Articles tagged

Construction & Real Estate Sector

In 2015-2016, several regulatory steps were taken by the government and the banks in order to affect the industry’s supply and demand. For example, demand-curtailing steps were taken aimed both at young couples (an increase of the mortgages interest rates by the banks) and at investors (governmental increase of investment apartments purchasing tax and taxation of third apartments). From the supply aspect – the “Mehir La’Mishtaken” (government price-capped) program was expanded, and the marketing of tens of thousands of reduced-price apartments for eligible candidates has begun.

Humans at the Center of Things

The Skyline and the New Towers

Service & Trade Sector

In 2016, Israel’s Real GDP increased by 4%, following increases of 2.5% in 2015 and 3.2% in 2014 (the Gross Domestic Product is the net value of all of the products and services that were produced in Israel). The 4% increase that Israel recorded in 2016 was relatively high in comparison to the 1.7% average rate of growth in OECD countries in 2016. However, due to Israel’s relatively fast population growth, this gap diminished on a per capita basis, with 2% in Israel compared to an average of 1.1% with the OECD(1).

Industrial Sector

The industrial production increased by 1.7% in 2016, compared to 2015, and showed a 3.9% increase in January-April 2017 (1).

A Shot in the Arm for the Hotels Industry

The global tourism industry is considered to be the fastest-growing industry, with an annual growth rate of about 5%, but despite the truth in the quote by the Late President Shimon Peres: “There are many oily lands but there is only one holy land”, Israel’s tourism industry is far from living up to its potential.

Big Data, Big legal minefield

Underlying the rise of Artificial Intelligence is Big Data and Machine Learning

The New Path for Promoting Long Term Rent Projects

Last week the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a Bill submitted by Knesset Member Roy Folkman (Kulanu), which aims to authorize the Local Planning and Building Committees to approve building additions of up to 15% for residential construction projects, provided that at least a quarter of the apartments constructed are allocated for subsidized long term rent (20% below the market price, during a period of 20 years). The apartments designated for long term rent will be allocated to eligible tenants who meet certain thresholds to be determined by the Government

2016 Trends in the Israeli Venture Capital Industry

The year 2016 is turning out to be one of the most prosperous years of the Israeli High-tech industry in the last couple of decades. This prosperity, reflected by the enormous sums invested in local technology firms, brought about a change in local VC transactions, which is reshaping the traditional mindset. It has also enhanced the effects U.S. VC trends have on the Israeli market.

Israel can lead in the discovery of advanced solutions for the challenges posed by aging populations

In the third millennium, humankind is facing many challenges related to the aging of the global population.

Workforce Diversity: The Next Challenge of the HighTech Industry

In last June, the Chief Scientist dropped a bomb: The Innovation Report to the Prime Minister stated that during the next decade, the local hightech industry would suffer from a shortage of more than 10,000 engineers, and signs of the crisis are already apparent today.

The Office of the Future: the "Smart Building"

A 2010 study found that people who work in 25°C are more than twice as productive as those who work in 21 °C (1)

Cyber Wisdom

As we enter the second decade of the Cyber Era, we can state that the challenges we face are beyond any imagination.

Officers Remuneration: Are New York and London following TASEs lead?

Nearly every discussion on the status of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) questions whether Israel’s corporate governance rules have contributed to the downtrend in the number of companies listing on it

Construction of new plants – EPC versus EPCM

The approach which had previously dominated the construction of new factories was to have complete separation between design and execution. This is known as EPCM – Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management.