Economics & Finance
Economics & Finance
Barroso makes the case for conclusion of Doha Round
The world should embrace free trade and repudiate protectionism, urges José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, adding that completing the Doha Round on global trade would send a “very important signal” that free trade is vital in lifting the international economy from the current deep recession.
Economics & Finance
Sustaining Europe's ambitions
Europe needs to be a lot more focused as to what it wants to lead in, to sustain its ambitions. So should it be leading in terms of policy, markets, supply and skills?
Economics & Finance
Tackling Europe’s unemployment crisis
New and better solutions are needed to tackle the worsening unemployment crisis in Europe. Speakers at the EBS said the EU's Lisbon Strategy and 'flexicurity' should form the cornerstone of such solutions. But Will Hutton, executive vice chairman of The Work Foundation, warns that the accelerating pace of technological changes means that wrenching economic disruptions will "become the norm".
Economics & Finance
Obama’s first 100 days in office: a personal view
Jagdish Bhagwati, Professor of Economics and Law at Columbia University on President Obama's first 100 days in office.
Economics & Finance
Helping China's elderly come to terms with a digital world
As the world’s most populous nation, China is expected to have 248 million people who are 65 years of age and above by 2020 – and those numbers will continue to grow. With life expectancy progressing well into the 80s, the elderly will pose an interesting challenge for society, and the Chinese government in particular.
Economics & Finance
US economy recovery 'likely' by year-end
Although the current global economic gloom continues to cause sleepless nights for many CEOs, it’s a “likely scenario” that the US economy could start to recover from its recession by the end of this year, says Ilian Mihov, INSEAD professor of economics.
Economics & Finance
Unveiling Latin America’s economic success
A lot of attention has been focused on the remarkable economic success of China, India and other Asian countries. So much so that the rise of Latin American companies as major players on the international economic scene has almost gone unnoticed.
Economics & Finance
Hard times for a talent hub
Like many countries around the world, Singapore’s economy has been hit by the global downturn. It will be a stern test for the city-state’s government as the recession bites and more Singaporeans lose their jobs, especially as the authorities have been encouraging foreign ‘talent’ to come to live in the city-state.
Economics & Finance
African entrepreneurs: creating opportunities for success
The solution to African development must be African and internally generated. However, it will need support from the developed world, mostly in terms of knowledge and training, as well as investment. This was the consensus of a panel at Net Impact’s Doing Good, Doing Well 2009 European conference held here.
Economics & Finance
Reversing Africa’s poverty slide: a view from the ground
For Noel de Villiers, founder and CEO of non-governmental organisation Open Africa, three issues are key for Africa’s development: the need for the emancipation of women, the need to overcome the debilitating effect of a lack of confidence among the people, and the need for people in rural and marginalised areas to get more exposure to success stories which could then inspire others. In his view, these three issues, if properly addressed, would help to reverse Africa’s poverty slide.
Responsibility
Transforming the lives of thousands in South Africa
Taffy Adler is hardly the most likely candidate for taking on the role of social entrepreneur. He had an impressive track record as a trade union organiser who shunned the world of business during South Africa's turbulent past and became the CEO of the Johannesburg Housing Company.
Strategy
Steering the MBA
The numbers speak for themselves. When China first introduced an MBA programme in 1991, only 90 students signed up. Last year, an estimated 25,000 enrolled in China’s business schools. Choices are aplenty, with more than 100 such schools in China alone.
Economics & Finance
Coming full circle – the rise of the dragon
Has the global economy come full circle – starting with the West and making its way to the East?
Economics & Finance
How to recapitalise banks
The current approach to solving the banking crisis is to put more government money into banks. The problem with this approach is that it creates fear of government meddling in the operational and financial decisions of the banking sector. Banks can only survive if they are run by managers and boards who sincerely believe their goal is to maximise shareholder value. This requires managers who are willing to maximise shareholder value and are capable of doing so.
Economics & Finance
Global outlook: big spenders and penny-pinchers
In the US, extravagance is a normal way of life. In China, it is a sin. Such contrasting consumer psyche between the two economies needs to be evened out before a sustained recovery of the post-bubble global economy can be achieved in the longer run, says Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia.