In The News

US-Korea Trade Deal Still Faces Hurdles

Evan Ramstad April 9, 2007
Politicians won legislative office in both the US and South Korea by vehemently opposing trade. Negotiators for the two nations have ironed out a complex trade agreement, but lobbyists representing agriculture, automobile or electronics interests could balk at details such as South Korea excluding US rice exports or the US delaying any decision to purchase Korean products made at an industrial...

India’s Edge Goes Beyond Outsourcing

Anand Giridharadas April 5, 2007
Developments in transportation and communications technology enable greater globalization of more segments of the labor market. For several decades, manufacturing jobs gradually moved from developed countries to areas with low-cost workers. Now workers in the developing world take on more complex tasks in engineering, finance and pharmacology. Boeing, for instance, relies on Indian-developed...

Pain From Free Trade Spurs Second Thoughts

David Wessel March 30, 2007
Free trade and free movement of labor has long enriched the US, but analysts increasingly point out that neglect of the nation’s science, education and manufacturing base could limit future prosperity. The US public took little notice when unskilled jobs moved overseas – but some economists predict skilled jobs, any that can be accomplished via the internet, will soon follow. Fast-paced...

History 1980-2000 Has Disappeared Into the Ether. Sorry

Ben Macintyre March 23, 2007
Computers, CDs, digital files and scanning have allowed vast amounts of information to be collected. But digital information can vanish with a keystroke, warns Ben Macintyre, columnist with “The Times” of London. Too many administrators and researchers take digital storage for granted and do not understand that CDs, electronic tapes and other storage modes have limited life spans. Part of the...

The Secret World of Modern Slavery

Michael Smith March 14, 2007
Some jobs trap desperate workers into circumstances that are impossible to escape. At that point, the work is no longer a job but slavery. An example are the men who shovel hardwood into kilns to make charcoal for the Brazilian pig-iron industry, used for sinks, cars, refrigerators and other conveniences for wealthier consumers throughout the Americas. The US has laws against importing products...

The Trouble With India

March 14, 2007
When investors tout growth, two images can come to mind: One includes bustling industries and fabulous wealth; the other is unorganized communities, as irritated crowds of people compete for limited resources. This article in “BusinessWeek” explores how India’s infrastructure – highways, airports, clean water and other utilities – fails to keep pace with the explosive growth of the high-tech...

Child Labor: The Cause Can Also be a Cure

Susan Ariel Aaronson March 13, 2007
Pressure of globalization has led to child trafficking and forced labor. Similar global pressure from public opinion can also put an end to the practice. Five years ago, reports emerged about small groups of children being trafficked and forced to pick cacao beans – the main ingredient for chocolate – in West African plantations. Outraged US officials, industry groups and activists organized the...