In The News

As China Ages, a Shortage of Cheap Labor Looms

Howard W. French June 30, 2006
The world’s most populous nation may soon face a labor shortage. Chinese traditionally retire at age 60. But expansion of nursing homes and home care provide evidence of a demographic shift and aging population, which could pressure China’s already stretched pension program. Analysts debate the wisdom of relaxing laws such as the one-child policy and restrictions on internal migration to ease...

Rioting in China Over Label on College Diplomas

Joseph Kahn June 26, 2006
This year, China will produce less than half as many jobs as it will college graduates. No wonder, then, students and families are willing to pay steeper tuition at colleges associated with prestigious national universities. Promised that their diplomas would bear the name of Zhengzhou University, the top school in the province, graduates from Shengda College exploded into riots after receiving...

Diaspora – Selective Immigration Policies and the Brain Drain

Bathseba H. Belai June 19, 2006
In an age of rapid information and globalization, developing countries need an educated workforce more than ever. However, the wealthiest nations entice the most talented workers with high wages – creating a void of intellectual capital in the most impoverished countries. As the populations of wealthy nations age, many governments have increased incentives for specialists to immigrate, although...

Hollywood Caters to a Ravenous Global Appetite

William Booth June 2, 2006
Hollywood is big business, but the largest portion of its revenues no longer comes from the US. Instead, Hollywood reaps more international than domestic profits, and as a result, the global marketplace influences everything from what films get made to how they are made. In fact, big Hollywood productions no longer make US audiences their primary target and aim to entertain thousands of...

Does a Growing Worker Shortage Threaten China's Low-Cost Advantage?

May 15, 2006
China’s hold on the title of low-wage manufacturing giant may be in jeopardy. This year, a job program designed to entice migrant farmer-laborers into Chinese cities fell short of expectations, as many workers chose local rural employment. This reflects a general labor shortage in regions of the country and possible fallout from governmental tax and labor policies that encouraged farming. With...

Cheney Has Turkey in His Sights

David Gow May 11, 2006
When US Vice President Dick Cheney denounced Russia’s geopolitical use of its oil and gas reserves, he shed light on an unheralded strategy to turn Turkey into a key supplier of energy. A bridge between Europe and Asia for decades, Turkey is ambitious to expand its international role in the 21st century. In an effort to become the first full EU member with a predominantly Islamic population,...

The Silent Globalization of Remittances

Richard Reeves April 26, 2006
When immigrants work in wealth countries like the US, they often send money back home to families. Such remittance income far exceeds foreign aid or direct foreign investment in Central America and the Caribbean region. The World Bank estimates that such foreign exchange is on the rise, with more than $223 billion transferred from rich countries to poor in 2005. The distribution is direct and...