What is the Triad? What is the Quad? Why are they important to international businesses?

Much of the world’s current economic activity is concentrated in a group of countries called the Triad (Japan, the European Union, and the United States) or the Quad (the Triad plus Canada).

Together the 807 million residents of the Quad countries produced 73 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). The Quad countries—Japan, the member of the European Union, the United States, and Canada—are of particular importance to MNCs. Some experts believe that firm cannot succeed in the global economy unless they have a significant presence throughout the Quad.