Since the Euro was introduced by the European Central Bank in 1999, Germany has gained competitiveness against not only other developed countries around the globe, but also against all other members of the . In this time, they have also managed to transform a slight budget deficit into a strong surplus. A lot of people are starting to wonder what caused this rapid ?
globalEDGE Blog - Page 239
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With all the talk of the future growth of electric cars, many people might think that it will be as simple as plugging in their car next to the old refrigerator in their garage. Unfortunately, using a standard 120V outlet would take around 20 hours to charge a typical electric car. Most cars will require a 220V charging station that is connected directly to the home's circuit. Even with the shorter charging time, many batteries will only last between 25 and 100 miles. These short distances will require customers to charge their cars throughout the day and many companies are working to become the "go-to" method.
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In 2007, former president Oscar Arias announced goal to become the first developing country to go carbon-neutral in 14 years. At the time, that goal seemed to be very unlikely for such a small country with financial difficulties. However, over the past years Costa Rica has made significant strides in accomplishing their goal and has become one of the leading countries in environmental sustainability.
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In a recent Forbes article, they highlighted the top 10 green companies in the world. These companies have all in some way contributed a global environmental management system by reducing emissions, adjusting their manufacturing process, becoming environmentally certified and doing the best to adjust their performance records into a more positive light.
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Recently gold prices have been up, but another metal connects around the world and provides insight into future economic and global trends. This metal happens to be copper and unlike gold, copper is not often viewed as a glamorous commodity. However, its practical use in water pipes, electrical wiring, computer circuit boards, and other electronic gadgets makes copper a valuable resource. Today the world’s copper mines are booming as copper prices continue to rise dramatically.
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Food prices have certainly become a hot topic recently, and so has food quality. With oil spills, nuclear waste scares, and natural disasters constantly threatening the quality of the world’s food supply, businesses have to be more careful with what food they sell. Still the exporting of food seems to continue to increase. Fish exports in particular have seen a huge increase in global demand.
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is a world leader in trade-credit information and protection. On Thursday, May 12, Coface will be hosting their annual at the Sentry Center in New York, New York. A panel of economists and business leaders will tackle the short-term economic outlook for the second half of 2011, with a special focus on hot spots, booming regions and the world’s economic power bases. It should be a great and informative event with all of the current happenings in today’s business world. Coface has provided some great services for us and our viewers here at globalEDGE, and globalEDGE is helping co-sponsor this event for Coface.
Coface has played a key role in providing risk information in the and here at globalEDGE. From an overall country rating to the business climate rating, Coface provides our viewers with an in-depth analysis of the current risk assessments and the strength and weaknesses of an economy. Not sure about expanding in your industry? The Coface risk ratings on industries in different regions of the world are sure to let you know what you’re getting into. Be sure to look into these informative sections and check out that event if you can!
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is becoming increasingly important for businesses all over the world. Not only is it important to expand into new markets, but it is important to localize enough to be accepted while still keeping your brand consistent worldwide. Corporations are beginning to see how difficult this balancing act can be. Expanding into new countries can lead to enormous profits, but it comes at a much higher risk.
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With the local economy struggling, many businesses in have turned to international exporting as a source for new markets. The state’s total exports for 2010 reached $44.5 billion, a 36.3% increase over 2009. Rick Haglund recently posted on Ann Arbor.com about the work that trade specialists such as Patrick McRae of the and workers at Michigan State University’s International Business Center () are doing to support globalization efforts of small and medium-sized local businesses.
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Over a quarter million small businesses in the export their products and services to other around the world. By doing so these businesses increase their revenues, broaden and diversify their customer base, and provide jobs for their local communities. The United States has set a goal to double exports by 2014 in order to support the addition of two million jobs for the American workforce and encourage economic growth. To reach this goal and help small businesses further increase their exports, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, and the Small Business Administration have released a new .