Sector Archives - Page 19 of 68

Creating the Conditions for Small African Firms to Thrive

Conventional wisdom on supporting entrepreneurship is that governments should support start-ups and small businesses to spur job creation and economic growth. The basis for the rationale is on the premise that small firms make up the highest number of companies in developed countries, and that they are the biggest providers of jobs.

However, the reality is that the majority of small firms actually do not grow. In fact they fail, and in doing so can destroy employment opportunities.

Hackers Fuel Cybersecurity Industry

Cybersecurity software has been a major focus in pop culture since the release of the 1995 film, Hackers starring Angelina Jolie. Computer break-ins have since been a significant theme in countless movies and television programs. The entertainment industry has provided cybersecurity firms with the best promotion imaginable; film and program content that induces widespread fear of hackers.

The Economics of Battery Development

In chemistry, limiting reagents are the chemical compounds that prevent further reactions from taking place. This is important for hybrid and all-electric vehicles because batteries, their limiting reagent, still hamper them.

Reward the Team for Better Results

Virtually everyone lives and works in a team, but there is a tension between what is good for the group and what is good for the individual. Within a group, competitive individuals do better, but cooperative groups as a whole do better.

Organisations tend to reward individual performance such as sales or production but this can be counterproductive because it tends to produce very competitive groups. An alternative is to reward group performance but this carries the risk of free riders, shirkers, or loafers, who ride on the coattails of others.

Energy for a Stronger East Asia Summit (EAS) Region

Sustained population and economic growth have almost doubled both primary and final energy demand in the East Asia Summit (EAS) region. This rising energy demand is posing an increasing threat to energy security.

Examination of potential energy saving is key to reducing energy demand and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and findings can shed light on policy implications for decision making to ensure the region can enjoy economic growth without compromising energy security or causing environmental problems.

Can Saudi Arabia Outlast Russia in the Oil Game?

Russia’s central bank recently warned about the growing financial risks to the Russian economy from Saudi Arabia encroaching upon its traditional export market for crude oil. Russia sends 70 percent of its oil to Europe, but Saudi Arabia has been making inroads in the European market amid the oil price downturn.

OECD Agrees to Restrict Subsidies for Development of Coal Power Technology

On Tuesday, November 17, Members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) struck a deal to restrict financial subsidies used to support the export of technology related to coal-fired power plants in developing countries. The deal came after months of difficult, sometimes contentious, negotiations.

Maintaining the Work-Life Balance Under Pressure

A work-life-family balance is highly valued by most workers and employers now realise they need to offer flexible arrangements such as reduced hours, flexi-time or telework (working from home).

Workplace flexibility is particularly important to working parents whose childcare needs may not fit well with standard work hours.

To date, it has proved difficult to know how satisfied employees are with their level of balance, and it has been similarly challenging for employers to assess balance in their organisations, with some disputing the usefulness of the term.

Oil Production Still Running Ahead of Demand

The January Brent oil futures contract has broken down in the last 48 hours to approach its late-August lows. It has fallen a little more than 10% over the past week. The January light sweet crude contract is also heading south, falling about 12% since the recent high on November 3. It too sold through the October lows. The late-August low was just below $40.

Be On Your Best (Human) Behavior

Back in September, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that marked a major turning point in the role that behavioral science plays in helping the federal government achieve policy goals.

The order, which directs federal agencies to incorporate insights from behavioral science into their programs, may turn out to be one of the most important acts of his second term. That is certainly the view of Cass Sunstein, a Harvard legal scholar and coauthor of the bestselling book on behavioral economics, Nudge.