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China Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Living in China: Shanghai takes steps to curb talent drain, price hikes

Shanghai will carry out new policies to create a better work and living environment to retain non-local professionals, including expats, and to stabilize the growth of consumer prices, the Shanghai’s Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng told a meeting in town recently […]

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Design Economics Trend Watching

Watch James Howard Kunstler dissects suburbia at TED

In James Howard Kunstler’s view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about […]

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Economics Information Technology Software Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: IT companies leading mergers and acquisitions in 2011

Research on mergers and acquisitions in the Brazilian market conducted by KPMG points out that the sector of Information Technology that was held the largest number of such transactions in the first half of 2011. The segment accounted for 46 operations in the period, equivalent to 12% of all agreements (purchase and merger) undertaken in the country […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: World adapts to waves of Chinese tourists

While the rise in numbers of Chinese tourists travelling overseas are influencing the world tourism landscape in economic, cultural and other ways, the destination countries are also adapting themselves to the booming influx of Chinese tourists […]

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Economics Information Technology Innovation Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: New Plan to Boost Innovation

Technological innovation is the foundation of a new industrial policy that the Brazilian government will deploy to improve the country’s competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets. The program will provide a variety of financial incentives for Brazilian innovators in IT as well as other industry sectors between now and 2014 […]

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Design Economics Information Technology Innovation Software

Information Technology in Brazil: Success in creating games puts market in evidence

The dream of many young people to develop video games in Brazil may be a little easier to accomplish. Young developers have produced work that could put the country in evidence in the area, allowing heat in a national market for game creation and the possibility of growth in coming years […]

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Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Brazil, Technology, Innovation & the Environment: government investment on wind farms

Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social (BNDES) approved financing of R$ 445.7 million (nearly 300 million US dollars) for the construction of eight wind farms in Rio Grande do Sul. With a total installed capacity of 150 MW, these farms will start operation between July 2012 and September 2013 […]

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Design Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Watch Bjarke Ingels’ “3 warp-speed architecture tales” talk at TED

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels rockets through photo/video-mingled stories of his eco-flashy designs. His buildings not only look like nature — they act like nature: blocking the wind, collecting solar energy — and creating stunning views […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: sales of luxury cars on the rise

Luxury car makers reported strong sales growth on China’s mainland for the first half of 2011, despite the Chinese government’s phasing out of incentives […]

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Design Economics Innovation

Design in Brazil: overcoming exchange rate pressure and increasing exports with innovation

Despite the devaluation of the dollar is affecting the competitiveness of Brazilian industry — especially manufacturing — companies such as Marcopolo, Anatomic Gel and Inova Electronic Systems have managed to maintain their level of exports and to increase sales to other countries to invest in innovation, refinement and reduction of production costs […]