globalEDGE Blog - Page 18

2022 has been a difficult year for the technology industry. What was once considered a high-paying, reliable marking is taking a turn for the worse. Tech companies from Amazon to Zillow are laying off employees at an alarming rate. Tech stocks have fallen significantly after a recent series of upsetting earnings reports were released.

Within the past decade, there has been a rapid increase in innovation across the automotive industry. Many of these innovations are encouraging automotive companies to put millions of dollars into research and development of electric vehicle technology, self-driving capabilities, and automotive software improvements. Many automotive giants, such as the big three U.S. manufacturers, Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, are competing to release the most cutting-edge battery technology.

This past Sunday night, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA star Joel Embiid from Yaounde, Cameroon made history. The court was electric watching him dominate a career-high 59-point game, scoring 26 of the 27 points in the fourth quarter. Earlier this year, the Denver Nuggets took a surprise visit to Sombor, Serbia to surprise Nikola Jokic, the fourth internationally-born player to win the NBA MVP award multiple times. In 2021, a player notoriously nicknamed “The Greek Freak”, Giannis Antetokounmpo, secured the Bucks' first championship title in half a century, earning him back-to-back MVP trophies. With such successes and a broad reach to countries around the world, the NBA is becoming recognized as more than simply television entertainment.

This year's high inflation rates are going to cause some problems for suppliers and consumers this holiday season. Unlike in past years, suppliers are facing the issue of having too much supply and not enough buyers. Because of the outrageous prices being applied to housing and gas, consumers are being forced to put their money into more essential needs instead of holiday shopping.

Beer is a beverage that finds a place in almost every occasion, from a relaxing night in to a social gathering with friends. People flood into local dive bars and even travel for events such as Oktoberfest in Munich to experience a wide variety of brewers, communities, and venues. With beer dating back to ancient times, it is not surprising that it has evolved into the unique flavors we see today; a more unexpected turn is the growing popularity of non-alcoholic beers.

Many countries are focusing on sustainability and how they can work to prevent global warming. Sustainable fashion is one option that can make a substantial impact. In 2018, the fashion industry accounted for 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is equivalent to the entire economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. The responsibility for change is falling on manufacturers, brands, consumers, and policymakers. As the apparel retail market continues to grow, the need for sustainable fashion and sustainable shopping behaviors becomes more essential to reach the 1.5-degree pathway. Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom are just a few countries trying to lead the way for sustainability in the fashion industry.

Trade partners are seeing a ripple effect throughout their economies following disagreements regarding established regulations. In 2020, NAFTA was replaced by USMCA, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, to help facilitate trade regulations in North America. Even though this agreement was only enacted two years ago, some of its rules are already being questioned and even ignored.

Halfway through MSU's academic semester, in this blog, we will highlight key changes and updates our team has made over the last few months.

Climate change is a subject that few need an introduction to. The world is continuing to see long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns, some of which are being driven by humans. The prevalent use of non-renewable energy has increased this shift in climate, forming new issues in other markets. One industry that is seeing new obstacles due to climate change is the travel industry.

Historically, foreign investment in African nations has tended to do more harm than good for the country's people. Africa’s many developing nations are rich in natural resources and host an abundant workforce, but reliance on markets like petroleum and mining has led to more exploitation than profits. In many cases, these industries have been foundational causes of civil unrest, disease, and violence. In recent years, however, the growth of one innovative industry puts Africa in a position to draw investments of a much safer and more valuable nature: telecommunications.