Emerging Markets Institute

News, stories, and thought leadership related to the role of emerging markets in the global economy.

A group of people seated in a room.

The Global Plasma Economy: A Multibillion-Dollar Industry

The global plasma industry is thriving. We discuss the role of emerging markets and the growth potential for industry leaders like Grifols.

smiling young market vendor giving fresh coconut to female client at market stall at public market in Bahia, Brazil

Pix and Progress: Democratizing Financial Services

Business analytics grad student considers whether a new payment system designed for financial inclusion in Brazil is actually widening inequality.

Image of Kuala Lumpur, Petronas Twin Towers

How a Semiconductor Boom Can Help Malaysia Escape ‘Middle-Income Trap’

Can global tech giants help the nation reach high-income status? A business analytics student explains.

View from the bridge of a Havila cruise ship

Cruising Toward a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Havila Voyages

On Cornell’s trek to Norway, a cruise company stood out for embedding sustainability into strategy, offering lessons for emerging market economies.

Image of a clean, modern room filled with rows of servers, glowing with blue and green lights

Data Centers, Energy, and the Emerging Market Equation: A Sustainability Challenge

Data centers are expanding rapidly in emerging markets, raising urgent questions about energy, equity, and sustainability.

Image of a large group of students gathered together with a Cornell banner during the Rummo-Cornell Family Business Trek

Innovation Keeps Centuries-Old Family Business on the Leading Edge

On an Italy trek, an MBA student explores how a company blends tradition with consumer trends and modern marketing to thrive in Italy and beyond.

Image of a digital device displaying market activity with a pad of paper and a pen

Unlocking Growth: Private Market Investment Opportunities in Emerging Economies

Private equity and credit are gaining traction in emerging markets, offering attractive returns, diversification, and long-term growth potential.

Image of an open-air market scene in India, where a vendor sits behind a colorful produce stall reading a newspaper. Apples, garlic, and other fruits and vegetables are neatly arranged, while shoppers move through the background. A sign in Hindi hangs above the stall,

India’s Quick Commerce Boom: A Step Closer to Becoming a Developed Nation?

Q-commerce is transforming retail, driving job growth, and reshaping supply chains in India.

Sri Lankan workers craft oil lamps and lamp wicks as they move through a factory.

Sri Lanka’s Economic Rebound

MPS student, William Sanders ’25 , examines the multi-sector growth that brought Sri Lanka’s economy back from a financial crisis.