Nowadays many companies are becoming more environmentally conscious and are looking for new business practices that support sustainability. A company called Neutral Fuels in the United Arab Emirates has developed an innovating process that promotes sustainable development while also generating a healthy profit. Neutral Fuels converts used vegetable and cooking oil from local fast food restaurants to biodiesel so that it can be used to fuel trucks. This waste conversion process has had a tremendous impact on the environment and oil production in the United Arab Emirates.
globalEDGE Blog Archive August 2011
Publish Date:
While airlines in North America and Europe are struggling to stay afloat due to poor economic conditions and high oil prices abroad, airline carriers in Asia are flourishing. Increased individual liberties, the rise of the affluent middle class, and booming economic growth in China and Japan are leading to a rapid growth of airline projects in the Far East.
Publish Date:
Products by large companies such as Samsung and Hyundai are crucial to keeping South Korea’s economy afloat however the country’s small and medium-sized businesses may be even more important. These smaller businesses provide more than 80 percent of the country’s jobs but are beginning to feel the pressure from Korea’s big conglomerates. The number of smaller firms competing in various sectors has been reduced to just a handful because of the difficulties of earning a profit in the face of big company demands. This is not the only concern for small-businesses in South Korea.
Publish Date:
Biometric security has always been a theme in spy movies...until now. Can you imagine instead of swiping a badge, leaving your fingerprint?
Publish Date:
The credit rating agency Standard & Poors recently downgraded the U.S. from its pristine AAA credit rating to a still strong AA+ rating. How exactly does this affect your business and the international business landscape as a whole?
Publish Date:
Feeding on the strength of European demand and Asian emerging markets, China’s trade surplus rose to its highest level in more than two years during the month of July. The country’s surplus rose to $31.5 billion, the biggest gap since January of 2009. Chinese exports and imports both grew over 20 percent from a year ago and there are a couple key reasons that account for these large increases.
Growth in shipments to Europe has doubled over the last two months granting China higher export numbers. Exports to Japan also rose as Japan surges back after the tragic earthquake that occurred earlier in the year. China’s relationship with developing countries in Asia, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, continues to strengthen providing China with lucrative export markets. Sales of Chinese goods in these markets have increased this past year allowing the trade surplus gap to grow even larger.
Publish Date:
With millions of people using the Internet each day, the World Wide Web has been a very important place for companies looking to market their products. Online advertising has followed a fairly standard path as Internet uses evolved over the years. Marketers first bought digital ads and then went even further by building their own Web sites to promote their products. These marketing tools are still being used but a new factor is beginning to change the way companies advertise online. That factor is social media.
Publish Date:
When looking at economic indicators in Uruguay, government officials and businessmen have much to cheer about. In 2010, the economy grew by 8.5 percent giving Uruguay the fourth-highest increase in Latin America. This growth is predicted to continue as officials estimate a growth rate of 5 to 6 percent this year. Some predict the GDP growth rate to be even higher as both domestic and external demand continues to climb at a very healthy pace. There are many reasons that account for the positive growth rate of Uruguay.