TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION Archives

What Today’s USMCA Debate Has to Do with The Drugs of Tomorrow

by Andrea Durkin/September 13, 2019CATEGORIES: Intellectual Property, NAFTA, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION, TRENDING

The political winds seem to be blowing in favor of a Congressional vote on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) yet this fall. But before they vote, some Members of Congress want to talk over a few issues with the Trump administration’s negotiators. One is intellectual property protections for the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry. As important as it is, the issue of data protection for biologic drugs is not well understood.

This Tiny Chip is Playing a Big Role in the Trade War

by Andrea Durkin/September 6, 2019CATEGORIES: Manufacturing, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION, Trade War, TRENDING

The next generation of smarter and more powerful machines will rely on even more sophisticated semiconductors to achieve new capabilities. Pressure is on to “win” in the global chip race, which is why efforts to protect innovations in chipmaking are front and center in the current trade war – for better and for worse.

Businessman hands searching unfinished documents stacks of paper files on office desk for report papers, piles of sheet achieves with clips on table, Document is written, drawn,presented.

Blockchain Could Replace Mounds of Paper at the Border

by Christine McDaniel/July 25, 2019CATEGORIES: ESSENTIALS, Global Economy, Logistics, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Smoother and faster customs procedures could boost global trade volumes and economic output. Blockchain is a promising technology that, if widely adopted by shippers and customs agencies, could reduce the current mounds of paperwork and costs associated with import and export licenses, cargo and shipping documents, and customs declarations.

Factory worker using application on mobile smartphone to operate automation for modern trade. Checking order in large warehouse. Import and export the shipping cargo.

Small and Medium-Sized Global Traders Are Banking on Blockchain

by Christine McDaniel/July 18, 2019CATEGORIES: Digital Commerce, ESSENTIALS, Global Economy, Investment, Logistics, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

80 percent of all global trade is transacted through third-party lenders and cargo insurers, but the process is complex, can be costly and many banks find it too risky to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Blockchain has the potential to increase transparency, speed and accuracy in assessing risk across the trade finance process, which in turn could expand the supply of credit available for SMEs.

The Growing Ranks of American Solopreneurs

by Andrea Durkin/July 1, 2019CATEGORIES: Digital Commerce, Jobs, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

More than one-fourth of Americans work for themselves. There’s no stereotype. Independent workers are spread almost evenly across generations, gender, and geographies from cities to suburbs to small towns and rural America. Will you join their growing ranks?

Ensuring all legal customs rules are met

Is the Cargo Ship Sailing on New Tariffs?

by Leslie Griffin/June 20, 2019CATEGORIES: China, Logistics, Tariffs & Trade Barriers, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION, TRENDING, Unfair Trade

There are rough waters ahead for shippers dealing with the tariff uncertainties. The prospect of tariff hikes is incentivizing companies to lock in better shipping prices now. But many retailers are competing just to find space for their goods on an ocean carrier, and the shipment surge has resulted in massive congestion at ports and warehouses.

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Where Have You Been? Blockchain for Tracking Goods in Trade

by Christine McDaniel/June 20, 2019CATEGORIES: ESSENTIALS, Global Economy, Logistics, Logistics, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Blockchain technologies will play an increasing role in international trade. Using blockchain to track the origins of raw materials and follow domestic and international supply chains can help meet the increasing demand for consumer information about globally produced goods, providing more transparency and accuracy about a product’s long journey to the store.

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APEC: Trade Accelerator in the Asia-Pacific & Beyond

by Leslie Griffin/June 6, 2019CATEGORIES: Digital Commerce, ESSENTIALS, Global Economy, Negotiations & Institutions, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an incubator of trade policy ideas and a pragmatic driver of initiatives in emerging areas of trade that matter not only to the Asia-Pacific region, but also globally. Digital trade is one case study that shows how APEC serves as a building block in the iterative process of co-creating norms for trade.

The Dismal State of America’s Working Class

by Anne Kim/May 31, 2019CATEGORIES: EVERYDAY TRADE, Jobs, Politics, Politics, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Working class Americans have been unable to compete for jobs demanding specialized technical skills, while the places they live have been hollowed out by shifts in global supply chains and the death of low-skilled manufacturing. So long as these workers feel left out of the economic mainstream, they will remain a potent political force, including in the upcoming 2020 election.

The Architecture of Services Trade

by Leslie Griffin/May 23, 2019CATEGORIES: Community, EVERYDAY TRADE, Jobs, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

An architect’s style and skill doesn’t always win the day when competing in overseas markets for services. Some trade policies are like scaffolding protecting local professionals, but some trade rules offer support beams that enable global talent to build the vibrant cityscapes of today and tomorrow.