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Featured Public Sector, Economic Policy Article, How corporate China is evolving
How corporate China is evolving

July 2008

China’s business landscape is changing rapidly. So must the way we comprehend it.

Featured Public Sector, Economic Policy Article, Meeting the challenges of China’s growing cities
Meeting the challenges of China’s growing cities

July 2008

China’s cities are booming. Intelligent policies could make the good effects prevail over the bad ones.

Featured Public Sector, Economic Policy Article, economics of solar power
The economics of solar power

June 2008

Don’t be fooled by technological uncertainty and the continued importance of regulation; solar will become more economically attractive.

The Archive

2008
Business strategies for climate change

April 2008

Huge value is at stake. The winners will be companies that reposition themselves to seize the opportunities of a low-carbon future.

2007
Taking stock: Ten years after the Asian financial crisis

December 2007

The Asian financial system could become a full-fledged partner in the global triad of economic powerhouses, alongside Europe and the United States—but only if its regulatory systems, economic ministries, and financial institutions improve dramatically.

Clearing the way for robust growth: An interview with India’s chief economic planner

October 2007

Having helped to put India’s economy on the right track, Montek Singh Ahluwalia has now changed focus, to addressing problems with the country’s infrastructure and financial and educational systems.

Government as a business

October 2007

Ian Davis, managing director of McKinsey, talks about the public-sector productivity imperative.

What businesses need to know about the US current-account deficit

August 2007

The US import balancing act could continue for some time, but the correction, when it comes, will have surprising consequences. Governments and businesses should prepare for them.

A new direction for France Premium Content

May 2007

As a candidate, Nicolas Sarkozy promised to reform the French economy. Now he must deliver.

Tapping Latin America's potential in services Premium Content

May 2007

While Asia booms, Latin American economies sputter. To drive significant growth, they should overhaul their policies for the service sector.

Finland's jobs challenge Premium Content

April 2007

Finland's employment levels will have to rise if the country is to support its aging population.

The future of public-pension systems: An interview with the president of the Chilean Pension Reform Commission Premium Content

April 2007

The chairman of a commission set up to investigate Chile’s private-pension system explains that the goal now is to supplement rather than replace it.

Extending financial services to Latin America's poor

March 2007

The president of Inter-American Development Bank argues that achieving greater "financial democracy" is crucial for achieving greater inclusiveness, improving social cohesion, and generating broad-based growth.

Promoting growth and social progress: An interview with the president of Chile

March 2007

Michelle Bachelet discusses her views on the roots of political upheaval in Latin America, and the link between economic development and the fight against poverty.

Reforming Latin American pension systems Premium Content

March 2007

Pension reform and privatization have delivered benefits—shrinking deficits and greater transparency—but systems need to boost their returns and attract more workers.

The Latin American opportunity

March 2007

The way to check the populist revival is to bring the benefits of change to the mass of the population.

What executives are asking about Latin America Premium Content

March 2007

Latin America's economy may not be growing as quickly as those of China or India, but it presents real opportunities, and the political risks are often exaggerated.

Getting labor policy to work in the Gulf Premium Content

February 2007

For GCC states, liberalizing the labor market and developing the local workforce are the keys to moving beyond a reliance on foreign workers.

Modernizing the United Arab Emirates: An interview with Minister of Economy Lubna Al Qasimi

February 2007

Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi discusses the opportunities and challenges that the United Arab Emirates faces in diversifying its economy beyond oil.

The true value of mobile phones to developing markets

February 2007

An estimate of the economic benefits of wireless activity must include not only wireless operators but also auxiliary players and end users.

Beyond oil: Reappraising the Gulf States

January 2007

Further reform will be essential if one of the world’s fastest-growing regions is to seize a broader role in the global economy.

2006
China's and India's financial systems: A barrier to growth Premium Content

November 2006

Reducing government interference in the financial sector and strengthening its market orientation are essential to make it allocate capital efficiently and meet the needs of savers.

What Germans want from market capitalism Premium Content

November 2006

A recent poll shows that they support a performance-based society balancing a strong work and social ethic.

India's financial system: More market, less government Premium Content

August 2006

A stronger financial system would make the economy grow more quickly and ensure higher tax revenues—without higher tax rates.

The road ahead for capitalism in China Premium Content

June 2006

One of China's leading economists and a longtime champion of its transition to free markets says that it faces two starkly contrasting futures: a market economy under the rule of law or crony capitalism.

2005
Fulfilling India’s promise

September 2005

The country must take steps to boost its economic prospects, lift its living standards, and improve opportunities for the multinational companies that do business there.

India's economic agenda: An interview with Manmohan Singh

September 2005

The prime minister discusses his plans to modernize the country's infrastructure, attract foreign investment, and create jobs—all in the service of eliminating chronic poverty and disease in India.

Making India a global hub Premium Content

September 2005

India could be a global leader in education and financial services, to name just two possibilities, asserts the IMF's chief economist—but not until it opens up to the world.

Public-private partnerships as a development engine

September 2005

Business and government should be partners, not rivals—let alone enemies.

Why believe in India

September 2005

Because it has made tremendous progress—and there's more to come.

How France can win from offshoring Premium Content

August 2005

The cost benefits have started to tempt more and more French companies. Instead of resisting the trend, policy makers should explore the ways France could gain from it.

Building world-class capital markets Premium Content

July 2005

Strong leadership is an essential ingredient.

Can pension plans age gracefully? Premium Content

May 2005

Adair Turner, the head of the UK Pensions Commission, explains why pension reform will work only if people retire later and save more.

The economic impact of an aging Europe Premium Content

May 2005

The aging of European populations will threaten living standards and prosperity.

The economic impact of an aging Japan Premium Content

May 2005

The rapid aging of the Japanese population will dramatically reduce savings and wealth—and cut off an important supply of capital to the world.

A silver lining in the US trade deficit Premium Content

March 2005

The successful global expansion of multinational companies is a major contributor to the trade imbalance.

The demographic deficit: How aging will reduce global wealth

March 2005

To fill the coming gap in global savings and financial wealth, households and governments will need to increase their savings rates and earn higher returns on the assets they already have.

Don't blame trade for US job losses

February 2005

A new look at US trade and employment data shows why it’s wrong to believe that foreign competition accounts for weak job growth since 2000.

Getting Belgium back to work Premium Content

February 2005

Looming health care and pension costs will force the country to lure more people into the workforce.

2004
China and India: The race to growth Premium Content

December 2004

The world’s two biggest developing countries are taking different paths to economic prosperity. Which is the better one?

The aging of China Premium Content

December 2004

In ten years, the country’s demographics will probably look very different. How should the government and business respond?

The landlocked continent Premium Content

December 2004

Europe's land-use policies limit productivity. Changing them could create jobs and boost competition.

How Germany can win from offshoring

November 2004

Offshoring could create new wealth for Germany, but only if it adopts the structural reforms needed to reemploy its displaced workers.

Broadening Indonesia’s reform agenda Premium Content

August 2004

Investors are returning to the country, but will they remain?

Helping Britons work smarter Premium Content

August 2004

UK workers aren’t as productive as their counterparts in other leading developed nations. It will take more than innovation to close the gap.

Making Portugal competitive

August 2004

By dismantling domestic barriers to productivity growth, the country could rise to a new level of economic development.

Poland's investment challenge Premium Content

August 2004

The country has a deep pool of educated workers and is close to the markets of Western Europe, but to attract foreign companies it must bring its PR efforts and bureaucracy up to speed.

What makes a city a financial hub? Premium Content

August 2004

Up-and-coming cities in Asia and Eastern Europe are eager to know how to attract multinational financial-services companies.

A richer future for India Premium Content

July 2004

Two industries have shown what can be achieved when the country opens itself up to the world. Now the rest of the economy should follow suit.

China tackles urban planning Premium Content

July 2004

In an effort to spur the local economy, the government of Wuhan has joined with a private investor to develop a new central business district.

Freeing India's textile industry Premium Content

July 2004

The country’s government holds the key to helping its apparel manufacturers compete in the global market.

The power of productivity

May 2004

Poor countries should put their consumers first.

Integrating Southeast Asia's economies

February 2004

The region is falling behind its rivals. Turning it into a true single market would boost its competitiveness and help restore its economic luster.

The truth about foreign direct investment in emerging markets Premium Content

February 2004

Developing countries think they must not only offer incentives to attract foreign direct investment but also protect their local economies by restricting the way multinationals operate. Are these countries wrong on both counts?

2003
Securing Hong Kong's future Premium Content

December 2003

The current economic downturn isn’t wholly responsible for Hong Kong’s woes. Fortunately, solutions are well within reach.

Reviving French and German productivity

February 2003

Differences in IT spending are not the root cause of the gap between US and European productivity. Europe's basic problem is inappropriate regulation that hinders innovation.

2002
What Germans really think Premium Content

August 2002

The people are ready for change and for the tough decisions needed to push the economy. Their leaders now have a chance to engage them in a serious dialogue about economic reform and revival.

Micro lessons for Argentina Premium Content

May 2002

In Latin America, macroeconomic reform isn’t enough: sustained growth can be achieved only by removing microeconomic barriers to productivity as well.

Retail: The Wal-Mart effect Premium Content

February 2002

Information technology isn’t the whole story behind productivity.

2001
Banking on US Social Security

May 2001

Private Social Security accounts will challenge financial institutions, but the opportunity is huge—and may be replicable in other countries as they reform their retirement systems.

In defense of the US current-account deficit Premium Content

May 2001

Technological change generated both prosperity and the trade gap. Neither its continuation nor its decline would be likely to have catastrophic effects.

2000
Reviving Japan's economy Premium Content

December 2000

Today’s woeful economic performance is not so much a reversal of fortune as a revelation of the hollowness of Japan’s success in the 1980s.

Hungary for reinvestment Premium Content

June 2000

In a study of investments in Hungary made by 38 foreign companies, McKinsey found many of these businesses ready to reinvest there, at least under a sympathetic government.

Sustaining Poland’s hard-won prosperity Premium Content

June 2000

If deregulation, privatization, and openness to outside investment continue—and the government steers clear of regulatory traps—Poland will continue to show that economic “shock therapy” can create a flourishing economy.

Reflections on Russia Premium Content

February 2000

Russia privatized its economy but failed to transform it. Most of the old businesses are bad. Most of the new ones are little better. What is to be done?

The Bay leads the way Premium Content

February 2000

The San Francisco Bay area, including Silicon Valley, has completed the transformation from an industrial economy into a predominantly knowledge-based one that ranks among the most productive in the world.

1998
Restructuring South Korea’s chaebol Premium Content

November 1998

The chaebol played a pivotal role in the country’s past economic success. But they are also partly responsible for its current plight. Family owners must now focus on value, not growth, and invite foreign investors onto the board.

1995
Sweden: The enemy is within Premium Content

November 1995

Why has GDP growth fallen? Because 75 percent of its economy—mostly services—is protected. But not trucks, software, and banking, which are world class.

Getting telecoms privatization right Premium Content

February 1995

Governments have no choice, but will they get it right? How not to wipe out 10 to 50 percent of value. Not ownership, but the trade-offs among availability, costs, and quality.

1994
Latin American productivity Premium Content

May 1994

Better standards of living rest on better productivity and that, in turn, on improved managerial practice.

Learning from Mexican privatization Premium Content

May 1994

What Mexico did—and did not do—can provide valuable insights for countries embarking on privatization programs.

Thoughts on the Mexican privatization experience Premium Content

May 1994

An excerpt from Economic Transformation the Mexican Way.

The promise of infrastructure privatization Premium Content

February 1994

For countries at all stages of development, continued economic growth often means facing up to the privatization of infrastructure.

1993
The ticking bomb at the core of Europe Premium Content

August 1993

The social systems of most European countries are undermining the whole region’s competitiveness. They are in desperate need of reform.

An economic Iron Curtain? Premium Content

February 1993

Turning around Eastern European companies requires decisive leadership and a time frame measured in decades, not years.

Privatizing privatization: The Polish experience Premium Content

February 1993

An Interview with Janusz Lewandowski, Polish Minister of Privatization

Rethinking privatization Premium Content

February 1993

Wholesale divestiture is not the only—or necessarily the best—means of transforming state enterprises in Asia.

Taking a whole economy private: An interview with Birgit Breuel Premium Content

February 1993

Lessons from the economic transformation of the former East Germany.

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