ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Blog - By Tag: dispatches-from-abroad

Indonesia is a country where over 50% of the population is under the age of 30. It is a country where the  - despite “regulatory slowdowns” that many on the ground here believe could add 2-3% to that figure. And it is a country where hiring an immigration services facilitator to obtain an entry visa and clear customs is advisable, lest the traveler incur their own “regulatory slowdown.”

A year ago, the mood in Singapore, if not quite jubilant, was highly optimistic. There was palpable energy around both the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The mood today is marked by uncertainty.

Manila is a relatively short plane ride from , but a world apart. In Singapore, (even if some officials admit it’s “a lot of hope and not a whole lot of change, yet.”) In the , on the other hand, one high ranking government official estimated awareness of ASEAN at about seven percent in the general population and roughly 30 percent among businesses. He could not site any numbers for the AEC specifically.

Greetings from , where the talk in this city-state is centered squarely on the Economic Community (AEC). The AEC came into being, officially, on December 31, 2015, and businesses are abuzz about the AEC's potential for growing the economies of the 10 member states.

South Africa is one of the most prominent wine-producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. With more than 300 years of winemaking history, it is now the ninth-largest producer of wine in the world, with some 250,000 acres under vine. The wine tasting trip to Stellenbosch provided the perfect introduction to the South African wine industry.

Manufacturing was the most prosperous sector in the early twentieth century in South Africa because of low input costs and developed infrastructure. However, the industry is now facing great challenges. During my trip to South Africa, I observed some weaknesses in the country’s manufacturing industry.

Oudtshoorn, the capital of ostrich industry, has been enjoying prosperity from ostrich farming since the 1880s. These big-eyed birds provide jobs to the locals and attract tourists from all over the world. Before I went on this trip to South Africa, I never knew ostrich farming could be turned into a profitable business. During the visit, I observed several advantages and disadvantages of ostrich farming.

The Internet has become an indispensable element in peoples' lives in the 21st century. South Africa is no exception. . The increasing number of internet users presents great opportunities for online businesses.

Sitting at the southernmost point of Africa, is a land of diamonds, gold, and fine wine. It has overcome racial challenges, as well as many other cultural and economic hurdles. Now, South Africa is emerging as one of the most prominent, potential business markets in the world.

economic depression has changed many aspects of the country, one of them arguably including the abdication of its king, but recent reports have shown that Due to the lack of economic opportunities for Spain's youth, the cost of living, and high unemployment rate, many Spaniards have left the country. Spain experienced it's first population decline in 2012, with statistics now stating that over 310,000 citizens have left the country since the end of 2012. In spite of this, five million foreigners have entered the country's workforce, mostly from , , and other Asian countries in search of bargains for valuable factory properties, water sources, and natural resources.

This past week here in , news outlets were dominated by the announcement of the abdication of King Juan Carlos, who has ruled the country since 1975. While the king's rule has been generally supported by the Spanish public, due to his implementation of a democratic system following the , Spain's support of the king has dwindled rapidly in pace with the country's economic deterioration over the past 6 years. Although the king proclaimed that the succession of the throne by his son Felipe would bring new energy towards facing Spain's economic issues, new political parties, including "Podemos" that won 1.2 million votes in Sunday's elections, believe that the economic and political system created by Juan Carlos' government .

While the ºìÌÒÊÓƵ team is comprised of students and professionals with various academic backgrounds, one common theme amongst us is our passion for international business and to experience first-hand the effects of an increasingly globalized economic, political, and cultural world outside of the classroom. In my case, I have been given an incredible opportunity to work this summer with a non-governmental organization (NGO) called in Barcelona, , which works to promote the coordination and multiplication of successful international relationships between the different sectors of the business world and projects aimed at social development. Alongside working in a dynamic international business-focused environment here in Barcelona, I will also be reading news articles from local sources, such as and to utilize different perspectives for analyzing global business news.