See how one China entrepreneur rode China's expansion but is now struggling to adapt as exports slow.
Check out the World Bank's outlook on China here.
I wonder if learning how to adapt quickly is more important than innovation this year? Or, do you think we need both in order to thrive in this new economy?
Photo (unrelated except for China connection): Beijing National Aquatics Center
The G20 summit has invited more of the world into the global decision-making process and hence, the world has changed.
Find out why here.
In a bid to raise its international profile, Tokyo has appointed three young women as cultural envoys because they represent Japan's long-running craze for all things cute.
Does that mean Hello Kitty (pictured above) is history? Let's hope not.
Read more here.
According to Simeon Djankov (pictured), Chief Economist at the World Bank Group's Crisis Talk blog, of all the possible things the G20 Summit leaders could have done, this one would ease the crisis the most: a commitment to triple the amount of money the IMF has for lending to $750 billion.
The G20 has also committed about $250 billion to boost global trade.
See why Djankov thinks the IMF lending notion (there are doubts about the global trade boost) is a good idea here.
Remember the movie A Christmas Story where Ralphie's friends Flick and Schwartz dispute over whether a person's tongue will stick to a frozen flagpole? They give a "triple dog dare" to find out. Well forget about that thought right now because otherwise you will need a "quadruple dog dare" to check out the Ice Hotel (including the Ice Bar) in Sweden.
Ivan Misner reports on his experience staying at the Icehotel in Sweden -- a worldwide franchise co-developed by an entrepreneur turned international entrepreneur with Absolut Vodka. The Ice Bar concept has spread to locations in Stockholm, London, Tokyo and Copenhagen. With more to come, I'm sure.
Read the blog entry here.
At the very least we will establish global unity amongst the world's 20 biggest economic powers at the G-20 Summit but let's also hope for and expect the creation of a very specific global economic recovery plan (e.g., actionable must-do-list).
Stay up to date on what takes place here and here.