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Newsletter for Mar 5, 2009


A weekly sampling of news, analysis and opinion on economic issues of India, China and the U.S. Articles and opinion pieces are from a variety of sources and viewpoints and do not necessarily reflect those of ICA Institute. Access to some articles may require free registration to the site or may not be cited to the original source. Access archive.

In this issue
  • UGA IPSO India Initiative: India Conference
  • Free Access to Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China
  • China Goes Global Call for Papers
  • Headlines
  • Energy
  • ICT
  • Agriculture
  • Education | Workforce Development
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Intellectual Property
  • Newsletter staff

  • UGA IPSO India Initiative: India Conference

    IPSO India Initiative Launch: India Conference

    Interconnected Future: India and Georgia
    Georgia Center for Continuing Education
    Save the Date: April 2 & 3, 2009

    This two-day event includes the India Conference that will be held at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens. A special lecture sponsored by the College of Public Health on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 6 pm will kick off the conference at the Paul D. Coverdell Center. On Friday, April 3, 2009 the conference will run from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, including a keynote and luncheon speaker, followed by a cultural performance and a reception. The conference will cover four areas: political, economic, educational, and cultural aspects of India and how they relate to Georgia. Specific objectives of the conference include: a focus on foreign investment in Georgia from Indian firms and Indo-American business relations for economic development as well as educational partnerships for UGA and Indian institutions of higher education.

    Click here for more conference information


    Free Access to Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China

    Emerald Group Publishing Ltd is pleased to offer ICA Institute readers free access to its journal Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China during March.

    China is undergoing a fast transformation from the world's manufacturer to a leading player in the field of knowledge-based innovation. Published in association with the China Association for Management of Technology (CAMOT), the Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China (JKIC) responds to the lack of scholarly publications with a Chinese perspective on this field of study. JKIC publishes research that addresses emerging or developed innovative practices in modern China, and how innovation is feeding into the country's rapidly growing knowledge economy. This includes critical analyses which are informed by an appreciation of the complexity of the National Innovation System (NIS) and of regional and sectoral diversity.

    To access the journal visit http://www.emeraldinsight.com/jkic.htm , see the table of contents and - when prompted - enter the following:

    Username: ICAinstitute
    Password: emerald

    For more information on the journal, please contact the Publisher, Victoria Buttigieg, at vbuttigieg@emeraldinsight.com


    China Goes Global Call for Papers

    Call for Papers
    3rd China Goes Global Conference
    September 30 - October 2, 2009
    Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
    www.chinagoesglobal.org

    Overview
    This century has been dubbed the Chinese Century. But will the naming of this Century be congruent with the country's performance in the global political economy? As part of a series of conferences on the topic China Goes Global, held at Harvard Kennedy School and Rollins College, we issue a new call for papers on the globalization of China and Chinese companies, focusing on the following broad questions:
    1. What are the social, political and economic influences of China's globalization?
    2. How will China's globalization effect the business environment of firms in developed and emerging countries?
    3. Will China really replace the US economic, political and business leadership in the 21st Century?
    4. What are the factors associated with China's emerging global economic prowess?
    5. Can Western political/economic models and theories help explain China's current trajectory, either on a macro or a micro level?

    Important Dates
    Deadline for Submission: May 15, 2009
    Paper acceptance/rejection: July 1, 2009
    Revised paper submission: August 15, 2009
    Registration Fee
    Please note that all presenters and participants must register to attend the conference. The early bird registration fee of USD 495 is due on July 5, 2009, and the regular registration fee of USD 595 is due on August 15, 2009. The registration fee includes refreshments, lunches, reception, conference dinner, and a copy of the book China Rules: Globalization and Political Transformation (Palgrave McMillan, 2009). Conference registration does not include accommodation or travel costs.

    Organizational Committee
    Dr. Ilan Alon, Petters Professor, Director Rollins China Center, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, Asia Programs Visiting Scholar, Harvard University
    Dr. Julian Chang, Executive Director, Asia Programs, Ash Institute, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
    Dr. Marc Fetscherin, Assistant Professor, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, Asia Programs Visiting Scholar, Harvard University
    Dr. Christoph Lattemann, Assistant Professor of Corporate Governance & E-Commerce, University of Potsdam, Asia Programs Visiting Scholar, Harvard University
    Dr. John R. McIntyre, Professor, Director of Georgia Tech CIBER, Georgia Institute of Technology

    For more information, visit the conference website http://www.chinagoesglobal.org/


    Headlines


    Chinese leaders confront economic crisis (CNN, Mar 3)
    When China's legislature opens its annual session this week, the focus will be on jobs, the economy and social stability. This year, the number one issue will be how to survive the global economic crisis and keep China's economy growing. As the global economic crisis cascades into China, Communist Party leaders fear a spike in unemployment could trigger social unrest and snowball into a political crisis. "The NPC meeting this year will be all about the economy," says Drew Thompson, a China analyst at the Nixon Center in Washington. "Surviving the global financial crisis will depend on the effectiveness of the stimulus effort, and most importantly, keeping employment numbers up."

    India's Economy Expands 5.3%; Slowest Pace Since 2003 (Bloomberg, Feb 27)
    India's economy grew at the slowest pace since 2003 last quarter, adding pressure on the central bank to slash interest rates and support investment and consumption. Stocks extended declines and bond yields fell. Asia's third-largest economy expanded 5.3 percent in the three months to Dec. 31 from a year earlier after a 7.6 percent gain in the previous quarter, the statistics agency said in New Delhi. That was less than the 6.1 percent expected by economists.

    Asian Stocks Rise as China's Wen Affirms Economic Growth Target (Bloomberg.com, Mar 5)
    Asian stocks gained for a second day, led by commodity and construction companies, after China's Premier Wen Jiabao said the country's economic growth target for this year is within reach. BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's biggest mining company, climbed 4.4 percent in Sydney and Komatsu Ltd., the world's No. 2 maker of earthmoving equipment, jumped 3.8 percent in Tokyo on speculation demand for metals and industrial machinery will rise. Mazda Motor Corp., Japan's No. 4 carmaker, surged 11 percent as the yen weakened. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index and U.S. futures erased gains after Wen refrained from announcing an expansion of a 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) spending package.


    Energy


    Obama's Blueprint for a Daring Green Machine (Barron's, Mar 2)
    President Barack Obama's $787.2 billion stimulus plan includes the largest government investment in green energy since the expansion of the wind-driven Royal Navy in the 18th century. But the administration and Congress will have to forcibly change consumer habits, and spend billions of dollars more, if relatively expensive green energy is to become a viable alternative to less-expensive power sources such as coal and oil. They are about to try. The Environmental Protection Agency is drafting rules that will make it unprofitable for utilities to build new coal- and crude-fired plants, and for car makers to manufacture gas-swilling models like sport-utility vehicles and luxury sedans. Separately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has pledged to move a big energy bill in the spring with a cap-and-trade regime for greenhouse gases that, beginning in 2012, would raise an estimated $75 billion to $200 billion in annual revenue to fund Obama's green revolution.

    Chinese, U.S. swap clean energy ideas at forum (Mercury News, Mar 2)
    A Chinese delegation from the U.S.-China Clean Energy Forum visited Sunnyvale's Applied Materials recently to foster an exchange of ideas about solar energy and the nuts and bolts needed to one day connect an efficient energy grid based on renewable sources. The idea behind the forum is for the two nations - each of which is a major greenhouse gas emitter - to move simultaneously toward more energy-efficient and climate-friendly technologies. "We do have some competition" between the two countries, said Zhou Dadi, vice chairman or the National Energy Advisory Committee and director general emeritus of the NDRC's Energy Research Institute. But he emphasized cooperation.

    Can a 'smart grid' turn us on to energy efficiency? (CNN.com, Mar 2)
    According to research sponsored by the U.S. Government, improving the efficiency of the national electricity grid by 5 percent would be the equivalent of eliminating the fuel use and carbon emissions of 53 million cars. For years environmentalists have been talking up the idea of a "smart grid" -- an electricity distribution system that uses digital technology to eliminate waste and improve reliability -- as a way of achieving this. Advocates of a "smart grid" also say that it would open up new markets for large and small scale alternative energy producers by decentralizing generation.


    ICT


    Nokia to strengthen vendor base: tap rural India (Financial Chronicle, Mar 3)
    Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia plans to strengthen its supplier base in India in the coming months. Toward this end, the company is gearing up to launch Nokia Life Tools, agriculture and education information services for rural population soon. "For Nokia, Indian operations are an alternative to China in manufacturing. We intend to bring in more vendors and strengthen the tier 2 supplier base in India to sustain the momentum and achieve better cost efficiencies," Josh Foulger, head of India sourcing and president - Nokia SEZ, Sriperumbudur, Nokia said. After successful implementation in India, Nokia intends to replicate the same in China and African countries, key emerging markets with strong rural population.

    Asia to head growth in infocomm technology sector (ChannelNewsAsia.com, Feb 24)
    Asia is set to be the future driving force for the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector. And some industry experts say now is a prime time for players in emerging markets to test global waters. Brands such as Lenovo branching out of Asia are setting the tone for a shift in the ICT sector. US and European players used to dominate the sector, but increasingly, firms in emerging markets such as China and India are taking to the global stage.

    Developing countries drive explosion in global mobile phone use (Guardian.co.uk, Mar 2)
    More than half the world's population now pay to use a mobile phone and nearly a quarter use the internet, as developing countries rapidly adopt new communications technologies. By the end of last year there were an estimated 4.1bn mobile subscriptions, up from 1bn in 2002, according to a report published today by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an agency of the UN. Sweden was the world's most advanced country in the use of information and communications technology, followed by South Korea and Denmark. China was ranked 73, while India came in at 118. The so-called "digital divide" between rich and poor countries remained unchanged between 2002 and 2007. "Despite significant improvements in the developing world, the gap between the ICT haves and have-notes remains," the report found.

    Thomson Reuters Legal to Spread Out Operations in India (SDA India, Mar 2)
    In a recent announcement Thomson Reuters said that it will significantly grow its operations in India. As a part of the company's strategy to meet demand from the growing professional global workforce, Thomson Reuters is to expand its existing operations in India by building a brand new 'technology excellence hub' to support its international Legal business. The new hub will be based in Bangalore and will sit alongside Thomson Reuters established operations in India - in Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai - which already play a critical role in Thomson Reuters global financial services and news offering, says Reuters.


    Agriculture


    Worst Drought in Half Century Shrivels the Wheat Belt of China (New York Times, Feb 24)
    Northern China is dry in the best of times. But a long rainless stretch has underscored the urgency of water problems in a region that grows three-fifths of China's crops and houses more than two-fifths of its people - but gets only one-fifth as much rain as the rest of the country. Northern China is dry in the best of times. But a long rainless stretch has underscored the urgency of water problems in a region that grows three-fifths of China's crops and houses more than two-fifths of its people - but gets only one-fifth as much rain as the rest of the country.

    ISSUE IN-DEPTH: FOOD SAFETY: Broken system demands inspectors, standards (Atlanta Journal Constitution, Mar 2)
    Americans eat food imported from 150 foreign countries and processed in 189,000 plants scattered from China to Fiji. In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration inspected 96 of those plants. Here in the United States, FDA inspectors visit every food processor about once every 10 years, a record that makes its recent inspection of the Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely something of a coup. The FDA had last been to Blakely in 2001; when it returned in January in response to a crisis, it found salmonella on plant surfaces, peanuts stored under water leaks, dead roaches and unidentified "slimy, black-brown residue." By that time, authorities had already identified the Peanut Corp. plant as the likely source of salmonella-contaminated peanut butter that so far has killed nine Americans and sickened more than 660.

    Poor agriculture does not augur well for rural demand (Economic Times, Mar 3)
    The third quarter of 2008-09 saw India's GDP growth slip to 5.3%, confirming fears of growing downside risks to the economy. It is also evident now that emerging economies, including India, have been hit quite hard by the severe downturn in advanced economies. As the prospects for the US, EU, Japan and other Asian economies continue to deteriorate beyond initial expectations this is bad news for us as well. The surprise element in the third quarter (October-December 2008) GDP data was the 2.2% contraction in agricultural GDP. This decline can partly be attributed to the high base of last year, but it does expose the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to the vagaries of monsoons. Uneven rainfall, in an overall normal monsoon year, so severely dented the prospects for rain-dependent crops like coarse cereals, pulses and some cash crops that it led to an overall contraction in agricultural GDP.


    Education | Workforce Development


    Innovation, education key to India's growth (ZDNet Asia, Mar 3)
    India has barely touched the tip of the iceberg as a knowledge economy, and must use "disruptive technologies" to drive markets such as healthcare and education, urged delegates at a technology summit. "Innovation is not an idea leading to discovery. It relates to the ecological system in which it can blossom. This is something that the Silicon Valley was able to provide," Professor M. G. K. Menon, a renowned physicist and policy maker in India, said at the inaugural EmTech India 2009 held this week in New Delhi. "Knowledge is in our DNA, however, India needs to evolve the right ecosystem that can help unleash the real potential of the nation," Menon said. Delegates at the two-day conference discussed the impact of next-generation technologies on businesses and society and also marked the launch of the India edition of Technology Review, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's 109-year-old magazine.

    America's loss is India and China's gain: US study (Economic Times, Mar 2)
    Loss of tens of thousands of skilled immigrants to countries like India and China "is an economic catastrophe that will hurt US competitiveness for decades to come", says Vivek Wadhwa, lead author of a new study done at leading American universities. Wadhawa and his team at Duke, Harvard and Berkeley universities uncovered several trends in their study on the plight of 1,203 skilled immigrants who came to the US from India and China to work or study and returned home. The most common professional factor (86.8 percent of Chinese and 79.0 percent of Indians) motivating workers to return home was the growing demand for their skills in their home countries.


    Corporate Responsibility


    Mukesh Ambani with 3 other Indians are among world's wealthiest 'eco barons' (The Economic Times, Mar 1)
    Billionaire Mukesh Ambani along with three other Indians are among the world's wealthiest 'eco barons' who continue to make investments in green technology and businesses. The 'Green Rich List' compiled by The Sunday Times features 100 wealthiest people including four Indians and one India-origin person. Apart from Ambani who is ranked at the fifth position, other Indians in the list are wind power major Suzlon Energy's Tulsi Tanti (49th rank), Jaypee Group founder Jaiprakash Gaur (50) and former executive at engineering entity Thermax Anu Aga (78). India-origin venture capitalist Vinod Khosla is at the 52nd place. The list is topped by legendary investor Warren Buffett with a "Wealth Green investment" worth 27 billion pounds. He is followed by software czar Bill Gates and Sweden's Ingvar Kampard, at the second and third positions, respectively.


    Intellectual Property


    IP litigation on the rise in China (ALB Legal News, February 27, 2009)
    With multinational and domestic companies responding to the tough market conditions by means of budget cutting, law firms in China have seen a significant reduction in demand for patent filings and prosecutions. However, IP litigation, enforcement and licensing work are the areas in which law firms still expect to see prospects of growth.

    Slump takes its toll on patents (China State Intellectual Property Office, February 23, 2009)
    International patent filings under World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) grew 2.4 percent in 2008, to nearly 164,000 applications. For the first time, a Chinese company topped the list of PCT applicants in 2008. Another Chinese company, ZTE Corporation, also a Shenzen-based telecommunications company, featured in the top 100.


    Newsletter staff


    International Contributors Editorial Board
    RJ Paulsick - Co-Editor
    Roxanne Russell - Co-Editor
    Geoff Hiscock - Australia
    Priya Roy- China (Shanghai)
    Harsha Harjani - Hong Kong
    Dr. Nilay Yajnik - India
    Farhad Mirzaei - Iran
    Asha Hemrajani- Singapore
    Melissa Steinmetz - UK
    Dr. Daney Jackson - USA
    Dr. Sudhanva Char - Academic Resources
    Shree Pandya - Engaging Youth
    Laurel Askue - Environment & Conservation
    Christopher Chan - Intellectual Property


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