Fat chance. To gain a sense of what Cuba might look like in 2030, including the bad and the ugly as well as the good, one could do far worse than consult Feinberg’s stellar tome.―Survival
A masterful and very readable sojourn through the new Cuban economy as it
moves toward market socialismthe problems that triggered the sweeping
reform changes of 2011, the remedies prescribed, the expansion of private business, and the opening to foreign direct investment, topped off with vignettes of how a talented group of Cuban millennials sees the futureand hope to shape it.
William LeoGrande, professor of government at American University and coauthor of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana
Whether you agree or disagree with President Obama’s normalization of U.S. ties with Cuba, Richard Feinberg’s Open for Business is required reading for Cuba watchers. Feinberg, a frequent traveler to the island, has been researching business conditions there since long before Obama’s 2014 decision to normalize ties with Cuba, and his writings no doubt influenced the U.S. president’s policy. Feinberg goes far beyond the macroeconomic figures, and takes us right into what’s happening on the Cuban streets.
Andres Oppenheimer, columnist for the Miami Herald, anchor of Oppenheimer Presenta” on CNN en Español, and author of Innovate or Die!
Open for Business is fueled by case studies and the author’s own experiences throughout years of interacting with academics, entrepreneurs, and Cubans from all social classes. Feinberg shows a deep respect for Cuba and a subtle intelligence when proposing alternatives. His book will encourage commentaries, both friendly and critical, across the political
spectrum. Feinberg approaches Cuba from the perspective of a meticulous
researcher who has invested considerable time getting to know my country.
Juan Triana, graduate professor, Center for the Study of the Cuban
Economy, University of Havana
Any executive interested in doing business in Cuba should read Open for
Business. The book contains essential economic data and insights into Cuba’s reforms. A top expert on today’s Cuban economy, Feinberg presents instructive case studies of international business successesand of potentially costly pitfalls to avoid.
Carlos Gutierrez, chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group, chair of U.S.-Cuba Business Council, former CEO of Kellogg, and former U.S. Commerce Secretary From the Back Cover
"Ninety miles across the Straits of Florida, a new Cuban revolution is stirring. This time, instead of guerrillas marching down the streets of Havana, it is the global economy that will upend Cuba. As the country’s
once solidly socialist economy opens further to the world, what new forms is it likely to take?
Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy examines the island’s still stagnant sectors and market-driven changes under way as the country takes its early steps toward a more dynamic growth model. Richard E. Feinberg, a longtime observer who has been at the forefront of advocating for the recent diplomatic opening between the United States and Cuba,
examines key issues such as the vital role of foreign investors, how Cubans will forge a path to innovative entrepreneurship, and the alternative road maps inspired by other emerging economies.
As Cuba’s economy awakens from its post-Castro dream, it will do so with a
flavor that is uniquely Cuban. Enriched by interviews and in-depth field research conducted over the past five years, this volume speaks both to Cuba’s legacy and to its new horizons on the world stage."
About the Author
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Richard E. Feinberg is a nonresident senior fellow in the Latin America Initiative at Brookings and a professor of international political economy in the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego. Previously, Feinberg served as special assistant to President Clinton for National Security Affairs and senior director of the National Security Council's (NSC) Office of Inter-American Affairs.
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