business clusters: what they are and why they provide a competitive advantage

Have you ever wondered why Wall Street is known for finance or why the California wine industry has been so successful in integrating itself into the global market? In a word: clusters. Clusters are concentrations of complementary organizations, institutions and companies that are components of a given field in a specific geographic location. These conglomerations …

what cooperatives are and how they can benefit workers

The world we live in is quite complicated.  Being alone in this crazy, mixed-up reality can make this truth quite scary.  However,  even in the big, bad take-no-prisoners universe of globalized economics, there are tools that can be used to help improve one's chances of successful navigation through these choppy waters. One of the most …

question: why are certain countries classified as failing states?

Throughout history, the greatest threats to the stability of global society have been dependent on states with too much power. However, in modern times it is the countries that cannot maintain power that threatens international stability. When a national government loses some or all of its power and cannot ensure the wellbeing of the citizens …

an alternative to the GDP: the genuine progress indicator (GPI)

The Genuine Progress Indicator [GPI] is a GDP alternative that places value on the overall well-being of the world, rather than only the money we spend and goods we consume, by using 26 indicators to consolidate “critical economic, environmental, and social factors into a single framework in order to give a more accurate picture of …

question: how can the use of materials be reduced and what industries may benefit the most from the increased efficiency?

We currently live in a throw-away society – not enough is recycled and staggering amounts of waste are produced. While each segment of society contributes to this, industry is the biggest offender. For instance, steel, which is used more than all other metals combined, is essential to the automobile, household appliance and construction industries. Even …

three major issues affecting healthcare

1. Direct Advertisement and the Expiration of Patents – The United States and New Zealand are the only countries in the world that allow direct marketing of pharmaceuticals. As a result, people often demand unnecessary treatment which drives up costs and reduces the overall quality of care. Additionally, the increased prevalence of pharmaceuticals has not …

why might civilization be on the verge of collapse?

"Business as usual is no longer a viable option. Food security will deteriorate further unless leading countries collectively mobilize to stabilize population, stabilize climate, stabilize aquifers, conserve soils, protect cropland, and restrict the use of grain to produce fuel for cars.” - Lester Brown The end of the world is not necessarily upon us.  Our …

%d bloggers like this: