Income Taxes Schedule of Effective Income Tax Reconciliation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2010
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Income tax provision at the U.S. statutory rate	$ 4,176	$ (24,581)	$ (79,875)
Valuation allowance	13,556	23,109	39,630
Foreign rate differential	(17,063)	5,333	28,373
US tax effects of foreign operations	8,246	19,421	58,526
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets	0	0	1,156
Tax contingencies	12,217	18,497	6,758
Stock based compensation	13,355	3,118	6,745
Non-deductible expenses	4,013	3,966	(16)
Foreign exchange	(484)	(558)	(2,181)
Change in tax laws	(1,707)	372	1,227
Basis difference in investment in affiliates	10,898	14,045	(1,681)
State tax provision	4,095	2,807	(2,452)
Tax credits	3,599	(6,144)	(3,868)
Return to provision and other opening adjustments	(4,820)	0	0
Dividend received deduction	0	0	(9,787)
Gain on sale of subsidiary stock	0	1,277	0
Tax Incentive	(8,846)	(2,114)	(9,762)
Discontinued operations/APIC/OCI allocation	0	(20,604)	(36,894)
Transaction cost	2,025	0	0
Other, net	(309)	(712)	(2,924)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	$ 42,951	$ 37,232	$ (7,025)
Effective Income Tax Rate	360.00%	(53.00%)	3.10%