Picking up on the overseas business angle, Andy Serwer, managing editor of Fortune Magazine, added: "There isn't really one universal rule for companies to succeed in overseas markets.

"But for the best companies, it is never just one-way traffic. Look at Starbucks, for example, which developed green tea products for the China market, and then introduced those to the US market, and found they were popular there, too.

"Being flexible and open-minded, adapting and learning are key elements for companies entering emerging markets - you won't succeed without these qualities," Serwer added.