

Miguel Centellas

Second Advisor

David Fragoso Gonzalez

Third Advisor

Ian Gowan

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Latin American transport infrastructure underperforms the global standard across the board, and previous research indicates that deficient infrastructure deters economic and social development (Fay 2007). Using multiple research methods, this thesis explores how transport infrastructure relates to the economic global competitiveness of a nation. More specifically, the quantitative research includes regression analyses with quantity of varying infrastructure types (airports, roadways, railways, and navigable waterways) and the creation of an airport infrastructure index. The index attempts to determine what dimensions of airport infrastructure truly reflect “good infrastructure” because Latin America has a relatively large quantity of airports. As infrastructure mechanisms are complex and nuanced, this thesis includes a review of foundational research concerning infrastructure and economic development along with a case study between Bolivia and Chile. The research finds that quantity of infrastructure is not related to global competitiveness, yet certain aspects of airport infrastructure like usage and efficiency do correlate. Like previous research in this field, the findings are challenging to decipher because the effects of infrastructure extend far beyond economic measurements, and the economic measurements are affected by a multitude of factors, such as politics and cultural values.

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Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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