globalEDGE Newsletter             April 2004               Vol. 3 - Issue 3 


INSIDE THIS ISSUE
  1. New @ globalEDGE
  2. Featured Country: Spain
  3. Selected Articles
  4. Media Updates
  5. Recently Added Sites
  6. Newsletter Information


1) NEW @ globalEDGE

We have recently redesigned our
Country Insights homepage to include a section titled "Country Tools and Games." Now you will not only have access to a wealth of knowledge for over 190 countries, but you will also be able to take advantage of tools that allow you to compare countries using a number of different statistical indicators, tools that allow you to rank countries using these same indicators, and a new game - CAPITALize Your Memory - that will test you knowledge of world capitals. CAPITALize Your Memory is the perfect tool to use for instruction, to brush up on your knowledge of world capitals, or just for fun. Visit our Country Insights homepage at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/countryindex.asp

(Back to Top)


2) FEATURED COUNTRY

Our featured country this month is Spain.

Since becoming a democracy in 1975, Spain has evolved to become the fifth largest economy in the EU. It has been able to attain and retain this position despite the continuous threats of domestic (ETA) and now foreign (Al-Qaeda) terrorism. However, it's political - and consequently, economic - future is again under international scrutiny.

The fall-out from the March 11, 2004 bombings of commuter trains in Madrid forced Spain into the international spotlight. Many people cite the bombings as the main contributing factor to the election of a socialist Prime Minister, Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The election of a socialist administration represents a dramatic shift from the democratic political system that has supported Spain's growth as a major economic player in the EU. Because of the new administration, many of Spain's prior political and economic policies are now under review. Nowhere is this more evident than by the removal of Spanish troops from the multinational coalition currently occupying Iraq. Some view this move as Spain shifting closer to its traditional allies, France and Germany, thereby shifting the balance of power inside the European Union. Others see Spain as gaining international influence, as their new Iraq policy has led countries outside of the EU to also withdraw their troops from the coalition. Find out more about Spain at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/CountryIntro.asp?CountryID=73

(Back to Top)


3) SELECTED ARTICLES

The Power of Productivity
The McKinsey Quarterly, by William W. Lewis
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/article_abstract.asp?ar=1423&L2=19&L3=67
The global playing field is not always level, and the disparities between rich and poor countries cannot be ignored when looking at business opportunities. Raising GDP in less developed countries has more to do with global economic competition than other factors such as education or access to capital markets. This article discusses these issues and offers solutions to the high barriers of competition that exist in many countries today.

6 Truths about Emerging-Market Consumers
Strategy+Business, by Guillermo D'Andrea, E. Alejandro Stengel, and Anne Goebel-Krstelj
http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/04106
"6 Truths about Emerging-Market Consumers" is a consumer behavior analysis of the more than 250 million low-income Latin Americans holding nearly $120 billion of annual purchasing power. The article looks at this more than an attractive market segment and explains why large international retailers have made only modest progress in penetrating low-income segments in Latin America. The main reason, according to the authors, is because retailers have underestimated the collective economic clout of people of modest, or even subsistence, means.

More "Selected Articles" from globalEDGE at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/KnowledgeRoom/SelectedArticles/index.asp

(Back to Top)


4) MEDIA UPDATES

Spain Shifts Gears in Foreign Policy
Tehran Times
http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=4/26/2004&Cat=14&Num=001
In a move indicating a shift in his country's foreign policy, Spain's new Prime Minister, Mr. Jose Luis Zapatero, made Morocco the destination of his first foreign visit. Adopting a policy of "dialogue and mutual understanding," Mr. Zapatero has indicated that relations between Spain and its African neighbor to the South are very important to his government. His visit focused on jointly fighting terrorism and on boosting foreign investment in Morocco in order to discourage immigration to Spain and other European nations.

A Chance for Peace and Unity Wasted
Economist
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2625635
It appears that some conflicts are not meant to be solved. Despite titanic joint efforts by the UN, EU, US and Turkey, the Greek-Cypriots voted 76% against the unification plan. The rejection of the plan was met with dismay and anger among the world powers that had pressed both sides, Turkish and Greek, to accept it. This news feed analyzes the effects the outcome of this referendum has on the region, and how it affects the Turkish initiative to join the EU. (Free registration required)

More "Media Updates" from globalEDGE at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/KnowledgeRoom/MediaUpdate/


(Back to Top)


5) RECENTLY ADDED SITES

A sample of some of our recently added sites:

China: Sparkice, the Chinese e-Hub for Global Commerce
http://www.sparkice.com
Sparkice is the end-to-end China sourcing provider for global buyers. It provides extensive Products and Company directories, with more than 100.000 products available. Free registration is required. Available also in Chinese.
Category: Trade: Trade Leads

Automatic Translators
http://www.humanitas-international.org/newstran/more-trans.htm
Various translation engines perform this free tool, which provides automated translation in most languages. The web site contains also useful free links to international news and radio stations web sites in English and in more than 10 different languages, including Chinese, Italian, and Arabic.
Category: Reference: Language Tools

A list of recently added sites to globalEDGE is available at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/whatsnew.asp


(Back to Top)


6) NEWSLETTER INFORMATION

This newsletter is being sent to you by the globalEDGE Team. You elected to receive this newsletter from globalEDGE when you registered on our website, located at:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/

We do not disclose any of your information to third parties. However, if you do not wish to receive further information from us, you can edit your globalEDGE profile using the link below:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/profile.asp

If not already logged in, login with your username and password. You will be able to change any of your membership information. If you wish to opt-out, UNCHECK the box in section three of your profile that says:

"globalEDGE Newsletter (see sample)
Yes, sign me up for the free monthly globalEDGE newsletter and
other occasional information from globalEDGE and MSU-CIBER."


If you want to receive a Text version of the newsletter, select the Text option from the same section (3) of your profile that says:

"Choose preferred format"


(Back to Top)