In The News

What Should the White House Do About Globalization

William Holstein July 17, 2008
Businesses juggle the challenges and rewards of globalization every day – but the process of interaction remains largely a mystery. During the Cold War, globalization had ideological connotations, as it was often viewed as just westernization. Now the term is source of anger and confusion as its consequences are more uncertain. The next US president must define globalization for US citizens and...

Privacy on the Web: Is It a Losing Battle?

July 14, 2008
The internet was conceived and designed to securely convey military secrets. But it has since evolved into a treasure chest of information – unlocked and open to all. Now an inexpensive way to store loads of data, the internet is easily tapped by consumers, businesses and even thieves. Businesses track consumer concerns for marketing purposes, and some consumers are disturbed to learn just how...

A Self-Inflicted Wound

Jacob F. Kirkegaard July 1, 2008
The US, long home to many of the world’s most highly skilled workers, could soon be scrambling for replacements. Baby boomers are starting to retire, and their high education levels will be missed. Since the baby boomers emerged in the work force, the US became complacent about its public-education system. As a result, young American workers increasingly struggle to compete with skilled foreign...

Indian IT Industry Roots for Barack Obama

Bhargavi Kerur July 1, 2008
Presidential candidate Barack Obama points to the need to fix the American economy and proposes expanding overseas opportunities by outsourcing jobs as a possible solution for a flailing economy. Business is a two-way street, this article from the Daily News & Analysis in India suggests, and nations that outsource work can benefit as much as the nations that receive outsourced work. Plenty of...

Obama Will Give Free Trade a Rough Ride

Tony Parkinson July 1, 2008
Columnist Tony Parkinson argues that Barack Obama’s hostility towards free trade signals a loss of confidence in US trading partners that threatens, in turn, to cause those partners to lose confidence in the United States. The international community is eager to see an end to George Bush’s unilateralist attitude towards national security. Obama’s unilateralist attitude towards trade, however,...

EU Enlargement: The Dark Side of Globalization

June 2, 2008
As the European Union opened trade and borders, foreign investors set up shop in communities throughout the former Soviet Republic. For example, Samsonite opened a factory in Samorin, Slovakia, in 1997. But the jobs and economic development were short-lived, with Samsonite moving its production line on to China a decade later. “Samorin is a witness to the way that globalisation is fragmenting as...

How to Do Guilt-Free Business With Beijing

Michael Skapinker June 2, 2008
China’s push to develop its economy and improve the standard of living for its billion-plus population has not been without problems, including pollution, corruption, human-rights violations, and cover-ups through media censorship. Hosting the Olympics has invited attention on both economic success and the problems – not just for China but also for the many companies that do business there....