Available to employees on-demand as well as via mobile devices and tablets, online learning communities remove barriers dear to the hearts of brick-and-mortar universities and companies.

FORBES: 5 Ways Social Learning Communities Transform Culture and Leadership

For small business owners, it would remove barriers to growth, cut taxes, incentivize investment and create new demand.

WHITEHOUSE: Women and The American Jobs Act

And tech-savvy pirates always seem to find a way around the barriers, as long as there is a demand for their stolen goods.

FORBES: Education Is Best Weapon Against Web Piracy, not SOPA

"The findings show that the demand for flexible working is high, but the barriers are failing to shift, " said Penny de Valk, managing director of Ceridian Performance Partners, which helped conduct the survey.

BBC: Company bosses reclaim weekends

If America fails to comply with the ruling, the four Asian plaintiffs can demand compensation or erect trade barriers of their own.

ECONOMIST: Turtle soup

Domestic demand was sleepy when consumer credit was unknown and a combination of a weaker currency and high barriers to trade made imports too expensive.

ECONOMIST: Brazil