Eastern Europe is promising in many ways with regard to return on investment. Not sure if Finland is officially in that category, but certainly in the neighborhood; Nokia a major player both in competitiveness and innovation.
Re.1: an example of program to support projects and investments is available here "http://bit.ly/hzZnjs". It was founded by USAID (United States Agency for International Development)
Re.2: to support for example European Championship in '12, they are improving messaging services just to provide by (mobile) ads infos on results, bettings or heritages to visit and so on.
1. What kind of programs has the US initiated in Europe that you know of?
2. I am a sports fan and I have seen the huge crowds that show for live sporting events in Europe. What if they implemented some type of initiatives to get some positive cycle of currency going based on the large amounts of people? Does this even seem possible of just a dream in my head?
Tam, I really appreciated your column contribution and posts from people below. All of you are reporting exactly a true picture. Based on my experience, I can report several financial actions to promote investments there, are on the table. Supply chain is one of the key factor in recovering back economy; US Agency for International Development has launched projects there, for example. Furthermore for example, big sportive events in Eastern Regions (european and then worldwide football championships) within next years could attract more & more investments especially in the electronic and telecommunication sectors.
Absolutely. Do not forget to mention the power outages and loss of phone/internet connectivity taht took place. I had at least a handful of clients calling with a server down, etc issue.
Barbara, good point about logistical concerns. However, natural disasters are unpredictable. New York, for example, is not associated with disruptions caused by weather. Nevertheless, the snow that struck at the end December caused cars and public transportation to grind to a halt, not to mention all the flights that were grounded for upwards of 24 hours. That is not a long-term problem, but I'm sure many businesses were disrupted as a result.
With costs rising in China and the EU's debt crisis, attracting manufacturing to the neighboring region makes a lot of sense. The question is whether companies will go for the low-cost areas or be attracted by efforts such as the UK's building a high-tech center in London.
An interesting side note: with snow, volcanoes and everything else stalling air travel, the EU rail system is something to consider when building a supply chain. A UK-based colleague of mine told me his life was uninterrupted by the volcano activity of last year.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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