Development is a process of growth or advancement. The term "development" however tends to be unclear. Aidan Foster-Carter's study, Development in Sociology (1993), however, identifies four senses of the word development. These are economic development, which is usually directly linked to economic growth; social development, where the redirection of poverty and inequity are important and an increase in employment necessary; political development, which tends to look at the extent to which a country is considered to be democratic from a Western perspective; and cultural development which relates to the extent to which the existing culture in any one country can be sustained, or whether it may change and be influenced by others. Another type of development not indicated by Foster-Carter is human development. Human development is an approach to economic growth that emphasizes improving the quality of life of all citizens while conserving the environment and natural resources for future generations.
This report has been done on an article titled "Caribbean: The threat looms large," done by Wesley Gibbings on September 14, 1999.
Social Development Officer in the Caribbean Office of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Sonia Cuales, argues that although some international economic strategies have produced notable statistical results, there has been little reduction of some persistent problems. According to the article, "recent research projects appear to have withheld a final verdict on the impact of structural adjustment and globalisation on countries in the region," because they all conclude that serious threats are imminent and some already exist.
According to the article, "structural adjustment and globalisation will indeed benefit countries in the region through international trade, new investments and new and more efficient communication and information.