In The News

Megacities, Mega Dreams for a Connected World

Suketu Mehta June 14, 2007
Throughout the history of the world, cities have lured people for both cooperation and competition. Megacities of the modern era such as Bombay not only symbolize dreams and dashed hopes, they also pose an array of consequences for the interconnected world. The paradoxes are many, with disaster making way for renewal and today’s sacrifices and long-term planning delivering future promise, writes...

Should We Globalize Labor Too?

Jason DeParle June 13, 2007
Witnessing the quiet desperation of the poor, willing to work hard but lacking resources, often ignites anger and ideas. Neither trade nor traditional occupations such as goat-herding can provide enough subsistence for the rural poor, such as those who live in Nepal. Economist Lant Pritchett proposes “a giant guest-worker program that would put millions of the world’s poorest people to work in...

$12 Trillion Monster Threatens Globalization

William Pesek June 12, 2007
Some countries control great pools of wealth, building funds from oil or other natural-resource revenue, according to William Pesek, Bloomberg news columnist. But with funds growing by leaps and bounds, their owners look to make good use of these savings – and in the process could transform global financial markets. The funds together, many based in Asia, could outgrow the entire US economy by...

Sari Weavers Struggle Amid Economic Boom

Emily Wax June 11, 2007
In India, weaving saris is a common way to earn a living, second only to farming in terms of the country’s most popular occupation. “The father of independent India, Mohandas Gandhi, clad in his homespun loincloth, launched his nationalist movement to defy colonialism by encouraging Indians to stop wearing cheap British machine-made cloth in favor of Indian-made fabrics, partly as a gesture of...

Outsourcing Your Life

Ellen Gamerman June 11, 2007
No longer just a trend for big businesses, outsourcing can also eliminate some pesky personal tasks: categorizing family photos, editing home videos, tutoring, preparing invitations, and design of anything from dresses to garden landscapes to websites. Businesses and individuals alike hunt for projects that can be accomplished over the internet and appropriate freelancers. But choosing the proper...

Chinese Auto Parts Enter the Global Market

Keith Bradsher June 8, 2007
Auto parts are one of China’s fastest growing industrial exports, and more than half go to the US, the world’s largest market for automobiles. The rise in these exports are part of a larger trend, as China moves away from exporting basic items such as textiles and shoes toward more valued industrial goods. Such production means higher wages for Chinese workers, but also puts the nation in...

Betting on Biofuels

William K. Caesar June 7, 2007
Potential in the biofuel industry depends on three factors: feedstock costs and availability, government regulations, and conversion technology. With feedstock responsible for at least 50 percent of biofuel production costs, the price has a huge impact on the profits a company can make. However, growing demand for feedstock poses consequences: Rising demand for ethanol increases US corn prices;...