CROWD ELEVATOR

The world leader in franchising is the United States of America. Franchising takes a big part of the business in the US. Among the rankings of the franchises in 2010, on the first place was Subway, the second place took McDonald's and the third place was taken by 7-Eleven. From this top list of franchise companies around the globe, we see that all of them are US franchise companies, and 2 out of 3 companies are involved in fast food industry. And this is not surprising as there are many advantages of running a fast food franchise. The most important one is that there is a same developed menu in each branch that the clients are aware about. As an example, let's say a person traveling from Seattle to Kansas city does not know good places to eat out and in order not to be disappointed she/he will choose to go to a familiar Subway or McDonald's for example. There are notable advantages as to the franchisee, so to the franchiser. Thus, a franchisee gets the rights fo...

Сегодня вечером ко мне в дверь постучал молодой парнишка. Я бы ему дала не больше 18 лет. Так как это было уже вечером, то я побоялась сразу открывать ему дверь. Спрашиваю: "Кто там?". Он мне отвечает: "Вы согласитесь, если я уберу ваш подъезд за 80 сом?" Так как моя квартира находится на последнем этаже, то у меня соответственно возник вопрос. "А остальные соседи согласны? - спрашиваю я." На что он мне отвечает, что начал с моей квартиры. Ну думаю, ладно, не буду расстраивать парнишку раз хочет подзаработать честным трудом, да и подъезд давно не убирали (не уверена, если его вообще убирают). В общем я согласилась и сказала, чтобы он у всех соседей спросил. Ну думаю будет жаль, если не все согласятся, останется наш подъезд неубранным и парнишка расстроеным. Через некоторое время выхожу значит на балкон посмотреть на парнишку, а он все не выходит и не выходит из подъезда. Ну думаю наверное упрашивает всех соседей согласится. Потом вдруг слышу шум в подъезд...

Following my previous article on the issue of a huge incarceration rates in the US. Let me clarify that I am not trying to defend or justify the imprisoned. The only thing that interests me is the economics behind the crimes/prisons. Earlier in the year, President Obama signed the amnesty for illegal aliens that would forgive undocumented people and as a result award them with legal status (Green Card). This in turn will benefit 12 to 20 million undocumented persons currently being in the US. Looks like the authorities accounted that it is more beneficial as for the state budget in terms of extra taxes to be paid by the new legal aliens (up to 20 mln!), so for the illegal immigrants as well. In 1986 through Immigration and Reform Control Act (IRCA) was the first and only amnesty for a large group of people. Back then it was 2.8 million undocumented aliens. Just imagine the benefits to the state budget from this act. First of all there is no more need to pay $160 per imprisoned ...

The United States always tends to be the first one in any sphere. It didn't stay behind in the putting people behind the bars.The US has the highest incarceration rates in the world. The second place is taken by Russia. In 2007, the US peaked in its incarceration rates and those numbers are comparable with the imprisoned people during the years from 1934 to 1953 in Soviet Union ("The Gulag Archipelago" A. Solzhenitsyn). That is 23.4% of the world's prison and jail population was in the US, and this is while there is less than 5% of the world's population living in the US. Does it mean that people in the US tend to commit more crimes or is it a matter of profits to some? Well, according to the professor in the University of Chicago, G. Becker ( the founder of the theory of economics of crime and law enforcement, a Nobel laureate in economics ): "The essence of the economic approach to crime is amazingly simple - It consists in the fact that peopl...

We want to study in good schools, get education, earn our diploma and become "smarter". But only a few people really think about education system, specifically higher education systems, their national and international standards.  Once accepted to college, a student has an important decision to make, that is, in what direction she/he should specialize on and what classes to take (unless she/he exactly knows what she/he wants to study). A certain list of required courses is provided and a student starts to studying that, often without thinking if it worth it. We obey the rules, most of us do not question already created standards. But who sets those standards? Is it a Ministry of education or a donor who makes big donations? And are the standards set in the past still relevant today? I haven't been thinking much about this issue, but got really inspired to think on this when attended the public lecture called How 'Global' is the Global Transformation of the Un...

There has been a lot of talks about China's economy, its rapid growth since 1978 (when China shifted from centrally planned to market based economy) and its recent slowdown. Most critics on China claim that its growth will gradually slow down. Transitioning from middle-income to high-income status can be more difficult than moving up from low to middle income (WB ). A comprehensive work on China called China 2030. Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society, was conducted by a joint research team with experts from the World Bank and China (Ministry of Finance, the Development Research Center of the State Council). A four hundred page research work covering China's path 1978 - 2030, its structural reforms, growth through technological convergence and innovation, green development, security and China's integration in Global                               ...

Эта статья написана как вдохновление биографией одной из влиятельных женщин нашего времени. Эта женщина в 2011 году заняла 5 место в списке «100 самых влиятельных женщин в мире» от Forbes, в 2012 году попала в ежегодный список Тайм (Time) 100, список наиболее влиятельных людей мира по версии журнала Тайм (Time).  Ее доход за прошлый год составил $845 млн и при этом она замужем и у нее двое детей. Кто говорит, что семья и карьера несовместимы? Шерил Сэндберг - главный операционный директор Фейсбук. Шерил Кара Сэндберг родилась 28 августа 1969 года. В 1991 году Шерил окончила с отличием Гарвард (бакалавр в экономике) и поступила на службу к Ларри Саммерсу во Всемирном банке в качестве ассистента по исследованиям. В 1995 году Шерил окончила с отличием МВА в Гарварде. C 1997 по 2001 она проработала в Министерстве финансов США, далее 8 лет работала в Гугле вице президентом по глобальным онлайн продажам и операциям. С 2009 года Шерил Сэндберг работает в Фейсбуке и в этом году она изд...