In The News

Used Cars for the Third World

Eric Wiedemann February 17, 2006
“El Dorado” is commonly known as the mythical city of gold. In Hamburg and other German cities, however, used-car scrap yards, known as “dorados,” challenge the traditional meaning. The “dorados” are huge fields, divided by fences, where dealers sell German cars that no longer meet safety or emissions standards, most destined for Africa and Eastern Europe. Despite appearances, there is nothing...

Companies in Emerging Markets Show Clout in Global Deal Game

Jason Singer February 17, 2006
Some critics of globalization think of market liberalization as “neo-colonialism.” Western companies, they claim, reap profits from exploiting cheap labor of the developing world. Yet recent corporate maneuvers suggest that globalization is a far more complex process. Since 2002, companies from emerging markets like India and China have bought up Western competitors with increasing frequency. The...

Wake Up To Old-Fashioned Power of New Oligopolies

Barry Lynn February 15, 2006
While the term “monopoly” is familiar, the related term, “oligopoly” – which refers to control of markets by a handful of major corporations – is less well known. Yet business journalist and author Barry Lynn contends that the citizens and politicians must wake up to the tightening grasp of “global mega-institutions” on the global marketplace. Global oligopolies pose dangers, often associated...

Boom Town

Adam Nicolson February 13, 2006
The future of the modern world is being raised, literally, from the sandy depths of the waters surrounding the city of Dubai. A developer’s paradise, this fastest-growing city in the world is open to all with a checkbook and an imagination. Dubai, centered between the rising powers of the East and the traditional powers of the West, is man-made, from its sky-high towers and luxury ski resorts in...

China's Powerhouse Vision for 2050

Jonathan Watts February 13, 2006
China released a report from its leading research institute with an optimistic vision for the nation’s next 50 years. The projections depend on China undergoing a transition from a predominantly agricultural society to a suburban knowledge-based economy – and moving 500 million people closer to the cities. China would also have to maintain a strong growth rate, now at 9 percent. Noting that China...

Some Assembly Needed: China as Asia Factory

David Barboza February 10, 2006
Although a wealth of products pour into the US, bearing the label “made in China,” few are made completely in that nation at all. These days China is just the last stop in the complex global production networks run by multinational companies in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the US. By confusing between what really is assembled in China with the common label of “made in China,” one...

SHIN Deal: Is National Security Compromised?

February 9, 2006
In a move that reportedly skirts laws concerning foreign ownership of assets designated strategic or sensitive, Singapore’s state investment arm has acquired a near-majority stake in a Thai telecommunications conglomerate. The deal between Temasek and Shin Corp. has raised alarm in Thailand over privacy and security, especially since Temasek’s investment gives it indirect control over a...