In The News

Why Can't Europeans Get Along?

Pankaj Ghemawat December 9, 2011
Forging strong trade connections enriched the European economy, but administrative measures alone did not ensure economic or political integration, cautions management professor Pankaj Ghemawat in an essay for Fortune. While short-term intervention is needed, he argues, Europe must also strive for cultural and political cohesion and build greater trust among 27 nations. He contrasts the EU with...

India Halts Wal-Mart Entry Amid Protests

Bibhudatta Pradhan, Andrew MacAskil December 8, 2011
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government could not overcome fear and opposition that modern big-box stores from the west would overwhelm the country’s small family-run stores – and suspended plans to let foreign retailers open stores in India. The change in plans reflects an inability to boost foreign investment and end policy paralysis, reports an article from Bloomberg. “In an attempt to kick...

India Needs Western Supermarkets

Salil Tripathi December 2, 2011
India has approved allowing foreign investors to hold majority stakes in multibrand retail. Critics blast the plans – worrying about store closures, job losses, profits going to foreigners, and homogeneity – and they vow protectionist measures in some states. But fast-growing India needs the so-called “big box stores” with their dependable supplies and reduced prices for consumers, argues Salil...

Herr and Madame, Señor and Mrs.

November 28, 2011
Trends in international marriages reveal larger trends in globalization, migration as well as public policy. Cross-border marriages are on the rise, yet reliable statistics on cross-border unions are hard to find, since all countries don’t routinely collect data on citizenship of couples. The International Union for the Scientific Study of Population has launched a comprehensive study on cross-...

German Automakers Embrace Car-Sharing

Christian Wüst November 14, 2011
Austerity is a science in Germany, and youthful Germans no longer yearn for cars. Attuned to such sensibilities, BMW and other automakers are developing car-sharing programs that allow members to reserve cars online and then drive a new vehicle, as needed, for few euros. “[M]embers get an electronically readable driver's license sticker, which opens the doors of hundreds of BMWs or Minis...

It’s a Small World After All

November 7, 2011
With nearly 100 countries playing the game, rugby portrays itself as a global sport. Still, major reforms are required of its governing body to shed an elitist tag and give due recognition to upcoming “minnow” countries, argues this essay from the Economist. Huge resource gaps exist between the nine traditional rugby powerhouse countries and the “minnows” that are other members of the...

Exotic Pets: Why Do Americans Keep Dangerous Animals?

Louis Theroux November 2, 2011
Keepers of exotic pets may imagine they’re protecting species. Yet too often owners do not reflect on the long-term needs or behaviors of wild animals. Manageable, adorable chimp, tiger and bear cubs quickly become aggressive adults, disposable and dangerous. Exotic animal ownership is rampant in the US, writes Louis Theroux in an essay for BBC News. Trade is booming in unregulated jurisdictions...