News and Analysis: 18-30 Sep 2015 | EmergingFrontierMarkets.com

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Posted on Wed, 30 Sep 2015:

Global competitiveness - 'New normal' productivity spells uncertainty for global economy, World Economic Forum, 30 Sep 15:
Switzerland, Singapore and the US have been nurturing innovation and talent, which has kept them at the top of the Global Competitiveness Index, which profiles 140 economies. The latest yearly report finds that countries need higher productivity to address sluggish global growth and persistent high unemployment (Competitiveness rankings)

Quality education, social protection critical to stemming inequality in Asia-Pacific, World Bank, 11 Sep 15:
Investing in quality educ and providing social protection for the poor stand out among the key policies to address rising inequality, says WB vice-pres for East Asia-Pac. Most poor households rely on labor as their only asset. Making labor more productive is crucial for achieving inclusive growth. (Universal social protection to ensure that no one is left behind - Joint statement by WB and ILO heads)

Coffers: Brookings fellow cuts ties after Sen. Warren letter, Boston Globe, 29 Sep 15:
A longtime fellow at the Brookings Inst abruptly cut ties with the think tank Tues hours after Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the institution complaining about an industry-funded study he co-wrote. "I think the Warren letter has created discomfort at Brookings," Robert Litan said by phone (Litan/Singer: Obama's big idea for small savers - 'Robo' financial advice, WSJ) [courtesy Brookings]

Posted on Mon, 28 Sep 2015:

Venables and Wills: Do sovereign wealth funds make sense for oil exporters in Africa?, Brookings (blog), 18 Sep 15:
Since July '14 the price of crude oil has fallen from above $100 per barrel to below $40. This drop has brought the risks facing oil exporters into stark relief. Nowhere more so than in Africa. Now is a good time then to discuss how wealth funds can be used to stabilize oil revenues and share their benefits across generations, write Oxford U prof; and res fellow

A tale of three Asias, McKinsey, by J Datesh, A Kincses & M Dietz, Sep '15:
Asia is likely to produce 45% of all growth in banking revenues between now and 2020. But our analysis suggests that global banks should focus their efforts on cities across the continent rather than adopt traditional country-driven strategies --- as many do at present, write McK Budapest office consultants; and Vancouver office dir

'Phishing for Phools' - Q&A with George Akerlof and Robert Shiller, WSJ, by J Zweig, 15 Sep 15 [courtesy Zweig's site]:
The free market isn't merely the best mechanism ever devised to provide people with what they want; it is also the best mechanism ever devised to provide people with what they don't want. That is the thesis of the new book Phishing for Phools: The economics of manipulation and deception, by Nobel Laureates Akerlof (2001) and Shiller (2013)

Posted on Fri, 25 Sep 2015:

Niall Ferguson: The lessons of history in today's migrant crisis, Boston Globe, 23 Sep 15:
In 1938, it was the US that was reluctant to accept refugees from Europe. We know now that the German Jews were among the most talented and productive people ever to have come to these shores. So should Europeans learn from the American experience and stop worrying about this latest "alien menace"?, asks Harvard prof

Leave no one behind - The Sustainable Development Goals, Columbia Univ (blog), 14 Sep 15:
Over 150 world leaders are expected to attend the UN's Sustainable Development Summit in NY from 25-27 Sep to adopt new global SDGs. All 193 member countries of the UN have agreed to adopt the 17-goal agenda towards eradicating poverty, protecting the planet and advancing prosperity by 2030. The SDGs come into effect on 1 Jan 2016

A Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, by 267 economists in 44 countries, Lancet/NY Times, 18 Sep 15 [via Global Coalition's site]:
The UN's 17 SDGs include providing universal health coverage. 267 economists from 44 countries, led by Harvard's Larry Summers, are signatories to the Economists' Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, which calls on global policy makers to prioritize a pro-poor pathway to universal health coverage as an essential pillar of sustainable development

Posted on Wed, 23 Sep 2015:

Does it matter if we don't achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?, Ctr Global Dev't (blog). by R Mirchandani, 22 Sep 15:
Are the SDGs achievable? That's a question I hear a lot from colleagues, journalists and friends. And, with the UN Summit to adopt the SDGs looming, how will history look back on the drawn-out, consultative and fractious process that has brought us to this set of 17 goals and 169 targets? Q&A with Nancy Birdsall, Ctr pres, and Michael Elliott, ONE Campaign pres

Bits & Bytes: Billions of people in developing world still without Internet access, new report finds, UN News, 21 Sep 15:
Broadband Internet is failing to reach billions of people living in the developing world, incl 90% of those living in the poorest nations, acc to a new UN report that offers country-by-country data on the state of access around the globe. It reveals that 57% of the world's people remain offline and unable to take advantage of the enormous econ/social benefits the Internet can offer

Greg Mankiw: The conservative heart - A book review, NY Times, 2 Aug 15 [PDF, courtesy Harvard]:
In this new book by Amer Enterp Inst pres Arthur Brooks, the intended audience seems to be the politicians running for the Republican pres'l nomination. Or more realistically, because those persons are too busy eating corn dogs in Iowa these days, the real audience may be their speech writers, writes Pres GW Bush's Council Econ Advisers fmr chair / Harvard prof

Ed.'s note: Once again, due to a "censoring gremlin", pls copy/paste this URL to your browser:
<scholar.harvard.edu/files/mankiw/files/conservative_heart_book_review.pdf?m=1439307051>

Posted on Mon, 21 Sep 2015:

No poverty, hunger in 15 years? UN sets sweeping new goals, AP, 21 Sep 15:
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are set for adoption by the 193 UN member states shortly after Pope Francis brings his activist message to the world body on Fri, 25 Sep. The SDGs consist of 17 broad goals and 169 specific targets. They replace the UN's expiring Millennium Dev't Goals, 8 of them, adopted in 2000 (List of UN SDGs)

Global innovation index - Switzerland, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, USA are leaders, WIPO/Cornell Univ/INSEAD, 17 Sep 15:
The Global Innovation Index 2015 cites the world's 5 most innovative nations, and points to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Jordan, Kenya, and Uganda as among a group of nations outperforming their peers. The index, co-published by Cornell Univ, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Org, surveys 141 economies around the world (Country rankings)

Glennie and Sumner: Aid should be seen as foreign public investment, not just charity, Guardian, 5 Aug 15:
The challenges faced by the world, esp. the poorer nations, are evolving and, to some extent, multiplying. Int'l dev't has reached a crucial moment in its evolution. In this context, the future of dev't aid is the subject of heated debate. Is it still needed? Who should give it? How should it evolve?, write Save the Children UK res dir; and King's College Lond Int'l Dev't Inst co-dir

Posted on Fri, 18 Sep 2015:

UNHCR warns that time is running out for Europe to resolve refugee emergency, refworld, 18 Sep 15:
With more than 442,440 refugees and migrants having arrived via the Mediterranean so far this year, some 2,921 deaths, and 4000 people arriving on the Greek islands daily, the crisis is growing and being pushed from one country to another without solution, in the absence of a coherent and united response to Europe's refugee situation

Developed, emerging markets diverge as Fed keeps rates steady, Reuters, 18 Sep 15 [via Hurriyet/Turkey]:
Developed equity markets across the world fell and bonds rose, pushing yields sharply lower, after the Fed cited weakening global growth and recent financial market volatility as its reasons for not raising interest rates. Stocks and currencies in emerging markets, however, which are more vulnerable to higher US interest rates, welcomed the Fed's Thu decision to postpone "lift-off"

Boardroom/C-suite: Lessons from the real Silicon Valley, Stanford Univ, by Y Feinberg, 28 July 15:
Silicon Valley has become something of a mecca for talented entrepreneurs looking to make their mark. As a prof teaching them, I have had a ringside seat as some of the most driven businesspeople on the planet slug it out. So what can the rest of us learn from the thinking and personalities of Silicon Valley?, asks faculty dir of Ignite (global innovation prog)

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