U.S.

The U.S. has experienced 11 recessions since the end of WWII and the most recent one has been the most severe. The Great Recession started in December 2007 and ended in June 2009 as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research, an independent group of economists that has officially defined business cycles since the […]

<p>With all the barriers stacked up against American entrepreneurs, a bright spot has been access to working capital through the Export-Import Bank, which is essential if American exporters are to compete in the global marketplace. Ex-Im provides working capital guarantees, insurance and direct loans to American manufacturers, helping to open new foreign markets that allow [&hellip;]</p>

Selling more to China has been one of the hottest topics since the beginning of the Obama Presidency. Though exports to China have trebled since an agreement to support U.S. manufacturers was reached in 2005, the trade deficit continues to grow. A renewed push from within China is providing hope for accelerating U.S. export growth.

In June of 2013, President Obama announced plans for sweeping reforms in coal fired power generation. His Climate Action Plan included a call for the EPA to draft carbon emission standards aimed at putting “an end to the limitless dumping of carbon pollution” from power plants. The President’s words appeared to be the death knell [&hellip;]

In May, the number of Americans working nearly climbed back to its high of 146 million in 2007, just before the Great Recession hit, the U.S. Department of Labor reports. This “good news” is tempered by the fact that since 2007, another 15.8 million people entered the civilian non-institutional population.

A career in sales can be one of the most financially, professionally and emotionally rewarding experience, and it often provides the opportunity to control one’s destiny. Selling offers the freedom to make ones own schedule, working whenever you choose. And if you’re a self-starter, you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. [&hellip;]

If what is meant by manufacturing “revival” is a sector that once again supports nearly 20 million jobs, as it did at its peak in 1979, or accounts for 28 percent of the U.S. economy, as it did at its peak in 1953, the answer is, thankfully, an emphatic “no.” If “revival,” however, is defined...

“Revival” is probably not the right word for a sector that has been trending upward with respect to every relevant performance metric since the nadir of the recession. The most recently published U.S. government data reveal all-time highs for manufacturing sector output, value-added, revenues, exports, profits, and foreign direct investment. Business is good for manufacturers...

Even as the world becomes a “global village,” small to medium-sized companies continue to miss export opportunities. Most business owners believe exporting is either too expensive or inappropriate for them. But with a clear strategy and an understanding of how to seek out marketing opportunities, it is more than possible to become a successful exporter. [&hellip;]

SPECIAL REPORT—As we enter the summer months before the fall mid-term elections, all political eyes in the United States and around the world are on the U.S. Senate. The GOP needs to pick up six seats in November’s elections to take outright control of the U.S. Senate in 2015. Here’s why the GOP will do [&hellip;]

We&#8217;re all familiar with the book, The Grapes of Wrath, the depression tale of millions of desperate families during the 1930s that headed to California for promised jobs. I&#8217;m not suggesting we&#8217;re at this stage yet, but for millions of unemployed Americans, they are finding that the local job market has dried up and they [&hellip;]</p>

A metaphor for President Obama&#8217;s recent trip to Asia was the widely aired game of soccer he had with a Japanese robot. In essence, Japan made Obama kick the impending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — which unites 12 economies around the Pacific Rim — down the road as trade talks stalled. How important is TPP to [&hellip;]

Any successful business must have a strategic plan that is fluid and workable. And not surprisingly, all too often the plan is complex, unrealistic and difficult to grasp. Over the last 30 years, I have come to realize that there is a very simple and straightforward strategy that drives the success of many great companies [&hellip;]

The summer driving season is still weeks away, but rising U.S. gas prices are already back in the news. Recently, the average price for regular gasoline at U.S. gas stations hit $3.6918 a gallon — the highest since March 22, 2013 and up 43 cents this year. Much of this price depends on global supply [&hellip;]

I am a die-hard advocate for supporting U.S. exports, so it concerns me that exports have been taken hostage during the ongoing Congressional infighting. Exports are vital, considering that more than 38 million American jobs depend on trade. One in three manufacturing jobs depends on exports, and one in three acres on American farms is [&hellip;]

As companies worldwide emerge from the Great Recession, new trends and hyper-global competition are forcing American companies to redesign business models and seek a greater edge in order to retain or increase their market positions. In turn, more and more companies are implementing important strategies to enhance both domestic and international competitiveness. Here are five...

In the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations, many nations expressed shock and dismay over the mass surveillance of their citizens and governments. In turn, on March 12 the European Union (EU) Parliament passed a resolution and new law relating to data privacy. This will have profound implications for every U.S. tech company, as well [&hellip;]

International trade is anticipated to expand by 4.5 percent this year and 5.2 percent in 2015.(1) This is supported by the world’s growing middle class, whose numbers are projected to rise by one billion by 2020, and whose purchasing power will more than double by 2030.(2) But will America’s ports be able to handle the...

Did Harry Reid kill the trade agenda? The Senate Majority Leader is no champion of economic freedom to be sure, but his opposition to the fast track bill (trade promotion authority) doesn’t kill it. It merely strengthens the hand of his colleagues who might support a more protectionist version of the legislation. It’s an invitation...

President Obama has made it clear that he is no advocate of fossil fuels. He has gone to war against coal and refuses to allow drilling on most federal lands for oil. Despite this lack of support, the United States actually has a surplus of crude oil and natural gas. Domestic production is way up [&hellip;]