"The Global Competitiveness Report 2013–2014 is being released at a time when the world economy is undergoing significant shifts. The global financial crisis and the ensuing developments have heightened the role of emerging economies in the global context. This has accelerated the major economic transformations already underway, which have fueled rapid growth and lifted millions of people out of poverty. Yet, although the global economy’s prospects are more positive than they were when we released last year’s Report, growth has begun to slow across many emerging economies, and advanced economies in Europe and elsewhere continue to struggle..."