In The News

India Getting on Board

Ernesto Zedillo October 15, 2007
India is a case study in how excessive government regulation, even with the best intentions, does little to eliminate poverty, according to Ernesto Zedillo, director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, in his column for Forbes. A heavy-handed approach – with strict limits on foreign trade, high tax rates and rigid rules for the labor market – disrupts both trade and innovation....

Gore and UN Panel Win Peace Prize

Walter Gibbs October 12, 2007
As an issue, global warming has gained new prominence, with the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore, former US vice president, and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The UN committee is a network of more than 2,000 scientists who have researched the issue for more than 20 years. The award serves as a vindication of science over the skeptics on global warming and could spur...

In Search of Common Sense

Bo Ekman October 12, 2007
Globalization and an unchecked quest for economic growth have rapidly changed the world. Growing numbers of people expect a standard of living substantially higher than what the earth has capacity to provide. Humans increasingly confront problems global in scope, yet the world lacks a cohesive form of governance that efficiently addresses issues that surpass national boundaries. The world could...

Outsourcing Is Too Wild to Fit Economic Theory

Andy Mukherjee October 9, 2007
Firms that consult and perform outsourcing work make use of all available space, time and labor. Global outsourcing is highly unpredictable and firms can perform projects from many locations, explains Andy Mukherjee for Bloomberg.com. Mukherjee provides an example: When Satyam Computer Services did one project for John Deere in Illinois, the firm rented nearby space, assigning 10 engineers to...

Let’s Have a Real Debate on Globalization

Matthew J. Slaughter September 28, 2007
Many workers in the US fear that the United Automobile Workers’ strike against General Motors signals that the domestic auto industry is “losing” at globalization. The strike has ended, but some workers urge the federal government to scale back US involvement in international trade, most notably with emerging markets like China. Economist Matthew Slaughter counters that globalization has netted...

India Tries Outsourcing Its Outsourcing

Anand Giridharadas September 26, 2007
India was an early leader in benefiting from the technology-driven globalization of the job market, but now positions such jobs all over the globe. A traditional recipient of outsourced labor, India has experienced rising worker wages and competition from other developing countries. As a result, writes journalist Anand Giridharadas, Indian firms have opened offices in countries such as Mexico,...

Trading Ritual and Reality

Alan Beattie September 25, 2007
Trade agreements are often contentious, raising heated protests from those fearing job loss and eagerness from businesspeople anticipating record profits. Yet since major reductions in manufacturing tariffs were instituted following World War II, trade agreements have been more about style than substance. The decline in the importance of bilateral and regional treaties can be attributed to the...