Sep 26, 2011
As discussed in the Main Street Catalyst series, unemployment is currently a hot topic in economic and political debate. Politicians continue to clamor for means to create jobs, while governmental agencies and media outlets report lackluster job growth figures.
Unemployment rates of major economic powers include:
Country - Jul./∆ Jun.-Jul. (%)
Japan – 4.4/0.1
Germany – 6.6/0.0
United Kingdom – 7.9*
United States – 9.1/-0.1
France – 9.5/0.1
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics, All figures are adjusted to U.S. concepts and factor seasonality,*May 2011)
Nevertheless, these figures are rosy compared to ... Read More
Sep 9, 2011
US economic news has been notably bleak over the past month: GDP growth figures have been revised downward; US long-term debt has lost its AAA-rating; payrolls are reported (and expected to continue) to rise at a syrupy pace; and buyer sentiment, as tracked by the Michigan Consumer Sentiment index, is falling. Additionally, developments outside of the US such as sovereign debt issues in Europe, have brought insult to financial injury, leaving insightful analyst, Mr. John Mauldin, to quote the 1987 R.E.M. song, ... Read More
Aug 16, 2011
Financial analysts this week are aflutter with opinions regarding the announced US$12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (MMI) by Google, Inc. (GOOG). Unlike most billion dollar acquisitions, the deal is seemingly focused on one asset class: patents. According to the Wall Street Journal, Google will gain ownership of Motorola Mobility’s approximately 17,500 patents and 7,500 applications, teaching telecommunications technologies, notably relating to the popular Android mobile operating system. To comprehend this deal, many analysts are focused little beyond the ... Read More
Aug 13, 2011
The world’s IP and financial markets are interconnected, turbulent and difficult to navigate. Luckily the International IP Strategists Association (INTIPSA) exists to provide guidance through rough, economic waters.
Headquartered in London, INTIPSA is a professional organization with the desire to build a global community of IP strategists, including in-house practitioners, specialists, external advisors and students. The group’s agenda includes raising awareness and professionalism of IP strategy and fostering a marketplace of strategic services. Interestingly, the organization was cultivated in late 2009 by UK-based ... Read More
Aug 7, 2011
My summer travels have taken me from the shallows of Lake Manyara to the shores Lake Mendota. Both these lakes, interestingly, host interactions between members of their surrounding communities; animals at the former and the public of Madison, Wisconsin at the later. Nowhere does the community of Madison seemingly interact more than at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (WID) facility, a 10 minute walk from Lake Mendota. WID is a public-private partnership, focused on, inter alia, fostering “new approaches to biological and ... Read More
Jul 19, 2011
The lens through which to view IP in developing, African countries is seemingly cloudy and speckled with shades of gray. In these locations, IP may appear at the forefront or as a non-consideration in economic transactions. For example, while traveling in Moshi, Tanzania I noted bootleg DVDs and designer watches were available at a local, open-air market. Around the corner from the market, multinational corporations with core brands, such as The Coca Cola Company and Barclays PLC, were selling goods and services.This juxtaposition makes business decisions involving ... Read More
Ian McClure is a former corporate & securities and intellectual property law attorney with 
Trevor M. Blum is a former Associate in the Chicago-based, valuation practice group of Ocean Tomo, LLC., an intellectual property (IP) consultancy. Additionally, he provided instrumental research support to Intellectual Property Exchange International, Inc., an IP exchange start-up. Trevor holds a B.S. from Indiana University and is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Cambridge, focusing on international business and finance. His interests also include entrepreneurship, economics, and informational visualization. He enjoys running and cycling in his free time. Trevor seeks to bring a transnational business perspective to the blog.