1. Which approach to measuring development do you think would be most useful for international managers to follow in assessing a potential market’s level of development? 

2. Do you agree or disagree with Robert Kennedy’s assertions that an approach to understanding development that relies on market data is not really what we need to know to understand our development as people (and markets)? Defend your answer.

3. If you were the manager of a subsidiary of an international company and you were asked by the host country government to justify your proposed investment in a production plant based on human development needs, what arguments could you provide to help support your position? 

This Global Debate provides an overview of different perspectives on how to assess the extent of a nation’s development, contrasting traditional measures of economic development with one based on human development, as created by the United Nations Development Program. This contrast in perspectives serves as a starting point for a stimulating class discussion.