April 06, 2009 by Greg Scherrer
Understanding
Globalization: "The Services Shift"
You'll find a new blog link to the right of
this entry. It's to "The Services Shift:
Official Blog" by Bob Kennedy from the University of
Michigan. Bob is Executive Director of the
William Davidson Institute (WDI), a non-profit research and
educational institute that focuses on business and policy issues in
emerging market economies. I
have worked with and regularly discussed outsourcing and
globalization market trends with Bob since I joined EquaTerra at
the end of 2004. I have always found his ideas
and positions insightful, well researched, and also practical and
pragmatic, two elements often missing in any discussion or debate
on globalization and outsourcing.
Bob's teachings are of particular importance to
those in places like Michigan where industries and industrial
policies are for the most part great examples of how NOT to respond
to the challenges and opportunities that globalization creates.
The blog takes its name from Bob's new book,
"The Services Shift: Seizing the Ultimate Offshore
Opportunity". Those of you immersed in
global sourcing on a daily basis will appreciate and understand the
reality of the global business environment that Bob comprehensively
presents and analyzes in the book.
This book is an especially
good read for business unit leaders tasked with dealing the
globalization and global sourcing on a daily basis and needing a
firm grounding of what these phenomenon are and are not and where
they are going. As the new administration in the
U.S. as well as governments in many other countries increasingly
flirt with more protectionist trade policies replete with (mostly)
good (albeit unrealistic) intentions and dangerous consequences,
well grounded and intelligent discourse on globalization and global
sourcing like that found in Bob's book is more important than
ever.
Stan Lepeak
Managing Director, EquaTerra and EquaSiis
Global Research
stan.lepeak@equasiis.com