In The News

European Union Tries Rebooting the Economy

Joergen Oerstroem Moeller January 27, 2015
The European Central Bank announced dramatic expansion of its monetary stimulus plan to purchase asset-backed securities and bonds through September 2016 for a total of at least €1 trillion On the surface, the move has similarities to US stimulus measures in play since late 2008, with the US Federal Reserve purchasing billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities, bank debt and treasury notes...

Welcome To Brazil: The Effect of Immigration on the Country's Economy

Arthur Pinheiro Machado January 9, 2015
Countries benefit by attracting and retaining highly qualified immigrants. New entrepreneurs create business and jobs, and can be key to economic development. Secure emerging economies are particularly attractive, and Brazil has seen a recent inflow of such skilled workers, with temporary immigrant numbers rising 135 percent in the last six years. But as Arthur Pinheiro Machado writes in Forbes...

Apple “Deeply Offended” by BBC Investigation

December 23, 2014
BBC reported on poor conditions for workers contributing to Apple products in Asia. Apple responded with a lengthy response on how it strives to improve labor conditions. The BBC Panorama report covered long hours for workers in China as well as illegal mining involving children in Indonesia. “"After years of slow progress and industry excuses, Apple decided to attack the problem by...

Arms and Men: Technology’s Shadow Over Democracy

John Ferejohn and Frances Rosenbluth December 9, 2014
The nomination of Ashton Carter, a physics instructor and researcher, as the US Secretary of Defense offers a reminder how modern war increasingly relies on technology rather than collective human strength. The new form of warfare launched against Iraq was described by a previous president as “shock and awe.” In the United States, massive troop mobilization for a national causee and the...

10 Insights From a Decade of Measuring the Gender Gap

Saadia Zahidi November 20, 2014
Fair wages motivate employees to work hard to produce and innovate. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index suggests that unequal pay for women represents a huge lost opportunity for many nations. The index tracks national differences and progress, reports Saadia Zahidi of the World Economic Forum: Women are more educated than before though gaps linger for even primary education, and...

Bangladeshi Workers Organize to Protect Their Most Valuable Export: Themselves

Tiffany Williams October 15, 2014
In Bangladesh, a densely populated country of 157 million, export of migrant workers has become a staple of the economy. Lacking viable economic opportunities at home, laborers often look abroad for a source of income. Facilitating such migration has become a business in itself, with agencies charging exorbitant fees. These middlemen, or “Dalals,” have come under intense scrutiny for failing to...

Trade With Caution

Nayan Chanda October 10, 2014
Foreign direct investment in target emerging economies is competitive. Japan and China have each announced new investments in India. The investors do not simply rely on geopolitical imperatives. “Sitting on a reserve of $4 trillion, China needs profitable avenues to use its savings and find employment for its citizens. Chinese companies need places to invest their cash reserves, export their...