Economy

<p>When business is good, positive feelings can be felt inside just about any organization. And why not? Sales are coming in and money is available to incentivize all performers, not just those at the top. However, during recessionary periods like this one, the tone inside most companies—perhaps even yours—is probably quite different. What Not To [&hellip;]</p>

As the global financial crisis negatively impacts growth worldwide, new opportunities are emerging for companies that position themselves to seize the long-term potential upside of the Chinese market. And there is reason for optimism since the current Chinese government has the financial ability and political means to manage a soft economic landing. More Flexible Positions [&hellip;]

When conducting foreign market research, businesses tend to be overwhelmed with the amount of data they need. There’s good reason for this. Just to answer seemingly basic questions—such as whether or not to expand in a particular market, whether or not the timing is right, or how to expand—a great deal of information needs to [&hellip;]

Nothing is as valuable as reputation. And yet we see corporate reputations squandered daily. In truth, most companies and people spend every day trying to do the right thing and protect their reputation. Very few set out to do anything less. So how does it happen? The Complexity of Cognitive Dissidence Reputation can become damaged [&hellip;]

Speculation is growing that the U.S. economy may have already slipped into recession. If the past is any guide, politicians on the campaign trail will be tempted to blame trade and globalization for the passing pain of the business cycle. Rising unemployment and falling output can provide fertile ground for attacks on imports and foreign...

From 2002 through late 2007, the U.S. dollar declined 39 percent against the Canadian dollar, 38 percent against the euro, and 30 percent against the British pound, according to Deloitte Research. Interestingly, the impact is different than it would have been years earlier.

As the pace of change accelerates in our age of information, few things remain the same. And like product cycles, skills cycles have been shortened. For example, “A skill cycle that once ran for three years now lasts just nine months,” says Manpower Inc., a leader in the employment services industry. Plus, finding the right...

American small and medium-size manufacturers (SMMs) are playing an increasingly important role in our nation’s economy. They also are encountering a whole new set of challenges presented by today’s new global realities. Nevertheless, those who have adapted have boosted their level of global competitiveness, created new, more sophisticated supply-chain opportunities, and have taken big steps...

The United States attracted $180 billion in foreign direct investment in 2006. This is extremely important since inbound investment creates millions of high-wage, high-skilled American jobs that support our growing standard of living. But protectionist trends could disrupt this. Global Funds Are Needed In 2006, 20 bills were introduced in Congress that, if implemented...

America is undergoing one of the greatest periods of transformation in history. Not unlike the powerful changes caused by the industrial revolution that shaped the 19th and 20th centuries, today, globalization is shaping the 21st century and the United States is leading the way.

Last year the United States attracted $180 billion in foreign direct investment. This is extremely important since inbound investment creates millions of high-wage, high-skilled American jobs that support our growing standard of living. But protectionist trends could disrupt this...

In today’s rapidly changing global business environment, U.S. manufacturers must develop an efficient and cost effective strategy to satisfy regulatory compliance requirements. But in many cases, it’s not easy. With few exceptions, most companies operate as quickly as possible in order to beat competitors to market. This generally means squeezing every single unnecessary delay out [&hellip;]

If you’ve been considering expanding into a rapidly growing Asian market, you might investigate India, a country similar to and different from China in many ways. Goldman Sachs projects that India will become the world&#8217;s third largest economy in less than 30 years and that India’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate will average...

The integration of new technologies, sophisticated co-production practices (manufacturing of a product in two or more countries), improved supply chain management and advances in worldwide financing—all spawned by globalization—has transformed American manufacturing. In turn, resources have shifted to sectors with competitive advantages. And due to the American ability to adapt, innovation has flourished while productivity...

When market participants attempt to predict currency shifts, they must be wary of applying outmoded assumptions. Projecting currency moves has become increasing challenging in globalized markets. A misinterpretation of trends can lead to poor business decisions...

Over time, you’ve probably had an increasing stream of visitors to your website. You’ve also probably generated a growing number of leads and sales. That’s good. But, if you’re like most business people, you probably are not aware that much of this success is attributable to the “optimization” of your website. To get the biggest...

In October 2006, the U.S. population reached 300 million: 4.57 percent of world population — about the same percentage as in 1900. Demographic shifts in other countries are more sweeping. By studying shifts in world demographics, you can pinpoint where tomorrow’s major populations will live, identify fastest-growing age groups — an important indicator of tastes...

The title of this article is the headline of a June 7, 2006 piece in The Straits Times, a Singaporean newspaper. According to a recent survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, senior U.S. executives within the six-nation Asean bloc are reported to be “positively exuberant” about operating within southeast Asia, they are [&hellip;]

World commodities prices remain high, even as they recover from a recent sell-off due to interest rate concerns. Despite the volatility that goes hand-in-hand with commodities, prices have benefited from sky-high energy markets this year and growth in China that has resulted in an almost insatiable appetite for industrial raw materials. The Dow Jones AIG...

In less than 40 years, the economies of the BRICs—Brazil, Russia, India and China—could generate more economic output than the G6 combined (the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy), according to Goldman Sachs' projections. What does this mean for your business...