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Projections for the global economy frequently center on the BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. As futurists and economists alike define and re-define both formal and informal coalitions (for example, by broadening the R in BRIC to include all Eastern European economies or instead re-directing the discussion to G-8 countries or to World Trade Organization members), the education profiles of the individual nations sometimes resemble economic indicators: what is imported, what is exported, and what is the potential for expansion. Higher education, and specifically distance learning (the Clicks element of this paper), can already be charted in these terms for some nations. This paper describes the current role of distance learning in countries described as growing economies and proposes a typology for describing change as additional data become available. The paper informs readers of global developments in distance education, using the BRIC nations as examples.(Contains 3 figures, 4 tables, and 13 resources.)

The paper analyses the patterns of export productivity and trade specialization profiles in Brazil, China, India and South Africa, and in other economic groupings and regions. Various measures of trade specialization and a time varying export productivity indicator are estimated using highly disaggregated export data. The findings reveal that there are important differences in the export productivity and specialisation patterns across countries and regions. Export productivity-and export sophistication-are in line to that of wealthier and more advance economies. The results further confirm the importance of not just the volume of exports, but the type of specialisation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose — The main purpose of the paper is to propose an empirical analysis of the relationship between total consumption of different key metals (aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc) and per capita income of some important developing countries (Brazil, China and India) today present in the international scenario with very different perspectives from in the past. Design/methodology/approach — The research is carried out investigating a double aim. Mainly, whether the environmental Kuznets' Curve (EKC) model related to material consumption (and hence ‘renamed’ as material Kuznets' Curve) could be used — in empirical terms — as a possible explanatory pattern of past and current trends for these three important countries. Second, whether the observable trends in industrialised countries is similar to those already implemented in the developing ones. After a brief, but ineluctable, premise considering the theoretical basic assumptions to define the issue and regarding general statements, the specific cases for Brazil, China and India are proposed. Findings — Results do not closely fit the theoretical expectations but, as has already been seen for industrialised countries in previous research work, there is a prevailing trend in the lowering of material intensities with rising per-capita income levels. Originality/value — Without pretending to be exhaustive, this paper can be useful in improving the understanding of such developing economies, considering features not yet included in the international literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the international competitiveness of exports in the emerging markets. It states that export performance of emerging economies is because of two factors including their ability to produce cheaply and their improved quality of exported products. It further states that China is showing huge competitive market of exported goods while Brazil, Chile and India are showing improvements in their competitive position in terms of exported products.

This article seeks to analyze the reasons that stimulate the multilateral trade negotiations. The purpose is going to contribute for the comprehension about the basis (domestic and international) in the constitution of international coalitions, in the new context of the multilateral agenda. The international coalitions constitution trial has occupied central paper in the dynamic one of the multilateral and regional negotiations, in particular in what plays to the perspectives of the balance of forces center-periphery of the international system. The new thematic challenges about international trade and development introduce new studies about the international coalitions and alliances on the South level. This article analyzes the convergence and divergence of commercial interests between Brazil, India and Africa of the South, inside the chart of broader political-strategic interests, showing that the merely commercial aspects do not give to count of explain the kinds of alignments that are produced in the interior of the arena multilateral of commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]