Tag Archives: Growth

Fracking in the US and guar seed farmer impact in India

An article in the New York Times (July 16,2012) describes how growth in fracking for oil has resulted in increased demand for guar, a water absorbing seed grown primarily in India. With prices rising dramatically amidst growing oil company demand, … Continue reading

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Nokia’s smartphone component costs vs Apple’s iphone component costs

An article in the Wall Street Journal (May 31, 2012) describes an estimate by iSuppli that components for the Nokia Lumia 900 cost $ 209 while those for the 16GB iPhone cost $ 190. But the Lumia sells for $ … Continue reading

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Pipeline flow direction in Canada to accomodate tar sands output growth

A article in the Economist (May 26, 2012) describes the increased oil production from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada, estimated to gow to 72 % of Canada’s output by 2020 (from 58 % now). But getting that oil, which … Continue reading

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Should oil field truckers have special rules even if they cause accidents ?

An article in New York Times (May 14, 2012) described exemptions for oil field truckers that lets them take 24 hours off for 60 hours of work over seven consecutive days vs 34 hours for commercial truckers. This exemption was … Continue reading

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The ripple effect of auto sales on the supply chain

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (May 21, 2012) describes the growth in auto sales to 2008 levels (14 million) – back to 2008 levels – and its ripple effect across the supply chain. Tooling and ficture manufacturer Apex Tool claims growth, … Continue reading

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Amazon’s fashion plans

An article in the New York Times (May 8,2012) describes Amazon.com’s plans to sell more fashion product, with the logic that shipping costs are independent of item price and thus fashion goods offer greater margin. Amazon does not plan to … Continue reading

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Rising palladium prices and drivers

An article in the Wall Street Journal (April 25, 2012) describes rising prices of palladium, a metal used in gasoline car exhausts. It is the sister metal of platinum, used in diesel car exhausts. Rising sales in the US and … Continue reading

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Coal supply issues, power supply and supply chain impact in India

An article in the New York Times (April 19,2012) describes coal supply difficulties in India due to price controls on power, rising prices of Indonesian coal and lack of incentives to use natural gas. The impact – erratic power supplies … Continue reading

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China’s export mix and target region shifts and global impact

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (April 9,2012) describes a shift in China’s exports towards heavy machinery, cars and ships from shoes, consumer electronics and clothing. Inland locations with abundant labor, targeted government loans and a focus on emerging markets like Brazil … Continue reading

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The supply chain for songs

An article in the New Yorker (March 26, 2012) describes the role of producers (who generate chord progressions, beats and computerized synths), “top-line” writers (who generate melodies, lyrics and hooks to attract listeners) – who then market to performers to … Continue reading

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