18 must-read stories for the weekend

1. How fast will China grow? Stiff headwinds lie ahead compared to previous decades, writes Justin Yifu Lin.

2. Is it time for a global passport? It’s time our approach to international travel catches up to other good ideas that have transformed our lives.

3. A fork in the road for Europe. “In one direction lies the future as described by pessimists, in the other lies a steep upward path to Europe’s integration and reemergence as a global power.”

4. The biggest trend in technology today? Multinational companies are about to start beating nimble start-ups at their own game.

5. When does the gender pay gap start? A new study sheds light on how subtle biases first take root.

6. How can India maintain its growth? Every corner of the country should be linked to domestic and international markets, says Raghuram Rajan.

7. America’s role in the new global context. The United States underwrote the institutions that underpinned the global economic order after WW2. As the world changes, what comes next?

8. The global crisis of trust and how it shapes conflict and geo-security, in this week’s podcast.

9. The changing face of employment. “During the lofty proceedings of the World Economic Forum, I watched Andy McAfee, an MIT luminary, conduct a fascinating test with a group of Davos delegates.” (FT)

10. The future of force. “At the World Economic Forum’s recent annual meeting in Davos, I participated in a panel of defense leaders…The issue we addressed is a critical one: What kind of war should militaries today be preparing to fight?” (Project Syndicate)

11. Davos and disruption done right: in praise of ‘difficult women’ in finance. “Sometimes terms like ‘gender parity’ and ‘diversity’ are presented as a box to check off. But we should think of them not just as an end in themselves, but as a crucial means of achieving another tangible, worthy end: better policy, better executed.” (Huffington Post)

12. Indian app wins World Economic Forum challenge. “Providing a link between blood donors and those in dire need has enabled a team from Chandigarh to bag the $50,000 Global Shapers challenge initiated by the Forum.” (NDTV)

13. Water crisis and scenario planning for business. “The World Economic Forum in Davos addresses nearly every risk factor conceivable, but biggest of all, according to 896 leaders surveyed, is water.” (Forbes)

14. A closer look at Europe’s negative interest rates. “For Europe, one question this raises is whether issuing some Eurozone-wide debt might make sense.” (Vox)

15. We can’t blame a few rich people for global poverty. “The world’s richest 1 percent — including the very richest — hold 48 percent of the globe’s wealth. But the world’s richest 80 people hold only a tiny sliver of this 48 percent.” (New York Times)

16. Do gender differences disappear when men and women share the same profession? “Are these average gender differences – in competitiveness, empathy, and systemising – visible even within specific jobs, or do attraction and selection processes smooth out the differences?” (British Psychological Society)

17. A fair day’s wage. “A substantial body of research suggests that it can make sense to pay above-market wages – economists call them ‘efficiency wages.’ ” (The New Yorker)

18. Staying motivated after a major achievement. Settling back into an established workplace routine after a period of massive productivity is a lot harder than it looks. (Harvard Business Review)

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Author: Adrian Monck is Managing Director and head of Public Engagement at the World Economic Forum.

Image: Workers walk among newly installed solar panels at a solar power plant in Zhouquan township of Tongxiang, Zhejiang province December 18, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer