TRANSFORMING FRACTURES FOR A THRIVING TOMORROW
The world is a fractured mosaic, but at the fault lines are opportunities for those who are willing to innovate. Change requires an open mind, strategic decision-making skills, visionary leadership, and collaboration to leverage local knowledge for international success. It’s long, hard and heavy work that needs constant reiteration and unflagging commitment. This is not merely the task of any single person or organization, but a collective effort to build pathways toward progress and shared prosperity.
In this special report, students from the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management & International Studies take readers on a trip around the globe to showcase the nations, institutions, and individuals doing the work to solve some of society’s most pressing and complex problems. Explore how Venezuelan immigrants have expanded Colombia’s gig economy, often at their own expense. Dig into the sustainability efforts of French luxury fashion brands and why they don’t always meet their goals. Find out how democratic backsliding in Tunisia is an existential threat to the civil society organizations that bloomed after the Arab Spring. Learn the ways in which African nations still grapple with the vestiges of European colonialism. And discover how Bad Bunny and other artists are using music to influence culture beyond their own borders.
The following articles by students in the Lauder Institute’s Class of 2026 are based on their own interviews, site visits, observations, and research conducted during their summer immersion (a core part of their 2-year Master’s in International Studies degree). They present this report with the goal of informing and inspiring change.
Dr. Sudev Sheth Senior Lecturer, History
The Lauder Institute Editor, Global Business Insight Report
2025 Report by Section
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
Migrant Vulnerability in Colombia’s Gig Economy
Written by Cameron Clark, Tatum Lee, Akash Raman, and Christo Ritter
Sustainability and Luxury: A Paradox in the French Fashion Industry?
Written by Serena Chiang, Catelyn Huang, Alexandre Kern and Samantha Pecan
Brew or Bust: How Colombia’s Coffee Industry Can Stay Ahead in the Digital Age
Written by Daniel Albert, Nimi Kimchy, Jose Andres Rivero, and Araceli (Arita) Sandoval
The European Startup Climate: France, Germany, and the Baltic States
Written by Artur Barkan, Viktoria Boening, Brian Gerevits, and Abigail Stumpff
Small But Mighty: Supporting Europe’s Hidden Champions
Written by William Abelt, Caterina Bonmassar, Qingfeng (Fong) Chai, and Pamela Lian
Lessons in Crisis Management from Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Written by Tanner Hale, Weston Turner, and Jimmy Zhang
TECHNOLOGY AND THE MARKETS
Is Moore’s Law a Relic of the Past?
Written by Russell Landes, Makeda Petiri, Becca Thorpe, and Eric Wang
A Tale of Two Economies: Tech Entrepreneurship in Romania and Botswana
Written by Sonia Alb, Pedro Kenzo Jukemura, Hiroki Kobayashi, and Vitória Velho
Electric Vehicles: What Can the US Learn from Romania’s Market?
Written by Cuong Mai, Long Pham, and Hannah Zhao
The Trouble with Taiwan’s Renewable Energy Transition
Written by Michelle Chen, Brannen Dickson, Matthew Yong, and Tiffany Yuan
From Cash to Digital: A Comparative Analysis of Mobile Payment Adoption in Senegal and South Africa
Written by Ardan Demirayak, Loic Tchebetchou, and Temantimandze Shongwe
FINANCE AND THE ECONOMY
ECO vs. CFA: Navigating West Africa’s Path to Monetary Sovereignty
Written by Paula Benitez, Beverly Danquah, and Cristina Parilli
Does South Korea’s Home Pension System Help or Harm Society?
Written by Anne Park, Gary Kim, and Nathan Oh
Pension Reforms in Latin America and Their Potential Impact on Capital Markets
Written by Nicolás Celasco, José Coloma, Jhonny Georges, and Javier Guerraty
The Green Light on Colombia’s Orange Economy
Written by Abigael Bamgboye, Alexa Huether, Spencer Nussrallah, and Aaron Varner
The Port of Ndayane: Paving Senegal’s Path to West African Trade Dominance
Written by Kojoh Atta, Hinda Diakite, and Naomi Weiner
POLITICS AND SOCIETY
From Revolution to Repression: Tunisian Civil Society and the Threat of Democratic Backsliding
Written by Ghassan Zughaib and Ravi Patel
How Cultural Factors Have Shaped Populism in Italy in the Past Decade
Written by Amelia von Appen, Lucas Araujo de Carvalho, and Ilya Kozheslkiy
Reslicing the Pie: Impacts of Land Reform on Long-term Productivity and Democracy in Romania and South Africa
Written by Daniel Ferreira, Winny Myat, and Rayan Sabbah
MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT
The Glass Cage: Media Independence in India
Written by Abhi Chadha, Maitreyi Menon, Shyla Singh, and Atreyo Sinha
Afrobeats to the World: A Tool for Economic Progress in Africa
Written by Amanda Agyapong, James Cobbinah, Rowa Eltohami, and Lyncy Nyandoche
‘Titi me Preguntó’: How Bad Bunny Is Redefining Reggaeton with Social and Political Dialogue
Written by Dania Cortes, Alessandra Pelliccia, and Sofia Vega
Special thanks to Editor and Faculty Advisor for this report, Dr. Sudev Sheth
