Californian brain, Chinese muscles

Have a look at your iPod, its base or its plug and read what it says: "Designed in California, Assembled in China or Taïwan."

Interesting. Easy to rephrase: "Inspired in California, Perspired in China."

Or, if you wish, "Californian brain, Chinese muscles."

This reflects a rather binary view of the world.

A recent work at MIT offers a different perspective. Indeed, I am currently reading MIT Professor Suzanne Berger's new book entitled: How We Compete. It's a good read because it offers a balanced view of globalisation and shows, as always, that nothing is either black or white, in other words that the world has not become flat.

By the way, I prefer the French title: "Made in World" (not exactly French but more to the point!): Made is both brain and muscles.

Comments

[Econoverser]

I think it's an interest fact but I'm not sure how long this will last. I'm sure China will soon be able to produce ipod-quality ipods(they currently do produce some cheap mp3 player but nothing compared to ipod). When that happens, they will have both brains and muscles. What will our role be then ?