Ian Bremmer: 5 Patterns Disrupting the World
Five forces are shaping political risks, from climate change to conflict. Here’s what to look out for.
We see patterns everywhere — in nature, in physics and in the world we’ve created — economic booms and recessions; market spikes and crashes; social stability and revolution. But I’ve never accepted George Santayana when he said, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Recognizing patterns is one thing. Thinking they’re repeating themselves, that’s something else entirely.
Perspectives
Charles Kenny: Who’s Going to Pay for Sustainable Infrastructure?
Perspectives
Stephen D. Eule: Coal Rush
Coal may have its critics, but Japan is demonstrating that the fossil fuel can have a role to play in sustainable economic growth.
Few countries in the world face the energy security challenges of Japan. With virtually no domestic energy resources to speak of — its large methane hydrate resources being decades away from development — Japan has had to rely on imported fuel for almost all of its energy needs.
Perspectives
Brinnon Garrett Mandel: How a Loyalty Card Points the Way to Healthier Populations
The global health community can learn from local innovators, who are finding local solutions to local challenges.
Is your keychain full of loyalty cards with bar codes? I have several loyalty cards on my keychain, for grocery stores and gasoline discounts. Yet until recently, it hadn’t occurred to me how this model could inspire innovation in global health.
Steve Koenig: The Robot Market — Taking Jobs or Helping Society?
Robots are playing a greater role in the workplace. But rather than being replaced, workers will be freed to do more innovative work.
Amb. Michael Froman: How Trade Can Help Save the Elephant
The Trans-Pacific Partnership may not involve African countries, but the trade deal can provide a key tool in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
There hasn’t been a single poached elephant carcass discovered in Gabon’s Wonga-Wongué Preserve in almost a year. Just last month, an elephant was seen on the beach here for the first time in recent memory. Not long before that, gorillas were seen in areas where they had been wiped out during darker days.
Charlie Chung: Smart Factories Are Only as Smart as Their Supply Chains
With the advent of Industry 4.0, automated manufacturing facilities require higher levels of logistics integration.
It’s been just three years since Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research coined the term Industry 4.0 to describe a manufacturing and assembly process closely aligned through interconnected machines.
Perspectives
Leslie Benton: Partners in Business, Partners in Corruption?
Foreign business partners can present opportunities, and risks. When it comes to stamping out corruption, training pays.
In today’s global marketplace, engaging foreign business partners can be an essential component of maximizing business opportunities. Partnerships can offer lower-cost labor, regional insights and connections — and in some cases are legally required for doing business in a country. However, these partners can also present risks, particularly when it comes to corruption.
Perspectives
How to Fix America's Entrepreneurship Crisis — Interview with Jon Lieber of Thumbtack
Local governments can help address the crisis in entrepreneurship by cutting red tape.
The state of entrepreneurship in America is in a “crisis.” While the cost of starting a small business continue to decline, the number of new firms as a share of all companies has dropped 44 percent since 1978.
