In The News

Globalization With Asian Characteristics

Chietigj Bajpaee July 22, 2016
As Britain elected to end membership with the European Union, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank held its first annual meeting – a juxtaposition that is “an indicator of the changing dynamics of globalization,” suggests policy analyst Chietigj Bajpaee for the Diplomat. Populist and protectionist stances, once regarded as extreme, are now mainstream in Europe and the United States. Western...

Brexit Won’t Stop Globalization

Michael Schuman July 15, 2016
Fear and distrust over free trade, immigration and other facets of globalization spill from the world’s most advanced economies as the emerging economies pay no mind. “Isolationism is being heralded as independence,” writes Michael Schuman for Bloomberg. “While there are pockets of resistance, much of the world is still forging tighter links between countries, companies, and communities. Rather...

Brexit: Boon or Bane

Nayan Chanda July 11, 2016
The British decision to leave the European Union is expected to shrink global economic growth. “This means that the contributions made to the global economy by China, India and other developing economies would become more important than ever,” explains Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal’s founding editor, in his column for Businessworld. Emerging economies confront enormous challenges, as suggested by the...

Sweating in the Park or in the Factory: Beyoncé’s New Sports Wear Company and Respect for Human Rights

Aleydis Nissen July 6, 2016
Critics are harsh on celebrities that launch clothing lines sourced from factories with sweatshop conditions and underpaid workers. Beyoncé launched a sports clothing brand in a joint venture with Topshop. Media reports soon followed with interviews of workers in Sri Lanka complaining about long hours and low pay. “Whether the accusations are true or untrue, it may be argued that a major...

Time to Review FDI Rules

Nayan Chanda July 4, 2016
Politicians can’t resist hounding companies to create more jobs. Nayan Chanda outlines how India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejected Apple’s proposal to set up stores because the firm could not source at least 30 percent of manufacturing materials from local vendors. “The kind of offset arrangement that foreign manufacturers might agree to – like building parts of an aircraft in exchange for...

Local Brands Lead Race for China’s Savvy Consumers

Rachel Morarjee June 30, 2016
Chinese consumers prefer local brands and Chinese firms are increasingly taking market share away from foreign rivals. New Chinese firms “heed digital trends, adapt to regional tastes and respond to customers’ increasingly sophisticated demands,” explains Rachel Morarjee for Reuters. A report from Bain & Company and Kantar Worldpanel suggests that 26 consumer goods ranging from groceries to...

Globalization’s Angst and the “Brexit” Vote

Farok J. Contractor June 28, 2016
Many voters in the United Kingdom are having second thoughts about leaving the European Union, and not simply because of the plummeting value of currency or stock markets. The referendum’s outcome instantly transformed the UK’s reputation, from being open to trade and diversity to being isolated and insecure. “The message contained in the decision to leave the European Union resonates with a lot...