In The News

Internet Outages Hit India, Middle East

Matthew Rosenberg January 31, 2008
High-speed communication, via the internet, is essential in modern business. But high-speed internet that supports business and many other connections is only as dependable as its supporting cables and power. Bandwidth was cut in half in India, and internet service was disrupted throughout Asia after two cables under the Mediterranean snapped, possibly by a ship anchor. Outsourcing companies that...
January 28, 2008
Corporate boards reflect the values of a company and their national culture. Although multiple forces pressure firms around the globe to follow the US-model of corporate governance, divergent styles do emerge and challenge the status quo. Major institutional investors have long invested in US markets and appreciated strong regulations on how companies audit and organize their boards. Those huge...

A Crash Is China’s Chance for Reforms

Minxin Pei January 23, 2008
After spectacular growth over two years, China’s stock market has slipped into correction mode. “Because the Chinese government has been perceived as an active promoter of the country’s stock market, tens of millions of individual investors, members of the privileged urban middle-class, will direct their ire at the government,” writes Minxin Pei and Wayne Chen, researchers with the Carnegie...

China Eyes Latin American Commodities

Georg Caspary January 18, 2008
Latin America is rich in natural resources, including oil, minerals and agricultural crops, all desired in the global markets. At the same time, China has become the world's largest importer of cotton, copper and soybeans as well as the second-largest oil importer. Latin America can secure lasting advantages from its commodities sales – including poverty reduction and sustainable development...

Snap-On Parts Didn’t Click Together for Boeing Jet

Jeff Bailey January 17, 2008
Manufacturing electronic products by assembling specialized parts from multiple suppliers has increased productivity and reduced costs in recent years. But the assembly method that relies on outsourcing for parts can be complicated to reverse. Behind schedule and hoping to speed its process, Boeing asked suppliers to send unassembled sections. “Instead, Boeing has ended up with a pile of parts...

An Empowered Middle East – Part I

Pranay Gupte January 10, 2008
President George Bush’s trip to the Middle East comes at a time when Iraq is stabilizing and the oil-producing countries’ fortune is rising. Bush will visit Israel and Saudi Arabia, also making stops in Palestine, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirate and Egypt, perhaps even Iraq and Lebanon. Along the way he’ll witness results of US foreign policy – diplomacy, intervention and some neglect. A...

Can the Midwest Regain Its Economic Clout?

Richard C. Longworth January 9, 2008
Achieving economic stability requires a strategy that does not neglect global markets or trends. In the US, the Midwest region has been devastated by companies shifting manufacturing operations first to southern states, paralyzing debt among farmers, followed by globalization with its shift of factories and jobs to low-wage countries. “Of course, an economic revolution as disruptive as...