As consumers we rarely think about how the products we order online get to our homes, or how the items we buy from the local shops get there. Indeed, the world is so interconnected nowadays, that buying Japanese tea in a local store in Sweden is nothing out of the ordinary. Neither is ordering a […]
‘Saving Globalization’ in Davos
Just about a year ago, I wrote about the feeling of uncertainty in light of globalization struggles and a global populist movement, which seemed to be taking off. The uncertainty and concerns seemed to be a shared mood also during the World Economic Forum in Davos back then. Now, as a year passed and the […]
‘Going from Hands to Heads to Hearts’
Thinking about our future can be tough at times. In this blog I write about trends, important developments and influential events at a global scale, which lately often translates into the keywords of volatility, protectionism, populism, globalization threats, and automation. So, what is the future of work on the global basis? Certainly unclear and, clearly, […]
When We Need More Cooperation, We Should Look for More Hope
Any working relationship, be it romantic, friendship- or business-related, implies mutual trust, doesn’t it? Indeed, any successful cooperation requires trust as well. Usually, the more we know people, the more we trust them, which is probably why cooperating with familiar people is easier than with strangers. Consider the prisoner’s dilemma, one of the most famous […]
The French Election: Shall We ‘Keep Calm and Carry on Globalizing’?
This Sunday was an important day. Yes, it was the second round of the presidential election in France, but the results seemed to be quite important far beyond its borders. Namely, the second round of the French presidential race was viewed by many as a race between globalization and populism/nationalism, between further European integration and […]
Startup Mindset
In today’s volatile global market, it is quite challenging to sit back and enjoy stability, as rapid changes are increasingly part and parcel of doing business and being flexible and agile is essential to keep up with the flow. For companies these ever-changing business conditions mean both risks and opportunities, in terms of moving operations […]
More Thoughts on Globalization
In January I wrote about the era of protectionism and populism, which we seem to have entered. As discussed, these trends seem to indicate a globalization backlash, voiced by Brexit and Trump supporters, who probably haven’t felt the benefits of a globalized market. As one Financial Times article puts it, the current socio-political climate is […]
The Era of Protectionism and Populism is Upon Us
As the left-leaning media keeps saying, ‘it has really happened’; last Friday Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. How does it feel? I believe the best word to describe the current state, both in the US and around the world, is uncertainty… it feels uncertain. First there was Brexit, […]
Globalization, Robots and a Future Scenario
We all understand globalization as the free movement of goods, ideas and people. Buying Chinese products in European stores, working together with foreign colleagues, and taking an online-course from a physically distant university are all results of globalization. Richard Baldwin, a Geneva-based economist, sees all these results as a consequence of a series of waves […]
Are We Bound to Feel Lonely in the Globalized World?
As social animals we have survived because we used to form bonds and be members of tribes. Several interesting studies show that we are wired to be social on such a deep level that social isolation is actually processed similarly to physical pain by our mind. Plenty of research shows that loneliness is bad for […]
Latest Research: The Role of Global Leadership
The most recent DHL Global Connectedness Index, analyzing the state of globalization around the world, suggests that we don’t quite live in a ‘flat’ world. Indeed, in spite of visible global interconnectedness, the actual numbers related to international flows of products and services, capital, information, and people, show that globalization is much more limited than […]
Globalization Attacked as Never Before
This week the Euro 2016 semi-finals and the final will be played and many football fans will be living through the decisive moments of the European football tournament, which will culminate on Sunday 10 of July. Yet, even amid all the football buzz, another decisive moment for Europe could not remain unnoticed. UK voted FOR […]
EURO 2016 showcases the Multicultural Europe
In line with the popular movie-based expression ‘I know what you did last summer’, since last Friday we may be popularizing ‘I know what you did last evening’. For many this would imply the obvious—namely football (soccer)! Yes, the EURO 2016 has started, which means watching football matches, discussing teams’ odds to win, and reading […]
Global Hazards and Global Business
McKinsey’s recent survey on globalization reveals that geopolitical instability has become a critical influence on global business. Indeed, the number of executives who attribute high importance to the factor of geopolitical instability has doubled in two years. According to the survey data, geopolitical risks are today as important for companies as other previously impactful factors, […]
Latest Insights from Expat Industry Survey
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UnitedHealthcare Global, surveyed 360 executives from North America and Europe and conducted five in-depth interviews with experts to examine companies’ experiences with global mobility. In the following I will highlight some key report data that caught my eye. • Assignment geography is not about the traditional home […]
Digital Globalization: The New Era and its Implications
Although many consider globalization to be the buzzword of the last decades, economic historians would argue that globalization has a history that stretches back thousands of years. As brought up in a relevant Economist article, the trend of trade expansion is linked to specialization and is ‘nearly as old as civilization’. The process seems quite […]
