2008-2009 News and Media Coverage


Back to Archive

FG is often interviewed and quoted by publications and media throughout the United States and overseas on a wide-range of business topics. From global strategy to consumer related issues, FG adds insight to news stories that help educate business leaders and the general public.

2009

1/29/2009 Women’s Wear Daily Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on changes in consumer spending habits. “We’re going to come out of the recession with substantial changes in the attitude of the consumer,” Ghadar said. “The convenience [of online shopping], the changes in style, the ethnicity shift are all playing into substantial change in the next three years.” (Retail Stocks In Flux).
1/26/2009 Traffic World Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on tightening supply chains. “Outsourcers are experiencing this everywhere,” Ghadar said. “If you’re in a sector where tastes change very rapidly, long supply chains that rely on shipping become problematic.” (Supply Chains Get Tighter).
2/17/2009 Philadelphia Metro, Profile of Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies. “He became a professor, ultimately coming to Penn State when they offered him an endowed chair in Global Management, Policies, and Planning. In his current project, which he calls ‘Global Tectonics,’ he asked 500 leaders (senior business executives and government and NGO officials) ‘what’s keeping you up at night?’” (A World View Of Business).
2/17/2009 Philadelphia Metro, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, offers advice to professionals considering pursuing an MBA. “If you want to climb the ladder in the business world—or if you want a career with a government agency or NGO that deals with business—you definitely need an MBA,” Ghadar said. (Good Advice From A Business School Prof).
2/4/2009 The Associated Press Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on how the recession is affecting agriculture. “Yes, we have housing problems, but we’re not going to not feed our kids,” Ghadar said. (Economy Unlikely To Affect Many U.S. Farmers). This article has appeared on more than 100 Web sites.
2/4/2009 Investor’s Business Daily, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on how chip manufacturers are responding to the recession. “What chipmakers are going through is a microcosm of what is happening to many U.S. exporters generally,” Ghadar said. (Chip Manufacturers’ Tactics Differ For Dealing With Global Recession).
3/27/2009 The Journal News (Westchester, N.Y.), Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments IBM job cuts. “‘Their customers are under pressure to reduce their costs so they’re putting pressure’ on IBM,” Ghadar said. (Workers Reveal Vast IBM Job Cuts).
3/17/2009 MSN Money, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the effect of the economic crisis on GE. “Loan losses of 10% to 15% would force GE to take write-downs and see its capital base shrink by an amount that would alarm investors, believes Fariborz Ghadar. … ‘If we don’t pull out of the credit crisis, then GE is going to be in trouble again in a year.’”(How GE Dug Itself Deep Into Crisis).
3/1/2009 Global Finance, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the Mexican economy. “Mexico has not done that badly,” Ghadar said. “Financial institutions are now better regulated, and if you see what’s happening, it is the more financially secure Mexican companies that have been buying into the U.S.” (The Party’s Over).
4/29/2009 National Public Radio, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the effect of swine flu on international business. “If it continues to expand in the economy and the factory workers get sick or the factory workers get scared and don’t go to work, then production goes down,” Ghadar said. (Marketplace).
4/29/2009 cdtv.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, is interviewed regarding the latest U.S. GDP numbers. (The GDP Numbers with Dr. Fariborz Ghadar).
5/1/2009 Jane’s Intelligence Review Iran’s Gas Swells Economic Frustration: Despite a wealth of natural gas, Iran’s options to diversify and make capital out of its hydrocarbon resoureces has been severly limited by political and structural constraintsl  Fariborz Ghadar assesses the country’s options for exploiting the worlds second largest reserve of natural gas and the role European customers might play.
5/11/2009 Women’s Wear Daily, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on consumer spending. “Deflation is probably going to last until everybody feels comfortable about buying stuff,” Ghadar says. “I believe this fall could be worse than last fall, but I think that next spring is going to be better than this spring. The consumer is still very scared.” (Looming Specter: Optimism Grows But Deflation Fears Remain).
5/31/2009 Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on agritourism. “Ghadar said growers seeking more business should provide forms of ‘agritourism’ such as fruit stands, on-site sales, hay rides, corn mazes, and pick-your-own options that come with little cost.” (‘Old School’ Farming Meets Marketing 101).
6/4/2009 FOX Business Network Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, was interviewed on the television program “Cavuto” regarding the Iranian election.
6/14/2009 CNN Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the Iranian election in a news package that aired several times throughout the day.
6/15/2009 USA Today Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the Iranian election and its implications for the country’s nuclear plans. “If we’re expecting them to stop enriching uranium, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Ghadar says. (Iran Election Called Before Tally Done). This article also appeared in about a dozen regional newspapers.
6/17/2009 NYTimes.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on President Obama’s reaction to the election aftermath in Iran. “Of course, we hope that the real will of the people will be reflected in their elections,” Ghadar says. “But any other statement at this time by the President Obama and his administration would be counterproductive” (Should Obama Speak Out on Iran?).
6/19/2009 OpEdNews.com, Article cites Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies. “Ghadar described the contest as ‘pit[ting] the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against two relatively moderate and one conservative challenger.’ In spite of one or more independent polls showing Ahmadinejad way ahead, he suggested that ‘the outcome (isn’t) all that clear.’” (Iran’s Election and U.S.-Iranian Relations). This article also appeared on more than a dozen news Web sites.
6/19/2009 USA Today, Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on President Obama’s reaction to the election aftermath in Iran. “I can feel what President Obama must be feeling,” Ghadar says. “Having said that, speaking out right now would be counterproductive.” (Obama’s Reticence on Iran Stirs Stew of Opinion). This article also appeared in The American Chronicle.
6/20/2009 WTTG-DT Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in a live interview.
6/20/2009 CNN International Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in a segment that aired throughout the day.
6/20/2009 National Public Radio Was interviewed regarding the Iranian election aftermath.
6/20/2009 FOX News Channel Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in two separate live interviews.
6/21/2009 CNN Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in two separate live interviews.
6/21/2009 CNN Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in a live interview.
6/21/2009 FOX News Channel Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in a live interview.
6/22/2009 The Washington Post Comments on government involvement in the private sector. “Government is truly a double-edged sword in business, with one side sharper than the other,” Ghadar says. “Yes, you can get lots of money for research and development upfront from a willing investor. But it can come with a high price.” (Test-Driving a Foreign Business Model). This article also appeared in the Australian Financial Review, and on several Web sites, including CBSNews.com and MSNBC.com.
6/22/2009 USA Today Comments on the election aftermath in Iran. “I don’t think the genie is out of the bottle,” Ghadar says, “but the cork in the bottle is removed.” (Iran Arrests Relatives of Ex-Leader).
6/22/2009 FOX News Channel Discussed the Iranian election and economy in a live interview.
6/23/2009 WJR-AM (Detroit) Discussed the Iranian election aftermath in a live interview.
7/1/2009 The Jacksonville Observer Turmoil in Iran Undercuts Obama Outreah:  … and that will ultimately have an impact on what the president says and does,”  say Iran expert Fariborz Ghadar
7/1/2009 USA Today, Comments on the U.S. response to the Iranian election. “Once you see a lot of people clobbered and shot in the street, as a democracy, the American people start to get upset, and that will ultimately have an impact on what the president says and does,” Ghadar says. (Turmoil in Iran Stifling Obama’s Outreach Efforts). This article was also distributed nationally by Gannett News Service.
7/4/2009 Today.Az  (Azerbaijan). Comments on how the Iranian elections will affect neighboring countries. “I don’t think that situation is so severe that we will have immigration to Azerbaijan or anywhere else. It is an internal conflict that will be resolved,” Ghadar says. (Foreign Former Iranian Minister: The Situation in Iran Will Have No Serious Impact on Azerbaijan and Other Neighbor Countries).
7/7/2009 TheNation.com, Comments on the Iranian economy. “According to Fariborz Ghadar, an Iranian economist who spoke last week at a forum I attended at the Woodrow Wilson Center, about one-third of Iran’s entire economy is controlled by the bonyads. Another one-third is state-owned enterprises, and one-third is private sector.” (Iran’s Eye-Gougers).
7/9/2009 Payvand.com, Comments on the Iranian economy. “Ghadar framed the discussion by asking the fundamental question of: ‘Who gets the money in Iran?’ According to him the Supreme Leader controls 30 percent of the economy and gives major multi-billion dollar contracts to senior members of the Revolutionary Guards.” (The Iranian Presidential Elections: ‘The Most Improvised Moment in Iranian History’).
7/20/2009 Reuters, Comments on companies making cuts during the recession. “From the perspective of human resources, research and development, and products, you may be faced with a pipeline that all of a sudden is empty,” Ghadar says. “Then when recovery comes you will have to pay a premium to hire the right people and you will likely have lost the loyalty of your team.” (Corporate Cost Cuts: Early Gains Soon Turn to Pain?). This article appeared on more than two dozen Web sites, including Forbes.comCNN.com, and BusinessWeek.com.
8/23/2009 The Associated Press, Comments on Iranian politics. “Two branches of authority, the parliament and the judiciary, are now controlled by the Larijanis, this is quite a tenuous position for Ahmadinejad,” Ghadar says. (Ahmadinejad Rivals Rise Within Conservative Camp). This article appeared on more than 100 Web sites.
9/6/2009 The Associated Press, Comments on Pittsburgh and the G-20. “Now, the city and its business community view the G-20 as an acknowledgment of it’s successful reinvention and an opportunity to change the city’s image as a ‘two-white-shirt-a-day city’—which is the way Penn State University finance professor Fariborz Ghadar recalls it from his 1968 visit.” (Pittsburgh Companies Seek to Capitalize on G-20). This article appeared on more than 100 news Web sites and in dozens of newspapers, including The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Newsday.
9/13/2009 Agence France-Presse, Comments on Iran’s offer to meet with U.S. officials. “What they did say, is they want a comprehensive program (of talks),” Ghadar says. “That is an opening where we can start the negotiations.” (Iran Talks Offer Vague, but Is an Opening: Analysts). This article appeared in several international news outlets, including the Jordan Times and the Saudi Gazette.
9/22/2009 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Comments on the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. “They basically will say we’ve decided to take steps to turn the global economy around, that we’re optimistic the global recession will end quickly, and that emerging countries should have more of a say in the mechanisms of the global system,” Ghadar says. (G-20 Stands for Growth).
9/24/2009 NuWire Investor, Comments on the Fed and the economy. “Fariborz Ghadar … expects it to take about three to six months for the government to begin mopping up excess liquidity from the system. ‘And I’m optimistic; I think the economy has turned around,’ says Ghadar. ‘But as long as the economy is as slow as it is—even though we’re starting to see an uptick—the Fed is going to be really reluctant to raise the rates.’ (Key Interest Rate to Remain at Historically Low Levels).
9/24/2009 Agence France-Presse, Comments on U.S.-Iranian relations. “Ghadar also pointed out that Tehran’s offer would make it possible to identify the Iranian nuclear experts. ‘It’s significant. It allows to know where they are technically, their knowledge level and experience,’ he added.” (Analysts Welcome Iran Offer of Expert-Level Nuclear Talks). This article appeared on several international news Web sites.
9/25/2009 WTOP-AM Discusses Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
9/25/2009 CBSNews.com, Comments on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “Fariborz Ghadar told moderator Kimberly Dozier, ‘once again, Iran got caught cheating.’ Ghadar predicted that Iran would start taking ‘baby steps’ towards halting their uranium enrichment programs. He said it was unlikely that Iran would take large enough steps to keep free of additional sanctions.” (Unplugged: Obama Wanted to Beat Iran to Punch).
9/25/2009 CBSNews.com, Discusses U.S.-Iranian relations on “Washington Unplugged.”
9/25/2009 McClatchy Newspapers, Comments on the Obama administration’s Iran policy. “This is a very clever way of doing it,” says Ghadar. “We’ve been taking baby steps. Now we have the Oct. 1 meeting coming up and we have an ace in the hole, knowing that these guys have been cheating again. He played the cheating card. They’re making Iran look really bad.” (Obama Wins Praise for Orchestrating Response to Iran). This article appeared in more than a dozen newspapers worldwide.
9/25/2009 World Focus, Appears on the public television show to discuss Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
9/27/2009 MSNBC, Discussed Iran’s nuclear program.
9/28/2009 Al Jazeera, Discussed Iran’s nuclear program.
9/30/2009 Women’s Wear Daily Comments on the retail economy. “It’s been a tough year and it’s going to take another year for things to come back to normal,” Ghadar says. “You’re seeing a shift away from the premium brands to the economy brands, but you’re gradually going to see a shift back. It’s not like the industry’s going away. It’s just that the ones that … have a lot of debt may not be able to pull it off. We’re seeing a very slow, gradual pickup in the economy.” (With Consumers Wary, Fashion Seen Lagging Any Economic Upturn).
10/4/2009 MSNBC Iinterviewed regarding U.S.-Iranian relations.
10/23/2009 The Christian Science Monitor Comments on the U.S.-Iranian talks on Iran’s nuclear program. “It’s like what you have at a rug bazaar. That’s the haggling, the offering, and counteroffering that’s going on right now,” says Ghadar. “Especially with all the other things [the Iranian leaders] have going on [politically], the last thing they want are additional problems internationally.” (Iran Nuclear Deal: How Serious Is Tehran’s Balk?).
11/3/2009 Global Security Newswire, Comments on a proposed gasoline embargo against Iran. “The problems in June, July after the election had nothing to do about them not being able to buy an HP printer or gasoline,” Ghadar says. “It was about not being able to speak, basically seeing that the system is not a meritocracy.” (Gasoline Embargo on Iran Could Backfire, Experts Say). This article also appeared on National Journal Online.
11/13/2009 Marketplace Comments on U.S.-China trade relations. “Ghadar says the administration’s message to China and other Asian powerhouses is: boost your domestic consumption. ‘Make sure your economy grows rapidly by buying stuff internationally, and specifically from us.’” (U.S. Looks to Balance Exports, Imports).
12/7/2009 FOX News Network Appeared on the program “Studio B” to discuss the latest protests in Iran.
12/9/2009 The Huffington Post And even if some gasoline exports to Iran can be curtailed, Russia and Venezuela have the excess refining capacity to plug the gap, according to Fariborz Ghadar.” (Five Pitfalls for Congress’ Iran Sanctions).
12/16/2009 New York Post Comments on the purported Iranian hacking of Twitter. “I suspect this is not just a patriotic group just trying to do it for its own sake. I suspect it is government-sponsored,” says Ghadar. (Pro-Iran Hackers Twit Snit).
12/16/2009 NationalJournal.com Comments on proposed Iran gasoline sanctions. “I honestly believe that the regime wants us to implement gasoline rations,” Ghadar says. “It saves them tens of billions of dollars and lets them blame the shortages on us.” (House Passes New Iran Sanctions).
12/17/2009 USA Today Comments on Iran’s missile test. “The problem is the supreme leader is not feeling so supreme anymore,” says Ghadar. (Iran Missile Tweaks Tensions with West). This article also appeared in several Gannett newspapers.
12/27/2009 The Plain Dealer Comments on Smucker’s purchase of Folgers Coffee. “The proof in the pudding is what the market thinks of what you’ve done, and their stocks have gone up more than the markets have gone up,” says Ghadar. “These guys have done better than the market—in a very challenging environment.” (Folgers Coffee Purchase Gave Smucker One Profitable Jolt).
12/29/2009 Financial Times Comments on Washington’s response to the protests in Iran. “There is a whole bunch of things the U.S. could be doing without going after the regime,” Ghadar says. “They could say over and over again that the way people are being treated is terrible, and they could also point out that the economy is being terribly managed, which would allow ethnic groups to become more vocal.” (Washington No Longer Able to Remain Silent).

2008

1/3/2008 Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the reasons behind the high price of oil. “We’re not doing anything to encourage oil exploration and production,” Ghadar said. “$100 is now not a plateau, it’s a base … it will continue to go up until we encourage production.” (Oil Prices Hit $100; $4 Gasoline May Be Next).
1/4/2008 Bloomberg News Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the rise in personal bankruptcies. “Short-term borrowings on credit cards likely drove the rise in individual bankruptcy filings last year, said Ghadar. ‘Credit card borrowings are quite substantial,’ Ghadar said, adding that any rise in the unemployment rate may prompt an even larger surge in bankruptcies.” (Bankruptcy Filings Up 40 Percent Last Year).
3/18/2008 Pittsburgh Post Gazette “Losing headquarters is not very attractive,” said Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business.   “I think it’s a negative, but it’s not as negative as you would immediately think.”
4/9/2008 The Wall Street Journal Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the employment market for petroleum graduates. “The national oil companies will continue to have a reservoir of graduates and be able to cherry-pick the best ones, says Fariborz Ghadar. … ‘Over the longer term, this will challenge Western oil companies in the knowledge department,’ he says, citing skills like the latest drilling techniques and methods for recovering hard-to-get oil at existing fields.” (Where Oil Experts Come From). This article also appeared inThe Wall Street Journal Europe.
4/16/2008 The Patriot-News Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on rising consumer product prices. “Prices of nonfood items at grocery stores have increased, especially in the last two months, according to Fariborz Ghadar. … The reason is that the costs of making and transporting those items — paper products, detergents, and toothpastes, among others — have increased, he said.” (12 Ways To Save: Nonfood Grocery).
5/14/2008 Chicago Tribune Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on Hewlett-Packard’s acquisition of Electronic Data Systems. “This is an order of magnitude bigger than what [HP CEO Mark Hurd] has done before,” Ghadar said. (For HP’s Hurd, EDS Deal Will Test Resolve). This article also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, and Hartford Courant.
6/2/2008 The Street.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Research, comments on small businesses going global. “Smaller technology companies have to take advantage of the global market very quickly,” Ghadar says. “If you don’t go globally quickly, you’re leaving money on the table.” (If GE Thinks Globally, Shouldn’t You?).
6/5/2008 Arkansas News Bureau Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Research, comments on the prospective loss of jobs in the Alltel-Verizon merger. “If you’re going to save $1 billion, you’re going to have to do some cost-cutting, which means unfortunately a number of people in Arkansas are going to have to be moved out of Arkansas or basically let go,” Ghadar says. (Alltel Employees Get Memo About Merger)
6/19/2008 Investor’s Business Daily Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Research, comments on the Chinese plan to cut national oil subsidies. “Ghadar said the price change policy in China might produce a temporary easing of global demand growth, but wasn’t likely to stall pressure to produce more oil. ‘This is a nice short-term blip, but our fundamentals in constraints in energy will continue,’ he said.” (Oil Retreats $4.75 As China Says It’ll Hike Energy Prices).
6/20/2008 The Street.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Research, comments on the use of petroleum. Ghadar “estimates that 10 to 15 percent of the petroleum drilled around the world goes to uses other than fuel for transport and heating. In the U.S., an additional 20 percent of the petroleum we use goes to agriculture in the form of pesticides and other chemicals and fuel for farm equipment, he says.” (How To Get The Oil Out Of Your Life).
7/7/2008 Economist.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on economic development in China. Ghadar “says that on the five- to ten-year horizon the key to China’s future will be to ensure that inland regions rise with the rest of the country. The country can partly do so by training more engineers and scientists, and educating the workforce at a higher level.” (Rebuilding). This article also appeared in Business China.
8/15/2008 The Christian Science Monitor Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on Europe’s demand for gas. “There is not enough gas in the region,” Ghadar says. “The Nabucco pipeline now is dependent not only on gas from the Caucuses and from east of the Caspian, but also from Iran.” (Georgia-Russia Conflict Shows EU’s Energy Vulnerability).
10/14/2008 The Star-Ledger Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the appeal of General Motors to younger car buyers. “I don’t see kids graduating from school and saying, ‘I have to have XYZ car,’” Ghadar said. “I do see them wanting an iPod or a new computer.” (Why GM (Still) Matters).
10/28/2008 Dow Jones Newswires Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the Federal Reserve’s reaction to the financial crisis. “The fundamentals of our economy are such that I do not believe the free market could have addressed them on its own. The shock was too large,” Ghadar said. (Fed Refuge For Assets Yearning To Be Liquid).
10/30/2008 Dow Jones Newswires Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the impact of the financial crisis on China’s demand for grain. “As China becomes more affluent, consumption continues to go up, so in short I believe the impact on China’s appetite for our agricultural goods and soybeans will probably not be impacted in any significant level by global recession threats,” Ghadar said. (Economics Not Altering Grain Export Demand). This article also appeared in The Wall Street Journal Europe and on several news Web sites.
11/26/2008 Women’s Wear Daily Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on consumer confidence. “The consumer has been sort of shocked—it’s like a deer with the headlights on them,” Ghadar said. “[Confidence] is going to continue to be down for some time.” (Retail Shares Tick Ahead As Fed Makes More Moves).
11/30/2008 Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the U.S. auto industry bailout. “Dr. Ghadar believes the auto industry ‘is in significantly worse shape than the steel industry. … It’s politically unacceptable and that’s why I think they’re going to do something about it.’” (Why Big 3 Can’t Follow Steel’s Path).
12/17/2008 AutoObserver.com Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies, comments on the leadership of the U.S. auto manufacturers. “Remember when they brought in [former Boeing CEO Mulally to Ford in 2006]?” Ghadar said. “He’s now doing relatively better than the other two. Once you get inbred, it works to your disadvantage.” (New Blood? It’s Another Important Issue For The Big Three).