In The News

Surprising But True, US Exports Are Growing

Edward Gresser October 20, 2010
Global recession struck in late 2008, and high levels of personal and public debt complicated reviving the US economy and consumer spending. Increasing exports is the fastest, most logical alternative for boosting economic growth and reducing unemployment. In January 2010, President Barack Obama set a goal of doubling the nation’s exports in five years – and the nation is on track, selling...

Chilean Rescue Offers Lesson in Globalization

Susan Froetschel October 18, 2010
Global media united in covering the successful rescue of 33 miners, trapped since early August. Chile’s president and major mining companies quickly took charge over a small, near-bankrupt mining company, transforming the rescue into an international competition of sorts. The media reports highlighted unusual international collaboration and exposed the public to grueling work conditions for...

Europe Frets Over Foreign Investments in Defense Industry

Clara Marina O’Donnell October 15, 2010
Sovereign wealth funds are estimated to manage close to $4 trillion of assets. European governments are increasingly concerned about such powerful investors, the bulk of which are from Asia and the Middle East, showing interest in their defense industries especially at a time when Europe must curtail its own defense investments. EU member states acknowledge that their national industrial bases...

Regulations and Security Concerns Hinder Asia’s Move to Cloud Computing

Wayne Arnold October 15, 2010
Rather than invest in expensive equipment for a specific event, businesses and governments can lease computer services for a limited time. Singapore has emerged as a regional center for such operations, and the Youth Olympic Games – managing more than 20,000 participants and 350,000 spectators – served as “a showcase for cloud computing in Asia: software, data storage, networking and even...

Once a Winner, China Sees Globalization’s Downside – Part I

David Dapice October 11, 2010
Globalization is a two-way street. Countries cannot endlessly send products out into the world and build up reserves without a push back – benefiting from the world without giving back something – explains this two-part YaleGlobal series. China’s thriving economy depends on exports. By holding down the value of its currency, Beijing attracted foreign investors, reduced prices for global consumers...

More Countries Adopt China’s Tactics on Currency

David E. Sanger, Michael Wines October 11, 2010
A proposal in the US Congress would impose tariffs on nations that keep their currencies artificially low. “But many around the world fear getting trampled as the United States and the Chinese battle each other,” explains this article in the New York Times. Japan, Brazil and other nations follow China’s lead, taking measures to devalue their currencies and boost exports as internal demand...

India-Ohio Outsourcing Ban

Rupa Chanda October 8, 2010
As US job creation remains stymied, governments at all levels enact protectionist measures. For example, the US has hiked fees for H1B visas for foreign professional workers, and with an unemployment rate exceeding 10 percent, the state of Ohio has banned outsourcing of IT or back-office work in government-funded projects, reports the East Asia Forum. Firms in India that bristle about such...