RAND > Hot Topics > Globalization

HomeGo to RAND HomeResearch Areas
Share
AddThis Feed Button Subscribe to more RAND RSS feeds

Globalization

Selected Research, Commentary and Congressional Testimony

The Fall of the Wall: A World Restored? — Nov. 9, 2009

crowd celebrating atop Berlin Wall, 1989, photo courtesy of defenseimagery.mil/SSGT. F. L. Corkran

When the Berlin Wall fell 20 years ago, those raised in the shadow of possible nuclear holocaust felt disbelief, followed by relief and hope that the end of the Cold War would bring lasting peace, and the end of conflict. And in Europe, at least, it mostly did – but not everywhere, writes Christopher S. Chivvis.

G-20 Growing Pains — Sep. 24, 2009

G-20 leaders, photo courtesy of flickr/Downing Street

The increasing importance of the G-20 summits is testimony to the growing role emerging states now play in managing the international economy. But integrating these newcomers into the global community is unlikely to be straightforward or simple, writes Lowell H. Schwartz.

Improving the Energy Performance of Buildings: Learning from the European Union and Australia — Sep. 21, 2009

green building, photo courtesy of www.emnrd.state.nm.us

The United States can become more energy efficient and create more "green" jobs by adopting some of the strategies used by the European Union and Australia to rate and disclose the performance of commercial and government-owned buildings.

Capitalism Still Works: Our Economy Will Recover Because We Are Innovators and Entrepreneurs — Sep. 17, 2009

man hanging open for business sign

The damage done by the financial crisis now seems to require not a refurbishing job but an extreme makeover. While soul-searching and even self-loathing are inevitable during a crisis, this is no time for America to shy away from a capitalist system that has produced decades of economic growth, writes Krishna Kumar.

China's International Behavior: Activism, Opportunism, and Diversification — Aug. 27, 2009

Chinese flag superimposed over globe

China is a global actor of significant and growing importance, now integrated into the international system and altering that system's dynamics. The complexity of China's ever-changing global activism raises questions about its intentions and the implications for global stability and prosperity.

World Economic Recession Unlikely to Have Lasting Geopolitical Consequences — Jul. 30, 2009

Global Network

Will the current global economic recession have long-term geopolitical implications? Assuming that economic recovery begins in the first half of 2010, lasting structural alterations in the international system — a substantial change in U.S.-China relations, for example — are unlikely. This is because economic performance is only one of many geopolitical elements that shape countries' strategic intent and core external policies.

Alabama's Challenge: Better Prepared Workforce — Jul. 14, 2009

worker at Alabama Mercedes plant, photo courtesy of www.ado.alabama.gov

Alabama has made significant economic progress in recent decades, attracting car manufacturers and new industrial development. The state now has an opportunity to address some systemic challenges in education, health care, and workforce development to be competitive in a global economy, writes Melissa Flournoy.

The Cracks in Data Privacy — May 19, 2009

laptop computer with padlock chain

For almost 15 years, Europe has led the world in protecting personal data. At the EU level, it has done this through the data-protection directive adopted in 1995. But surveys such as one carried out by Eurobarometer last year illustrate that Europeans now feel insufficiently protected, write Lorenzo Valeri and Neil Robinson.

Adjusting to Global Economic Change: The Dangerous Road Ahead — Feb. 17, 2009

globalization

This study of historical experience from an economics perspective explores various crises - from the Great Depression to the stagflation and recovery of the 1970s and 1980s to our current economic woes - and suggests the tools policymakers need to address what may be the worst case scenario.

How China Can Strengthen Its Economy by Investing in High-Technology Applications — Feb. 13, 2009

Tianjin port, photo courtesy of Flickr/egorgrebnev

China's Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) can best spur regional development and economic growth by focusing on emerging high-technology applications, including molecular-scale drug development and green manufacturing.

The Secret Briefing Obama Needs on Day One — Jan. 22, 2009

locked briefcase

A select few Americans will ever see the president's daily brief -- a digest of the intelligence community's most closely guarded secrets. But trust me, Barack Obama is going to need much more useful information than he is getting now, writes Gregory F. Treverton.

A History of Chinese Corporate Governance Sheds Light on Economic Growth and Reform — Dec. 3, 2008

cement mixer beneath Chairman Mao painting in China, photo courtesy of Flickr/tingley

As China has moved toward a stronger role for private enterprise and capitalism it has also sought to adopt more Western-style oversight mechanisms and legal standards for corporate governance - a history of which is found here with an examination of attendant problems and their policy implications.

U.S. Department of Defense Faces Obstacles in Meeting Small-Business Contract Goals — Nov. 12, 2008

three business people

Many of the goods and services purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense are from industries that are often better suited to larger companies rather than smaller ones, complicating efforts to meet goals that about one-fourth of prime-contract dollars be awarded to small businesses.

Four Countries in the Middle East Face the Human Capital Challenges of the 21st Century — Oct. 31, 2008

arab student in Middle East works on laptop, Starbucks drink

Education and labor market initiatives are under way in four Arab nations -- Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates -- to address the challenges of developing the human capital of their populations for the 21st century global economy, though better evaluation of the implemented reforms will be needed to determine their efficacy.

It's 2018, and the Economy's Hot... — Oct. 22, 2008

Euro bill

If the nation is to emerge from a recession in a position of strength, we should chart our course carefully now. The government bailout of the banking sector could yield a substantial payout one day—and now is the time to earmark that money for our knowledge sector, writes Jonathan Grant.

Diversity Management Project Will Collect Data to Better Assess Workforce Policy — Oct. 13, 2008

diverse hands

A new RAND Labor and Population Project will examine how best to achieve and harness workplace diversity, a growing priority for U.S. companies and government agencies who want their workforces to reflect the evolving racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and generational makeup of American society and meet the challenges of the global market place.

The Role of Public and Private Litigation in the Enforcement of Securities Laws in the United States — Oct. 1, 2008

New York Stock Exchange, photo courtesy of Flickr

This dissertation analyzes the combination of federal and investors' class actions to enforce federal securities laws, as well as how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act disrupts joint public and private litigation to discipline self regulatory organizations like the national stock exchanges, and the effects of these attempted reforms on the market.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Education Interventions in Poor Countries — Aug. 27, 2008

four African schoolchildren, photo courtesy of Flickr

The August issue of Policy Insight discusses the growing use of randomized trials to determine the effectiveness of development programs in low-income countries, suggesting that similar methods should be used to assess the cost-effectiveness of education interventions in these countries.

U.S. Science is Holding its Own: Despite Cries of Alarm, We Remain the Global Leader in Innovation — Jul. 9, 2008

technology worker holds battery, courtesy of nrel.gov

Since the end of the Cold War, many observers have feared the United States is losing its leadership in science and technology, but RAND research shows that the U.S. has more than kept pace with its peers by several measures, write Titus Galama and James Hosek.

U.S. Leads the World in Science and Technology With Help of Foreign Scientists — Jun. 12, 2008

Four technicians standing lab glasses

An inflow of foreign students in the sciences -- as well as scientists and engineers from overseas -- has helped the United States build and maintain its worldwide lead in science and technology.

Russia's Soccer Diplomacy — May 29, 2008

Image courtesy of Flickr

Despite its authoritarian political system, Russia is in many ways increasingly open. Its people are part of a consumer society that models its consumption habits after Western Europe, says Lowell Schwartz.

Our Misplaced Yuan Worries — Dec. 15, 2007

Yuan note

To reduce the bilateral imbalances between China and the U.S. requires more carefully crafted policies than revaluation of the yuan, else the results could be perverse, writes Charles Wolf Jr.

Understanding Asian Geopolitics — Oct. 24, 2007

Great Wall of China

Post-Cold War Asia is increasingly unstable due to changes in relationships among the major countries, risks to the globalization process that underlay U.S. Cold War successes, and failure so far of U.S. strategies to adapt to the new environment.

Perspectives on U.S. Competitiveness in Science and Technology — Oct. 5, 2007

Globe encircled in fiber optic cable

Is the U.S. in danger of losing its competitive edge in science and technology (S&T)? At a conference convened by RAND, experts from academia, government, and the private sector reviewed evidence and provided a partial survey of the potential erosion of U.S. S&T capability.

Stay Informed Subscribe to RSS Feeds Search RAND Publications View Cart