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In the latest Global Competitiveness Report, just out this week, Switzerland is again rated second-based in the world. It also happens to be the location of the team that produces the rankings of 134 economies. A mere coincidence?

Among the other highlights: the UK dropped out of the top-10, thanks to its weakening financial sector. Interestingly, in Icelandic, German and Belgian, woes in this sector go unpunished. Russia gained 7 positions, and now holds 51st place. This is allegedly due to "improving macroeconomic stability." Hmm, apparently market traders disagree. Venezuela, at 105, continues to fall in the rankings, just as it does in the latest Doing Business report. Saudi Arabia improves by eight positions, thanks to its 10by10 program of regulatory reform.

I was visiting Astana (Kazakhstan) the day the rankings were released. There was a complete disregard of it. This is interesting, because in previous years I have witnessed an elaborate courtship by the Kazakh government in an effort to boost its rankings. In fact, the Kazakhs went as far as hiring Michael Porter, one of the report's authors, to advise them on increasing their competitiveness. What gives this difference?

Most of all, the realization that this is a report based primarily on perceptions, and that these are difficult and slow to change. So even if the Kazakh reformed up to the gazoo, this would probably go unnnoticed for some time. Second, the remainder of the ranking is based on outcome indicators that are highly correlated with wealth: it is difficult to have "sophistication in education" without having lots of money.

This said, there is one area where Kazakhstan, and more generally Central Asia, can do a lot to improve, at little expense. This is the area of reducing corruption. None of the five Central Asian countries have much transparency of politicians' income and business interests. This would be a good place to start. Next, reform customs. I had the opportunity to cross the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border and it wasn't pretty. Not surprisingly, the two countries  ranked second-to-last and last in the Doing Business ranking on Trading across Borders. While at it, fire all road police (Georgia style) and replace them with better-paid and less-corrupt officers. I also witnessed 20-km speed limit zones in the middle of the Kazakh steppe, so that the police could charge tickets and get bribes. It's an old trick but looks absurd in the vast plain, with only camels grazing in the distance. And there is, of course, a lot that can be done on simplifying business regulations. The government just approved an ambitious reform package, and will be implementing it with help by USAID and the World Bank.

Short of these reforms, the Kazakh can try to attract the Global Competitiveness Reform team to relocate to Astana. Only 10 years old, the city boasts good office space and nice restaurants. However, winter tempatures reach -40C, so the move may need to wait until spring.