U2 International Trends & Opportunities

Question 1

The Global Workplace

Answer 1

• Canadians to sell professional services
• Decline of lifetime employment – must be flexible
  and skill portable
• International careers RISKY:
  1. Job jumping has negative effect on resume
  2. Lose ties to family, friends – become a
  “nomad”

Question 2

Hyper-competition

Answer 2

disruption of existing markets by flexible, creative and fast moving
firms

Question 3

Global Information Technology, Convergence & Infrastructure

Answer 3

• Easier to enter foreign markets
• World “shrinking”- time to get info across shrinks

Question 4

Technological Convergence

Answer 4

able to enter each others markets

Question 5

Asia’s Global Impact

Answer 5

• By 2050, Asia is expected to represent half of the world’s population and contribute 40% to the global economy.
• Major trends in Asia include:
  
  • Transitioning from export-led to consumer-driven economies.
  • Shifting from government-driven to market-driven economies.
  • Moving from agricultural-based societies to highly urbanized “super cities.”
  • Transitioning from labor-intensive to high-tech industries.
• China plays a significant role in driving decision-making in Asia.

Question 6

Global Consumer, Global Culture

Answer 6

• World forming a monoculture as a result of increased buying power
• World considered to be one large market
• English as global language
• Standardization of products

Question 7

Global Companies versus Nations

Answer 7

• Companies worth more money than country they are in, govt could lose control/power of the industry
• Government intervenes to prevent monopolies