In The News

The Globalization Index

Paul Laudicina October 19, 2006
The impacts of globalization and roads to integration are almost as varied as the number of countries in the world. “Foreign Policy” and the A.T. Kearney consulting firm have released the sixth annual ranking of 62 countries based on their degree of globalization. The analysis focuses on categories of economic integration, personal contact, technological connectivity and political engagement....

Tussle Over a Vanished Kingdom

Choe Sang-Hun October 16, 2006
The region known as Koguryo, spanning modern Mancuria and parts of North Korea and Siberia, was once a powerful nation in the Far East many centuries ago. The name “Korea” is based on the region’s name, and many Koreans take pride in historical feats of ancient warriors battling foes, ranging from ferocious tigers to invading Chinese. So alarm bells went off in South Korea after Chinese...

Coal Makes a Comeback

Sebastian Ramspeck October 9, 2006
Not so long ago, Western industrialists and politicians dismissed coal as a viable fuel, rejecting its tendency to pollute cities and cause serious respiratory problems. The world has no shortage of coal and so its prices are stable, but burning it releases far more carbon into the atmosphere than using either oil or natural gas, thus accelerating the pace of global warming. Even so, the West is...

Industrialization in Saudi Arabia: A New Paradigm

Jean-Francois Seznec October 2, 2006
In the 20th century, Saudi Arabia embraced crude oil and the Western powers demanding it. For the 21st century, Riyadh is turning away from both, as the government hopes to translate its wealth of raw resources into lasting industrial development. The plan is for the Saudis to use their cheap energy and become the world’s leading producer of petrochemicals. The emphasis on manufacturing over...

Man and His Endangered Home

Bo Ekman September 28, 2006
In their single-minded pursuit of economic growth and wealth, human beings could be collectively working themselves out of a home. Human activities systematically degrade the water, air and other surroundings that sustain life. The problem is not with pending shortages of resources, argues systems analyst and philanthropist Bo Ekman, but a rapidly growing population and new generations that...

Bouquet of Roses May Have Note: “Made in China”

Keith Bradsher September 27, 2006
China’s plan to export cut flowers is less about conquering another industry and more about creating jobs in provinces other than those along the crowded, booming coast. Roses from impoverished Yunnan Province, grown and packed by workers who earn about $25 per month, have suddenly swept the global market. The Chinese government invested in greenhouses, airports, roads and other infrastructure...

Fruit of the Boom Threatens to Push China's Economy Out of Control

Jonathan Watts August 31, 2006
China has had spectacular growth, so spectacular that consumers cannot keep up. Luxury apartments in Shanghai remain vacant. Overbuilding and overvaluation, combined with increased debt, have contributed to an overheated economy. Not accountable to voters, provincial governments compete to create building booms and demonstrate accomplishments. Supply exceeds demand for about 70 percent of China’s...