Are American companies boosting poor economies by swooping up farmland or is there some other hidden agenda going on?
Read more at “Land Rush in Africa” and weigh in with your comments.
Are American companies boosting poor economies by swooping up farmland or is there some other hidden agenda going on?
Read more at “Land Rush in Africa” and weigh in with your comments.
In follow up to the World Entrepreneurship Forum, Business Reporter Laura Noonan, from The Irish Independent, provides her perspective on the Forum.
Read the article here.
About the World Entrepreneurship Forum
Founded at the initiative of EMLYON Business School and KPMG, the World Entrepreneurship Forum benefits from the high patronage of Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic. It is the first worldwide think tank dedicated to entrepreneurs, creators of wealth and social justice. It gathers annually more than 100 members of over 40 different nationalities.
For more information: www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com.
Full disclosure: Laurel Delaney (quoted in article) is a member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.
Pictured: Patrick Molle, President, EMLYON Business School
Photo credit: Pierto, Sipa Press
Thank you for your readership and comments. Without you, this blog would not be possible.
Have a great Thanksgiving (United States).
The origins of Thanksgiving can be found here. The famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is here. And if you ran out of ideas on what to cook, go here!
Enjoy.
Thank you for your readership and comments. Without you, this blog would not be possible.
Have a great Thanksgiving (United States).
The origins of Thanksgiving can be found here. The famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is here. And if you ran out of ideas on what to cook, go here!
Enjoy.
Back from Lyon, France after attending the World Entrepreneurship Forum. I will report about it later this week (catch a quick glimpse of award ceremony venue here).
In the meantime, a new APEC website for the Environmental Goods and Services Information Exchange (EGSIE) went live. The EGSIE is an innovative new website that will promote information-sharing and collaboration related to cutting edge environmental technologies in the Asia-Pacific region and will also promote the dissemination of such technologies globally.
Learn more here.
The above photo (click on to enlarge) is taken outside of the EMLYON Business School in Lyon, France during the 2nd edition of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.
Our goal at the Forum was to promote a type of entrepreneurship that creates wealth and social justice on a global scale by building on the backgrounds and experiences of members represented from more than 40 countries!
Based on the nine recommendations from last year, we focused on the role public authorities can — and sometimes should — play in developing entrepreneurship. Our target was to deliver three key proposals at the end of the Forum (which we did) and I will report on that shortly.
About the World Entrepreneurship Forum
Founded at the initiative of EMLYON Business School and KPMG, the World Entrepreneurship Forum benefits from the high patronage of Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic. It is the first worldwide think tank dedicated to entrepreneurs, creators of wealth and social justice. It gathers annually more than 100 members of over 40 different nationalities.
For more information: www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com.
Photo credit: Pierto, Sipa Press
Back from Lyon, France after attending the World Entrepreneurship Forum. I will report about it later this week (catch a quick glimpse of award ceremony venue here).
In the meantime, a new APEC website for the Environmental Goods and Services Information Exchange (EGSIE) went live. The EGSIE is an innovative new website that will promote information-sharing and collaboration related to cutting edge environmental technologies in the Asia-Pacific region and will also promote the dissemination of such technologies globally.
Learn more here.
In scanning the article, “What 2010 Has In Store for SMEs,” published in the Times LIVE (South Africa), I found it refreshingly bizarre. How so?
He (Stanlib economist Kevin Lings) says that recent data from the United States shows that this powerhouse is recovering, and adds that global manufacturing has turned the corner.
It is also worth noting that South Africa takes about three to four months to react to global trends, so our recovery will come after a worldwide upturn.
“We are nowhere close to normal but it seems the worst is over. It is going to take a long time to recover, but the numbers look better.”
Mike believes that the world’s economic growth will stay muted for the next two or three years, so it will take some time to see significant growth on local soil.
Rode & Associates CEO Erwin Rode echoes these sentiments, saying that a conservative approach to 2010 is probably the best advice for SME decision-makers.
“For planning purposes, I would rather be a pessimist than an optimist. Don’t expose yourself to great risks,” he says.
This really cracked me up, “I would rather be a pessimist than an optimist.” Anyone else feel that way? It seems so opposite of how American SMEs perceive their outlook on business!
Yet the article closes with:
Nevertheless, Mike is fairly optimistic about the prospects for SMEs, saying because of their lean and streamlined nature, they will be able to take up opportunities presented in 2010 much quicker than their large counterparts.
Read more here.
The above photo (click on to enlarge) is taken outside of the EMLYON Business School in Lyon, France during the 2nd edition of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.
Our goal at the Forum was to promote a type of entrepreneurship that creates wealth and social justice on a global scale by building on the backgrounds and experiences of members represented from more than 40 countries!
Based on the nine recommendations from last year, we focused on the role public authorities can — and sometimes should — play in developing entrepreneurship. Our target was to deliver three key proposals at the end of the Forum (which we did) and I will report on that shortly.
About the World Entrepreneurship Forum
Founded at the initiative of EMLYON Business School and KPMG, the World Entrepreneurship Forum benefits from the high patronage of Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic. It is the first worldwide think tank dedicated to entrepreneurs, creators of wealth and social justice. It gathers annually more than 100 members of over 40 different nationalities.
For more information: www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com.
Photo credit: Pierto, Sipa Press
In scanning the article, “What 2010 Has In Store for SMEs,” published in the Times LIVE (South Africa), I found it refreshingly bizarre. How so?
He (Stanlib economist Kevin Lings) says that recent data from the United States shows that this powerhouse is recovering, and adds that global manufacturing has turned the corner.
It is also worth noting that South Africa takes about three to four months to react to global trends, so our recovery will come after a worldwide upturn.
“We are nowhere close to normal but it seems the worst is over. It is going to take a long time to recover, but the numbers look better.”
Mike believes that the world’s economic growth will stay muted for the next two or three years, so it will take some time to see significant growth on local soil.
Rode & Associates CEO Erwin Rode echoes these sentiments, saying that a conservative approach to 2010 is probably the best advice for SME decision-makers.
“For planning purposes, I would rather be a pessimist than an optimist. Don’t expose yourself to great risks,” he says.
This really cracked me up, “I would rather be a pessimist than an optimist.” Anyone else feel that way? It seems so opposite of how American SMEs perceive their outlook on business!
Yet the article closes with:
Nevertheless, Mike is fairly optimistic about the prospects for SMEs, saying because of their lean and streamlined nature, they will be able to take up opportunities presented in 2010 much quicker than their large counterparts.
Read more here.
Even with a sinking dollar that aids exports, the trade gap still grows.
Important excerpt here:
Long term, however, economists say the U.S. needs to address its trade deficit by spurring exports to help offset imports of other nations’ goods and services. One way to do that is by lowering the value of the dollar relative to other currencies, making U.S. goods and services cheaper abroad and more attractive to buyers.That is already beginning to take place, as a recovery of the global economy has reversed investors’ “flight to safety” that spurred demand for dollars during the past year. The U.S. dollar has been trading near a 15-month low this week against a basket of other currencies.
Even so, “the dollar may need to decline further,” said Mr. Pandl, to spur exports enough to help narrow the trade gap and boost U.S. economic growth.
Read more here.
Arrived in France for the World Entrepreneurship Forum where there are already fabulous exchanges between members of so many different backgrounds.
Enjoying the experience immensely. Follow my Tweets @ twitter.com/LaurelDelaney.
I had the great honor and opportunity to listen to Minister Lee Yi Shyan, the State Minister of Trade and Industry, in charge of Entrepreneurship, Singapore talk about Singapore’s strategy on entrepreneurship development.
Here are twenty (20) highlights:
1. How can government be a part of entrepreneurship (big question he was faced with)?
2. Ten percent (10%) of all businesses in Singapore are small businesses.
3. World Bank named Singapore the easiest place to do business.
4. Businesses in Singapore can no longer compete on the basis of low-cost pricing.
5. Projected growth for Singapore is 2-5 percent.
6. After a recession year, Singapore always bounces back.
7. Singapore involves the private sector to encourage and develop entrepreneurship.
8. They set up structures and the environment for entrepreneurship to thrive.
9. They also set up an action committee for entrepreneurs.
10. They set up a PRO enterprise panel to cut red tape and reduce regulatory burden; they seek and act on suggestions by the public.
11. Private equity platform; access to private equity financing (for those companies with high growth potential); micro-loan program — up to $5 million dollars.
12. State Minister gave an analogy of how a tree grows in 10 years whereas a person takes a century.
13. Will check into his comment about a BlueSKY Festival which encourages SMBs to try out entrepreneurship and reach for their dreams.
14. Has a YES! School which helps schools develop entrepreneurship programs (ten percent of Singapore’s schools reach 1,000 students).
15. Eighty-four percent (84%) of people would NOT give up business for better job!
16. There were 50,000 start-ups in 2009.
17. Launched a IES (International Enterprise Singapore) program.
18. Considered most innovative nation according to International Innovation Index.
19. Moving ahead: Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Scientists and Venture Capitalists = dollars + knowledge + market connections.
20. They participated in Global Entrepreneurship Week (this week) with 40 different programs.
Based on Minister Lee Yi Shyan’s comments along with his high spirit, it is easy to understand why Singapore is flourishing with entrepreneurs!
Prominent dissident Cuban blogger, Yoani Sanchez (pictured), got herself into a little trouble lately for telling the truth (criticizing?) about the Cuban government but what struck me is how strong and resilient she is.
And her blog entries (she won a top journalism prize from Columbia University but was barred by the Cuban government from traveling to New York to accept the award) are pretty powerful too.
Take a visit to where she blogs at: Mediaite. Ain’t no stopping Yoani.
On my way to the World Entrepreneurship Forum in Lyon, France (November 18-21) and our 2009 main topic is:
How can governments, at all levels, support the development of entrepreneurship?
We will also review the nine (9) recommendations we proposed during our 2008 Forum, aimed at enabling and fostering the development of the various forms of entrepreneurship. They are as follows:
World Entrepreneurship Forum Guiding Principles1. Reform Regulations
To promote a truly entrepreneurship-centered business climate, reform tax and regulatory environments so as to make it easier, faster, and less costly for entrepreneurs to set up enterprises, grow them if they are successful, or close them if not; minimize the time they spend on licenses, tax procedures, litigation and other similar activities.
2. Create New "Entrepreneur-Friendly" Institutions
Introduce new-style entrepreneurship-friendly support institutions that provide technological knowledge, market information, business know-how, certification services, access to capital, and other essential business support.
3. Promote Proper Governance
Set forth a governance framework which unambiguously encourages risk-taking, while also ensuring that ethics lapses, corruption, and neglect of environmental sustainability carry a high cost to reputation.
4. Foster Positive Entrepreneurial Attitudes
Foster a cultural context where entrepreneurship has a positive image and where entrepreneurial success is publicly celebrated.
5. Create an Early Education Entrepreneurial Curricula
Include within schools a curricula that promotes the development of the skills and attitudes that are the hallmark of entrepreneurship, such as: Creating a vision, perseverance, creativity, spotting needs, empathy, leadership, dealing with ambiguity, risk-taking, and follow-through.
6. Develop Young Adult Entrepreneurial Curricula
Include within an education curricula practical elements of entrepreneurship and business development so as to increase the entrepreneurial IQ within the community.
7. Promote Lifelong Entrepreneurial Education
Provide entrepreneurs lifelong learning and development platforms for sharing of experience and best practices, coaching and mentoring, mutual support, and international networking, with the strong support of key stakeholders from business and civil society.
8. Empower Entrepreneurial Women, Minorities and the Disadvantaged
Support programs must also specifically target women, minorities, and the disadvantaged. Further, governments should implement laws and policies that ensure that entrepreneurs are sensitive to gender empowerment as well as diversity promotion.
9. Understand Entrepreneurship
Make it known that entrepreneurs are positive agents of social change, wealth creation, transparency, sustainability, and innovation.
Formal Guiding Principles can be found here.
I hope to have a chance to report out to you while in France but if I get too busy, which is very likely, I will wait until after I return to provide you with key takeaways. However, in the meantime, catch a LIVE broadcast of key moments here (http://www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com).
By the way … here’s why I am a member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.
Photo: World Entrepreneurship Forum — members in 2008.
What’s up and what’s the hurry?
China’s total trade volumes are expected to drop 20% this year largely because of the U.S. recession. Beijing has to keep exports growing to keep workers employed, and it needs commodities to turn into finished goods. China also needs other nations as customers and suppliers—if not the U.S., then Korea, Japan, Australia, and others will do.
Find out what China’s strategy is and what the U.S. intends to do to remain competitive here.
I had the great honor and opportunity to listen to Minister Lee Yi Shyan, the State Minister of Trade and Industry, in charge of Entrepreneurship, Singapore talk about Singapore’s strategy on entrepreneurship development.
Here are twenty (20) highlights:
1. How can government be a part of entrepreneurship (big question he was faced with)?
2. Ten percent (10%) of all businesses in Singapore are small businesses.
3. World Bank named Singapore the easiest place to do business.
4. Businesses in Singapore can no longer compete on the basis of low-cost pricing.
5. Projected growth for Singapore is 2-5 percent.
6. After a recession year, Singapore always bounces back.
7. Singapore involves the private sector to encourage and develop entrepreneurship.
8. They set up structures and the environment for entrepreneurship to thrive.
9. They also set up an action committee for entrepreneurs.
10. They set up a PRO enterprise panel to cut red tape and reduce regulatory burden; they seek and act on suggestions by the public.
11. Private equity platform; access to private equity financing (for those companies with high growth potential); micro-loan program — up to $5 million dollars.
12. State Minister gave an analogy of how a tree grows in 10 years whereas a person takes a century.
13. Will check into his comment about a BlueSKY Festival which encourages SMBs to try out entrepreneurship and reach for their dreams.
14. Has a YES! School which helps schools develop entrepreneurship programs (ten percent of Singapore’s schools reach 1,000 students).
15. Eighty-four percent (84%) of people would NOT give up business for better job!
16. There were 50,000 start-ups in 2009.
17. Launched a IES (International Enterprise Singapore) program.
18. Considered most innovative nation according to International Innovation Index.
19. Moving ahead: Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Scientists and Venture Capitalists = dollars + knowledge + market connections.
20. They participated in Global Entrepreneurship Week (this week) with 40 different programs.
Based on Minister Lee Yi Shyan’s comments along with his high spirit, it is easy to understand why Singapore is flourishing with entrepreneurs!
Prominent dissident Cuban blogger, Yoani Sanchez (pictured), got herself into a little trouble lately for telling the truth (criticizing?) about the Cuban government but what struck me is how strong and resilient she is.
And her blog entries (she won a top journalism prize from Columbia University but was barred by the Cuban government from traveling to New York to accept the award) are pretty powerful too.
Take a visit to where she blogs at: Mediaite. Ain’t no stopping Yoani.
What’s up and what’s the hurry?
China’s total trade volumes are expected to drop 20% this year largely because of the U.S. recession. Beijing has to keep exports growing to keep workers employed, and it needs commodities to turn into finished goods. China also needs other nations as customers and suppliers—if not the U.S., then Korea, Japan, Australia, and others will do.
Find out what China’s strategy is and what the U.S. intends to do to remain competitive here.
“Delicious autumn (Chicago photo)! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~ George Eliot
Have a bountiful weekend.
Posted by: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog
“Delicious autumn (Chicago photo)! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~ George Eliot
Have a bountiful weekend.
Posted by: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog
Even with a sinking dollar that aids exports, the trade gap still grows.
Important excerpt here:
Long term, however, economists say the U.S. needs to address its trade deficit by spurring exports to help offset imports of other nations’ goods and services. One way to do that is by lowering the value of the dollar relative to other currencies, making U.S. goods and services cheaper abroad and more attractive to buyers.That is already beginning to take place, as a recovery of the global economy has reversed investors’ “flight to safety” that spurred demand for dollars during the past year. The U.S. dollar has been trading near a 15-month low this week against a basket of other currencies.
Even so, “the dollar may need to decline further,” said Mr. Pandl, to spur exports enough to help narrow the trade gap and boost U.S. economic growth.
Read more here.
Arrived in France for the World Entrepreneurship Forum where there are already fabulous exchanges between members of so many different backgrounds.
Enjoying the experience immensely. Follow my Tweets @ twitter.com/LaurelDelaney.
Today marks the beginning of Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. It runs this year from November 16-22 and virtually connects approximately 4 million people in 87 countries (read Kauffman Foundation’s release about it).
Each nation has found a different way to kick off what is the culmination of months of organizing and engaging their communities.
How do you plan to celebrate and connect with the world? You can start by making a comment here with “I support Global Entrepreneurship Week!”
To find out more, visit Unleashing Ideas. Get live updates at the Unleashing Ideas Blog.
Go ahead … unleash yourself and your potential — globally!
China is investigating sales of GM, Ford, and Chrysler vehicles, and the inquiry could lead to higher tariffs for American automakers.
Read more here. Comments are interesting. Do you have any? Let’s hear.
Pictured: Fort Fiesta unveiled in China (2008).
We had a reader comment on our entry about, “The Tipping Point For World Recovery: Women Entrepreneurs,” with this:
Great article! Our organization has been supporting women-owned micro-enterprises in less-developed countries for two decades and the results have been remarkable.
Learn more about FXB International (http://www.fxb.org). And if you are in the spirit to support, go here.
Thank you to our reader and congratulations on your success!
