In The News

Undue Fears of China Inc?

Paul Mooney September 29, 2005
Nearly two decades after fears of a Japanese industrial takeover reached fever pitch in the United States, expansionist moves by Chinese corporations have triggered alarms around the world. Last summer, when Chinese companies CNOOC and Haier attempted to buy Unocal and Maytag, respectively, American critics imagined the sinister hand of the Chinese state wrenching control of US assets and markets...

Murdoch Says News Corp. Has Hit a "Brick Wall" in China

Ron Rhodes September 20, 2005
Media tycoons have long salivated over China's huge market potential. But a government investigation into Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. underscores the challenges of operating a media business in China. "A year ago I would have said there's a lot of opening up going on," Murdoch said. "The present trend is the reverse," he continued, referring to the government...

A Pocket-Sized Famine Fighter

Esha Bhandari September 14, 2005
Last year, reports of an impending famine in Niger did little to rouse action within the global giving community. Though thousands have died from the predicted food shortage, many thousands have been saved, thanks to the work of one woman's company. Until recently, Fatchima Cissé ran a small nutritional food company in her native Niger, selling to relief agencies at no profit. With help from...

India's Mini-Multinationals Make Waves in Western Markets

Anand Giridharadas September 2, 2005
As India gains economic strength, its entrepreneurs are acquiring increasing numbers of overseas companies. In the first eight months this year, Indian companies paid US$1.7 billion for 62 foreign businesses, including a German metal forge, a South Korean truck maker, and a British tea company. The Indian as global owner marks a clear reversal for a country with vivid memories of its own...

Enduring an IT Eclipse

A. Sheshabalaya August 30, 2005
In recent years, Bangalore has outpaced Silicon Valley in the global innovation race. This is not a temporary blip, writes author Ashutosh Sheshabalaya, but a fast-evolving reality to which the American IT industry must adapt for the long haul. While offshoring is hardly a new phenomenon, it was previously restricted to back-office support functions. This is no longer the case: IBM and Hewlett...

Is Iraq War Fueling GCC's Economic Boom?

Emilie Rutledge August 12, 2005
Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March, 2003, all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have experienced high levels of economic growth, and the price of oil has doubled. Although the "Iraqi factor" can partly account for this upward trajectory in the price of oil, Emilie Rutledge writes that the unprecedented rise in global demand and lack of spare capacity are the more...

Why "Made in China" Is Good News for the US

Andrew Leonard August 5, 2005
US trade with and investment in China continue to rise, along with the American trade deficit. One of the few areas in which the US still enjoys a trade surplus with China is the microchip industry – traditionally a Silicon Valley specialty. However, China, intent on catching up, is training engineers and providing incentives to foreign investors in hopes of developing a strong microchip industry...