In The News

Glaxo Executives Accused of Breaking Chinese Law

Ben Hirschler, Kazunori Takada July 24, 2013
Chinese leaders have promised a crackdown on corruption in China, and executives of foreign multinationals are not exempt from the scrutiny. China has accused several executives of a British pharmaceutical firm with bribery in violation of Chinese law. “China has long been known for a culture in which drug companies make payments to doctors, since physicians rely on rewards for writing...

Food and the Walmartization of Agriculture

Josh Sager July 17, 2013
Walmart gained market share by providing low-cost products with tight negotiations for suppliers and labor at all levels. Walmart controls about 25 percent of the US grocery market, and its business model favors industrial farms and producers of volume, argues Josh Sager for GlobalResearch. Medical research touting the health benefits of fruits and vegetables is shaping consumer demands. Yet...

Smoking in Latin America

June 24, 2013
Tobacco is a native plant of the Americas, but Latin America is gradually going smoke-free. Chile is the 14th Latin American country – out of 20 – to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces. Over 40 percent of Chileans smoke, reports the World Health Organization. Treatment for tobacco victims represents a quarter of the $10 billion public healthcare budget, reports Chile’s health minister. Tobacco...

Lessons From Dhaka

Nayan Chanda June 10, 2013
More than 1100 workers lost their lives in a Dhaka building collapse, and the target for blame is widespread, suggests Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal’s editor, in his column for Businessworld. The apparel industry has long depended on supply chains, with large corporations seeking out low-cost materials and low-wage workers – at every link, managers compete, applying pressures to reduce costs and...

H7N9 Bird Flu Is “Serious Threat,” Researchers Warn

James Gallagher May 3, 2013
Researchers continue to study the outbreak of a new type of bird flu, H7N9, in China for any signs that the virus can spread through person-to-person contact. “As long as it can spread only from a bird to a person through direct contact it poses a relatively small risk globally – particularly in richer countries where such contact is rare,” reports James Gallagher of BBC News. “If it can spread...

Can Western Companies Put an End to Bangladesh Factory Disasters?

Pramila Jayapal May 1, 2013
Responsible corporations prioritize workplace safety. Building-structure codes, fire and smoke alarms, multiple exits, limited work hours and other standard safety regulations are documented to prevent accidents. Consumers may appreciate low prices, but will avoid brands that become associated with brutal workplace conditions. A factory fire in November and a building collapse in April have put...

Beijing Is Booming; Talent Is Leaving Due to Bad Air

Peter Ford April 29, 2013
The most talented workers expect top workplace amenities, not to mention basics like clean air. A persistent cloud of foul, acrid air pollution is prompting growing numbers of expatriates and talented Chinese workers to abandon Beijing, reports Peter Ford for the Christian Science Monitor. Some companies offer extra hazard pay to keep employees in the city and can count on higher health costs for...