In order for small and medium enterprise (SME) owners to grow their businesses, they will eventually need to increase their staff complement. However, if this process is not managed effectively, it can become a serious burden to the business owner. This is according to Vincent Kiyingi, Country Manager at Business Partners Uganda, who emphasizes the […]
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) began implementing mandatory certification for all products covered by compulsory standards on July 1. UNBS opted for mandatory certification in the new regulation as part of its continued efforts to safeguard public health, safety, and the environment from products that do not meet the standards. Products covered by […]
Over the past two decades, China has been achieving rapid technological progress, thanks in no small part to its massive investment in research and development, which totaled some 2.2% of its GDP last year. Yet China is nowhere near the technological frontier. In fact, the distance separating it from that frontier is far greater than […]
The Twentieth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), held on 18-19July 2018 in Lusaka, Zambia, will be remembered as a landmark. Its communique, now a public document, reads like a blockbuster. Tunisia and Somalia were admitted, increasing the membership of COMESA to 21 countries, […]
For the last three years, dozens of countries have gathered each July to present their national plans to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the latest of these United Nations High-Level Political Forums, governments rolled out impressive blueprints – almost none of which included realistic budgets or revenue sources. Estimates of the development investment […]
One major impetus behind US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies is his belief that China has artificially weakened its currency in order to dump goods in the United States. Trump harped on this issue often during his presidential campaign. But now that he is taking action to reduce America’s bilateral trade deficit with China, there […]
Recently my company Huawei was strongly criticised by several members of the US Congress. They asked the US secretary of education to investigate whether our co-operation with US universities on basic scientific research might threaten US national security. I believe this criticism displays an ignorance of how contemporary science and innovation work and I recently […]
Even before assuming his duties in the Oval office President Donald Trump has made the finest nationalist rhetoric we have heard in decades and in so many ways he is following the steps of Leon Gambetta despite the obvious differences . Leon Gambetta was an eloquent orator, well-spoken and a man of national vision who […]
Research shows that owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda feel a general sense of neglect when it comes to helping them acquire the practical skills necessary to grow and continue to be sustainable. Despite being internationally recognised as one of the most entrepreneurial countries, the majority of Ugandan businesses rarely live to […]
It has been less than two months since the populist Five Star Movement (M5S) and the right-wing League party formed a new Italian government, so it is too early to tell how the coalition will translate its campaign rhetoric into concrete policies. In fact, the coalition’s internal contradictions might limit the scope of its legislative […]
It is often said that the unipolar world order, dominated by the United States, that emerged at the end of the Cold War has lately shifted to a “multipolar” arrangement, owing to the growing geopolitical “weight” of countries such as China, as well as many emerging economies. But the actual metrics by which we weigh […]
During the High Medieval Period, from the eleventh to the thirteenth century, serfs in France had no property rights. Instead, those with land had to hand over most of what they produced to the local seigneur (lord) who could confiscate their land upon their death (“mainmorte”). In return, they did receive services, such as protection […]
One of the central challenges facing the world’s advanced economies is slowing growth. Over the last decade, growth rates in the advanced economies have averaged 1.2%, down from an average of 3.1% during the previous 25 years. History shows that slower economic growth can make societies less generous, less tolerant, and less inclusive. So, it […]