Editorial

On November 1, 2011, it was reported that the world’s population had reached the 7 billion mark on the last day of October – give or take a few months. Demographers at the United Nations Population Division set October 31, 2011 as the “symbolic” date for hitting 7 billion, while acknowledging that it is impossible to know for sure the specific time or day. Using slightly different calculations, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the 7-billion threshold will not be reached until March

Editorial

Two seemingly unrelated events have recently captured headlines the world over: the euro zone crisis (specifically, the latest rescue package), and the European Football Championship (the Euro) final. Though, on the face of it, these two events appear to be unrelated except for the fact that both took place in Europe, they in fact share a common feature: both are cause for celebration in two Southern European countries, Italy and Spain. As the winner of the Euro, Spain obviously has plenty to celebrate and, as the finalist, Italy also has good reason to paint the town red. Indeed, both countries staged huge welcome parties upon the return of their respective teams

Editorial

Southeast Asia is now eighteen months away from the ‘moment of truth.’ As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is edging closer to December 31, 2015, the deadline for the ASEAN Economy Community (AEC) to become operative, preparations are gathering momentum. Companies, large and small are actively developing strategies to take advantage of the upcoming Single Market and face the challenges that will come with it

Editorial

Welcome to the first issue of the AU-GSB e-Journal. It is ‘first’ in more than one way since this is also the first Assumption University publication exclusively available on the web

Editorial

The end of the first decade of the 21st century is nearing and with it comes the ritualistic plunge into the past in search of defining moments that will shape our future

Editorial

Editoria

Editorial

New acronyms, which the Oxford Dictionary defines as “abbreviations formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word as they spell,”1 keep popping up. One that has been receiving much attention lately is NEET, which stands for Not in Employment, Education, or Training, in reference to young people, 15-24 years old and unemployed; a growing legion these days. According to OECD figures, the NEETs in developed countries now number 26 million. The International Labor Organization reports that 75 million young people globally are looking for a job. World Bank surveys suggest that 262 million young people in emerging markets are economically inactive. Whichever way you measure them, the number of young people idle is high and alarming. As the late Margaret Thatcher used to say, “Young people ought not to be idle. It is very bad for them.” Not just for them but also for their countries. The anger of the young jobless is bursting into the streets of many countries and in the rich world, crime is on the rise. An entire generation may be lost

Comment : The Decade of the Big Zeroes

The end of the year – and of the first decade of the second millennium – is almost upon us. And when calendar milestones pass, they induce reflection. We look back with a sense of incredulity at all that occurred in search of lessons to be drawn and peek into the onrushing future; this time, however, with more trepidation than is the norm. Understandably so! The last decade – most notably the last two years – has brought its shares of surprises, fateful events and zeroes

Editorial

The end of the year is nearing and with it comes the ritualistic plunge into the past twelve months in search of the defining moments in our lives and of some milestones that will shape our future. Each year invariably stages major events and sees its share of disasters and this year is no different

Editorial

Much has been said about the current global economic crisis and much will continue to be said about it. The on-going barrage of comments should not be a surprise though given the magnitude and severity of the turmoil and how baffling it has been to many, not to mention the anger and frustration of those directly – and adversely - affected by it