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Management News is South-Western's service to provide summaries of the latest management news stories. Review the brief summaries and, for stories of interest, select the full summary. |
GLOBAL MANAGEMENT | |
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Several commodity and farm groups have warned the Bush administration that they will not support the latest round of WTO negotiations unless negotiators correct what they see as a “severe imbalance” between proposed subsidy and tariff cuts. (Updated January 2008) |
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The Lisbon Agenda’s strategy was to increase European state’s spending on research and development so that companies there could become more innovative and competitive. However, the initiative appears to be running out of steam. Some feel that protectionism keeps the EU from fully innovating. (Updated June 2007) |
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Thirteen years after its inception, NAFTA has delivered on its promise to increase trade between the U.S. and Mexico. However, the illegal immigration problem has only gotten worse. Some experts believe it is time to take more drastic measures to help solve Mexico’s problems. (Updated June 2007) |
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Caribbean leaders gathered in Miami this past December to discuss the economic future of the region. Important subjects with mixed outlooks included the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the future of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). (Updated March 2007) |
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EBay has announced its decision to partner with the small Chinese company, TOM Online. Though the two companies have dramatically different business cultures and styles, the hope is that TOM Online’s Chinese connections will help eBay to succeed in China’s rapidly changing business environment. (Updated March 2007) |
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After ten years in Germany, Wal-Mart announced its decision to pull out of the country. The retail giant has had problems in other countries, but still Wal-Mart International is the fastest growing part of Wal-Mart’s overall business. They continue to learn from their successes and failures what it takes to be successful in other cultures, and the answer is one-size does not fit all. (Updated October 2006) |
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Foreign retailers might face increased costs and delays if China is successful at passing its new rules designed to regulate large-scale shopping outlet construction in the country. (Updated September 2006) |
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The free trade agreement established with Jordan in 2001 has created an apparel manufacturing boom in the country's exports to America. However, recent investigations by the National Labor Committee have uncovered violations of human rights and horrible working conditions in the Jordanian factories that produce goods for American retailers. (Updated July 2006) |
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Small business owners looking to make a move to China with their business need to be aware of the many challenges facing business owners there before they can be successful. Owners need to do their homework and be prepared to handle the operational and managerial challenges that come with operating a business in this still-developing country. (Updated February 2006) |
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Wal-Mart is facing stagnant sales in the United States. Expansion is critical to its growth, but success beyond the U.S. is proving elusive and difficult for the giant retailer. It is betting on 300 stores in Brazil to help it to gain an international presence. (Updated December 2005) |
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Although Japanese women comprise nearly half of the country’s workforce, they have yet to make significant inroads into management. However, several corporations are introducing initiatives to encourage Japanese women to strive for executive positions. (Updated December 2005) |
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China has the world's fastest growing economy right now and every multinational company wants a piece of the business potential. In this rapidly changing environment, traditional American methods of doing business sometimes must be altered to take advantage of opportunities. The most successful executives in China are those that are given the autonomy they need to react to local culture and the business climate as well as fast access to corporate headquarters for their support. (Updated June 2005) |
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Opening Subway franchises in the People's Republic of China, with an economy growing at 9% a year, and a fast-food industry estimated at $15 billion, seemed like easy money for Jim Bryant. Cultural differences and the difficulties of introducing a new concept have made the enterprise more difficult than was initially expected. (Updated April 2005) |
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An Indian-born consultant provides training to U.S. companies on Indian culture. The purpose is to avoid miscommunication caused by a lack of understanding of cultural differences. (Updated 07/01/04) |
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China is in the midst of modernizing its health care system, and a Wisconsin company is reaping the benefits. GE Medical Systems provides medical imaging and diagnostic equipment, employing thousands of people in both Wisconsin and China. (Updated 04/12/04) |
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As a strategy for getting into the Japanese retail market, Wal-Mart bought a 38% stake in Japan's fourth largest retailer, Seiyu. It faces huge challenges that include changing the culture of the Japanese company without alienating customers. Some experts are skeptical, but Wal-Mart officials believe their decision to enter Japan through a local partner is the right one. (Updated 01/06/04) |
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The World Trade Organization is meeting in Mexico, and ministers are trying to create NAFTA-like relations among other nations. The Mexican consulate in Seattle discusses how NAFTA has helped both Mexico and Washington state. (Updated 12/01/03) |
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In today's international climate, particularly since 9-11, companies are faced with new challenges to keep their employees healthy and safe. This article discusses companies that provide health care services and security information overseas. (Updated 05/01/03) |
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Two companies form a strategic alliance to help expand their markets in Central and Eastern Europe. (Updated 05/01/03) |
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In 1994, the landmark North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was passed. Since then, Mexican beer imports to the U.S. have grown at a much faster rate than sales of American beer to Mexico. Mexican laws and business practices that favor Mexican companies are partly to blame. (Updated 02/27/03) |
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Myths and misconceptions about what happens to women sent abroad - from the belief that they are crime targets to the assumption that some cultures won't accept them in business - prompt managers to overlook women when filling international assignments, according to expatriates and experts. (Updated 12/31/02) |
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A small group of lawyers and labor advocates have been trying to hold transnational companies responsible for their actions related to human rights abuses by suing them in U.S. courts. They have had some success, and Wall Street is beginning to take notice. (Updated 10/23/02) |
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