General Interest

Japan brought in a controversial new labour policy at the end of 2018 which will open up blue-collar jobs to workers from countries such as Nepal, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. The amendment to Japan’s notoriously restrictive immigration laws is …

It is no news that today, digitalization, data-driven services, and the associated new business models, are pivotal to a company’s success. The changes we see, especially in the manufacturing sector, are faster than ever before. Shorter times to market, greater …

Flexible working is becoming a must for many. One recent report found a quarter of UK workers have refused a job due to a lack of flexibility. This number jumps to 40% for millennial workers for whom work-life balance and …

What will the factories of tomorrow look like? It’s a question that has no simple answer as the Fourth Industrial Revolution continues apace and new technologies transform the manufacturing landscape. As with any revolution, we are in an era of …

Many companies and organisations appear keen to support a more diverse workforce, where minority group members are made to feel welcome. One strategy involves creating special “spaces” at work, physical or otherwise, where minority employees can connect with each other. …

Although momentum in the global economy appears to have peaked, there are still many cities in the world where real estate and economic growth continue to be robust. At the time when the World Economic Forum is examining globalization 4.0, …

“You don’t negotiate with China !” I was quickly told when I started interviewing African public servants about their infrastructure deals with Beijing. There is a widespread view in Africa that you accept whatever terms are offered, for fear that …

In 2019, it is a mind-bending exercise to reflect on the past decade of the sharing economy. A time traveller who skipped here from 2009 would note that it has fulfilled both more than, and less than, its original potential. …

Swedish academic Hans Rosling has identified a worrying trend: not only do many people across advanced economies have no idea that the world is becoming a much better place, but they actually even think the opposite. This is no wonder, …

On paper, Ally starts his school year in Tanzania in January. However, his aunt Susan, an engineer living in Sweden, has been preparing for this day for months, working hard to send money home to pay his school fees. For …