The Visible Hand

The Economist: State Capitalism

Adrian Wooldridge is The Economist's management editor and writes the Schumpeter column. He was previously based in Washington, DC, as the Washington bureau chief where he also wrote the Lexington column. Previously he has been The Economist's West Coast correspondent, management correspondent and Britain correspondent. He is the co-author of The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea, A Future Perfect: The Challenge and Hidden Promise of Globalisation, Witch Doctors, a critical examination of management theory, and The Right Nation, a study of conservatism in America. His most recent book is Masters of Management: How the Business Gurus and their Ideas have Changed the World-for Better and for Worse.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
As Western liberalist capitalism flounders in the wake of global recession, state backed companies are slowly taking over. 
 
The melding of the power of the state and the power of capitalism is on the rise. Prevalent in the emerging economies of China, Russia and Brazil, some of the world's most powerful companies are state owned. 
 
The 13 biggest oil firms are government controlled. China Mobile has over 600million customers and the Emirates airlines is growing at 20% a year. 
 
However, despite the numerous successes, Adrian Wooldridge urges caution. He asks whether it could easily survive if confronted with difficulty, criticises the embedded corruption and cronyism and asks whether a fair trading system is possible to maintain with government favoured business. 
 
Slowly but surely, the invisible hand of the market is being usurped by the visible, often authoritarian, hand of state capitalism. 
 
Sections include: 
 
The visible hand 
 
Something old, something new - a brief history of state capitalism 
 
New masters of the universe - how state enterprise is spreading 
 
Theme and variations - state capitalism is not all the same 
 
Mixed bag - infrastructure and innovation 
 
The world in their hands - state capitalism looks outward and inward 
 
And the winner is - fatal flaws

Revolution in Retreat

The Economist: Cuba

Michael Reid joined The Economist in 1990 as Mexico and Central America Correspondent and in 1994 changed to cover consumer industries. In 1996 he moved to Sao Paulo to be the Bureau Chief and in 1999 returned to London as Americas Editor. Prior to this, he was based in Lima, Peru working for The Economist, the Guardian and the BBC. His book Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul was published by Yale University Press in November 2007. Mr Reid has been interviewed on the BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4 PM, amongst others.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Raúl Castro is changing Cuba. Recognising the limits that the Soviet style economy places upon the Cuban people, he is allowing the market greater freedoms. A new, private sector is emerging and is expected to employ around 25% of the labour force by 2015. 
 
What will these changes mean for foreign business and for Cuba's position on the global stage? 
 
As there doesn't seem to be a Castro successor and the party is pressured by the younger generation and the digital world, where will Cuba be in ten years time? 
 
This report will reflect on the likelihood and impact of political and economic change on the island - essential reading for anyone involved in the region. 
 
Sections include: 
 
Revolution in retreat 
 
The deal's off - growing inequalities 
 
Hasta la vista, baby - a disappearing population 
 
Edging towards capitalism - slow reform 
 
Grandmother's footsteps - political change 
 
The Miami mirror - Cuba and Miami 
 
The biological factor - what next for the Castro dynasty?

Playing with Fire

The Economist: Financial Innovation

Andrew Palmer joined The Economist as Management Correspondent in February 2007, became Banking Correspondent in September 2007 and Finance Editor in June 2009. Prior to this he was at the Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company, where, among other roles, he led the editorial team conducting bespoke research programmes, surveys and reports. Mr Palmer is a frequent commentator on radio and television.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Is financial innovation good or bad? 
Did it cause the financial crisis of 2007/2008? 
Are the current financial systems working for a stable global economy? 
 
Andrew Palmer answers these questions in his special report, but urges that it's more that just a debate on whether financial innovation does or doesn't work. In fact, he claims, it is almost impossible to draw these distinctions. 
 
Using a variety of examples - from social bonds to securitisations risks - he highlights the weaknesses in innovative strategies, revealing how some innovation is doomed to failure. 
 
The consequences of innovation are now so crucial and so scrutinised - it is essential reading for anyone in the business world. 
 
Sections include: 
Playing with fire 
The ferment of finance 
The little guy 
From vanilla to rocky road 
The fast and furious 
Of plumbing and promises 
On the side of the angels 
Safety first

Perilous Journey

The Economist: Pakistan

Simon Long, Asia columinst, took up this post, based in Singapore, in August 2010. Before that, he had worked in London for four years, as the magazine's Asia editor, and for four years prior to that as South Asia bureau chief based in Delhi. 
 
He joined The Economist in 1995, as South-East Asia correspondent, based in Bangkok. In 1998 he returned to London as finance and economics editor. In 2000 he became the deputy head of Global Agenda, The Economist's updated internet service, before moving to Delhi. He had previously spent nine years with the BBC, as an analyst on East Asian affairs based in London, as Beijing correspondent from 1989-1991, and Hong Kong correspondent from 1993. He wrote extensively for the Guardian newspaper, and many other outlets. He was for a number of years the author of Economist Intelligence Unit country reports on China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 
In an earlier career as an investment banker, with Morgan Grenfell, he worked in London and Singapore, rising to the position of senior assistant director, responsible for the banking division's Asian business.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Pakistan is in a tricky situation. It is under constant scrutiny by the world media but is more often than not described in terms of its problems. 
 
There are indeed difficulties - bordering the unsettled nations of Afghanistan and Iran puts it in a precarious position. A poor and badly educated population for the most part is not helping the country's growth. 
 
There is hope. 
 
The wealth of natural resources, a growing, urban population and a more democratic government all point to a positive future. 
 
But with the NATO withdrawal from its troubled neighbours nearing, Pakistan's survival hangs in the balance. 
 
Simon Long's special report includes the following sections: 
 
Perilous Journey 
Too close for comfort 
State of vulnerability 
Captain's innings 
In the shadow of the mosque 
Lights off 
A taste of Hunny 
Always with us 
Dripping with blood 
Going with the flow

Closing the Gap

The Economist: Women and Work

Barbara Beck joined The Economist in 1965 and held various editorial posts, mainly on the business side. In 1974 she became European editor, a position she held until 1980. From 1981 to 1991, she was Secretary General of the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society, a bilateral, government-funded think-tank. For the next three years she was editor of International Management magazine. In 1993 she became Head of Communications, Europe, for Andersen Consulting. She then returned to The Economist in 1995 as Special Reports editor.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
When students graduate from university they are employed in equal numbers. Move up the ladder a few rungs and the number of women in high powered positions has fallen dramatically. 
 
Women make up just 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs and still generally get paid less than their male counterparts. 
 
Barbara Becks ask why this is and what can be done about it. She covers: 
 
Closing the gap 
 
Female labour markets: The cashier and the carpenter 
 
A world of bluestockings 
 
Work and family: Baby blues 
 
Top jobs: Too many suits 
 
Women in China: The sky's the limit 
 
Looking ahead: Here's to the next half-century

All the World's a Game

The Economist: Video Games

Tim Cross joined The Economist as an intern in June 2004. He covered business, and then transport, energy and the environment for the Britain section, where he won the Wincott Award for Young Financial Journalist of the Year in 2005. Mr Cross now works on the Science section, covering, among other things, astronomy, the space business, medicine and technology stories of all kinds. He is a regular contributor to the website's Babbage blog.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
In the US, the average age of a gamer is 37 and 42% are female. Last year the industry earned $56billion worldwide. 
 
Tim Cross analyses the proliferation of the video games in this Economist special report, and how its successes are set to grow. 
Sections in the report include: 
 
All the world's a game 
 
As you like it 
 
The business of gaming: Thinking out of the box 
 
Paying for pixels 
 
E-sports: Gentlemen, start your computers 
 
Violence and addiction: No killer app 
 
Alternative uses: The play's the thing 
 
The importance of fun: Homo ludens

Beyond the PC

The Economist: Personal Technology

Martin Giles joined The Economist as a Finance Correspondent in 1988. He then moved to Paris as the newspaper's European Business Correspondent, before returning to London as Finance Editor. Mr Giles subsequently spent several years on the business side of The Economist Group, latterly as Managing Director of the group's US operations. During this time he was awarded an executive MBA from The University of Chicago's Booth Graduate School of Business. In 2008 he returned to the editorial staff of The Economist, becoming the newspaper's management correspondent in New York. Since 2009 he has been the US Technology Correspondent in San Francisco. He has written special reports on numerous subjects during his career at The Economist, including European business, international banking, insurance and the rise of social networks. Mr Giles is a member of the Advisory Council of The Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and a trustee of the Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Twenty years ago one gigabyte of memory cost $200,000. Now, a terabyte (1000 gigabytes) costs a mere $100. 
 
Technology permeates our everyday lives and never more so than with our portable, personal devices. Businesses are struggling to keep up with their employees' technological abilities and demands. 
 
In Personal Technology, Martin Giles unpicks the changing landscape of technology, examining apps, new devices and their effect on world trade. In the following sections, he explains how technology and the economy are becoming inextricably linked and how this has resulted in the birth of the new, digital age. 
 
Beyond the PC 
 
Consumerisation: The power of many 
 
Apps on tap 
 
Personal technology at work: IT's Arab spring 
 
Adapting personal IT for business: The consumer-industrial complex 
 
Droid wars 
 
Ubiquitous computing: Up close 
 
Technology and society: Here comes anyware

Rising Power, Anxious State

The Economist: China

James Miles has been China Correspondent for The Economist, based in Beijing, since 2001. Before that, he held many positions with the BBC, including Beijing Bureau Chief for BBC News and Current Affairs, 1988 to 1994, Hong Kong Correspondent, BBC World Service, 1995 to 1997 and Senior Chinese Affairs Analyst, BBC News London, 1997 to 2000. James has been interviewed on CNN, Channel 4 evening news, BBC One Ten O'Clock News, BBC Radio 4 'Today', BBC Radio 5 Live evening news and ITV evening news, amongst others. He has written several special reports for The Economist on China and Taiwan.

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
'The line up for next year's change of leadership does not give cause for optimism' says James Miles, the Economist's China correspondent. 
 
With a heavily state owned banking system, waning numbers of workers in a labour intensive industrial economy and lack of development in new business, China's current boom may be set to bust. 
 
In the following sections, James Miles examines the restrictive nature of government in China, and what it will mean for the country and the rest of the world. 
 
Urbanisation: Where do you live? 
 
Rising power, anxious state 
 
China's new leaders: The princelings are coming 
 
Growth prospects: Beware the middle-income trap 
 
Deng &amp; Co 
 
Government's role in industry: The long arm of the state 
 
Demography: Getting on 
 
Ideological battles: Universalists v exceptionalists

The Great Mismatch

The Economist: The Future of Jobs

Matthew Bishop is the US Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief of The Economist. Mr. Bishop was previously the magazine's London-based Business Editor. 
He is the author of several books, including most recently, "The Road from Ruin", with Michael Green, about how to improve capitalism following the crash of 2008 and subsequent economic downturn, was published by Crown in February 2010. It was described as "provocative and refreshing" by the New York Times. According to Professor Robert Shiller of Yale, "The Road from Ruin" will be "remembered as a serious, highly readable book of the broadest intellectual scope. Its insights will help all of us reshape the future and enable both citizen and policy maker alike to separate real reform from the grandstanding bluster so prevalent today."

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Globalisation and technology are changing the structure of the labour market. Now, companies have the choice to recruit from further afield and without the need for traditional office workers. Matthew Bishop explores how companies can, and will, recruit employees in the future and how individuals can get ahead in this era of change. 
Sections include: 
 
The great mismatch 
 
Labour-market trends: Winners and losers 
 
Bottom of the pyramid 
 
Self-help: My big fat career 
 
Free-for-all 
 
Companies' concerns: Got talent? 
 
The role of government: Lending a hand 
 
A better balance: More feast, less famine

The Economist Publications (PUK Rights)

Retail Renaissance

The Penguin Economist Special reports delve into the most pressing economic issues of the day: from national and global economies, to the impact of trade, industry and jobs. Written to be read on a long commute or in your lunch hour - be better informed in under an hour. 
 
Retail banking is heading for a revival. With the financial crisis still hanging over Western economies, banks have rejuvenated the retail arm of the business. They are now seen as more stable sources of profit than the risky traders. 
 
Technology is both a help and a hindrance. On one hand, online banking is revolutionizing money management. But will this lead to the close of the high street bank? How can banks outstrip the developing tech companies who are offering rival services? 
 
This report will assess the challenges and opportunities that banks face in the rich world and the emerging markets. Sections include: 
 
Retail renaissance 
 
Withering away 
 
Dispatches from the hothouse 
 
Crunching the numbers 
 
A wealth of wallets 
 
Over the sea and far away 
 
Private pursuits 
 
World, here we come

The Economist: International Banking

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