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Uniform approach

Outsourcing has a bad name – a way of cutting labour costs by employing people in India and China (over three million US jobs will be lost to this trend by 2015). But there’s also a growing move for nations to outsource everything from their military to postal services that, properly harnessed, could raise standards and redefine what makes a country. This is who we would employ.
Five alive

Which territories and nations are due their turn in the international spotlight? Monocle reveals five areas – from an EU island nation to a sprawling South American state – that will be in the headlines for all the right reasons over the coming year.
Shaking it up

Are you familiar with all of these leaders? Monocle profiles three whose influence will continue to grow and grooms two necessary leaders of its own.
Iron in zion

They cost just €70 to make, but Hezbollah rockets have forced some Israeli towns to be abandoned. So Israel is building Iron Dome, an anti-missile shield. If it works, it could change the pace of diplomacy in the region and beyond.
Early warning

From making life a misery for passengers at airports to making war with their neighbours, Monocle takes a look at the organisations, countries and people who are destined to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2008.
Up for adoption

In Germany home-owners can generate power and sell it to the national grid. Genoa runs an inspiring van-share scheme that’s cutting congestion and in Estonia they have adopted a simple fiscal reform that’s kept the economy booming. Ministers and mayors hoping for re-election in 2008 should study these public policy initiatives with care.
Shop flawless

In a world of disposable fashion and bad service, there are some stores that do get it right, and are seeing their profits boom. We profile five retail giants that should act as benchmarks for other floundering businesses.
Window of opportunity

If you’re entering 2008 with a handsome bonus, a generous inheritance or a fat payoff, *Monocle* has identified 10 business opportunities worthy of investment. A mixture of fresh ideas and proven concepts ready for other markets, our suggestions will appeal to everyone from the small-change armchair investor to the adventurous investment bank.
Techno tradition

Kyoto is the traditional home of Japanese artisans who make highly detailed ceramics and perfectly woven silks. That same set of skills has also helped it become the country’s hi-tech heartland.
Arte & Craft

The future of television is pin-sharp, pitch-perfect and high-definition. As broad-casters struggle to brush up their sets, soap stars and news anchors to shine under HD’s critical spotlight, the new technology is also set to force a welcome return to old-fashioned craft in TV. We paid a visit to one of the world’s most polished channels that has never let its standards drop, to learn the art behind Arte TV.
Art corps

Looking forward to 2008, we asked five creative contenders to peer into their cultural crystal balls and explain what they see. From a web guru with designs for life to an established art collector going out on a wing in Beijing via one of next year’s most electrifying musical talents, *Monocle* tips the talent that tells the future of entertainment and the arts, and how we’ll be enjoying both.
Fresh start

Austria is reinvigorating its brand and stealing some of Switzerland’s reputation for being the home of Alpine modernity and great healthcare. Nowhere epitomises the trend more than the Lanserhof.
Skill set

Our design talents to watch for 2008 and beyond run the gamut from the creators of a new regional jet to the designer of great office-cum-daywear. All seem united by a passion for simple, pared-down good looks.

Seasonal selection / Global

Gift guide

Amanda phones, Tretorn shoes, Leica cameras, iPod Touch, must-have books and magazines, plus wooden skis - our holiday gift guide has it all.

Writer: Saul Taylor

Photography: David Sykes

Gift guide

No. 9 – Dec 2007/Jan 2008

Something for the holidays
With just one month left until the holiday season, we have compiled the following wishlist of gifts we’d like to find under our Norwegian spruce. And for the lazy givers among you, take heed: if you must buy socks buy Falke Naturfein, knitwear should come from Zanone and, at the very least, we expect our stockings to be stuffed with Delta Valencia oranges.

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Live

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00:0001:00

The Stack

Uniform approach

Five alive

Shaking it up

Iron in zion

Early warning

Up for adoption

Shop flawless

Window of opportunity

Techno tradition

Arte & Craft

Art corps

Fresh start

Skill set

The long view

The long view

The long view

A very civil service

The way ahead

Taking account

Off the rails

Roots finder

Natural by design

Gift guide

Time is everything

Nimmanhaemin

Ration nation

King for a day

Observation

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