Multilateralism is not the panacea to promote global trade

The end-June deadline is prompted by the fear of US Trade Promotion Authority Act, expiring on July 1, 2007. The revolutionary Act allows US President to enter trade negotiations. This is however questionable as Congress finds its role limited in the process – it needs to either reject or approve such treaties within 90 days of signature, without the possibility of amending them. “The fears get accentuated by the realisation that the US is just not in a hurry to revive the sagging WTO – refusing to cut the agricultural subsidies offered to its farm lobby,” says Dr. Paroma Palit of PHDCCI, talking to B&E. And till the time US takes the initiative, other major players like EU, India & Brazil too refuse to relent on issues of reducing industrial tariff s; export subsidies & opening up the service sector.

Despite EU showing great zealousness to rejuvenate the negotiations before mid-April, the prospects don’t look bright. But what if the talks fail to revive; will the world be a loser? Certainly not. Irrespective of WTO dictates, the trade will continue to flourish because it doesn’t need crutches to trot the globe.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2006

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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‘Mark’ our words

The 2004 Lancet studies have reflected that out of every 3 cases of suicide reported every 15 minutes in India, one gets committed by a youth in the age group of 15 to 29. In Pondicherry, for example, every month, at least 15 youths between the age of 15 and 25 commit suicide. Every year, up to 15% of suicide victims are teenagers. And the main reason? Failure in examinations!

With the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) and State Board results just around the corner, the fear of such suicide cases occurring again, if not increasing altogether, is highly omnipresent. Among the hype of marks, ranks, girls outperforming boys et al, many of the ‘failures’ would face unbearable pressure. Some of them might take the most unfortunate decision of ending their lives; some others would enter into a depression state. Creditably, CBSE’s recent introduction of graded assessment could well ensure that students are not denied opportunities and are not over-stressed. That initiative has to be followed and emulated at the earliest by every other examination board of the country. But that seems to be easier said than done. Education was never meant to be a violent contact sport. Sadly, it just seems to be becoming so in India.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2006

An IIPM and Management Guru Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri's Initiative