In The News

Come One, Come All

Edward Glaeser July 12, 2007
Globalization has contributed to a decline in manufacturing cities like Detroit, forcing firms to confront foreign competitors. Other cities, like New York, reap benefits from globalization, argues Harvard professor Edward Glaeser. New York City thrives on producing ideas, and globalization spurs innovation. Innovation emerges in communities where people thrive on education, exchanging ideas and...

For Chinese Filmmakers, Success Can Sting

David Barboza July 9, 2007
The world is curious about Chinese culture, and so China's film industry and the government hope to produce blockbuster movies that can be exported around the world. Low-budget Chinese films have long attracted praise from critics, but only small audiences. Instead, foreign films from Hollywood and Hong Kong saturated the domestic movie market. In 2000, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,...

Debtor Nation

Jonathan Shaw July 6, 2007
Americans continue to buy only because they easily borrow from abroad. For now, the cost of borrowing is low, as countries buy low-interest US Treasury bills and bonds. Why foreign lenders send the US money in exchange for low interest rates is a “profound question,” suggests Professor Lawrence Summers. He and other Harvard professors analyze the sustainability of such lending, borrowing and...

Doctors Who Kill

Regina Dwyer July 6, 2007
As reports emerge about physicians accused of planting and setting car bombs in the UK, the world grapples for reasons why. Doctors are only human, writes Regina Dwyer, a retired physician, in an essay for the International Herald Tribune. She suggests that a physician intent on terrorism could find rationalizations with the concept of triage, comfort with death and even the situational nature of...

At IBM, A Smarter Way to Outsource

Steve Lohr July 5, 2007
As information-technology jobs are outsourced, companies like IBM adapt by doing more complicated and personalized jobs for clients. In the process, the IBM team determines exactly what should and shouldn't be outsourced. For example, IBM works with a Texas utility company, CenterPoint Energy, on a “smart grid” project to improve service and save energy. IBM divides the tasks into those...

EU Globalization Fund Questioned

George Parker July 5, 2007
The EU created a fund to assist those who have lost jobs due to global competition. But the fund has received a mere two requests for aid, prompting speculation about whether global competition really harms European jobs, reports The Financial Times. France was the most enthusiastic supporter of the fund and so far is the only country that has applied for funding. France wants money to retrain...

Norway Looks After its Elderly – In Spain

Dale Fuchs July 3, 2007
Norway sends some of its elderly who require medical treatment to Spain. Five medical centers are run and staffed by Norwegians, many of whom are willing to take pay cuts to work in Spain. The sunny climate benefits the patients, and lower costs of living and land prices save Norway money. This trend goes beyond “health tourism,” with Norwegian doctors approving patient visits to Spain. Once...