Networks in infrastructure with applications to Latin America and the Caribbean

The primary drivers of the creation of infrastructure networks are the benefits that can be achieved through collective action. For example, global and regional networks of regulators enable agencies to obtain inputs and create outputs that would otherwise be unavailable or very expensive. Such organizations act as intermediaries, providing forums for discussions, sharing data for benchmarking, producing public pronouncements, developing materials for stakeholders, providing capacity building for professional staff, and evaluating best practice laws (and procedures) that address institutional and policy issues. This article provides a census of such organizations, with particular emphasis on organizations within Latin America and the Caribbean. Although there is some evidence that these activities influence national regulations through the provision of benchmarking data and adoption of shared principles, quantifying those impacts is difficult. Organizations providing infrastructure services also collabora...