- Space: More than meets the eye
When Russia launched the first-ever satellite into space 50 years ago on 4 October 1957, it was an event that won worldwide admiration. There was some trepidation too. With the Second World War barely over a decade earlier and the Cold War in deep freeze, West Europeans were understandably a little nervous at the thought of Soviet “Sputnik” satellites floating over their territories.
(1746 words) - Innovation: Not all peaches and cream
As the 8th annual OECD Forum in May showed, everyone agrees that innovation is important, but not everyone agrees on the reasons why.
(823 words) - Counterfeiting and piracy
Fake goods are not cheap. In fact, they exact a heavy cost on industry, governments and the general public. There is a strong case for public action across OECD countries against counterfeiting. The question is how to make progress? Want to buy an expensive Swiss watch? Not everyone can afford a real one–a Patek Philippe timepiece can be worth many thousands of dollars, and some very exclusive makes, such as a Vacheron Constantin, can cost over a million!
(1826 words) - Making the world economy work better
As political leaders gathered in Heiligendamm in northern Germany this June and before that at the OECD in Paris in May, the concern on everyone’s minds was the future shape of the global economy.
(825 words) - Travails of a T-shirt
Offshoring and Employment: Trends and Impacts.
Remember The Travels of the T-Shirt in the Global Economy? As we reported in these pages, this award-winning book tracked the circuitous making and marketing of a T-shirt, from the cotton fields of Texas and a factory in China to a used-clothes bazaar in Africa (“Global yarn”, in No. 251, September 2005, search www.oecdobserver.org).
(361 words) - Innovation: Advancing the OECD Agenda for Growth and Equity
Announcements about enlarging the OECD’s membership and strengthening co-operation with other countries took much of the limelight at this year’s annual ministerial meeting. Below is an extract on enlargement from the Chair’s summary, followed by some selected highlights of the meeting.
(969 words) - Innovation, globalisation and the environment
Globalisation is exerting pressure on the environment, but it may also provide solutions. Could green be turned to gold? Climate change, melting polar ice, rising sea-levels, unpredictable weather patterns, drought, rampant urbanisation, demographic explosions: the list goes on. Many people blame globalisation for these ills, and it is true to say that increased economic pressures inevitably leave a bigger footprint on our planet.
(1631 words) - Open innovation
Even the sharpest leading edge companies can no longer survive on their own R&D efforts, but must open up their networks and collaborate with others: this was the main message from an expert meeting held at the OECD on 27 April called “Globalisation and Open Innovation”.
(394 words)
Are you confident that governments can help avoid a global depression?
- Who pays the highest income tax?
- The income taxes people really pay
- Financial crisis and the economy
- Bullying at school: tackling the problem
- Unequal growth, unequal recession?
- From the financial crisis to the economic downturn
- Transfer pricing: Keeping it at arm’s length
- Santé to the French health system
- The brain drain: Old myths, new realities
- Immigration in the European Union: problem or solu...