Impact Centers

As globalization’s hold on the world’s economy loosens, and as the financial architecture put in place after the Second World War weakens, confusion and uncertainty abound, as no new system has emerged to replace them. While “multipolar” is the only model offered, such a vague designation hardly removes the uncertainty. A new kind of power is emerging, what we call Impact Centers, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India, whose leaders are adept at making their capabilities known and are able to make dramatic diplomatic moves with geopolitical and geo-economic effects.

These countries and others, such as Indonesia, South Africa and Turkey, know how to: Exploit Strengths, Lead with Dramatic Action and Play the Partner Card. These strategies are being employed now because globalization, the dollar and the institutions put in place to support the international economy (e.g., the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) have started to lose their preeminent status, having to compete with new kinds of institutions such as the Asia Development Bank and the New Development Bank. Impact Centers have moved into power positions in the world, while the organizing system that has been in place for decades starts to fade and a new one has yet to emerge.