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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: Chinese Researcher Pushes Higher Duties on Luxuries

It seems that Chinese Government is not speaking with one voice on this issue: just a few weeks after announcing cuts of taxes for luxury products, a senior researcher from the Ministry of Finance said that “Far from cutting taxes on imported luxury goods, China needs to raise duties to help redistribute wealth” […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: luxury brands having to unlearn gender stereotypes

As western luxury brands rush to tap the Chinese market they are having to unlearn gender stereotypes associated with the products they sell […]

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Design Economics Innovation

Watch Mick McManus’ “Innovate to Survive” talk to Wall Street Journal

Tech firms like Hewlett-Packard along with energy companies and even hospitals need to design two years into the future, when the economy is going to be turning around, says Mick McManus, CEO of MAYA Design […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Architecture & Urban Planning in China: BBC highlights the rise of the Asian megacities

Three decades of sustained economic growth, concentrated along the booming coast, has lured millions from the impoverished Chinese countryside. This great migration – unprecedented in human history – has put 46 Chinese cities over the one million mark since 1992, out of a national total of 102 […]

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Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen says: “I’m Worried About America”

Prof. Clayton Christensen from the Harvard Business School says America’s inability to attract the best and brightest minds to its shores has him worried about the United States future […]

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Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

Consumer Behavior in Brazil: tourism spending overseas rises 45% by May/2011 and sets record

Spending by Brazilian tourists overseas totaled $ 8.33 billion from January to May/2011, announced the Brazilian Central Bank […]

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China Economics Innovation Trend Watching

China, Technology, Innovation & the Environment: offshore wind power expected to reach 30 gigawatts by 2020

In the next five years, China will boost its offshore wind power installed capacity to 5 gigawatts and form a complete technology and industrial chain […]

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Design Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Watch highlights from “Reimagining Manufacturing: The Technologies Driving the New Industrial Revolution” during Autodesk [IDEAS] The Innovation + Design Series

As concepts like mass-customization, personal manufacturing, and the Maker movement go mainstream, a new set of questions is forming about what this manufacturing transformation really means […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: China to cut tax on luxury goods

China, already the world’s second-largest luxury goods market, will soon slash import duties on “opulent items” to encourage wealthy local shoppers to buy more pricey cosmetics, watches and liquor […]

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Design Economics Information Technology Innovation Software Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: government to stimulate the production of games

The games industry in Brazil is in the crosshairs of the Brazilian government, according to Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante […]