In The News

The Globalization of Giving

Steve Hendershot August 29, 2007
The savviest of corporate leaders know that community giving is a good business strategy. As firms grow and do more business overseas, charitable giving has expanded beyond the home base to markets around the globe. US firms seek to develop wealthier client bases in India, China, Latin America or Eastern Europe. Two examples of recent corporate grants, provided by this ChicagoBusiness.com article...

Chinese Seek to Buy a US Maker of Disk Drives

John Markoff August 27, 2007
The US must confront and reconcile several realities: China has massive reserves of cash and actively pursues foreign investment; second, debt burdens the US government and its citizens, slowing their investment pace; and third, neither government trusts the other with sensitive industries. Reports that a Chinese firm has expressed interest in purchasing Seagate Technology, a US maker of disk...

US Action on Free Trade Is Left Hanging

Peter G. Gosselin August 27, 2007
The two major parties in the US are at odds on many issues, but actions and agendas of both in recent months reveal growing mistrust for a global economy and global competition. In recent years, the developed world has steadily lost manufacturing jobs to developing nations with few environmental protections. Wages remain stagnant, and many workers claim they have not experienced globalization’s...

China’s Exports of Aluminum, Steel Soar

Richard McGregor August 24, 2007
Controlling a booming economy, pointing it in new directions, is no easy task. Attempts by China's central government to reduce production and exports of aluminum and steel – two energy-intensive industries that also create large amounts of pollution – have not worked. Despite an increase in export taxes, exports of the two products during the first half of 2007 have almost doubled from the...

China's New Revolutionaries: US Consumers

Nathan Gardels August 24, 2007
China’s communist form of government is secure as long as the economy grows, steadily supplying jobs and opportunity. Multinational firms set up shop in China, pressuring factories and workers to deliver products quickly at low costs. But a string of problems – including counterfeit medicines, poisonous pet food, dangerous tires, toothpaste laced with anti-freeze and children’s toys covered in...

“Made in China” Label Spurs Global Concern

Paul Mooney August 23, 2007
As lead exporter in many types of products, China takes pride in serving as factory to the world. But a spate of tainted products and recalls involving goods made in China gives many global consumers pause. China’s reaction includes denials, scapegoating and even the fast execution of one government official accused of taking bribes to allow production of shoddy goods. But the government has also...

Stoking Protectionism

August 20, 2007
Choosing cost-cutting over quality, Chinese firms are finally getting order recalls from some of the biggest US firms. Although China publicly denies quality control problems with exports, domestic markets have faced similar quality issues. However, despite recent high-profile execution of officials in charge of drug safety, China will find it hard to transform its political culture overnight....