globalEDGE Blog - By Author: Elise VanDyke

As the semester comes to a close, the students of the globalEDGE team will be taking finals next week and enjoying winter break in the following weeks. The team has had a great semester being back in the office for the first time since the spring of 2020, and we look forward to providing more website updates and blog posts when we return for the spring semester in 2022. Thank you again to our readers for browsing the site and reading the blogs we post each week! We will return to the office on Monday, January 10, 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the healthcare industry into the spotlight. Around the world, hospital personnel have spent over a year providing care for hundreds of thousands of patients with COVID-19 while scientists in pharmaceutical companies worked to create vaccinations and other treatments.  Furthermore, the pandemic has revolutionized the way routine healthcare is managed, including an increased use of technology and the rise of telehealth services. Let’s take a look at some of the trends shaping the future of the healthcare industry.

On Monday, November 8, the United States lifted COVID-19 restrictions that kept many international travelers out of the country for 20 months, a possible indicator of the rebound of the international travel industry. As of November 8, the majority of those entering the United States will be required to show proof of vaccination as well as a negative COVID-19 test. The United States is just one of the many countries that will require proof of vaccination upon entry. Other common requirements for travel in a COVID-19 conscious world include a brief quarantine period or a negative COVID-19 test upon entry, although restrictions can vary widely by country. To read a blog post about the United States opening its borders, click here. 

Inflation in the context of economics is defined as a general increase in prices and a fall in the purchasing power of currency. Inflation can occur in an economy for a multitude of reasons and has been present in the United States and global economy at several points in history. The most notable historical case of inflation was The Great Inflation, a time period between 1965 and 1982 in which inflation was particularly high, resulting in large changes in policy, macroeconomic theory, and global monetary systems.  One of the main impacts of inflation is the toll it takes on consumers - when prices rise on basic consumer products such as food and gas, the money earned in wages does not stretch nearly as far to cover expenses. Let’s take a look at some of the causes and effects of the current increase in consumer prices.

Only a decade or two ago, music enthusiasts had to either purchase physical albums, buy songs and albums on a platform like iTunes, or risk their computer security by downloading music illegally. Today, all of that has changed. Music streaming has disrupted the music industry and rapidly altered the way consumers listen to and purchase music. Music streaming services offer millions of songs from thousands of artists for a recurring fee each month, allowing users to access music at a much cheaper rate than previously possible.

The globalEDGE website offers an Academy section with resources for students, faculty, and teachers. You can access this section by selecting 'Academy' from the selection bar at the top of the globalEDGE homepage, then choosing a page from the drop-down menu based on the information you are looking for. Let's dive into some of the information provided in the Academy section of globalEDGE.

The International Business Center has published its 2021 Market Potential Index (MPI). The MPI aims to assess market attractiveness for the largest 97 economies by comparing eight dimensions: market size, market intensity, market growth rate, market consumption capacity, commercial infrastructure, market receptivity, economic freedom, and country risk. This year's top market is China, which has held the leading spot on the Market Potential Index since 2014.  India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Canada make up places two through five on the list, respectively. The top five markets on the MPI are the same countries as the 2020 MPI report, with Hong Kong and India swapping places on this year's report.

Population issues have been a subject of discussion for decades.  While overpopulation puts a strain on natural resources, increases conflicts and wars, and causes water shortages and  malnutrition, population shrinkage also presents a host of issues.  The population on Earth is expected to stabilize and stop growing in 2100, however population growth rates vary drastically by region.  Some countries, such as Latvia, Japan, Venezuela, Syria, and Italy, have shrinking populations already, whether it be due to high rates of emigration or a declining birth rate.  Let’s dive into the unique set of issues that arise when countries are faced with a shrinking population.

After a summer full of work, internships, and professional development, the globalEDGE team is excited to return to campus for the fall semester.  Our team is eager to begin writing blog posts and updating the globalEDGE website with the most current information on international business. Keep an eye out for blog posts about current events, various international business topics, and website updates! We will be returning to our regular Monday through Thursday blog posting schedule this week, the week of Monday, September 13.

Sustainability is top of mind for consumers, companies, and governments around the world.  As renewable energy becomes more feasible and technology advances us toward a cleaner future, it is apparent that resource availability, future profits, and the state of our planet will be dependent on the choices made in the next few decades.  The sustainability landscape changes year to year to reflect the newest regulations and trends, so reports are released regularly to keep up to date.  Let’s look at the updated sustainability trends by industry.

The ads a consumer sees from day to day have changed drastically in the platform they are presented on.  While television ads and billboards were once on the cutting edge of advertising, digital ads have taken over the majority of ad spending in the United States and around the world.  Digital advertising is estimated to account for fifty-four percent of total ad spends in the United States in 2021 and is forecasted at just over fifty percent of total ad spending globally. In addition, digital advertising spending hit three hundred fifty-six billion USD in the United States in 2020.  Clearly, companies are willing to spend to have access to digital advertising.  Let’s take a look at some of the methods they use to access consumers on the internet.

The Cloud is a computer service that has the ability to deliver a wide range of resources over the internet for business and personal use.  The Cloud brings innovation and speed to computing services, as there is no software to download to a device and a lessened need to save copies of documents to a computer.  Let’s take a look at the future of the Cloud and how it can be used to ease the technology side of doing business.

Are you a student or recent graduate looking for international travel and a chance to gain work experience while abroad? Check the recently updated International Internship Directory on globalEDGE. Disciplines include everything from marketing to engineering to public health.  Paid and unpaid positions are listed, as well as programs for college credit.  To access the page simply click here, or click the “Academy” dropdown menu from the homepage. 

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) retailing is a popular strategy for brands to develop relationships with customers, utilize digital channels of selling, and skip the middle man when it comes to product sales channels.  In the times of COVID-19, the rush to e-commerce and digitalized sales channels has created an opportunity for more brands to branch out into the direct-to-consumer market.  From clothing to makeup to food subscriptions and even orthodontic wear, this strategy presents convenience to both consumers and suppliers.  Let’s take a look at the brands and methods behind direct-to-consumer retailing.

2020 was a year of immeasurable uncertainty in business and economics.  We saw supply chains crumble and e-commerce demand skyrocket as businesses and consumers pivoted to adjust to life in a pandemic.  While the pandemic is not yet over, widespread vaccine distribution is on the horizon, and we have seen several industries bounce back from the setbacks brought on by COVID-19.  Let’s take a look at the global business trends we can expect in 2021.

Social media is skyrocketing in popularity; just ask the 4.14 billion people active on social media throughout the globe.  These apps offer connection and communication and many target different demographics, such as Facebook, which is geared towards adults, and Snapchat, which is aimed at a teenage audience.  But as these apps grow and develop, we can see an increase in similarities.  Let’s look at the top apps dominating social media today, how advertising looks in each app, and what features they share.

Interested in learning more about international business?  Test your knowledge with the globalEDGE International Business Knowledge Quiz.  This quiz is the most recently updated portion of the site, with all questions on the quiz updated for the most recent data available.  To access the quiz, simply go to 'Tools and Data' and select 'Test Your Knowledge,' then click on the International Business Knowledge Quiz.  The quiz is also linked here.

Real estate is a massive market that contains multiple subsections such as residential real estate and commercial real estate.  With the current pandemic, many sectors of our economy have been left reeling.  Airlines have lost thousands of dollars, restaurants have found themselves under capacity by law, hotels are empty, and many more industries have been shaken by COVID-19.  But what about the real estate industry?  Today, we’ll take a look at the current state of the real estate industry around the world, as well as a few key trends to watch out for.

In current times, convenience has become a huge factor when consumers are scouring the market for goods and services.  People want groceries to be delivered to their doorstep, entertainment at the click of a button, and two-day shipping as often as possible.  Subscriptions are one area of convenience shopping that has gained popularity in the last decade.  Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO dominate the television market.  More and more often, we are seeing families cancel cable in favor of one or multiple of these television providers, many of which are offered at a lower monthly rate.  These services also present a wide variety of shows and movies, making them more enticing to customers than traditional television.

In this day and age, there are countless channels available to consume media.  From the radio to television to social media networks, we are constantly bombarded with information and can access any content at our fingertips.  New channels are cropping up all the time as well.  One way to consume media that has skyrocketed in popularity is listening to podcasts.  Podcasting is expected to be a $1 billion industry by 2021 and listeners are expected to top 100 million in the United States alone.  Let’s dive into the podcasting industry and how it looks around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that the world around us can change before our eyes.  In mid-March, people retreated to their homes, economies crawled to a halt, industries took massive hits, and countries rushed to develop policies to combat the spread of a virus many of us had never even heard of.  Now, in early September, many of us have settled into remote work, pushed off our travel plans, and adapted to practices like mask-wearing to adjust to living in the midst of a pandemic.  But what about the economy?  Let’s look at the recovery and state of the economies of a few countries around the world.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about changes in lifestyle for populations around the globe.  People are staying home and avoiding travel, whether by choice or due to government restrictions. International travel, in particular, has stopped in its tracks.  As of March 31, the United States is under a Global Level 4 Health Advisory, with the state department recommending all citizens avoid international travel. Inevitably, travel-related industries have felt the impact of these changes.  Let’s look at how airlines and other hospitality businesses have been affected by the coronavirus.

Online shopping, also known as e-commerce, is a wildly popular way for consumers to access products these days.  It’s convenient, simple, and can be done with a quick click from home. Companies like Amazon even offer free and fast shipping to their members.  But what does online shopping look like from a global standpoint? First of all, it’s a growing industry, with sales worldwide expected to more than double between 2018 and 2023. Let’s look at the e-commerce industry in the three regions around the world.

The dairy industry is changing throughout the globe as dairy alternatives become more and more popular.  Examples of these products include almond milk, oat milk, soymilk, coconut milk, nut-based cheeses, and coconut yogurt.  Virtually every dairy product now has a viable nondairy alternative.  However, different regions show different preferences in dairy, or nondairy, consumption.  Let’s look at how the dairy industry is changing around the world.

In recent years, the fashion industry has faced significant changes in the designing, manufacturing, and selling of apparel.  The transition is from a more traditional “seasonal” fashion cycle to the “fast fashion” method of producing clothing items.  Fast fashion offers consumers clothing at a quicker pace and fast fashion companies such as Sweden-based H&M and Spain-based Zara are organized differently than higher-end fashion brands that have been operating on the seasonal fashion cycle for years.

The Wall Street Journal recently released an article stating the number of women in the United States workforce has surpassed the number of men as of December 2019, making women the majority of the workforce.  The article credited much of this shift to the growth of service industries such as healthcare, where females are employed in higher numbers.

Throughout the world, sustainability is a growing trend.  Consumers are beginning to recognize their contribution to climate change and habitat destruction, and a sense of social responsibility is growing.  The tourism industry is no exception. Tourism is responsible for about eight percent of global carbon emissions. A single person flying from New York City to Paris generates 1,812.5 pounds of carbon dioxide according to Sustainable Travel International.  So, let’s look at how people are changing their travel habits and how it’s affecting businesses around the world.

The Forbes Corporations update has been completed on the globalEDGE website.  The site now has the most recent Corporations from Forbes World’s Largest Public Companies List.  The new information is located in the Corporations tab in the sidebar of each country.  Countries can be located by selecting "By Country" from the "Global Insights" drop-down menu.  The Corporations are separated into sections by country.  For example, the United States corporations are located here.  The Corporations tab of each country includes the name, industry, sales, profits, assets, and market value of each company that has its headquarters in that country.

The pharmaceutical industry is defined as the discovery, development, and manufacture of drugs and medications. It’s widespread, including research, chemicals, and the regulation and involvement of government agencies.  However, the characteristics of the pharmaceutical industry differ by region.  Today, we’ll look at the key aspects of this sprawling industry in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the United States.

In an increasingly connected world, people and businesses are more likely to have contact with other countries.  It is important to be educated on the status of industries around the world, and what makes up the economies of the countries that may be encountered through trade and business expansion.  Today we’re going to look at some of the strongest industries in three areas of the world: Asia, Europe, and Australia.

Renewable energy is growing in popularity across the globe, and with good reason—the benefits of renewable energy sources are widespread.  Finding alternative energy sources that don’t require the use of fossil fuels can lower energy costs for consumers, create more stable and reliable energy prices, and make electricity more available throughout the world.  Furthermore, climate change is proving to be a very expensive ordeal—costing $240 billion in economic losses in the United States alone—and renewable energy has a significantly smaller impact on climate change compared to the burning of fossil fuels. Clearly, investing in renewable energy has economic benefits.  Let’s look at how three regions around the world are faring in their journey to use more alternative energy sources.

Advertising is – and always has been – an ever-changing and evolving way to market goods and services.  As new types of media have developed over time, advertisers have had to make the leap from newspapers to television to websites as marketing platforms.  Yet, there is a new type of advertising that is proving extremely useful to companies: social media influencers.