You would think that the new digitally powered economy – some of it, internet based – would be more productive, since they depend so heavily on computers and information technology. Not true. Several studies, including those by David Autor and others, show drop in productivity in the US, and especially since the late 1990s. Many… Continue reading Why the Sky Is Not the Limit in the Intangible Economy
President Trump’s recent set of policy gaffs in the Middle East have led to the start of a new conflict in the region. That between Turkey and the Kurds of Northern Syria, of which Trump remarked “it is between the two of them… it has nothing to do with us”. As if he could wash… Continue reading Costs of the West’s Misadventures in the Middle East
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent vice of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” - Winston Churchill Just as there is a lot of talk about brand purpose these days, there is also a lot of discussion about capitalism and more importantly, what kind. Ever since the… Continue reading Capitalism Waiting for a Future
It’s around three and a half years since Britons voted in a referendum to leave the European Union by a narrow margin of 52 to 48. That alone should have told UK’s lawmakers how divided opinion is on the issue of whether to leave the 40-year old union with the European Union. After all these… Continue reading Businesses Brace for Brexit Doldrums
In March 2018, President Trump said that “Trade wars are good and easy to win.” As economies and markets roil in the throes of the year-and-a-half long US-China trade war, it is perhaps time to ask who is a trade war good for and what impact it is having on business and ordinary people. By… Continue reading Just Who Is a Trade War “Good” For?
It has been several months and quarters of agony for the Indian automobile industry, what with vehicle sales falling. The rapid growth rate registered in the 2004 to 2013 period seems to have sputtered to a slow growth, if that. Newspapers and magazines are suddenly full of news about falling vehicle sales and job losses;… Continue reading Stuck in the Slow Lane
While the news in and out of India in recent days has been, quite rightly, hogged by the Kashmir issue, I would like to draw your attention to the economic slowdown in India. There probably isn’t a soul anywhere in the world who hasn’t heard of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to foreign investors, “Make… Continue reading A Made-in-India Economic Slowdown
The recent wave of protests in Hong Kong are making news headlines for a variety of reasons. From the draconian nature of the extradition bill proposed by Mainland China, to the intensity and massive turnout of the protesters, to the violent reaction by the Hong Kong police, everything was captured by television news channels. The… Continue reading From Gateway to China to Getaway Island?
If you happen to own Arendt’s books and read them a long time ago, it’s time to dust them off your bookshelves and read her all over again. I regret I did not read her earlier, but I am glad I have discovered her wonderfully sharp intellect and detailed expositions of totalitarian regimes now. Why… Continue reading The Relevance of Hannah Arendt
Sharing an article that I just wrote for LinkedIn on brand purpose, since there is so much discussion around it these days. I came across a 1970 article by Milton Friedman in The New York Times that spurred me to put my thoughts down on the subject and refute some of his theories or arguments.… Continue reading Why Brand Purpose Must be Aligned with Business Purpose
Peripatetic Perch 