Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Huawei On Wrong Side of U.S. - China Divide
The United States has nothing to gain from trumping up illegal spying charges against Huawei. Political logic suggests that a high-profile commercial spying allegation is no way to win friends and influence people in Beijing, especially when the U.S. - China trade relationship is way out of balance. Thus, there must be some truth to the case against Huawei, the behemoth Chinese telecom gear maker that is currently under fire from American policymakers. Huawei did nearly $1.7 billion in business in the U.S. alone last year, and wants to do more. These charges, along with the corresponding investigation by Congress, the FBI and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) do not bode well for Huawei's American plans. Speculation about bribery only compound the alleged threats to national security. If there is anything to be salvaged from this matter, it is that surreptitious business practices should not be welcome in any country--East or West.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Everybody's Going Green
"Environmentally-friendly." "Organically-grown." "Safe for the environment. " "Green."
We all have seen the labels of goods and products claiming to be environmentally correct. It is impossible to engage the consumer marketplace today without encountering these bold statements from marketers and manufacturers about the "green" nature of their wares. They often lead the commercial messages. Despite the proliferation of green marketing claims that permeate the media, the standard for green products has been a somewhat ambiguous sliding scale for years.
Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stepped in to issue a revised set of guidelines for companies making environmental claims. The revised guidelines are there to make sure the claims are truthful and substantiated, and backed up by legitimate science and tests. While this might add an extra layer of unwanted regulatory compliance on these companies, the guidelines ultimately help consumers from getting duped by dubious achievements.
Since the advent of the Sustainability Revolution, consumers have shown their preference for environmentally friendly products. This extends to everything from coffee, fruits and vegetables, to cotton, wool, poultry, paper and petroleum. As a society, we want to be in as close harmony as possible to our environment without spoiling it. And, it appears, many consumers are willing to pay a little bit more for the "Green".
By laying out the boundaries for what can and cannot be considered environmental friendly, the FTC may have marked the end of those claims that seem to stretch the bounds of credulity. Oil and gas extraction--environmentally friendly? Hmmm.
(c) copyright 2012. Adonis Hoffman. All rights reserved
We all have seen the labels of goods and products claiming to be environmentally correct. It is impossible to engage the consumer marketplace today without encountering these bold statements from marketers and manufacturers about the "green" nature of their wares. They often lead the commercial messages. Despite the proliferation of green marketing claims that permeate the media, the standard for green products has been a somewhat ambiguous sliding scale for years.
Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stepped in to issue a revised set of guidelines for companies making environmental claims. The revised guidelines are there to make sure the claims are truthful and substantiated, and backed up by legitimate science and tests. While this might add an extra layer of unwanted regulatory compliance on these companies, the guidelines ultimately help consumers from getting duped by dubious achievements.
Since the advent of the Sustainability Revolution, consumers have shown their preference for environmentally friendly products. This extends to everything from coffee, fruits and vegetables, to cotton, wool, poultry, paper and petroleum. As a society, we want to be in as close harmony as possible to our environment without spoiling it. And, it appears, many consumers are willing to pay a little bit more for the "Green".
By laying out the boundaries for what can and cannot be considered environmental friendly, the FTC may have marked the end of those claims that seem to stretch the bounds of credulity. Oil and gas extraction--environmentally friendly? Hmmm.
(c) copyright 2012. Adonis Hoffman. All rights reserved
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