Comments on: Swiss pharma Roche buys USA-born & bred Genentech for $47bln http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/2009/03/12/swiss-pharma-roche-buys-usa-born-bred-genentech-for-47bln/ "She is very powerful, so be nice to her." Chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents, Eric Fingerhut Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:04:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bridget Callahan http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/2009/03/12/swiss-pharma-roche-buys-usa-born-bred-genentech-for-47bln/comment-page-1/#comment-253991 Bridget Callahan Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:11:25 +0000 http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/?p=12944#comment-253991 I think we all need to turn off that patriotic switch in our head when it comes to business. Big businesses are more like miniature countries, or floating islands that have no problems switching back and forth over borders. You know, like Lost. I've ceased to even think of companies like that as "American", since probably a lot of their assets are tied up in the global market. Also the name Genentech makes me think of Jurassic Park. Which is neither here nor there. I think we all need to turn off that patriotic switch in our head when it comes to business. Big businesses are more like miniature countries, or floating islands that have no problems switching back and forth over borders. You know, like Lost. I’ve ceased to even think of companies like that as “American”, since probably a lot of their assets are tied up in the global market.

Also the name Genentech makes me think of Jurassic Park. Which is neither here nor there.

]]> By: Paul http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/2009/03/12/swiss-pharma-roche-buys-usa-born-bred-genentech-for-47bln/comment-page-1/#comment-253943 Paul Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:45:58 +0000 http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/?p=12944#comment-253943 I'm all for global free trade as long as the trade agreements are fair and reciprocal. In the case of a foreign entity buying an American concern, we Americans have to realize that we've pushed our weight all over the world for years. We set the example of economic colonization in the last half of the 20th century. We can't say it's not okay for a Swiss company to buy an American concern, yet be okay with the notion of Ford buying Volvo (whether they should have is another question). One of the more perverse cases of this: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is now a subsidiary of BMW, a company which once made aircraft engines used by the Luftwaffe. Don't you imagine there had to be more than a few Brits who shook their heads at that one. PL I’m all for global free trade as long as the trade agreements are fair and reciprocal. In the case of a foreign entity buying an American concern, we Americans have to realize that we’ve pushed our weight all over the world for years. We set the example of economic colonization in the last half of the 20th century.

We can’t say it’s not okay for a Swiss company to buy an American concern, yet be okay with the notion of Ford buying Volvo (whether they should have is another question).

One of the more perverse cases of this: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is now a subsidiary of BMW, a company which once made aircraft engines used by the Luftwaffe. Don’t you imagine there had to be more than a few Brits who shook their heads at that one.

PL

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