© 2015 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University PLEASE SEE UPDATES IN THE AUGUST 6, 2015 POST The following comments are based on a telephone interview with Bob Hennelly of CBS News MoneyWatch on July 14, 2015. The potential for US business to engage with Iran can be summarized in one sentence: Iran exports crude oil but imports … Continue reading What the Iran Nuclear Deal Means for American Business
Is China set to become the world’s largest economy in 2015?
© 2015 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University The business press has been excitedly predicting the day when the Chinese economy will surpass that of the US in size. Just when this will happen has been a matter for debate—estimates have ranged from 2016 to 2025. In order to compare a nation’s economic size to that of … Continue reading Is China set to become the world’s largest economy in 2015?
Global Management in a Still-Fragmented World
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University In this post, we look at the job of the global manager, which covers two broad domains: Internal corporate strategy—which must address the issue of how international firms need to strike a balance between global standardization of their products and processes and the benefits of local adaptation (while at the … Continue reading Global Management in a Still-Fragmented World
Some Reflections on Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University I used to have some doubts about the suitability of Mohandas (“Mahatma”) Gandhi (1869–1948) to participate actively in the governance of post-independence India. Some of his ideas would have been antithetical to the development of large-scale industries, where scale is needed for efficiency. Often portrayed spinning his own … Continue reading Some Reflections on Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
What Drives Narendra Modi? – Swami Vivekananda and Hsuan Tsang
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University *An expanded version of this article was published in the June 21, 2014 edition of Parsiana—International Zoroastrian Community Magazine as a “Comment” under the title “What drives Narendra Modi? Hindu reformist Swami Vivekananda’s ideals and Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang have helped to shape the new Prime Minister’s worldview.” Click here for the PDF: What … Continue reading What Drives Narendra Modi? – Swami Vivekananda and Hsuan Tsang
The Indian Election: A Rare Historic Opportunity for Coherent Investment Policies in India
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University For the past 30 years, India has been governed by a series of raucous coalition governments. At least some of the caution, vacillation, and even backtracking on investment and taxation policies that have dismayed foreign companies contemplating foreign direct investment (FDI) in India can be attributed to this. … Continue reading The Indian Election: A Rare Historic Opportunity for Coherent Investment Policies in India
Whither the Chinese Yuan? Is the RMB Still Undervalued?
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University Introduction to my May 8, 2014 YaleGlobal Online article: “Renminbi Undervalued? Think Again” The exchange rate between the US dollar and the Chinese Renminbi Yuan (RMB) is of crucial importance to both the American and Chinese economies since the bilateral trade between the two nations (imports plus exports) is nearing … Continue reading Whither the Chinese Yuan? Is the RMB Still Undervalued?
“Punching above their weight” Recognized by IJOEM
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University “Punching above their weight” Named “2014 Outstanding Paper” by International Journal of Emerging Markets* [Excerpt from Letter] Monday, April 28, 2014 Dear Professor Contractor: Congratulations again on “‘Punching above their weight’: The sources of competitive advantage for emerging market multinationals” being selected as the 2014 Outstanding Paper winner for International Journal of Emerging … Continue reading “Punching above their weight” Recognized by IJOEM
The US – One of the World’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Locations?
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University In 2012, I was one of the observers who indicated that American manufacturing productivity was, by far, the best in the world. (See my August 7, 2012 Yale Global Online article “7 Reasons to Expect US Manufacturing Resurgence,” which provided figures from the International Monetary Fund and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.) In … Continue reading The US – One of the World’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Locations?
What the Indian Election Means for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India
© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University Narendra Modi, the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and presumptive Prime Minister, is portrayed as pro-business and a man of decisive action. The rival Congress party, in power for the last 10 years, actually did more to weaken the apparatus of bureaucratic controls and open the door … Continue reading What the Indian Election Means for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India
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