Why have so many countries of the world been struggling (Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, Japan, etc.)? We have seen some improvement in these countries but we also have seen many years of struggles that go back 10 years or more.. Are there common variables/factors for these countries causing the struggles or does each one have a unique set of problems? What can the U.S. learn from these nations? A good approach might be to identify 2-4 primary factors for each country causing the weak performance (use 4 countries-either the ones mentioned above or any others you feel are struggling).