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Coping with rising food prices
The Haitian prime minister has been sacked and other Caribbean are appealing to retailers to absorb the cost of rising food prices.
The impact of rising global food prices has been felt across the entire Caribbean.
Double digit price rises have been recorded right across the region for numerous basic food items including rice and flour.
Increases in the price of fuel are also compounding the situation.
Have your say
What to do? What can be done?
What you've been saying
My greatest concern is the high cost of petrol, almost $100 per litre. The government needs to set the example and drive more
energy efficient vehicle.
Countries like St Vincent & The Grenadines will have to buck up on their agriculture sector to help out the rise in food costs.
They also need to find a solution to drop back the cost of flour...Private businesses can help out by sourcing cheaper products
to put on the shelves.
Back to the land for starters, because increases in the world population will bring increases in world prices which thus have
an long term upward trend
Most governments in the Caribbean are applying short-term measures to combat the problem. This not the answer. They have removed
the CET from a number items and this has not been passed on to consumers. What needs to be done is to encourage consumers
to look for local substitutes, which may be even better in terms of nutrition. Also we seriously have to look a local production
of food. Utilize Guyana's available land for production food, invest in research and development for value-added, a proper
transportation system for distribution - and the Caribbean feeds itself.
I feel governments in the region need to return to the drawing board and look at the real issues affecting the average citizen.
The Caribbean nations must develop a strategy to marshal their agricultural assets in such a way that they can behave as an
'engine' of production with a long range vision to feed itself.
Beside the need to improve domestic production of food in the Caribbean, which many have already alluded to, one of the main
causes of high price of food around the world is due to excessive hoarding, whereby wholesalers purchase large amount of grains
and store them to create an artificial shortage; thus allowing them to substantially raise their price to make excessive
profit. Governments in Indonesia and other Asian countries are already levying high penalties and fines to wholesalers who
do that. So, the Caribbean countries should
The entire world knows very little about the plight of Haitians not just this month, but for centuries. Why is that? I'm scheduled
a trip there soon and I can't seem to find any news past Sat. 4/ 19/08. I do know this is a nation with no sanitation system,
no clean water, starvation is not new. Why are we as civilized people allowing this to happen?
At the individual level families can begin planting their own gardens. Seasonings that we buy on a weekly basis: thyme, chive
parsley. Other food stuff: lettuce, tomatoes, different types of peppers, cauliflower. Fruit trees that grow year-round: orange,
grapefruit. The average person may not be able to grow staples in their yard, but by planting the little we are able to, we
actually subsidize our own groceries. We need to make use of our local produce also. For example, cassava to make farine which
can be used as breakfast cereal instead of the ready-made cereals we get in the groceries. We can limit our weekly rice intake
by using provisions as the staple dish.
This article is very good and true.
I believe that the Caricom region has the potential to be among the best trading blocs in the world. However, due to unity
and integration this does not appear to be inevitable.
I think that the time has come for ALL families to return to the 'land'-planting fruit and vegetables, raising animals. It
does not matter how big or small your property is it should be mandatory that each household at least plants a vegetable garden!
We all planted 30 years ago and it worked well ... look at all the centenarians in Barbados!
I would like to begin by saying like many others... I knew it would happen some day but not so soon. In fact I would go as
far to say I never thought we would have to wonder or grapple with rising food prices because we can feed ourselves. Is it
because we became complacent? Is it because we allow ourselves to think that this type of work is now menial?? The question
I will continue to ask is, if we are now heavily depending on tourism as our main industry how are we going to feed our tourists?
A good dose of reality, has been long in coming, and is essential to shake the Bajan citizen, and our Government, out of a
skewed life-style of misplaced priorities. We easily buy excessive consumer electronics at HP rates of 30%p.a., and you are
no-body unless you ride in a new BMW. Our Gov't has borrowed to the max externally, and each Bajan needs to get back to some
basics of home budgeting; earning and spending our foreign currecy wisely; and giving our farmers the place in society they
deserve, including protection from "wholesale" praedial larceny.
I think there are 3 main components for this rise in food prices: 1)price of fuel
We need to look back at the things we used to eat, the things we used to used to feed our chickens, for example before we
became so Americanized. Here in Jamaica we could grow almost all of the fruits and vegetables we need and if it were organic
there would be no need for imported fertilisers. We have to look at these old-fashioned things like cassava flour, banana
flour, bring back foods such as coco and yampies, create vegetable and fruit farms and cut out imports of many of these item.
Rice used to grow on the island, so go back to that. We will have to become far more self-reliant, far more Jamaican and less
American in our lifestyle. Maybe some people should by food instead of phone card, plastic fingernails and the like. And most
important of all we need to reduce the country's energy bill by converting as rapidly as possible to alternative energies.
Subsidies are short term stop-gaps that most small-island economies cannot afford. Those funds would probably be better spent
in helping communities to set up their own vegetable and fruit gardens, chicken farms, etc. The food crisis is a wake up call
to the whole world.
The Caribbean prides itself in its tourism, promoting stretches of white sand beaches, lush and push resorts and spa. So we
prepare a paradise for our guests but hell for our people. This constitutes the general interest of Caribbean governments
while neglecting the most powerful employment industry of the region: agriculture. Contrary to what many people might think,
the tourism sector does not provide jobs to more people than agriculture in the Caribbean. There are more people who earn
a living doing their subsistence farming, and send their children to school. Yet governments remain oblivious to that fact.
This is why the region has become a fancy economic field with a serious lack of touch with the kind of economic policy that
would help to alleviate poverty through sustainable action. Everybody seems to just laying back waiting for the next guest
to bring a bread. What a vision!
Obviously, if the farmers start growing more food for home consumption, that may alleviate some of the problems. However,
what West Indians need to understand is that you can't drink Arab Oil, but you certainly can grow more crops in the Islands.
This is just the beginning of a world wide epidemic, and Govts, had better get ready, and if the rest of the Industrial world
think that it would not affect them, then they had better think again.
It is unfortunate at times when national/regional governments are blamed for this problem when clearly they are not culpable.
I totally empathize with PM Alexis in spite of his actions/inactions to try and deal with the issue. As a region, I believe
that we have to come to realize that this is a permanent economic shock that requires a serious behaviour change. Suspension/waiver
of CET etc are all well and good but these are only emergency relief strategies. These I believe should be implemented alongside
long term strategies that will address our food security needs. I certainly agree with going back to the land. I also support
of the view of the Antiguan Finance Minister. We cannot allow businesses to behave like cartels with basic commodities like
bread etc. While I am not advocating more price controls, but there must be a proper framework for determining prices in this
Why sack the Haitian Prime Minister? Do the people not realise that its external/wider issues that are affecting food prices?
Namely the Western Nations appetite for bio-fuels (alternative to oil/petrol/gas) The West realise they can longer secure
their supply of oil from the Middle East so they want to use something other than oil/petrol. This alternative is ethanol
- made from sugar there are other fuels made from Maize Western nations are putting pressure on farmers to produce these at
the expense of ordinary food stuffs produced eg rice. This has caused a food shortage thus higher prices this is not entirely
beyond the control of Governments there are measures that they can take to help alleviate the rising costs but the root of
the cause is Western nations' appetite for bio-fuels explain this to the Haitians.
Food riots in Haiti left at least five people dead and 40 wounded as rising food prices caused people to take to the streets.
United Nations peacekeepers tried to stop incidents of looting at food stores, warehouses and government offices.
Hungry rioters are demanding that the government scrap all taxes on staple foods.
And a no-confidence vote led to the sacking of Haitian prime minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis.
The rising price of food has impacted on the entire Caribbean but, in Haiti, where the hemisphere's poorest live, the reaction has been the most extreme.
Rest of the region
But while Haiti is the region's most extreme case because of its poverty levels, other Caribbean nations are also feeling the pinch.
Following the announcement of a 40 per cent rise in flour prices in Grenada, Economic Development Minister Anthony Boatswain stepped in.
"What concerns us as a government...is the extent of the increase in those products," Boatswain said.
"I would like to ask the (Grenada Bakers) Association to really reconsider the extent of the increase in the price of bread and other products that our consumers rely on so heavily," he added.
In St Kitts and Nevis, the government said it would take concrete steps to ease the cost of living hardship.
The cabinet has approved changes to local laws allowing greater flexibility in price controls.
The changes work with a recent decision by the regional trade grouping, the Caribbean Community (Caricom), to cut the regional common external tariff which places a set tax on goods entering the region.
Across the region
Time to have your say
Even in oil and natural gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, armed guards have been placed on National Flour Mills (NFM) lorries carrying flour and other goods after several robberies.
In Jamaica, bakers expressed concern that their sales could start to decline because of a proposed 32 per cent hike in the cost of baking flour.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves made an appeal as new prices rises were announced.
And Barbados too geared up for a new rise in the price of flour this week.
In Antigua, the government met the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC) to discuss the rising price of flour.
The government in the capital, St John's objected to what it said had been a unilateral decision by the St Vincent-based ECGC to increase the price of flour by 34 per cent.
The ECGC operates a flour mill which supplies the wider Eastern Caribbean.
In Guyana at the start of the year, workers from the country's National Milling Company (Namilco) protested over alleged dumping by two Trinidadian companies on the Guyanese market.
Now, it's your turn to have your say. Click on the form to the right of this page.


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United Colors of Benetton has launched a new store in Florence. The tore is well decorated with intensive use of sustainable material and state-of-the-art energy-saving technologies. The 160 sq m, single-floor boutique uses recycled natural materials. The floor is built out of gravel from the river Piave and waste wood from beech trees. The walls are treated with a mineral paint with antibacterial and anti-old properties that can reduce the pollutants in the environment.
As per Massimo Renon, Chief Executive Officer, Benetton Group, the new boutique is a benchmark in terms of power consumption, as it uses 20 percent less energy than normal store. A system based on tiny sensors, AI and data analysis increases the energy efficiency of the points of sale and guarantees comfort for the consumer.
Benetton Group S.r.l. is a global fashion brand based in Ponzano Veneto, Italy founded in 1965. Benetton Group has a network of about 5,000 stores worldwide. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Benetton family's holding company called Edizione.

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By ALESHA CADET
Tribune Features Reporter
IN PARTNERSHIP with the Salvation Army, which is celebrating 90 years of service in the Bahamas, local clothing brand CAY 92 is currently conducting a drive to encourage people to donate gently used professional clothing for women in need.
The clothing drive is scheduled to run until February 12, with the drop-off location being at the Salvation Army on Mackey Street.
CAY 92 a women's contemporary workwear brand which strives to offer chic, classic looks for the corporate setting that can transition into pieces you can wear in a casual environment.
Owner Vernique Henfield said her business aims to be more than just a clothing brand; she wants it to more of a movement, and this is reflected through initiatives like the She's About Her Business blog series which highlights and celebrates women in business, she told Tribune Woman.
Additionally, she is committed to giving back to the community, and this exemplified through this partnership with the Salvation Army.
“It feels amazing to be in a space of philanthropy. From day one, our intent was to be more than a clothing brand and we'll continue to do just that. There are so many women that are in need of professional clothing,” said Vernique.
“As a brand that sells this type of attire, we're delighted to be able to assist. We're also donating a few of our pieces to the Salvation Army.
“This is important to me because it is a part of my purpose. Besides this initiative, I'm committed to other non-for-profit organisations as a volunteer. The Professional Women's Clothing Drive is an effort to share love and give back.”
This particular initiative, said Vernique, was inspired by a personal experience of hers. Last year, she encountered a young woman who was rejoicing about a having found a new job, but who at the same felt discouraged due to her lack of professional clothing. This experience made Vernique think about how many Bahamian women might find themselves in a similar situation.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that so many people have lost their jobs, Vernique is hopeful that 2021 will bring about positive change.
“This initiative is to help women feel confident as they walk through the door of their workplace for an interview,” she said.
“To donate, individuals can take part by dropping off items to the Salvation Army on Mackey Street. The telephone contact is 829-0901,” said Vernique.
Going into 2021, Vernique said women can look forward to more chic fashions from CAY 92 that will include tailored suits, palazzo pants, and more.


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It seems only yesterday that smart glasses were said to be the next trendy gadget. But ever since the excitement brought by Google Glass, nothing has come out of this market segment that maintained the hype. It might have been invasion of privacy issues that killed the potential of smart glasses. Or maybe, its time may not yet have come. But there are others who are also trying to introduce newer smart glasses with a different slant. The new Level Smart Glasses aims to be a unique activity tracker instead.
The Level Smart Glasses from VSP Global, a leading eye care and eyewear company, aims to give smart glasses some added appeal. It is basically a smart frame that features activity tracking sensors embedded inside the temple area of the optical frame. This technology is able to track the wearer’s activity by using an accompanying app. Users can also have prescription lenses attached to the Level Smart Glasses, doing away with having a separate pair smart glasses aside from the one they wear everyday for vision correction. The Level Smart Glasses will be sold through participating optometry clinics. Once it becomes available in the market, a pair of this smart glasses is expected to retail at around $270, excluding lenses.
Image Source: Level Technology


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Apple One officially launched Friday (Oct. 30), offering customers discounts on bundles of up to six of the company’s subscription services — and Apple will now push the bundles to any new subscriber who signs up for its Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade game or Apple News Plus packages.
The savings from the Apple One bundles range from $6 on the Individual plan to up to $25 per month on the top Premium plan. Customers in over 100 countries and regions can now sign up for Apple One.
Apple’s goal: to keep the flywheel spinning on its multiple subscription businesses, which are part of its fast-growing Services segment. For the quarter ended Sept. 26, Apple’s Services hit another record high of $14.55 billion, up 16% year over year.
“On the services side, we had customers coming to us and asking for an easier way to buy all of our services, and we wanted to provide that,” CEO Tim Cook said on Apple’s earnings call.
Research has shown that subscribers who take multiple services from one provider are “stickier” (i.e., they churn off at lower rates), and discounts are certainly an attractive feature. Apple’s calculus here is that it can boost overall subscribership and thereby boost its margins on the services.
But it’s an open question whether Apple One will produce a significant revenue lift. The age-old retailing strategy of offering more stuff for a lower price (so that you end up paying more than you otherwise would have) may not work in this case.
Fans of, say, Apple Music at $9.99 per month, won’t be inclined to pay a few bucks more just to get Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade if they’re not interested in what those have to offer.
The most successful Apple subscription to date has been Apple Music, which had about 68 million customers as of the end of 2019, per estimates by Counterpoint Research. In that light, Apple One may ultimately represent the company’s attempt to try to push its less-popular services.
Some portion of the owners of Apple’s 1.5 billion-plus active devices will go for one of the Apple One plans. Superfans of all things Apple are the low-hanging fruit. But it remains to be seen how much of a lure the discounted bundles will prove to be, given the plethora of competing services available in each of the silos Apple is playing in.
The key for Apple to making its bundling strategy a success now “is all about strengthening its line of programming across the board,” says Paolo Pescatore, a U.K.-based analyst with PP Foresight.
The Apple One bundles, originally announced last month, are available in three plans:
- Individual ($14.95/month, savings of $6): Apple TV Plus, Apple Music, Apple Arcade and iCloud (with up to 50 gigabytes of storage).
- Family ($19.95/month, savings of $8): The same four services in the Individual plan with access for up to six members per account, including up to 200 GB of iCloud storage.
- Premier ($29.95/month, savings of $25): Apple TV Plus, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, 2 terabytes of iCloud storage, along with Apple News Plus and the forthcoming Apple Fitness Plus service for virtual workout classes (powered by Apple Watch). As with the Family plan, services may be shared among up to six members.
Customers can sign up for Apple One on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV running iOS 14, iPadOS 14, or tvOS 14. Later in the fall, you’ll also be able to sign up on Mac running macOS Big Sur.
To sign up, go to “Settings,” tap on your Apple ID and then tap on “Subscriptions.” Tap on the “Apple One” setting to see the plan that is recommended for you.
In addition, now when you sign up for individual Apple services, the right Apple One plan is automatically recommended if it’s “a better value,” according to Apple, taking into account any services you already pay for. The Apple One bundles will carry a 30-day free trial for any services that customers do not already subscribe to.
Separately, the tech company this summer launched its first bundle for Apple TV Plus subscribers: It’s offering ViacomCBS’s CBS All Access (with no ads) and Showtime together for $9.99 per month, which works out to slightly less than half the standalone pricing.
The challenge for Apple on this front is that streamers like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max want to preserve their direct-to-consumer models — and haven’t shown significant interest in being part of content bundles that are outside of their control. Disney, though, offers a discounted three-way bundle of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus. And subscription players have found certain tie-ups to be mutually beneficial, like Netflix with T-Mobile, Disney Plus with Verizon, and Hulu with Spotify.


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1Politics & Public Policy Today
who stands big spending on a gene that has already entice top star sammy the top and robert carlos roberto carlos. of. details on that because coming up in our sports book dates in about fifteen minutes time for now though stay with us for they have lines after a short break. roger clinton goes. one. more than sixty square kilometers or move on the stage and those who are still soon.
jobs. sam: i'm sam chernin. owner of sammy's fish box. i opened the first sammy's back in 1966. my employees are like family. and, i want people that work for me to feel that they're sharing in my success. we purchase as much as we can on the american express open gold card. so we can accumulate as many points as possible. i pass on these points to my employees to go on trips with their families. when my employees are happy, my customers are happy. vo: earn points for the things you're already buying. call 1-800-now-open to find out how the gold card can serve your business. two of the most important are energy security and economic growth. north america actually has one of the largest oil reserves in the world. a large part of that is oil sands. this resource has the ability to create hundreds of thousands of jobs. at our kearl project in canada, we'll be able to produce these oil sands with the same emissions as many other oils and that's a huge breakthrough. that's good for our country's energy security and our economy. >>> senator harry reid accused republicans of putting their
. >> sammy's camera. >> make the pledge to shop small. >> on small business saturday. >> gloria larkin joins me live from washington, d.c. she's with women impacting public policy, which is supporting the movement. it's nice to have you with me this morning. explain for everybody who doesn't really know, since it is only in its sophomore year. what is small business saturday? >> it was an initiative developed to help small business in the united states grow. it really has its roots in between black friday and cyber monday. >> when we talk about the fact that the big box retailers really pulling out the stops this year to get people in the store, how important is it for small business saturday this year to make an impact? again, it's only its second year and needs to make better traction. >> this is a real initiative to help small business grow. in the united states, we talk a lot about small business and how important it is, but this is our chance as individual people and citizens to go out and support our small business in our own communities. right in our own home base. >> when we ta
york, dr. sammy jaffrey a pharmacologist and faculty member at cornell college has developed a promising new technology for studying r.n.a. in cells and has just started a biotech exen, all with n.i.h. support. time and time again, basic research has been a game changer and economic incubator. take the biotechnology company genentech, for example. it was founded on discoveries made in our universities and those discoveries were made with financial support of grants from the national institute of health. and those federal funds proved to be a very good investment. the company has created over 11,000 jobs and the company created products that have had mauge effects on the health and economic well being of our nation. they develop drugs that treat certain leukemia, arthritis, and breast cancer. n.i.h.-funded research has also had a major impact on the lives of those suffering from multiple sclerosis. m.s. is a painful disease that often strikes young women with children. thanks to n.i.h. research, drugs have been developed that are now in the marketplace that mean m.s. patients no
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It’s been a particularly good day for Apple. In addition to seeing its biggest rival tank the rollout of its most anticipated 2019 product launch, Apple also settled a two-year legal battle over royalty and patent disputes with chip giant Qualcomm. The Cupertino-based company agreed to pay the chip manufacturer an undisclosed amount of money, but also got something pretty important in return: Apple managed to strike a deal to use Qualcomm’s 5G modems in its future iPhones.
Before the deal, the future of the first 5G-enabled iPhone was more uncertain. In light of the Qualcomm quarrel, Apple enlisted the help of the other big chip-maker Intel, whose XMM 8160 modem offers speeds of up to six gigabits per second.
But delays in Intel’s production pushed the estimated timeline for the first 5G iPhones from 2020 toward 2021. With an industry-leading 5G chipset at its disposal, Apple could put the 5G iPhone back on his original timeline, though Apple analyst Horace Dediu tells Inverse that it’s too late for the company to incorporate it into the 2019 roster.
“The production line for this year’s phone was probably in development over the last year and initial test runs are likely to begin within weeks,” he explained. “The hardware design and components supply would have been frozen months ago. If there is a Qualcomm chipset version it would have been developed in parallel with any other version so that could be slotted for production.”
Dediu didn’t offer a prediction for when a 5G iPhone could come to market, because he’s unsure if Apple and Qualcomm ever designed a special 5G modem for future iPhone models. Without an open channel of dialog, it’s unlikely Apple has a 5G chipset ready to slot into their 2019 iPhone.
It’s also hard to see how there could have been much dialogue between the two companies before the settlement. Back in July 2018, Qualcomm’s CFO George Davis dropped a serious hint that talks between the companies had already soured.
“Apple intends to solely use our competitor’s modems rather than our modems in its next iPhone release” he said during an earnings call. “Intel is the only other company that supplies that module to Apple, making it likely that iPhones will soon use Intel modems exclusively.”
Qualcomm’s 2018 statement — that iPhones would “soon use” Intel modems exclusively — strongly suggests that, at the time, the partnership was on track to be phased out by this year. Re-starting their collaboration, then, will likely take some time.
2020 seems like the likeliest year, Krish Sankar, the managing director at investment bank Cowen, told Bloomberg. This is likely what Apple planned all along. While not many 5G networks are available right now, waiting all the way until 2021 would dampen demand and made Apple look like a laggard.
“We believe this opens up the possibility of Qualcomm supplying 5G modems to future iPhones and helps [Apple] have a 5G phone ready by [the second quarter of 2020].”
So, while it might come as a disappointment to some that Apple and Qualcomm’s detente didn’t come in time to benefit 2019’s iPhone roster, we should also be grateful that Apple isn’t likely to rush the release, either. Once they do launch, this timeline will help Apple ensure that its first 5G iPhones actually work.


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TravelManagers‘ senior executives will participate at the upcoming Signature Travel Network annual conference in Las Vegas for the first time after forging ties with the luxury travel consortia earlier this year.
Chief Operating Office, Grant Campbell and Operations Manager, Troy Coelho will head to the four-day event, joining over 2,400 delegates from travel brands around the globe at the meet-up.
This will be the first opportunity that Campbell and Coelho will have to get together in person with Signature’s network of travel advisors, independent contractors, managers, agency owners and supplier partners since a partnership was formalised at the beginning of 2022. Senior management attendance from the Australian home-based outfit was exclusively foreshadowed by LATTE in February.
“Signature is a community of leading travel agencies and supplier partners which currently generates US$8 billion in annual sales. Their focus is on the luxury travel segment, making them a great asset to many of our personal travel managers (PTMs) given the huge surge in demand we have seen since the reopening of Australia’s international borders,” Campbell said.
The TravelManagers official said the key purpose of the conference is to network with and learn from Signature Travel Network partners, strengthening existing supplier relationships and developing new alliances. The pair will participate in a series of appointment sessions, educational workshops and the trade show.
As well as its extensive collection of luxury products and experiences, Campbell says Signature Travel Network shares many of the same values as TravelManagers: “appropriately, both Signature’s annual owners’ meeting and TravelManagers’ annual national conference even shared the same theme: ‘Together’,” he noted.
Campbell says the pandemic does not appear to have slowed Signature Travel Network’s rate of growth, with 39 travel brands having joined the network since the last conference took place in 2019.
“They achieved this by doubling down on member support, methodically growing their preferred partnership portfolio to ensure that members had access to the products their clients would need,” Campbell explained.
“They focused on finding like-minded agencies, knowing that the unity of the Signature community has always been their greatest strength.”
“We’re excited to have become part of that community, and we’ve been really impressed by how well Signature’s members and preferred partners have worked together to grow their respective businesses over the past three years,” Campbell observes. “Many of them have already surpassed their pre-pandemic sales levels, while preferred land partner sales for 2022 are up more than 26 percent compared with 2019.”
After three years of pandemic, Campbell says he is anticipating a celebratory mood at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas when the conference gets underway on 8 November.
“Despite all the challenges our industry has experienced through the course of the pandemic, it’s reassuring to know that Signature members have risen to the occasion and exceeding expectations: TravelManagers is excited to be part of the next stage in their journey,” Campbell concluded.
Lead image: The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, location of Signature Travel Network’s 2022 annual conference | Source: Facebook.


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Here's a prediction: Part forming via casting and machining will increasingly face competition with e-manufacturing, a material additive process using laser sintering. The supporting evidence comes from a survey of experts at the K 2007 show in Dsseldorf and Euromold 2007 in Frankfurt. The data was collected by Germany's EOS GMBH, Munich, a specialist in building parts via laser sintering of selectively deposited metals and plastics.
Respondents were asked to focus on the following core questions:
- What will the production of tomorrow look like?
- Is individual series production from CAD data going to prevail in the future?
- Which technologies will drive this type of production?
Responses suggest that industrial production is confronting a paradigm shift, says Hans J. Langer, EOS founder and CEO. (His U.S. operations are based in Novi, Mich.) He says the experts foresee a trend toward e-manufacturing with laser sintering confronting today's conventional technologies such as casting or machining.
In e-manufacturing end products, functional parts and tools are delivered directly from CAD data. A laser heats and melts powdered plastics or metals layer by layer until the build is complete and a final part or product can be taken out of the system. Langer says e-manufacturing enables the creation of products with highly complex and filigree structures and forms that would be impossible for conventional series production. The scope of possibilities includes jewelry, clothing, lamps and chairs as well as functional parts for conventional production processes.
Langer says 70% of the respondents believe the concept is ready for the mass market, adding that 33% believe that individualized production with laser sintering is already market-ready, while 37% predict the establishment of the technology in the market within the next three years. He says the rest anticipate establishment of e-manufacturing within five years, with only 4% seeing a lag of 10 years.
- 28% say the trend toward individualized series production is the most important factor for the success of the technology.
- Nearly a quarter of the interviewees see greater cost savings compared to conventional technologies."
- 22% believe that e-manufacturing will overtake traditional technologies due to "short product lifecycles."
- Significantly fewer interviewees count factors such as "automated, unmanned production" (15%) and "decentralized production" (11%) as primary success factors.
As with every innovative technology, e-manufacturing with laser sintering is not completely immune to competition from other methods. Conventional technologies still offer some advantages, according to survey participants:
- 29% say the limited choice of materials is the greatest barrier to implementation of e-manufacturing technology. (Langer says material development is receiving special emphasis.)
- Approximately a quarter of the respondents judge the "lack" of know-how in the industry as a hindrance.
- Another quarter think that lack of awareness about the technology is the main obstacle.
- The rest cite "lack of innovative power across companies" (12%) and "outdated production structures" (11%).
Langer says the majority of the respondents feel that the difficulty is not so much the emerging technology itself, but rather a lack of knowledge and openness in the industry.
Finally the respondents were asked for their predictions about production methods 20 years in the future:
- A clear majority (63%) forecast the establishment of individualized mass production in the Western world.
- 21% believe that end customers will have their own mini-factories and produce their own products with rapid manufacturing techniques.
- About 9% of those asked went so far as to remark that, in 20 years time, manual manufacturing will only take place on the PC.


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One of the first next-generation treadmills sits in the second floor R&D lab of Brooks' headquarters in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood. This month, I got to try it out.
Brooks senior research scientist Chris Ertel put a series of sensors on my feet, knees, and hips. Then I did a series of tests on the treadmill, which unlike traditional treadmills measures force, as well as speed. Eight motion-capture cameras recorded my movements as I did a set of exercises that included squats, lunges, descending stairs, walking, and running.
Afterwards, Ertel and his colleagues determined my knees and ankles, pronate, or roll, when I run. They recommended a person with my "Run Signature" wear a shoe with the company's Guardrails technology, which acts sort of like "bumpers on a bowling alley," and keeps the body in better alignment.
The company also offers an online version of the test. It similarly recommended that I buy a shoe with Guardrails.
Next year Brooks will take its Run Signature efforts to the next level, introducing its first running shoe with a 3D printed midsole, making it the latest entrant in the race to capitalize on the promise of the technology, which is infinitely customizable and could be the next big thing.
In 2019, SmarTech predicted footwear will be the biggest consumer market for 3D printing, growing to $5.9 billion by 2029. Eventually, Brooks, like other industry giants, wants to use 3D technology to custom-tune running shoes to each person's unique biomechanical signature.
"We need to embrace what's unique about each person," said Carson Caprara, Brooks vice president of footwear product management and merchandising. "It's our long-term vision to get to your shoe."
'It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.'
In 2017, Adidas launched its first 3D shoe. It worked with Carbon, a California company that works with a variety of consumer products companies. At the time, 3D printing was fairly limited.
Nobody was making more "than hundreds, maybe like low digit thousands," said Phil DeSimone, part of the CEO's office at Carbon. "When we first started, people told us we were crazy."
In the past five years, DeSimone said the technology has matured. He said Carbon now makes millions of pairs of midsoles a year for Adidas. (Adidas North America President Rupert Campbell wore a pair earlier this year when he spoke with Insider.)
Unlike traditional foam midsoles, 3D midsoles are custom-printed and can reflect each person's unique anatomy and biomechanical structure. For instance, Carbon already makes custom football helmets for NFL football players. It also makes bike seats and medical products.
DeSimone said mass customization with 3D technology should be available within the next few years. "It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," he said.
Running-shoe companies, including Brooks, will need to convince consumers the technology is worth the extra cost. An Adidas Ultraboost shoe made with more traditional foam retails around $190, but the company's 3D technology starts at around $200.
"3D shoes have been pretty limited so far in terms of sales," said Matt Powell, senior industry analyst for the NPD Group. "I think we'll see more 3D shoes in the future as an on-the-fly experiment."
Brooks races to be first to perfect the tech
While most running-shoe companies are working on 3D technology, Brooks executives think they can perfect the technology first.
"We are obsessed with the runner and the run," Caprara said, citing the company's R&D investments (the instrumental treadmill I used was one of the first), development of technology like the online gait-analysis, and the focus on more than just the foot and ankle.
Brooks also has provided more than 10,000 pairs of shoes to test runners and collected detailed surveys from more than 38,000 runners in the past five years.
"We have dreamed about the opportunity to put Run Signature to work for runners in a big way," Caprara said. "This technology is the unlock we need to make that happen."
The new 3D shoe, which features a sock-like upper and a sole that looks like a series of spiderwebs, will be released next year. Insider got the first look at the still-unnamed shoe. It's expected to cost a premium, although the company hasn't revealed pricing.
The shoe will eventually be "your" shoe, but not at first. Caprara said the early versions will be somewhat "rudimentary," but as Brooks gathers more data and the technology improves, the options will grow from "three to 300 to 3,000 to 3 million."
Caprara said the shoe will be the start of a 10- to 15-year journey of fine-tuning the technology.
In order to do that, Brooks will continue to gather data on the Run Signature of Brooks customers, both through wearables and through visits with sports doctors and retail partners.
The shoe, he said, "is the Trojan horse that gets us through the door."


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EA Won't Have Booth at E3 2016, Briefing Scheduled for Sunday Afternoon
[UPDATE] The Entertainment Software Association, the group that organizes E3 every year, has responded to EA's announcement.
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"EA's player experience underscores E3 as the global launchpad for video game news, announcements, and excitement. As always, we continue to look forward to their contributions to E3 week and can't wait to play the games ourselves," ESA senior vice president for communications Rich Taylor said in a statement to GameSpot.
The original story is below.
Breaking years of tradition, publisher Electronic Arts has announced that it will not have a booth on the E3 2016 show floor this year, and its briefing will take place Sunday afternoon instead of later in the week.
EA's new event is called EA Play. The briefing itself will take place at Club Nokia at LA Live (right next door to the Los Angeles Convention Center) on Sunday, June 12 at 1 PM PST.
Last year, Bethesda held its first-ever E3 briefing on the Sunday before E3. That event took place in the evening, so if the Fallout company decides to hold another one this year at the same time (something it hasn't yet committed to doing), it appears there won't be a conflict with EA's.
Though EA won't have its regular booth in the Los Angeles Convention Center's South Hall, the FIFA and Battlefield publisher will still host private meetings, a representative told GameSpot.
"Our players are the driving force behind everything we do," EA said in a statement announcing EA Play.
EA has rented Club Nokia for June 12-14, during which people can stop in to try out new games, take in "live events," and purchase memorabilia, among other things. A similar event will held at London's The Mermaid on June 12.
An EA representative told GameSpot that tickets will need to be reserved in advance due to limited space, but tickets will indeed be free. On the EA Play website, EA said it will share more details in the coming months regarding how people can get tickets.
EA Play events, including the briefing, will also be streamed live. GameSpot will have more details on EA Play 2016 as they're made available.
E3 2016 officially runs June 14-16.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


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GDPR and Privacy Policies
One of the principle goals of GDPR is to encourage transparency, which means companies are now required to disclose how they’re using their subscribers’ and website visitors’ information — and they must do so in a way that is clear and simple. According to one infamous study, it would take roughly 76 work days to read all the privacy policies we encounter in a year (2), so the goal is to reduce that number drastically.
Lastly, if the organization will be collecting data from third-party sources, they are required to provide additional information about the data and its source.
Is GDPR Working?
Initially, business leaders and experts from different fields were extremely excited about GDPR. Speaking with Verdict of the potential impact of GDPR, Giles Pratt (IP and technology partner at Freshfields) said,
“The EU regulators have introduced a pioneering piece of legislation that looks likely to set the bar for data privacy standards around the world, and offers opportunities for closer working practices among international privacy professionals in business and the regulators they engage with.”
Yet while the road to GDPR compliance is slowly being paved with good intentions, early returns suggest many companies still have a long journey ahead of them on their path to compliance. Since the legislation took effect in May of 2018, there have been more than 200,000 reports of minor and major GDPR breaches in over 30 countries according to a report published by the European Data Protection Board — which consists of numerous regulators from across the region. In all, roughly $56 million in fines have been doled out by various watchdog groups, but $50 million of that came from a single fine for Google (3).
According to Mathias Moulin, a panel member of the CNIL (the French watchdog group that handed down the fine to Google), the fine was based on a “massive and highly intrusive” breach and was based on several different factors — including the “scale… and the size of the company.” While the fine was merely a drop in the bucket for a company like Google, which boasted $137 billion in revenue in 2018, Moulin suggests that the past year “should be considered a transition year.”
That statement suggests that we can expect there to be stronger monitoring and enforcement of GDPR, which serves as a warning to organizations that have not yet prioritized GDPR compliance in their marketing efforts. It seems fair to give businesses (especially small- to mid-sized businesses) more time to implement better procedures for GDPR compliance before handing out major fines, but that time could be quickly running out as GDPR moves into its second year. Therefore, it’s important that you do your best to become GDPR compliant as soon as possible — for both the health of your business and the confidence and security of your customers.


text: THQ has had some financial difficulty lately that has been well documented. Earlier this year NASDAQ threatened to delist them due to their stock falling below $1 a share and they had until July 23 to straighten everything out. It appears that THQ has done just that as they announced earlier today that they have received notification from NASDAQ that they have “regained compliance” with the minimum bid price rule for continued listing on The NASDAQ Global Select Market because the bid price of its common stock has closed at $1.00 per share or greater for at least ten consecutive business days. What do you think about this announcement? Do you think THQ’s fortunes are starting to turn around? They have two games from popular franchises being released over the next few months with Darksiders II and WWE ’13. Tell us what you think below.


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Tesla has revealed it will power a small Hawaiian island with the of help of the sun and more than 54,000 of its giant battery packs.
The firm made the announcement on the island of Kauai yesterday after initial plans were launched in February last year, Business Insider reports.
The electric car maker has joined hands with the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) to set up a 13 megawatt solar farm made up of 54,978 solar panels and 272 of Tesla's Powerpack 2 batteries.
The energy stored the island's sunkissed days will be stored in the batteries and power the 1430 sqkm island overnight.
Tesla estimates that the project will reduce the island's fossil fuel use by more than 6 million litres each year.
The solar farm will be turned on in phases with the KIUC agreeing to a 20-year deal to buy 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity for just under 14 cents.
More associated with electric cars, Tesla has been making forays into the solar power business since purchasing SolarCity last November.
Tesla's solar technology is currently powering the nearby American Samoan island of Ta'u.


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They benefitted from Fiat’s recent success at the time. The Italian’s Compact platform was transformed into a trio of newer variants of it.
In the meantime, the automotive retail business has been working overtime to reinvent itself. They are hungry for inventory, while production is ramping up under safer conditions along the assembly lines. Used cars are becoming scarce, with some auction facilities laying off personnel. However, the rental car companies are trying to reduce excess fleet in the pall of financial issues due to a reduction in travel.
Translation: Japanese cars were thought of as cheap tin boxes that would never make it through a Minnesota winter. That was the mentality of the American consumer until the last couple of decades. It does help that several Japanese automakers set up shop building vehicles on our soil to change our collective minds.
It is with historical context, however. It was ten years removed from a war that should have ended all wars. Unfortunately, a spat between Korean partisans turned into an international affair splitting the peninsula in half. The same trouble was brewing in Vietnam, a soon-to-be former French colony. Even those within the Soviet Bloc weren’t buying into the new world order as envisioned by Karl Marx. Hungary was a year away from challenging Moscow on whether it should be their superpower or not.


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California’s minimum wage will increase over the next three years until it reaches $15 an hour, but many businesses have already started to feel the pinch.
Andy Smith, the former owner of the Bread Store in Sacramento, attributed the decision to close his bakery and sandwich shop to the recent minimum wage. He told the Sacramento Business Journal, “As soon as minimum wage goes up, everything goes up—workers’ comp, payroll tax…it’s not just a couple dollars increase.”
In San Francisco, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches gave its customers the option to pay a voluntary surcharge of 75¢ on each transaction to cover the increased costs of minimum wage and other labor expenses.
Minimum wage hikes have deterred new businesses from opening up shop in California and encouraged existing ones to leave the state entirely. According to Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, one large-scale Amazon supplier promising roughly 800 jobs to the state pulled out before signing the lease over the possibility of rising labor costs.
States considering following California’s lead by implementing a $15 minimum wage should take note of the harmful repercussions already occurring throughout the Golden State.


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In the midst of the 30th Anniversary at Disneyland Paris, the resort-wide transformation continues beyond the Walt Disney Studios Park expansion plan and the Disneyland Hotel transformation. Disney Village will see its own transformation over several years including new dining options and refreshed shopping and entertainment offerings for the 428,000-square-foot complex.
Located at the heart of Disneyland Paris, Disney Village is the retail, dining and entertainment complex between the theme parks and Disney hotels. The district, which celebrates 30 years in 2022, has more than doubled in size since its opening. By the end of the year, a phased transformation of the entire area will begin to give the district a new visual identity.
When the transformation is complete, Disney Village will feature a lakeside park and boardwalk, enhanced pedestrian walkways, brand-new facades, terraces and patios, and lush landscaping. Its diverse eateries and collection of shops will expand dining and retail options for guests with concepts from some of the world’s most well-known brands.
“Our plan to transform Disney Village is yet another example of how we continue to reimagine Disneyland Paris at the resort level, notably with our major expansion plan in progress at Walt Disney Studios Park,” said Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris. “We’re very excited to bring new iconic and timeless concepts to the district that will appeal to a new generation of guests, whether they visit from our nearby resort hotels or from the local area. We can’t wait for our guests to be surprised and delighted by what we have in store.”
The first step in the transformation plan will be a contemporary French brasserie in place of the current Café Mickey restaurant. Groupe Bertrand, with its portfolio of renowned Parisian brasseries, has been chosen to take over the location and bring in a fresh new concept that will both elevate the culinary experience and expand dining options for guests.
Rosalie, the new two-floor restaurant will feature 500 seats in contemporary interiors. Inspired by Parisian brasseries, it will celebrate renowned French “Art de Vivre” and classic cuisine in a modern yet elegant setting, with expanded terraces looking over Lake Disney. In addition to table service, a counter will offer French bakery-inspired options for take away like viennoiseries, pastries, sandwiches and salads. Seasonally, an outdoor terrace will welcome guests on the lake’s edge.
“As we continue to collaborate with exceptional brands that we share strong values with, we are delighted to welcome a new restaurant managed by Groupe Bertrand as a first step in our Disney Village transformation plan,” said Laure Albouy, Vice President Business Strategy & Integration, Disneyland Paris. “We believe this unique, family-friendly restaurant will elevate the guest experience at our resort by offering famous French specialties in a unique setting, and we can’t wait to make this new partnership a reality.”


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I have decided to come full circle and write my last blog post on the same topic as my first: food trucks. However, the difference is that this is about one food truck in particular called Cracked. That’s right, Cracked.
An article in The News-Gazette of East Central Illinois highlighted two University of Illinois seniors who plan to operate their own food truck beginning in August. The food truck will be located on campus and it will serve students breakfast sandwiches from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.
They have decided to name their business Cracked due to the number of eggs they will be cracking starting in the fall. Aside from breakfast sandwiches, the article also says the truck will serve hash browns, pastries, fresh fruit and coffee.
The students also plan to sell their food at farmer’s markets and cater for parties and companies. Both seniors are students of the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
The reason for them opening the food truck? According to them, breakfast sandwiches are meant to be eaten fresh. Selling them on a food truck will be popular with students, and they also plan to sell them to late-night crowds. The food truck is also an opportunity for both students to pursue their careers, before they have even graduated college.
The article quotes one of the seniors, Jeremy Mandell, who says that he knew he did not want work for anyone; now he will be working for everyone.
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I would probably go to this food truck for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I had the money. I found this article to be quite interesting considering my first blog post was about bringing food trucks to Towson’s campus. The fact that students are able to open one at U of I shows that students can open one anywhere.
If it were up to me, I would open a food truck that sold waffles. But alas, I am a journalism major and I have no idea how to start a business. If there are any business majors reading this, take this into consideration please. Who doesn’t like waffles?


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Today Apple finally released 8.4.1 update. The update is suppose the fix some of the bugs that came with Apple Music. A lot of users complained that the product was terrible, slow, and hard to use.
This release includes improvements and fixes to Apple Music.
– Resolves issues that could prevent turning on iCloud Music Library
– Resolves an issue that hides added music because Apple Music was set to show offline music only
– Provides a way to add songs to a new playlist if there aren’t any playlists to choose from
– Resolves an issue that may show different artwork for an album on other devices
– Resolves several issues for artists while posting to Connect
– Fixes an issue where tapping Love doesn’t work as expected while listening to Beats 1
As many of you iOS 9 will be releasing next month. This might the last update to iOS 8.


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Despite what some considered to be an outrageous price tag, demand for the iPad mini continues to outstrip supply. But the good news is, availability of the tablet is finally starting to improve.
Hot on the heels of Apple’s announcement that the mini will be landing in China on December 14, shoppers have noticed that estimated shipping times on the slate have dropped to one week…(...)Read the rest of iPad mini shipping times improve to one week
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McVitie’s is partnering with mental health charity Mind to launch a new campaign aimed at promoting positive mental health by encouraging people across the UK to get talking.
Brand new variants of Rowntree’s Randoms – Nestlé’s randomly shaped, fruit flavoured sweets – are being introduced to coincide with its tenth birthday and a major refresh of the Rowntree’s brand.
2019 sees Nestlé release its biggest ever Easter egg range which features newly developed eggs including a KitKat with Ruby chocolate Easter Egg and some ‘Incredible’ Eggs for KitKat, Smarties and Yorkie lovers.
Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates has released its Love Collection, a set of four expertly crafted, heart-shaped chocolates ready for Valentines Day.
Doritos is adding new Flame Grilled Steak to its UK line up.


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Crypto investment is alive and well in Turkey, thanks to lira woes. In the window of NakitCoins, a cryptocurrency exchange located. Just off Istiklal Boulevard, Istanbul’s main pedestrian walkway. A screen displays the current exchange rates of several digital currencies. The exchange attracts the attention of passing pedestrians. Who stop to look at the rates displayed on a screen in the window.
The brick-and-mortar exchange, which allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoin. And other digital currencies, is only visited by a handful of people. Despite the fact that there has been a recent history of scandalised exchanges. The brick-and-mortar exchange. Serves as a physical example of how the faltering Turkish lira. Is propelling the popularity of virtual cryptocurrencies in Turkey.
Throughout the years, interest in cryptocurrencies has grown among Turks. As it has among the rest of the world. Turkey’s economic crisis, on the other hand, has prompted millions of curious observers. To actually put their money into cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum. And other digital currencies, rather than just watching them.
Despite the fact that cryptocurrency values are vulnerable to significant and erratic price swings. New converts are drawn to cryptocurrencies for a variety of reasons, not only the profit possibilities they provide. A period in which the Turkish lira has been pummeled by devaluations. With the currency losing over 40% of its value in the previous year alone. They saw virtual currencies as a potential store of value to preserve their assets.
Turkish entrepreneur Cem Yilmaz, who founded the cryptocurrency exchange NakitCoins in 2018. And has since expanded the company to three locations throughout Turkey. Believes that rising public interest in cryptocurrencies is the latest manifestation. Of the Turkish public’s desire for safe investments.
Yilmaz created NakitCoins to assist crypto-curious people
Turkish citizens, he claims, “are extremely interested in investing. Whether it’s in forex [foreign exchange], gold, or more recently, cryptocurrency.”
Ylmaz founded NakitCoins in order to assist those who are interested in cryptocurrencies. In getting over their apprehensions about putting their money. For a new virtual investment vehicle that exists only in cyberspace. Through exchanges that exist only online.
“We already had a number of online exchanges in Turkey. So we reasoned that it would be advantageous to have a physical facility. Where people could come and ask questions and put a face to cryptocurrencies. Rather than merely going online?” he explained.
According to Yilmaz, the majority of NakitCoins customers today are foreigners. Who indicated that current Turkish restrictions make it impossible to conduct business. With currency denominated in Turkish lira (TL). He and other players in the country’s cryptocurrency economy, on the other hand. Are hopeful that new regulations, which are also currently being prepared. Would allow them to operate more directly.
‘Cryptolization on Crypto Investment’
According to Reuters, daily crypto transactions in Turkey reached one million in March last year.
The jump came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Fired the country’s central bank governor unexpectedly that same month. Volumes began to fall in April after the central bank declared. It would no longer accept cryptocurrency payments. Two Turkish cryptocurrency exchanges. Thodex and Vebitcoin – collapsed in late April. Wiping off millions of customers’ holdings.
After a series of central bank interest rate decreases in response to rising inflation. The lira’s value plummeted in the closing months of last year. With trading volumes surpassing one million per day.
Billboards and television commercials also increasingly promote public access to the crypto market. With Bitcoin’s current value listed alongside the US currency and the euro.
Experts say the increased understanding also shows how crypto is increasingly. Replacing foreign currency or traditional stores of value like gold. As a hedge against an insecure local currency.
“In the past it was dollarization, when people put their assets in dollars. To prevent currency fluctuations,” he told Al Jazeera. “This new tendency is called cryptolization.”
Additionally, User numbers grew from 1.5 million in early 2021 to 5 million by year’s end. And daily trade volume also increased from $20m in 2020 to over $500m by year’s end.
And Paribu and BTCTurk aren’t the only options for the country’s also booming crypto community. Turkey has global exchanges like Binance and Coinbase.
Because not all exchanges make their data public, it’s difficult to estimate. How many Turkish investors possess crypto. Sert says specialists put it at between 10 and 11 million.


text: Latest News Mondottica International Names Tony Pessok CEO, as Founder Michael Jardine Steps Down, Continues on the Board as Honorary Chairman By Staff Friday, January 17, 2020 12:21 AM LONDON—Mondottica International announced that its founder and CEO, Michael Jardine, has stepped down from his CEO role effective January 1, 2020. The CEO role has been immediately assumed by Tony Pessok, chief commercial officer, who joined the Group from Perry Ellis International earlier last year, as VMail reported. Jardine will continue as a substantial shareholder and member of the board of directors with the title of founder and honorary chairman. He will continue to work from his office at Mondottica’s headquarters in Hong Kong. Stated Jardine, “We started Mondottica two decades ago and there is a nice symmetry in handing over the reins on the cusp of the new decade to come. We have accomplished much in 20 years and I am now excited to see the new C-Suite bring it to an even greater level in the future.” Jardine will continue to reside in Hong Kong and remain vitally involved with Mondottica on the board level, while continuing to focus on his vintage eyewear and vintage brands. Tony Pessok Pessok said, “I am privileged to be able to step into this role and take the reins of running what is an incredible business, none of which would have been possible without Michael’s guidance and, most importantly, without the dedicated hard work that the whole team perform on a daily basis. We have some incredible brand partners and a varied portfolio which will allow Mondottica to achieve significant further growth over the coming years, elevating us to even greater prominence in the world of eyewear.” Jardine and his wife, Lene Hoegh, will also spend the coming years establishing a consultancy focused on the environment and sustainability as it relates to the global eyewear industry. “Our planet needs help and every industry needs to undergo radical change if we are to ensure a sustainable future for coming generations. Our remaining time in the optical industry will be spent helping our company and the industry at large, to learn to help and not harm the planet we call home,” he said.Mondottica International Group now has offices and operations in Hong Kong, London, Paris, Oyonnax, Molinges, Tokyo, Barcelona, Delhi, Moscow, New York and Sydney with distribution reach that spans all continents. The Group holds licenses for a wide range of lifestyle and fashion brands, namely Anna Sui, Cath Kidston, Christian Lacroix, Ducati, Hackett, Joules, Karen Millen, Le Coq Sportif, Maje, Marimekko, Pepe Jeans, Sandro, Scotch & Soda, Sergio Tacchini, Ted Baker (worldwide except USA and Canada) and United Colors of Benetton. It also manages its proprietary brands Cogan, Spine and Zoobug, to ensure that Mondottica is ideally placed to cater to a broad demographic of style conscious consumers, the company said.


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Every day another financial expert seems to have predicted that the United States will soon enter recession.
Last week saw the largest interest rate increase in 28 years in the Federal Reserve’s effort to combat inflation. As the economy continues to deal with sky-high gas prices, a shaky stock market and ongoing labor shortages, it looks like we are going to see a decline in economic activity with rising unemployment, stock market downturns and economic activity. Reduction in wages and benefits.
But here’s the thing, we’re already in a recession, and it’s still unknown, according to Howard Dworkin, CPA and president of Debt.com.
What is a recession?
“Economists define the recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth – that is, decreasing output and increasing unemployment. There is a problem with that definition: you are not sure if you are in a recession for about six months,” Dworkin says. “We can read tea leaves and make educated guesses, but we can’t confirm that until two quarters are over. By that time, of course, it’s too late to prepare.
So at this time, it is unclear whether we are really in a recession or not, because we don’t know until we have a two-quarter recession, although there has been a decline in gross domestic product (total value of goods and services produced in a given period) in the first quarter of the year.
It is not advisable to start preparing for a possible recession when one finally arrives, but it is better to never be late.
“Preparing for a recession is like preparing for a natural disaster: you do it even when you don’t know exactly what you want. I live in a hurricane country and I buy my supplies before the hurricane season,” says Dvorkin. “When will someone hit me? Hopefully never. But I am not one of those desperate people who struggle to buy last plywood and bottled water the day before the storm.
How to prepare for recession
Even if you do not personally lose your job, money is still tight during a recession. The two best steps you can take immediately are to start saving for an emergency fund and see how you can save money on your daily expenses.
“Always be prepared for the recession,” says Dworkin. “You should always drop a few dollars for an emergency fund. You should always be saving as much as you can on gas, food and clothing. Otherwise, during the recession, you are six months late.
Dvorkin points out that more than 70% of consumers “waste more than $ 50 a month on recurring payments for things they don’t need,” such as subscriptions to unused gym memberships and periodicals. So if you’re paying for a gym that doesn’t go, consider biting and canceling the bullet. (If you’re serious about getting in shape you can always find free exercise programs on YouTube.)
There are apps to help people find the cheapest grocery stores and gas prices in their area (most of them are local, though Insert Basket is popular for groceries and TheStreet has found several to help with gasoline.
Scroll down to continue
But Dworkin said, “There is no shortage of apps that suggest cheap gas or good deals in your local grocery chain. The ‘Killer App’ is a budget app.
“It’s the only app to govern them all – because it saves you money all the time. Whether it’s a free app like Mint or a paid app like YNAB, or using the latest technology offered by your bank or credit union on your website, you can make the math at your monthly cost easier.
One important way is to budget for food, expenses and utilities based on your current salary, how much you want to save, what you can reduce and what not to do, and stick to that budget. Make it through the economic downturn. This is not easy for some people, but a budget app can help even the most unorganized person get their ducks in a row.
“Recommending a budgeting app is like recommending a mayonnaise brand. Some people like craft, others are Hellmans. But they’re both doing the same thing.
How to save money for an emergency fund
Some people don’t have much money at the end of the month or have a clear idea of how much they actually spend and what they spend. That’s where apps like Mint and paying close attention to your credit card bills might actually come in handy.
Some dollars can also be kept constant, adding up over time, month after month. So if you are not a savior much, now is a good time to start.
“Many people get tired of their emergency budgets. They think, ‘I can’t contribute more than a few dollars a week, so what good is that?'” Says Dworkin. Does not happen. In good time, you can extract a small, regular amount, which adds to the time required.
“Don’t start an emergency fund today and wait to use it tomorrow. Start one now so next year it will be for you – and hopefully, you won’t need it for many more years.


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Publicis Groupe’s Spark has won media planning and buying duties for drug marketer AbbVie after a review, sources said.
The company is a recent spinoff of Abbott Laboratories and is based in North Chicago, Ill. Its revenues are estimated at $18 billion. Post-split, which occurred at the beginning of the year, AbbVie will market brand-name pharmaceuticals, while Abbott Laboratories will focus on medical devices and diagnostics.
According to Nielsen, ad spending on the drug brands that are now part of AbbVie totaled nearly $310 million in 2012, up from about $200 million in 2011.
Contenders in the review included WPP’s Mindshare, the incumbent, and Omnicom’s PHD. Mindshare retains media duties on the post-split Abbott, which was not part of the review.
Spark declined to comment on the win. Mindshare also declined comment, referring questions to the client. PHD and AbbVie officials could not be immediately reached.
Drugs marketed by AbbVie include Humira, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis; prostate cancer drug Lupron and testosterone replacement AndroGel.


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TOKYO (Kyodo) - DaimlerChrysler Japan Co. said Wednesday it will introduce the Dodge brand to the Japanese market in June as part of its ongoing efforts to expand overseas sales, amid increasing speculation about a possible sale of the unprofitable Chrysler Group by its German parent.
Dodge, which has a history of 93 years, is the Chrysler Group's best-selling nameplate, contributing to nearly 50 percent of sales at the North American division of DaimlerChrysler AG.
For the Japanese market, the automaker will introduce four models - its key Caliber five-door hatchback, the Nitro sports-utility vehicle, the Avenger midsize sedan and the Charger SRT8 muscle car with a 6.1-liter engine.
"International markets, including Japan, are extremely important" for the Chrysler Group's future success, Hans Tempel, president of the Japan unit, said at a news conference in Tokyo.
Tempel noted that the group's overseas sales in 2006 rose 15 percent from the previous year, marking the highest growth in 10 years on a year-on-year basis, supported by brisk sales of the Caliber in Europe.
He said Dodge is an "iconic American brand" and its bold and edgy characteristics will provide "very attractive options for the Japanese customers" and will complement the Chrysler and Jeep brands of the group already in the Japanese market.
The automaker refrained from commenting on the sales target of the new brand in Japan and the prices of the four models.


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Cash is king in Italy, and the debate over limiting payments in notes and coins is heating up again under the country’s new right-wing government.
A new bill introduced this week by the League party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, would raise the cash payment ceiling for Italians to 10,000 euros from 2,000 euros today.
The plan would mean not only ditching a planned further decrease due to take effect from January, but also enacting a huge increase in the limit.
Credit card use has been steadily on the rise throughout the eurozone in recent years, but Italy has doggedly persisted in its preference for cash despite numerous incentives to encourage electronic payments.
Italians used cash for 82 percent of transactions, versus the 73 percent eurozone average, according to a 2020 study by the European Central Bank.
Defenders cite high card fees for shopkeepers and the preference among the elderly for cash.
However, critics say its use contributes to tax evasion and money laundering — two problems that have long dogged the Italian economy.
“Mafia and (tax) evaders thank you,” tweeted Andrea Orlando, labour minister under former premier Mario Draghi, about the League’s bill.
HELPS THE POOR
Meloni — who has sought to reassure the EU that she will be fiscally prudent — told the Senate on Wednesday that she will support a higher cash ceiling.
However, reports suggest she will back a lower level than proposed by the League, perhaps around 5,000 euros.
The limit had been due to be cut to 1,000 euros from January.
She denied any link between high cash limits and the shadow economy, saying the higher ceiling “helps the poor”.
Cash is preferred by low earners in the centre and south of Italy, where unemployment is higher, and among women and the self-employed, according to a Bank of Italy analysis of European Central Bank surveys published in March.
In a May report, the ECB estimated there were 13.5 million people in the eurozone with no bank account or access to financial services, arguing that cash needed to remain accessible and accepted.
However, an October 2021 Bank of Italy research paper found a direct correlation between the use of cash and the shadow economy, noting that restrictions on cash use “are an effective instrument to tackle tax evasion”.
A 2016 decision to raise Italy’s ceiling from 1,000 euros to 3,000 euros to boost spending raised the share of the shadow economy by about 0.5 percentage points, the Bank of Italy report found.
Italy’s cash ceiling has gradually been lowered over the past three decades, although it rose to a high of 12,500 euros under two governments of then-premier Silvio Berlusconi, whose Forza Italia party is also part of Meloni’s coalition.
Elsewhere in Europe, Greece has the most stringent cash limit, at 500 euros, while the ceiling rises above 10,000 euros in countries such as Malta, the Czech Republic and Croatia.
Germany, Sweden and Ireland, among others, have no limits, but restrictions exist.
Italy’s largest business association, Confcommercio, said that as soaring inflation eats into household budgets, “it does not appear appropriate to impose new limitations on forms of payment”.
It said that lowering merchants’ credit card processing fees was a priority.
Massimo Vidiri, 51, who runs a Rome tobacco shop, said clients increasingly wanted to use credit cards, although he himself likes carrying cash.
“If something happens, like a blackout, what do I do?” he asked. “If the internet goes down throughout Italy, what do we do?”
He complained about high fees, a view shared by another shopkeeper nearby, Angelo Bruno.
Bruno, 71, denied small merchants like himself were a problem, telling reporters: “The big cases of tax evasion are the politicians, the only ones who get picked on are the little shopkeepers.”
The Bank of Italy report found that because small business owners were more susceptible to bureaucratic burdens and high taxes, they were “more prone to shifting into the shadow economy”.
Digital payments accelerated in Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic, when shops were shut and online shopping spiked.
A “cashback” scheme put in place in 2021 by then-prime minister Giuseppe Conte to encourage consumer spending and fight tax evasion through refunds on credit card purchases was considered inefficient and costly, and suspended by Draghi.


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First Five Gold Rings winner given £500 jewellery voucher - now you could do the same
PUBLISHED: 08:00 05 December 2017
The Mercury's Five Gold Rings competition started the festive season in style, with a lucky winner walking away with the perfect Christmas surprise in Weston-super-Mare.
Catherine West, of Canberra Road, was the lucky recipient of a £500 jewellery voucher after visiting the first late-night shopping event on November 30.
Hundreds of people flocked to the town centre for the switching on of the Christmas lights and to hunt for gifts, and Catherine walked away in disbelief after being presented with her prize.
She said: “It’s wonderful and such a big surprise. I’ve never won anything before, and I wasn’t expecting this at all.
“When I got the phone call I ran up the High Street to claim the prize. It’s fantastic, and it’s made my Christmas already.”
The competition is being run in conjunction with Weston Business Improvement District and high-quality Meadow Street-based jeweller Caboodle.
Caboodle owner Steve Finch told the Mercury he was ‘delighted with how the competition started’.
He said: “It’s fabulous. The lady had daughters as well so between them they will find some things to spend the voucher on.”
But if you were not lucky enough to have your name drawn from the hat, all is not lost.
Five Gold Rings will run at the late-night shopping events in the town centre each Thursday until Christmas, and all you have to do is locate the Mercury stand and enter the free competition by 7.30pm when a winner will be drawn.
A £500 Caboodle voucher will be given away each Thursday, except on December 21 when two prizes will be up for grabs.
Mr Finch added: “It’s brilliant to see so many smiling faces and I’m looking forward to the next three Thursdays.
“We’ve seen a fair few customers tonight, which is really encouraging and we’d encourage more to come into Weston on the next three Thursday nights because there are lots of really good shops where you can find all your Christmas gifts.
“After the success of last year we have expanded the competition. We have a shop in Burnham High Street called Antony James Jewellers and the voucher is valid in either of the shops.
“It’s a great time of year for people to win something as big as a £500 voucher because it is the time of year we are all looking for gifts.”


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The launch of Apple's iPad brought concerns that the device might cannibalize sales of the Mac computer--but a look at the first month of the June quarter shows that it's the iPod, not the Mac, that may be taking the iPad hit.
In the U.S., Mac sales for the month of April were up 39 percent, ahead of the 19 percent projection that Wall Street has estimated for the full quarter, according to newly released data from the NPD Group. At the same time, iPods were down 17 percent for the month, compared to April of last year. Wall Street is forecasting a 9 percent decline for the full quarter.
Read more of "iPad is so far having a minimal effect on Mac sales; iPod sales are down" at ZDNet.


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Private equity firm True North Tuesday bought a 51% stake in standalone health insurance company Max Bupa in an all-cash deal, valuing the company at ₹ 1,001 crore.
The board of Max India Tuesday approved the sale that will lead to a cash inflow of ₹511 crore for the seller. Bupa, the existing joint venture partner with 49% holing, retains its stake.
At the conclusion of the transaction, True North will nominate its directors to Max Bupa’s Board, while Max India’s nominated directors will step down. The use of the Max brand will be phased out over a period of two years and replaced with a suitable name. The Bupa brand name will continue as before.
“We are rebalancing our portfolio of businesses with a much sharper focus on growing shareholder value, and this transaction is a step toward that journey,” said Analjit Singh, founder & chairman, Max Group.
True North has investments in more than 40 Indian businesses over the last 19 years through its six investment funds, with a combined corpus of more than $2.8 billion.
“Higher growth, highest persistency —policy holders renewing their health insurance policies –and prospects of a good quality retail franchise were the triggers to purchase this business,” said Divya Sehgal, Partner, True North.
Source:- The Economic Times
Date:- 27th February,2019-Wednesday


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Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the economy, accounting for well over 40 percent of GDP in most countries. While MSMEs have always needed government support, COVID-19 has dealt them a devastating blow from which many may not recover. Various governments have announced economic relief packages, but these do not always address the real challenges MSMEs face to reopen and grow their business in the post COVID-19 world, where they may need to operate in different ways and with disrupted supply chains and customer relationships. In addition to economic support, MSMEs require access to digital skills and solutions to continue to operate in this new environment. Based on an international survey by Arthur D. Little, we have assembled a list of best practices in economic and digital support to ensure that MSMEs survive and grow in the uncertain future.
MSMEs are experiencing a survival crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has severely impacted businesses around the world, but the effect on MSMEs is especially acute. For example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has found that a third of MSMEs fear that they will be out of business without further support within one month, and up to 50 percent within three months. In the US, a survey conducted by MetLife and the US Chamber of Commerce reported that 43 percent of small businesses are likely to close permanently in the next six months.
Lockdowns and restrictions have drastically decreased, or even eradicated, the demand for goods and services in many sectors, such as hospitality, leisure, retail, transport, media and manufacturing. Consumer spending has fallen and could remain depressed for some time as a result of the economic downturn and continued fears of infection. Restrictions on workplace occupancy, along with workers who are ill or who need to look after dependents, reduces the supply of labor. Movement restrictions and uncertain breaks in production have also interrupted supply chains, leading to a scarcity of intermediate goods. In the meantime, fixed costs for items such as rental space, maintenance and insurance are not easy to reduce in the short term.
Unlike larger firms, MSMEs do not have the financial resilience to absorb negative cash flow and may not have ready access to new credit. Significant market failure is therefore looming for MSMEs. Moreover, they are not always recognized as constituting a huge part of the global economy, which is well over 40 percent of GDP in most countries. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, MSMEs constitute 90 percent of all businesses and more than 50 percent of jobs worldwide. Governments therefore need to take direct and urgent action to support MSMEs.
MSMEs’ financial positions are inherently precarious
MSMEs operate with often fragile financial positions. Lending institutions prefer to offer credit to large enterprises rather than MSMEs due to the higher risks that smaller firms carry, the lack of publicly available information on them, unfamiliarity with their products/services and lack of collateral. MSMEs also have a propensity to suffer payment delays from debtors, as they are often unable to negotiate advance payments from customers. For example, according to American Express, in 2019, around two-thirds of them claimed to be facing cashflow challenges from late payments.
While conditions have been improving in some regions as shown by reductions in bankruptcy rates, the financial position of MSMEs remains a barrier to growth as well as their Achilles’ heel. According to the World Bank, many countries face large financing gaps for MSMEs. In 2017, MSMEs’ financial gap was estimated to be USD 5.2 trillion, equivalent to 19 percent of the GDP of the countries covered in our analysis (IFC, 2017). Overall, financing for MSMEs remains a critical challenge that is strongly exacerbated under the current conditions.
Provide effective financial stimulus for MSMEs
Governments around the world have announced economic stimulus packages. Monetary support has been in the form of regulatory changes that incentivize financial institutions to be more willing to provide loans to businesses. However, as mentioned earlier, access may still be difficult in practice due to lenders’ risk policies and the bureaucracy surrounding the lending process.
Fiscal policies include credit guarantees, tax deferrals and relaxed administrative costs as well as direct lending, grants or subsidies. Some of these have only limited impact on the critical needs of MSMEs, for example:
- Tax deferrals/tax relief have a time lag, and may not alleviate short-term cash flow problems.
- Relaxed administrative costs are similarly often not felt immediately, depending on payment terms.
An immediate fiscal impulse in the form of government loans, grants or subsidies is vital for MSMEs, to help them meet shortterm expenses. In our survey, we found that government direct spending on immediate fiscal impulse varies hugely - from zero to nearly 9 percent of GDP. Among the countries we analyzed, Singapore has topped direct government spending for MSMEs at 8.9 percent of GDP during the pandemic, including wage subsidies, working capital loans and specific grants for sectors most impacted. These responses have helped MSMEs retain employees, improve cash flow and cover costs of business operations. Canada also stands out, reporting 6.6 percent of GDP spent on MSMEs. Direct fiscal measures by leading countries have included lump-sum direct transfers to affected firms, subsidy of employee wages, raised unemployment packages, compensation for sick leave and rent subsidies.
Even with such measures in place, it is often challenging for MSMEs to access the support quickly enough due to red tape, poor implementation (e.g., lack of coordination with financial institutions) and/or lack of clear information. Some countries have created innovative solutions to address these challenges. For example, France, one of the top rankers in our fiscal stimulus index (see “About the survey” at the end of this viewpoint), has established a digital dashboard that helps MSMEs understand their financial options based on region, sector and department. In Canada, a hotline service helps farming entrepreneurs and small business owners access financial planning advice and information on options for public financial support.
However, due to the nature of the COVID-19 crisis, even substantial financial support may not be enough on its own to enable MSMEs to survive and regrow.
Complement financial stimulus with digitalization support
The COVID-19 crisis has forced enterprises of all sizes to accelerate digitalization of their operations. However, MSMEs often find it harder than large organizations to adopt teleworking, online retail channels and other digital solutions necessary to thrive in a post COVID-19 world. Prior to the crisis, penetration of digital technologies was poor among MSMEs. For example, in the last 12 months, only 22 percent of small businesses worldwide made e-commerce sales, and more than 75 percent did not have the necessary information technology capabilities (OECD Going Digital Toolkit). Three key elements inhibit MSME digitalization:
- A lack of information and awareness of new digital possibilities and insufficient capabilities to develop a wellintegrated and long-term digitalization strategy.
- Insufficient financing to effectively implement change. Even if financing is available, doubts on ROI can hinder the decision to spend already limited capital.
- Limited skills to identify the right technology options for business and to operate them efficiently.
Given the unique circumstances surrounding the global pandemic that has made digitalization critical for survival – governments urgently need to provide support to fill the gaps.
Best practices in digitalization support for MSMEs
In our survey, we found that government digital support initiatives for MSMEs tend to fall into three categories:
- Provisioning of information and expertise – Services that support the enhancement of digital knowledge to select and operate technologies.
- Grants and funding for digitalization – Direct financial support for procuring technologies/services to accelerate digitalization.
- Ready-made solutions/platforms – Provision of, or enabling access to, digital solutions that can be immediately adopted by MSMEs without the relevant skills in-house.
Provisioning of information and expertise can be accomplished through online training on specific digital solutions based on MSME economic sectors, or through consultancy services in the context of broader digital transformation. For example, Austria’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs launched the Digital Team Austria initiative, comprising companies in the digitalization industry and offering digital services to MSMEs free of charge for at least three months.
Grants and funding for digitalization initiatives may include subsidy payments to transition to digital e-commerce platforms or dedicated funds that provide grants or loans. In Germany, for instance, the government has set up dedicated funds for digitalization and ICT advancement of MSMEs. Similarly, Japan offers subsidies to support teleworking, adoption of IT solutions and developing e-commerce sales channels.
Ready-made solutions/platforms may be the most impactful category of digitalization initiatives, as these address multiple challenges simultaneously. Ready-made solutions can be in the form of equipment, connectivity packages, videoconferencing, collaboration platforms, digital payments, e-commerce platforms, IT solutions and cybersecurity solutions, among others. Such solutions reduce the need for technical expertise as well as capital required for in-house development or purchase of digital solutions. They may also provide strategic direction on how to engage in a larger, forward-looking digital strategy. In most countries we analyzed, most initiatives that support MSME digitalization are in the provisioning or enablement of ready-made solutions, with a focus on those sectors that have been the most affected and that have the potential to continue operating under remote working conditions.
In China, for example, the government has been providing support for MSMEs to migrate to cloud computing by purchasing collaborative cloud technology solutions that enable home office, online training and e-commerce. Similarly, the Italian government has established a portal where enterprises, particularly MSMEs, can register to access free digital services from large private-sector companies.
In Singapore, these solutions have been targeted towards helping sectors individually. For example, one program short-lists a series of technology solutions that MSMEs can implement to enhance specific tasks related to their sectors. The program includes a tailored list of solutions and finances up to 80 percent of the expenses related to purchase and implementation. Individual authorities are also supplying ready-made solutions for MSMEs: Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Enterprise Singapore announced that they have preapproved remote working solutions that include laptops, while the Singapore Tourism Analytics Network provides access to updated tourism statistics to support recovery activities.
In Colombia, the focus is on creating virtual marketplaces, including forums where companies offer discounts and free services to help other businesses, as well as digital marketplaces for B2B and B2C. Ready-made solutions from the Colombian government include free online tools, digital payment tools and webpage development for businesses to enable MSMEs to maintain client communication channels. Latin America accounts for just two percent of global B2C e-commerce (IDB, 2020); thus, changing the mindset requires a vast push from governments.
Other leading countries in our survey, like Austria and Malaysia, have focused on providing digital platforms as well. In Austria, several regional online platforms promote products online. In Malaysia, the government is developing a digital marketplace to allow smaller suppliers to work with government for procurement.
The figure below shows further examples of support initiatives across the three categories.
What should governments do going forward?
Overall, our survey showed that although some governments have initiated a push to accelerate MSME digitalization, there is still more to be done. Governments could benefit from sharing information internationally on what is and is not working.
Governments need to ensure they are providing MSMEs with the right type of financial support for survival – especially loans, grants or subsidies – with a minimum of delay and red tape. They also need to do more to support rapid MSME digitalization, recognizing the unique impacts of the pandemic. As MSMEs realize the benefits of digital solutions, it will be easier for them to invest further in a virtuous cycle. Wherever possible, governments should leverage private-public partnerships and build ecosystems to attract investors to grow digitalization for MSMEs.
Most importantly, governments must act now and act fast. If not, the damage to global economic recovery could be huge – even as much as 20 percent of GDP in the short term.
About the survey
Arthur D. Little surveyed approaches used in government financial and digitalization support for MSMEs across 30 countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
An index was developed to roughly rank government fiscal stimulus based on two parameters:
- Government direct spending on MSMEs – Scale of 1 (low) to 4 (high), normalized as a percent of GDP.
- MSMEs’ need for financing – Scale of 1 (low) to 4 (high), based on indicators such as share of MSME loan applications, share of short-term MSME loans etc.
Scores were added to provide an index score ranging from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 8 (see table below).
We focused on identifying best practices in digitalization support. Although we initially considered a single digitalization support index, we rejected this approach due to the difficulty of assessing the quality and quantity of diverse initiatives across different countries, as well as the varying levels of digital maturity in countries.
Further details on specific best practices are available from Arthur D. Little on request.