globalEDGE International Business Blog

gE Blog Series: International Education Week Part 5 - A Different Angle on International Education

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:27:03 EDT

How are filmmakers from developing countries helping students learn about strife and poverty across the globe? How can a student in India earn a Masters degree in America without ever setting foot on campus? The answer to these questions is the same: Technology. Technological capabilities are improving at a break-neck pace. At the same time, the demand for personal cultural awareness, advanced degrees and lower costs are more prevalent than ever. International...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Portugal: Gateway to Expansion

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:23:44 EDT

Portugal may be known to many for port wine and perhaps even fado music, but there are far more opportunities in the Portuguese market than people may realize. And realizing this is something that can prove very valuable to businesses looking to export to other areas of the world, especially for the United States. Portugal is not only a member of the European Union, but it has very strong ties to the U.S., meaning many American companies who have set up operations there have access to the EU...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

gE Blog Series: International Education Week Part 4 - The Importance of Foreign Language Study and Culture in International Business

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:26:38 EDT

It isn’t really a secret that knowing the culture and language of a country will help one to have a smoother stay there, whether it’s for business or pleasure. However, while learning a new culture and language can be a short, fun experience for tourists, the necessity of mastering a foreign language and becoming culture-savvy for business purposes is much more important. In honor of International Education Week, it is valuable to highlight the importance of linguistic and cultural...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

gE Blog Series: International Education Week Part 3 - A Broad Range of Studying

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:46:11 EDT

Now-a-days, students have the opportunity to study in numerous countries. Each year, thousands of students travel abroad to enhance their academic and cultural experiences. Open Doors Institute of International Education’s 2009 International Educational Exchange was released on November 16th. It included everything from leading destinations and primary sources of funding to regions and popular fields of study. Many international students choose to study in the United States because of...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

To Nationalize or Not? The Pros and Cons of South Africa Nationalizing Its Mines

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:22:51 EDT

Recent calls by the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League to nationalize South Africa’s mining industry have resurrected a seemingly never-ending debate: to nationalize or not. What implications would nationalization have on the global mining economy as a whole? Pros: Nationalization doesn't have to cut out the private sector completely. Partnerships in Namibia and Botswanna between mining companies and the government have seen little decrease in foreign investments. The...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

gE Blog Series: International Education Week Part 2- The Community College in IB Education

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:48:55 EDT

In an ever-flattening world, the need for a pronounced international emphasis in education is becoming more apparent every day. Universities and larger colleges have been able to adapt to this need relatively quickly. In a 2002 article, Philip Artbach and Jane Knight wrote that the focus of international activities in universities have expanded greatly over the last twenty years ranging from “traditional study abroad programs allowing students to learn about other cultures to providing...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

gE Blog Series: International Education Week Part 1 - An Introduction

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:37:56 EDT

International Education Week was started back in 2000, and is now celebrated in over 100 countries worldwide. This annual initiative strives to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange. Exchanges are critical to developing mutual understanding and respect, building leadership abroad, and investing in the future relationship between all peoples of the world. Not only is this exchange great for the future leaders of the world, but it is also a...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

International Education Week and Global Entrepreneurship Week!

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:54:49 EDT

Next week their are two themes of importance in the global community. We will be highlighting International Education Week, which is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. However, don't forget about Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. So please join us next week as we explore the many aspects that make education and the global...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Cute Goats = Cozy Sweaters

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:43:47 EDT

As it gets colder outside and we head into turtleneck and snow pant season, it’s a good time to start thinking about what you will get your loved ones for the holidays. Many retailers are preparing for the rush of shoppers, but the suffering economy is kind of raining on their parade. The economic downturn is affecting people all over the globe. In Mongolia, factory workers were ready for the demand of their stylish and cozy cashmere sweaters, but are finding that the demand is not what...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

A Drive for Lower Prices

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:35:45 EDT

Imagine walking into a car dealership and seeing a brand new car with $2,000 written on the windshield in huge neon letters. It seems too good to be true right? Well in India this actually happens. Tata Motors is an Indian automaker that produces the world's most inexpensive car – the Nano. India is growing in almost every sector, including the auto industry. One expert even predicted the car market to triple there in the next ten years. This makes it an extremely attractive place for...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Zombie Walking Towards Anarchy: Buy Nothing Day and Consumerism

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:31:16 EDT

Many people in the international community have perhaps visited or at least heard of Adbusters.org, the Canadian anti-consumerist activist organization. I remember browsing through the site a couple years ago and watching a few videos, laughing a little bit, and happily forgetting that it existed. Recently, the self proclaimed “journal of the mental environment” and I crossed paths again when a friend of mine received an online invitation to participate in Buy Nothing Day, an...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Lessons from Change

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:46:04 EDT

Recently a study released by Ernst and Young, looks in detail to how leading global companies have dealt with the recession and are looking ahead. The report compiles conversations that over 500 of the firms senior partners had with clients around the world. The business environment of today is totally different then it was just a few years ago. There are many problems in the very near future, such as depressed demand, high unemployment, higher taxes to cover government spending, and most...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

The 2009 MPI is Here!

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 15:20:47 EDT

The Michigan State University Center for International Business (MSU-CIBER) has recently released the 2009 Market Potential Index for Emerging Markets (MPI). The study focuses primarily on emerging markets, designated by The Economist magazine. A market is determined to be an emerging market based on the distinction that it is on the cusp of transforming into a developed nation from a developing one. The economies of these nations comprise over half of the world’s population, provide...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

For Name's Sake

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:22:44 EDT

Generally, when something is put to a vote, the most popular vote wins. This is not the case for the Kraft Foods Australia product, Cheesybite. If you don’t know what Cheesybite is, it is a jar of caramel-brown, salty, gooey yeast paste (also known as Vegemite, an immensely popular Austrailian spread), that is mixed with cream cheese. Sounds appetizing, huh? Well to many Australians, it is. In a recent New York Times article, Bill Granger, a well known Sydney chef, said that Vegemite is...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Expatriate Distress: Leaving China Early

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 17:34:43 EDT

One of the critical factors of having a large, successful international operation is having “feet on the street” in the country where multinational companies do business. Recently, an article from ChinaDaily.com featured some staggering statistics about expatriates and the duration of their stay in the country. Although business demands often dictate relocation by executives and their families, is this the most efficient use of resources? According to the article,...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Booking the Best

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:45:21 EDT

In recent months, there has been a huge cutback in business travelers staying in luxury hotels. With thousands of workers having been laid off, companies who sent their executives to 5-star hotels were being attacked. Since companies have been under scrutiny for unnecessary spending, business travel has been cut back and downgraded to the bare minimum. Now, the international hospitality industry is trying to bring back luxury business travel. Major cities around the world have thousands of...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

The Top Global Brands of 2009

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:23:24 EDT

Recently Interbrand, the world’s largest brand consultancy, released its 2009 rankings of the top global brands of 2009. So what is a global brand, exactly? A global brand is one that has transcended the linguistic and cultural challenges of entering foreign markets. Widely recognized global brands have successfully implemented the namesake and desirability of their products to consumers in many countries. The Top Ten Global Brands of 2009: 1. Coca-Cola 2. IBM 3. Microsoft...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

Japanese Automakers Thriving in China

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:24:38 EDT

It is well known that the auto industry has taken a hit across the globe. With sales and production down and several plant closures, it seems that things are looking grim. However, several Japanese automakers are thriving, not internationally, but in China. With global production down for almost every automaker, Japanese cars have had positive growth in China at rates up to over 60%! While global production has dropped over 16%, Honda’s Chinese production increased by 20%. This...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

A Buyers Beware Market for Informed Investors

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:29:09 EDT

China has just recently launched its brand new Growth Enterprise Market, a Nasdaq-style stock market that has been over 10 years in the making. Twenty eight small- and medium-sized companies will be debuting on the Gem as it is called, made to attract financing of new high growth industries. These industries include software companies, pharmaceutical firms and creative industries. But investing in these companies will be risky business, since there will less than 30 companies to begin...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!

An Unusual Success Story

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:24 EDT

In a small village in Italy, one entrepreneur decided to start a business in an unusual location - a castle. With workers not having to clock in, the atmosphere is quite different than other typical factories. Brunello Cucinello's cashmere factory has been extremely successful. The full story can be found in a video from BBC NEWS. It is surprising to many how well the business is doing because of the untraditional way it is run. Is it possible for other businesses to adopt similar working...

To read the rest, visit globalEDGE!