World Business: Curious Common Marketing

Two years ago, in open imitation of Europe's Six, five nations of Central America—Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and, later, Costa Rica—set up their own common market. But, unlike its European model, the Central American Common Market has poor economic soil to grow in: per capita income in its five member nations averages $200 a year, and heavy industry is almost nonexistent. Last week, at a meeting in El Salvador, the executive council of the Central American Common Market put into effect a curious plan to foster industrial growth. Henceforth, the five nations will select one company in each of a...