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431. U.S. Trade and Investment Policy

Author:
Matthew J. Slaughter, Edward Alden, Andrew H. Card, and Thomas A. Daschle
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Council on Foreign Relations
Abstract:
The growth of global trade and investment has brought significant benefits to the United States and to the rest of the world. Freer trade and investment, facilitated by rules the United States led in negotiating and implementing, have alleviated poverty, raised average standards of living, and discouraged conflict.
Topic:
Economics, International Trade and Finance, Markets, Labor Issues, and Financial Crisis
Political Geography:
United States

432. Human resources in China Prepare for opportunity

Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Abstract:
Foreign companies continue to be attracted by the opportunities offered by China's large and rapidly growing economy. China has a population of over 1.3bn, and the size of the economy is likely to grow to just under US$13trn a year at market exchange rates by 2015. Although GDP per head will still be relatively low by the end of the forecast period, at just under US$10,000 a year, this will represent a substantial improvement from just under US$4,500 in 2010. Significant regional disparities within China will persist. The provinces of the eastern seaboard enjoy standards of living well above the national average. However, there are also markets to be found in inland China, where many large cities are located. To some extent, the size of the population and the pace of economic growth belie the challenges of operating in China. Nationwide distribution networks will increasingly be put in place, but the Chinese market is likely still to be a fragmented one by 2015.
Topic:
Demographics, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Foreign Direct Investment
Political Geography:
China

433. Social Media in the Workplace

Author:
Rafiq Dossani
Publication Date:
05-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center
Abstract:
Social media refers to the information and communication technology platforms designed for real-time social interaction, such as wikis, discussion forums and blogs. These platforms are available on public sites such as Facebook and private sites such as Jive and Yammer. Some sites are more specialized in their objectives than others, eg., Linked-In's objective is to enable professionals to create and share profiles and to enable HR professionals to interact with them, while Facebook's objective is to enable information creation and interaction for more general audiences. Hence, Facebook uses a large number of platforms, such as instant messaging, event planning and image-uploading. In general, more narrow objectives usually result in the use of fewer platforms: for instance, Twitter only contains a microblog platform and YouTube contains platforms for image sharing and comments, while enterprise social network Yammer contains wikis, discussion forums, blogs, text and multi-media content sharing and more.
Topic:
Economics, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Science and Technology

434. Making the Transition: From Middle-Income to Advanced Economies

Author:
Alejandro Foxley and Fernando Sossdorf
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
Few middle-income countries have successfully transitioned into advanced economies in the past twenty years. As the world struggles with a new economic slowdown, middle-income countries should look at the lessons from the economies that successfully made the jump.
Topic:
Development, Emerging Markets, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Financial Crisis

435. International Finance Corporation (ABCs of the IFIs Brief)

Author:
Jenny Ottenhoff
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Center for Global Development
Abstract:
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a multilateral financial institution that provides financial and technical assistance to the private sector in middle- and low- income countries. Unlike other international financial institutions, the IFC operates on a commercial basis and invests exclusively in for-profit projects that promote poverty reduction and development. Increasingly, the IFC is investing in the world's poorest countries and fragile states that have few private investors. IFC investments support a range of activities including agribusiness, manufacturing, health and education, microfinance programs, and infrastructure development.
Topic:
Development, Markets, Poverty, Foreign Aid, and Foreign Direct Investment

436. Inward FDI in Egypt and its policy context

Author:
Ahmed Kamaly
Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:
Egypt, starting from the second half of the first decade of the 21st century, has begun to realize its potential as an important recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) among developing economies. Having received only US$ 500 million of inward FDI (IFDI), amounting to 0.5% of GDP in 2001, Egypt attracted US$ 9.4 billion (approximately 5.7% of GDP), in 2008. While investment in oil and gas accounted for a large share of IFDI (over half in 2006-2009), the remainder is fairly well diversified. Developed economies account for three-quarters of Egypt's IFDI, but the share of emerging markets has risen recently. Largely because of the global financial crisis, inflows dropped in 2009, by 30%. IFDI is likely to be adversely affected in 2011 following the political turbulence associated with the January 25 Revolution. However, this democratic transformation carries the seeds of genuine political stability based on effective institutions and the rule of law, which would encourage long-term domestic and foreign investment.
Topic:
Development, Economics, Markets, and Foreign Direct Investment
Political Geography:
Arabia, North Africa, and Egypt

437. Outward FDI from Colombia and its policy context

Author:
Ana-María Poveda Garcés
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:
Outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from Colombia has increased considerably in the past decade, with its stock growing from US$ 3 billion in 2000 to US$ 23 billion in 2010. This growth reflects the internationalization of the Colombian economy following policy reforms and economic liberalization in the 1990s. The 2000s were characterized by enhanced national security and reforms to the investment framework that have attracted unprecedented levels of inward FDI and facilitated the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A considerable rise in domestic mergers and acquisitions (M) in the past decade has contributed to the development of Colombian multinational enterprises (MNEs) and to increased OFDI from Colombia. In 2010, outflows showed a twenty-fold increase from their value in 2000, including an increase in OFDI to export markets, helped by greater government support for OFDI, for example by the conclusion of more international investment agreements. The rise of Colombian MNEs, or "translatinas" (i.e. Latin American MNEs whose OFDI is primarily within Latin America), reflects Colombia's nascent structural transformation into a knowledge-based economy. Together with Chile and Peru, Colombia has recently created the first regionallyintegrated stock exchange in the region, the Mercado Integrado Latinoamericano (MILA), which is likely to facilitate FDI flows.
Topic:
Development, Economics, Markets, and Foreign Direct Investment
Political Geography:
Colombia and Latin America

438. Outward FDI from Germany and its policy context: update 2011

Author:
Thomas Jost
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Abstract:
In 2010, German companies strongly increased their investments in foreign affiliates, with outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) flows having reached their third highest value on record (US$ 105 billion). Flows were driven by rising exports and growing profits of the German corporate sector. In 2010, the German economy made a robust recovery from the worldwide economic and financial crisis and became a growth engine among European Union (EU) countries. A further increase of OFDI is expected in 2011, as German companies are seeking to strengthen their strategic position in their main markets, although the pre-crisis level of OFDI flows of US$ 171 billion in 2007 will be hard to achieve. The German Government has continued to support the internationalization process of the German corporate sector by expanding its network of bilateral investment treaties and providing financial support and information services.
Topic:
International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Foreign Direct Investment
Political Geography:
Europe, Germany, and Ethiopia

439. Global microscope on the microfinance business environment 2011

Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Abstract:
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, microfinance has begun to enter a more mature and sustainable growth phase. After years of rapid expansion, the focus has turned to accelerating the improvements already underway in corporate governance, regulatory capacity and risk management. Indeed, risk management, which has become a post-crisis priority for all financial institutions, has improved considerably in the microfinance sector, which is essential, given that it is offering an increasingly diversified range of innovative financial services to the poor. Efforts to strengthen the sector sit comfortably beside new opportunities; microfinance is well positioned to take further advantage of technological and market innovations and to build on improvements already underway.
Topic:
Economics, Markets, and Governance

440. US Tax Discrimination Against Large Corporations Should Be Discarded

Author:
Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Martin Vieiro
Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Abstract:
The United States holds contradictory views about large corporations. When Americans speak of breakthroughs in research and engineering, they are justly proud of large firms that pioneered railroads and steam engines in the 19th century, automobiles, electric power, and oil exploration in the 20th century, and computers, software, and biotechnology in the 21st century. Yet when talk turns to paying taxes, public opinion holds that large corporations should pay a higher statutory tax rate than other business firms, and enjoy fewer deductions in computing their taxable income. Despite common sense and the teachings of economics, tax discrimination is alive and well.
Topic:
Economics, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Financial Crisis
Political Geography:
United States and America