In The News

Of Flying Geese and Sitting Ducks: Brazil Stares, East Asia Takes Off…

Marcos Jank May 17, 2005
While East Asian countries steadily continue their economic development, Latin American nations still trail in achieving sustainable growth. The difference, according to this InfoBrazil commentary, can be attributed to the diverging economic policies of the two regions. Since the 1980s, East Asia has sought to attain global competitiveness by prioritizing exports, outsourcing labor-intensive...

Argentina or the "Principles"?

Ernesto Zedillo May 10, 2005
Financial instability in emerging market countries has been a major concern for the international financial system. Argentina's debt crisis, during which the country's entire financial sector collapsed, triggered serious discussions on how to improve the world's response mechanisms in times of crises. After several years of negotiation and consultation, an association of private...

Virtual Secretary Puts New Face on Pakistan

Mitra Kalita May 10, 2005
While offshore call centers have become more commonplace, one US company has pushed this booming business to a new level: The Resource Group employs a "virtual receptionist." Though stationed in Pakistan, she receives phone calls, welcomes guests (via front desk flat screen), and places lunch orders for the Washington office. Proud company managers boast, "We're able to...

Sudan Aviation Set to Take Wing as Curtain Falls on 21-Year Civil War

Catherine Riungu May 4, 2005
In the wake of a diplomatic resolution to a decades-old civil war, Sudan is attempting to rebuild its aviation industry. While fighting continues and many thousands of refugees still live in fear and abject poverty, the country's Ministry of Civil Aviation is looking for ways to pick up the pieces and move forward. In the past, Sudan's air travel industry was among the region's...

The Black Gold's Curse

R.K. Pachauri April 28, 2005
The recent record surge in oil prices has led many OPEC countries to re-evaluate their energy demand. This Outlook India commentary suggests that these newfound concerns are only the beginning of a worldwide reckoning of oil security. Rising prices are a symptom not of an impending global supply crisis, but of a concentration of reserves and an enormous projected leap in production in primarily...

Rising Dragon and the American Eagle – Part II

Robert Sutter April 22, 2005
Recent developments – including the high-profile visit by China's premier Wen Jiabao to South Asia – showing the rising profile of China have intensified a long-running debate in Washington. How does the growing power and influence of China affect the dominance that the United States has so far enjoyed in Asia? In the second of our two-part series, Georgetown University's China...

Companies Question Benefits of Outsourcing

David Wighton April 19, 2005
A new survey by Deloitte Consulting shows that outsourcing information technology and other services may be more trouble than it's worth in many cases. Three-quarters of the companies surveyed reported that the savings were far less than expected, and the complexity of outsourcing often required more management than was expected. Large companies like Dell Computer and Capital One are now...