The Global Business Insight Report

During his reign in the second century, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future.” Nearly 2,000 years later, it’s hard to imagine how he would react to so much monumental change that has taken place across the world. Cryptocurrency, climate change, electric cars — all inconceivable in his day. Yet some struggles remain eternal. War, economic inequality, access to health care. These intractable problems need innovative solutions, and the modern world has no shortage of innovators.

In this special report, graduate students from the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management & International Studies take readers on a trip around the globe to gain a deeper understanding about the ties that bind us, and the bonds that break us. Learn how China’s unrelenting work ethic is changing workplace culture. Find out why governments across the Middle East and India feel threatened by the emergence of streaming platforms. And explore how Russia’s war in Ukraine is affecting the agriculture industry as far away as Argentina.

The mission of the Lauder Institute is to develop outstanding business leaders who look globally, engage locally, and act responsibly to have a powerful impact in the world. This mission is embodied in each member of the Class of 2024, who present the following articles based on their own site visits, interviews, observations, and research. We hope this report adds to your intellectual curiosity and sparks your imagination about the problems and solutions facing us over the next decade and far into the future.