Globalization

We face a future that will be defined by the end of work - it can become a golden age or one of horrific consequences. Horrific because we have no means of dealing with this type of future. We have nothing that has prepared us for it. We only know how to punish and ridicule those that don't work. But what if there is no need to work?[read more]

Last year we suggested growth in the underground economy is likely a key reasons workforce participation has fallen so much in the U.S. Others are starting to also suggest this. Noted author James Surowiecki's New Yorker article The Underground Recovery points out: "Ordinary Americans have gone underground, and, as the recovery continues to limp along, they seem to be doing it more and more."[read more]

The combined forces of shifting investments to Asia, strength of the Asia economies, the size of Mainland China’s population and technological advancements have contributed to the success, and potential, of China. But achieving the potential will require continued reform, workforce development and incentive programs to attract foreign investment.[read more]

Today appears to be government day on Feld Thoughts. This morning I wrote about the Colorado PUC trying to shut down Uber in Colorado (bad). Now I get to write about Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) re-introducing the Startup Visa Act of 2013 (good). Mark – thank you – you’ve been an awesome supporter of...[read more]

I read the announcement today that Canada has just launched a Start-Up Visa Program. By doing so, they are saying to the world “welcome immigrant entrepreneurs – please come start your business in Canada.” It’s brilliant, well executed, and modeled after the Startup Visa movement that a number of us have been trying to get started in the...[read more]

Here is a true story of a creatively disengaged employee. He was a software developer who was earning $250,000 a year and producing great quality work. Or so it seemed.[read more]

On that same day the White House announced A New Front Door for Immigrant Entrepreneurs President Obama said that he was not supportive of the STEM Jobs Act of 2012. Infuriating. I’ve been working on making it easy for foreign entrepreneurs to get a visa to start a company in the US since September 2009 when I wrote the post...[read more]

People and brands put their money where their mouse is. Can’t see this presentation? Click here to view it directly on Slideshare. What is Crowdfunding? Source: p22earl on Flickr Crowdfunding involves people coming together to collectively fund projects they are passionate about and help bring them to life. Crowdfunding has been used...[read more]

Earlier this year I wrote about the top 25 startup hubs in the world as ranked by the Startup Genome project. As I noted at the time, it was based on skewed data from the sample used, but was probably the best available. The project has now released updated and more detailed data ranking the top global startup ecosystems on a wide range...[read more]

In a speech, “Charting a Course for Trade in an Uncertain Future," given by Director-General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy (pictured) at the Brookings Dialogue in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, he said: Trade as a share of global GDP has risen from roughly 40% in 1980 to around 60% today. In the United States, a...[read more]

With the World Public Relations Forum arriving in Melbourne 18-20 November 2012, there’s bound to be plenty of on and offline conversations around the changing role of communications. But with a theme of “Communication Without Borders” – it appears the organisers are setting a broad agenda.[read more]

Mobile business will become big business in the not-so-distant future. However, there will be blood as the business world pursues the mobile gold rush.[read more]

Industry structures globally are changing dramatically. In some cases long-established companies can be nimble, but in many cases the major new industries and sectors that have emerged over the last decades are dominated by new players.[read more]

I was amazed with Warsaw. I spent nearly five hours walking the city on Sunday. It’s energetic, modern, and friendly. Endless outdoor cafes, attention-grabbing architecture, and of course, quite a history.[read more]

In the face of a highly uncertain future increasingly driven by extraordinary technologies, we have a choice whether to be optimists or pessimists. This choice shapes how actively we seek and create opportunities from change.[read more]

Brand America as a business destination sure is tarnished these days, if you buy what UK economist and writer Niall Ferguson said in a recent Bloomberg TV interview (my bet is that he has a book related to the subject coming out soon). It’s great material for publicity, but nowhere near truthful.[read more]

According to new data published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, small businesses have increased their share of exports in two years.[read more]

Mexico, Spain, and Central and Southern America are massive markets which small businesses would do well to include.[read more]

“That’s a very American point of view” I knew when I took my current gig in London working with our EMEA offices, that I had a dangerously American perspective on life and business. I’m frequently reminded of this in meetings when I say something overly optimistic, entrepreneurial or centered around the power of the individual (or just something incredibly ignorant). I’m not so arrogant to think that I’m always right or that my view point is the only one but I’m not overly apologetic about it either.[read more]

From six degrees, we are moving closer to four degrees of separation from anyone on in the world, with the possible exception of a few isolated tribespeople. We live embedded in an intensely connected world.[read more]