The Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) was first published in 1979 and its coverage has expanded each year. This year’s Report (2010) features a record number of 139 economies, and thus continues to be the most comprehensive assessment of its kind. It contains a detailed profile for each of the economies featured in the study as well as an extensive section of data tables, with global rankings covering over 100 indicators.
Switzerland tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2&1 released by the World Economic Forum. The United States falls two places to fourth position, overtaken by Sweden (2nd) and Singapore (3rd). The Nordic countries continue to be well positioned in the’ ranking, with Sweden, Finland (7th) and Denmark (9th) among the top 10, and with Norway at 14i,a. Sweden overtakes the US arid Singapore this year to be placed 2nd overall.
The United Kingdom, after falling in the rankings over recent years, moves back up by one place to 12th position. The rankings are calculated from both publicly available data and the Executive Opinion Survey, a comprehensive annual survey conducted by the World Economic Forum together with its network of Partner Institutes (leading research institutes and business organisations) in the countries covered by the Report. World Economic Forum has given the top ranking to following countries (Table 7.18).
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Table 7.18: World Economic Forum Competitiveness Ranking of Top Ten Countries:
| Rank | Country | Score |
| 1 | Switzerland | 5.63 |
| 2 | Sweden | 5.56 |
| 3 | Singapore | 5.48 |
| 4 | United States | 5.43 |
| 5 | Germany | 5.39 |
| 6 | Japan | 5.37 |
| 7 | Finland | 5.37 |
| 8 | Netherlands | 5.33 |
| 9 | Denmark | 5.32 |
| 10 | Canada | 5.30 |
Competitive economies are those that have in place factors driving the productivity enhancements on which their present and future prosperity is built. A competitiveness-supporting economic environment can help national economies to support high incomes and ensure that the mechanisms enabling solid economic performance going into the future are in place. “Competitiveness is the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country.”