Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Think Tank That Does

Anyone involved in global business knows that the world is changing at lightning speed. Companies have to be smart, nimble, and increasingly knowledgeable about the policies and politics of their markets. They need advisors who can understand their business, provide a political context to their needs, opportunities and actions, and execute a successful strategy. As consultants to these companies, we need to have the right resources to provide services in a new economy, and those resources need to be organized in ways that combine first-rate analysis with the ability to act with agility and deliver quality interactions at all levels. While some organizations continue to rely on think tanks to follow trends and shore up their knowledge of a given region of the world, many other companies are seeking support that goes beyond analysis. They are looking for actionable counsel that leverages regional knowledge by fostering relationships, identifying alternative markets for growth, and generally helping the company outline a course of action that accounts for the various stakeholders with whom they work. So while think tanks will always have their role, it is the convergence of the best analysis with the ability to execute in a nimble fashion that has become an important tool in a 21st century corporate arsenal.
Posted on January 30, 2012 By Margery Kraus
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What Would the Founding Fathers Think?

Congress n. ˈkɒŋ grɪs;v. the act of coming together (Merriman-Webster). We should take a step back. Think about what our Founding Fathers thought about, and then created. Three branches of government. One is the Congress. The fathers didn’t create an ideological body for partisan purposes. They created a vehicle for different ideologies to come together and settle on a path for the good of America. They understood that no single ideology pointed to that path. That’s why they left the old country and came here. And what has been wrought?
Posted on November 30, 2011 By Virtual Vantage Points
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Growth, Growth, Growth: Reviving the UK economy

Announcing today’s Autumn Statement was undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges of George Osborne’s chancellorship. The backdrop for the budgetary statement was one of economic gloom and doom, and after 18 months in power, criticism of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition’s austerity plan to rescue the economy has intensified. Mr. Osborne had to prove that the government can successfully steer the UK economy away from the brink of another recession. Faced with this challenge, the Chancellor also had to consider the British population’s need for extra cash in their pockets, and UK businesses’ need for greater access to funds and investment. Importantly, as the Eurozone crisis continues to engulf the continent, Mr. Osborne had to demonstrate to the markets that Britain had a plan to tackle its debt and would continue to meet its financial commitments.
Posted on November 29, 2011 By Virtual Vantage Points
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APEC 2011 Kicks Off in Honolulu

Honolulu is pulling out all the stops as it hosts the 20,000 visitors attending the APEC meetings this weekend. At the airport, guests arriving on international flights are greeted and guided to special lines, where they are whisked through customs and immigration to get their passports stamped by smiling, efficient officials. APEC-ers are then led past hula dancers to a welcome desk, where they are given fresh flower leis and fruit drinks and driven through a glistening downtown to Waikiki hotels. Gift boxes full of local products are delivered to participants’ hotel rooms. There is even an APEC channel on TV, if you don’t get enough from the actual meetings. Do you think hosting APEC is a big deal for Hawaii?
Posted on November 11, 2011 By International Advisory Council
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Veterans Day 2011: Senator Riegle speaks at National Vietnam & Gulf War Veterans Coalition meeting

On February 9th, 1994, Senator Riegle delivered a report, commonly referred to as The Riegle Report, to the U.S. Senate regarding the health of Gulf War veterans. Due to his leadership on this issue, Senator Riegle was invited to deliver a speech to the National Vietnam & Gulf War Veterans Coalition meeting in Arlington, Va. Today, he spoke on the commitment and responsibility veterans have taken to fight on behalf of their country. Read his commentary below.
Posted on November 11, 2011 By Virtual Vantage Points
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Gaddafi’s Gone – All Hail the TNC!

The Libyan people have paid a heavy price to bring about this day of euphoria since their uprising began in mid-February. Tens of thousands of Libyans are dead and wounded, or homeless. Most of Libya's cities abutting the Mediterranean between Tripoli and Benghazi have been destroyed. The country is awash in militias, self-anointed revolutionaries, and a population thirsting for justice and a better life in a free society. All tall orders for Libya's triumphant governing Transitional National Council (TNC).
Posted on October 21, 2011 By Marc Ginsberg
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