American workers are like moths to Amazon’s flame
by Rashmee
Posted on April 15, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Amazon.com Inc. workers are unionised in Europe. But in the United States, Amazon employees are not, and the status quo seems unlikely to change in a hurry. Just days ago, Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted overwhelmingly against unionising. This has significant implications for America, for its workers and for the sort … Continue reading “American workers are like moths to Amazon’s flame”
Read MoreAnkara chairs and the business of ‘protocol machismo’
by Rashmee
Posted on April 8, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Heard the one about European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel’s visit with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara? The men got the best seats. Mr Erdogan and Mr Michel took chairs side by side with the Turkish and EU flags behind them. As for … Continue reading “Ankara chairs and the business of ‘protocol machismo’”
Read MoreThis ‘Suez crisis’ could be an opportunity
by Rashmee
Posted on April 1, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Until recently, the “Suez crisis” was the phrase used to describe a pivotal event in 1956. Egypt’s president Gamal Abdel Nasser had nationalized the Suez Canal, a move that angered Britain, which moved alongside France and Israel to retake control. Supported by the Soviets, the Egyptian demand for withdrawal of the British-French-Israeli … Continue reading “This ‘Suez crisis’ could be an opportunity”
Read MoreThe terrible truths about politics and power in America
by Rashmee
Posted on March 25, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS For those who don’t know about ‘Popular Information’, it’s a newsletter that says it’s about “politics and power”. And how! Written by Judd Legum, ‘Popular Information’ does more to reveal the terrible truths about the relationship between politics and power than some of America’s biggest media groups. Consider this. On March 18, … Continue reading “The terrible truths about politics and power in America”
Read MoreDanone stirs the ESG pot and sprinkles on some scepticism
by Rashmee
Posted on March 18, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS It was Gillian Tett at the Financial Times who joined the dots and spelt out the words. Fickleness. About. ESG. Indeed, the corporate stance on Environmental and Social Governance appears all too shifting and contradictory this year. As Ms Tett pointed out in the FT’s Moral Money section, Danone removed an ESG-espousing … Continue reading “Danone stirs the ESG pot and sprinkles on some scepticism”
Read MoreLike any business, the Royal Family must supply the goods that keep it profitable
by Rashmee
Posted on March 11, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS The truest analysis of the Harry and Meghan interview with Oprah has to be in business terms. Meghan called the British Royal Family “the Firm”. And it is. It is an institution that sells the idea of itself to remain rich and relevant. Mark Landler put it exceedingly well in The New … Continue reading “Like any business, the Royal Family must supply the goods that keep it profitable”
Read MoreWhy isn’t Switzerland a more equal country?
by Rashmee
Posted on March 4, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Here’s a conundrum: Why isn’t Switzerland progressively closing its wealth gap? The question is important in the context of the intense ongoing debate from California to Britain about a wealth tax. On March 1, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders proposed the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act – a two per cent annual levy … Continue reading “Why isn’t Switzerland a more equal country?”
Read MoreHow about a ‘Grand Norman SUV’, a ‘Varangian hatchback’, or a ‘Jutes saloon’?
by Rashmee
Posted on February 25, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Imagine a ‘Jeep Celtic’ or a ‘Grand Norman SUV’. Not easy to do because Jeep, the American automobile brand, hasn’t said it will drop the native American names for its Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SUVs. This, despite an explicit request from the chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chuck Hoskin Jr., that Jeep … Continue reading “How about a ‘Grand Norman SUV’, a ‘Varangian hatchback’, or a ‘Jutes saloon’?”
Read MoreCan managing climate change ever be good business?
by Rashmee
Posted on February 11, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Can managing climate change ever be good business? It should be, as noted by a recent report commissioned by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Titled ‘Managing Climate Risk in the US Financial System’, the report assesses the current situation as alarming for more than just the physical costs of the damage … Continue reading “Can managing climate change ever be good business?”
Read MoreBig Tech is on trial
by Rashmee
Posted on February 4, 2021
/IT’S THE BUSINESS Last year, regulators in both the US and the EU were fairly tough on technology companies but 2021 may be a pivotal moment. There is growing concern that tech giants’ economic dominance is translating into political power – too much of it – as seen in Twitter’s decision to ban Mr Trump. … Continue reading “Big Tech is on trial”
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Rashmee has lived and worked in several countries in the past decade, including Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Tunisia, the UAE, US and UK