Nathaniel Loh - The Queen's Business Review

Unions: Negotiating Tool or Outdated Relic

The regimented rules and procedures of unions, once implemented to prevent the threat of inequitable management practices, are economically inefficient when presented in the context of today’s business landscape.

Politics

Sovereign Wealth Funds as a Vehicle for Political Openness

In September 2016, Congress passed the JASTA, allowing families of the victims of 9/11 to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. Fearing the bill would jeopardize one of their only alliances in the region, President Obama vetoed the bill, only to have Congress override his veto and sign the bill.

Business

Mega-Merger Mania

Last year set the new global record for the greatest value of M&A transactions at $4.7 trillion USD. What makes this particular bout of M&A activity unique however, is that it has so far been due more so to an increase in the scale of transactions than in their frequency.

Politics

Juggling Profits and Ethics in Big Pharma

At the end of 2015, it was estimated that 70% of Americans were using prescription drugs. Overall, society has benefited significantly from medicine. Drug researchers have found cures for serious illnesses and made it possible for people to live with severe diseases and enjoy a better life.

Business

The Price of M&A for Japanese Corporate Culture

In search of growth, Japanese corporate culture must adapt to support successful Merger & Acquisition activity

Politics

Where Being Old School Fails

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses 15-year-old students on key skills for “integration into modern society.” The study serves as a benchmark for educational excellence and offers a glimpse into classrooms around the world.

Tech & Media

Survival of the Fittest

Darwin’s theory of natural selection has benefitted those possessing favourable physical characteristics throughout evolution and still rings true today. Given the rising incidences of disease and the onset of an obesity epidemic, health and fitness are indeed at the forefront of the global agenda.

Politics

Reworking the American Pen

With just 5% of the global population, the United States has managed to imprison an astounding 25% of the world’s prisoners. 2.3 million people are currently locked up in a dysfunctional prison state, while incarceration rates have quintupled since the 1980s.

Business

Female Directors Falling Overboard

The proxy advisory firms disclosed their policy recommendations for TSX-listed issuers. Advisors further restricted the number of public company boards on which a director may serve. The revised policy could hinder women in the workplace; however, it could also prove beneficial in the long run.