In response to the growing need for globally-minded business leaders, more business schools are now offering international MBA programs. The easy way to create such a program is to throw in a few international business courses into the school’s core curriculum. Yet many of the top American b-schools wouldn’t exactly be “international” if they basically stuck to the same curriculum while catering primarily to American students on U.S. soil. More and more schools are now courting foreign students, and some are even transplanting faculty and students alike to sister schools abroad. A recent article by Latin Trade encapsulated the trend very well.
globalEDGE Blog Archive May 2009
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There was a time when trains dominated most of the transit taking place in countries such as the United States. Today, high-speed trains are a cheap and effective means to get across many places in the world, like Europe, Japan, and South Africa, and are important conduits of these economies. Yet it still seems that whenever people want to get away on vacation, they either fly to their desired destination or take a cruise. A growing trend, however, is the rising number of luxury trains and patrons that are using them. This trend could change the dynamic of the hospitality and travel industry, as these trains offer both.
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The International Trade Association launched a great blog last month, which you can check out by clicking here. The blog offers information on how trade can help your business, trade policy, and general awareness of topics within trade.
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If you're looking for a last minute deal on international summer travel, Mexico may be the best option. In the wake of a swine flu pandemic that crippled Mexico's tourism industry, hotels and resorts are slashing their prices - as much as 70% - in an effort to regain solid footing.
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We wanted to let you know about a free webinar that will focus on how your company can take advantage of trade agreements to maximize its bottom line. The webinar will take place on June 2, at 2:00 EDT, although registrants will be able to access the event at any time after that date. Registration is available here.
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My last blog post summarized the negative effects that come from stress. The number of "super stressed" work environments is steadily increasing, especially in Asia . Here are some tips for managers on how to make the working environment more stress-free:
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Over the past decades job stress has been steadily increasing. The top countries where businessmen admit they are “super stressed” are Taiwan and Hong Kong, and the ones that report lower stress levels are countries in Western Europe. Unfortunately, in the past few years stress in the corporate environment has been rising fast due to the global economic conditions. And this is how we get into a vicious circle of stress: the economy experiences a slump, workers feel more stressed, their productivity is reduced, economic conditions get even worse, and the cycle continues.
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Check out this great lecture by Thomas Friedman, the author of "The World is Flat" and "Hot, Flat, and Crowded." It's a great example of tying together the phenomenon of globalization with what I think is the ultimate reason for the changing media landscape. Every good business idea starts with inspiration, and Thomas Friedman is a deep thinker that also an excellent communicator. It's long, but definitely worth watching.
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The media and communications industry has traditionally consisted of the people who were at the cutting edge of information technology - those who could broadcast to the biggest audience. In turn, these people hired talented individuals who could develop the content that was broadcast. The entire industry was structured around the assumption that, in order to physically reach any significant sized audience, you had to have access to technology that was too expensive for the vast majority of individuals to own.
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Mercer Consulting recently released its 2009 Quality of Living Survey, which documents the cities of the world which provide the best quality of life, based on a number of factors. The survey is partly designed to help major companies in determining where to place employees on international assignments. The 2009 list is dominated by European countries, with over 20 of the 30 countries listed being in Europe.
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Is the media trustworthy? The internet has become one of the most widely used sources for obtaining information. However, when everyone can post information, how do we know if it is correct? We are warned not to use certain websites as primary resources; however, many use them anyway and post the information in usually trustworthy websites. Consequently, many read it and something completely untrue can be written down as a fact.
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Creativity is always an important factor when deciding where to do business, especially if you are an innovator with a novel idea, looking for a receptive market. If you want a concise listing of one publication's opinion on the matter, check out Fast Company's slideshow: "The 13 Most Creative Cities in the World". They are a little heavy on cities in the US, but oddballs like Malmo, Sweden keep the list interesting. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, Seattle is apparently the most creative city of the year.
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How can a used car be worth more than a new car? How can a car increase in value the second it is driven off the lot? The answer is that these events only happen in Venezuela. The UICIFD Blog recently had a post about this strange phenomenon in the Venezuelan car industry.
Be sure to check out our blogroll to read other great blogs.
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In the current economic downturn, it isn’t surprising to see workers avoiding vacations. Many need the money, and may even be unsure of whether or not they will have a job the next day. But, if they spend all their time working and saving their money, and not spending it, this creates a problem. In Japan, the issue has actually taken a noticeable toll on the economy. Japanese workaholics, or sarariman, often work late nights and stash away their money. Japan, then, needs to find a way to get Japanese households spending their $8 trillion in savings.
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Spain has the highest unemployment rate out of all developed European Countries. One region that is in desperate need for new investments and jobs is Aragon. Therefore, the parliament has decided to approve a law to allow the construction of a casino city in the countryside near Ontinena. The following video gives details about The Gran Scala project.
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Like all good things, globalization has some negative side effects. The current outbreak of swine flu highlights the ability for diseases to be transported quickly around the world, primarily because of how interconnected the global economy has become. It is important for both governments and international business people to arm themselves with the proper knowledge in order to be prepared and put in place the best safeguards for such an event.