Oreo Odyssey

With Kraft’s recent acquisition of Cadbury (take a visit, it’s fun), will all the world love the Oreo, especially in emerging and other international markets Kraft is not in?

Cadbury gives Kraft an entrance without the expense (sans, of course, the acquisition itself) of breaking into such markets on its own. They might have to do a little tweaking (called adaptation) of the Oreo ingredients to meet the taste buds of consumers in markets they select to enter.

Read more here.

Also, refer to our post May 5, 2008, “Reformulating the Oreo to Sell to the World.” Looks like they anticipated what was ahead.

Photo: Kraft Foods, Oreo (U.S.A.) and Oreo (China)

Oreo Odyssey

With Kraft’s recent acquisition of Cadbury (take a visit, it’s fun), will all the world love the Oreo, especially in emerging and other international markets Kraft is not in?

Cadbury gives Kraft an entrance without the expense (sans, of course, the acquisition itself) of breaking into such markets on its own. They might have to do a little tweaking (called adaptation) of the Oreo ingredients to meet the taste buds of consumers in markets they select to enter.

Read more here.

Also, refer to our post May 5, 2008, “Reformulating the Oreo to Sell to the World.” Looks like they anticipated what was ahead.

Photo: Kraft Foods, Oreo (U.S.A.) and Oreo (China)

Get Ready Global Small Businesses: U.S. $6 Billion is Coming Your Way in Export Financing

As reported by our friends and colleagues over at The New Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke pledged $6 billion a year in export financing for U.S.A. small businesses through the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Read all about it here:

Locke Pledges Aid for U.S. Small Business Exports (Update 1)

All we can say?

U.S.A., Export Away!

Get Ready Global Small Businesses: U.S. $6 Billion is Coming Your Way in Export Financing

As reported by our friends and colleagues over at The New Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke pledged $6 billion a year in export financing for U.S.A. small businesses through the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Read all about it here:

Locke Pledges Aid for U.S. Small Business Exports (Update 1)

All we can say?

U.S.A., Export Away!

New Phase of Economic Recovery: Tech World Rising

As the global economy mends, business spending on technology goods and services is returning — at least that is what Ben Worthen and Don Clark claim in “Tech Spending Bounces Back as Profits Rise,” published in the Wall Street Journal.

The tech world according to Cisco:

The economy has entered a new “phase of the recovery,” said John Chambers, Cisco’s chief executive, in a call with analysts, adding that he planned to hire up to 3,000 workers in coming quarters. “This is one of the most robust positive turnarounds I’ve seen in my career,” he added.

The tech world according to Google:

Before he (Google CEO Eric Schmidt) got into the nitty-gritty of this year's outlook, Google announced that revenue was up 17 percent in Q4 2009 ($6.7 billion) and up $23.65 billion for all of 2009 (for a net income of $6.5 billion).

The tech world according to NetSuite:

Having had a dreadful start to 2009, NetSuite announced record earning for the fourth quarter and year ended 31st December, 2009. From the release:

"Total revenue for the year was $166.5 million, a year-over-year increase of 9%. Total revenue for the fourth quarter was $43.0 million. Revenue from the Americas for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $35.0 million, while revenue from international regions was $8.0 million. NetSuite added approximately 295 new customers in the fourth quarter.

The tech world according to IBM:

Moreover, IBM’s full-year 2009 earnings of $10.01 per share were up 13% year over year, and net income of $13.4 billion rose 9% from fiscal year 2008. Earnings for the year were a record, despite the worldwide recession. Full-year earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.88 per share, as well as the company’s own guidance of $9.85 per share.

The company’s spectacular amount of new services contract signings and a pick up in corporate IT spending figured into the improved guidance for fiscal 2010. Historically, IBM has raised its guidance for almost every quarter in the last two years. For fiscal year 2010, the company again raised its EPS guidance to $11 per share, up from a previously expected $10-$11 per share range last month.

The tech world according to Microsoft:

Microsoft posted a bigger-than-expected 60 percent increase in quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by strong sales of Windows 7, and said it expected business technology spending to recover this year.

The company said net profit came to $6.7 billion, or 74 cents a share, up from $4.2 billion, or 47 cents a share, a year earlier.

The tech world according to Apple:

For the three-month period ending Dec. 29, 2009, Apple posted earnings of $3.4 billion, on a revenue of $15.7. Compared to the year-ago figures of $11.9 billion, that amounts to $2.3 billion in net quarterly profit.

Apple shipped 8.7 million iPhones — more than double compared to the year-ago quarter — and 3.4 million Macintosh computers, up 33% from a year earlier.

Consider it a tech revival. Are you ready?

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New Phase of Economic Recovery: Tech World Rising

As the global economy mends, business spending on technology goods and services is returning — at least that is what Ben Worthen and Don Clark claim in “Tech Spending Bounces Back as Profits Rise,” published in the Wall Street Journal.

The tech world according to Cisco:

The economy has entered a new “phase of the recovery,” said John Chambers, Cisco’s chief executive, in a call with analysts, adding that he planned to hire up to 3,000 workers in coming quarters. “This is one of the most robust positive turnarounds I’ve seen in my career,” he added.

The tech world according to Google:

Before he (Google CEO Eric Schmidt) got into the nitty-gritty of this year's outlook, Google announced that revenue was up 17 percent in Q4 2009 ($6.7 billion) and up $23.65 billion for all of 2009 (for a net income of $6.5 billion).

The tech world according to NetSuite:

Having had a dreadful start to 2009, NetSuite announced record earning for the fourth quarter and year ended 31st December, 2009. From the release:

"Total revenue for the year was $166.5 million, a year-over-year increase of 9%. Total revenue for the fourth quarter was $43.0 million. Revenue from the Americas for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $35.0 million, while revenue from international regions was $8.0 million. NetSuite added approximately 295 new customers in the fourth quarter.

The tech world according to IBM:

Moreover, IBM’s full-year 2009 earnings of $10.01 per share were up 13% year over year, and net income of $13.4 billion rose 9% from fiscal year 2008. Earnings for the year were a record, despite the worldwide recession. Full-year earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.88 per share, as well as the company’s own guidance of $9.85 per share.

The company’s spectacular amount of new services contract signings and a pick up in corporate IT spending figured into the improved guidance for fiscal 2010. Historically, IBM has raised its guidance for almost every quarter in the last two years. For fiscal year 2010, the company again raised its EPS guidance to $11 per share, up from a previously expected $10-$11 per share range last month.

The tech world according to Microsoft:

Microsoft posted a bigger-than-expected 60 percent increase in quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by strong sales of Windows 7, and said it expected business technology spending to recover this year.

The company said net profit came to $6.7 billion, or 74 cents a share, up from $4.2 billion, or 47 cents a share, a year earlier.

The tech world according to Apple:

For the three-month period ending Dec. 29, 2009, Apple posted earnings of $3.4 billion, on a revenue of $15.7. Compared to the year-ago figures of $11.9 billion, that amounts to $2.3 billion in net quarterly profit.

Apple shipped 8.7 million iPhones — more than double compared to the year-ago quarter — and 3.4 million Macintosh computers, up 33% from a year earlier.

Consider it a tech revival. Are you ready?

TechTip2U Powered by: Verio

Explore Opportunities Outside Your Local Market

Lots of good tips here on how to grow your business in a flat economy but we particularly like Tip No. 2:

Explore outside the local and domestic market. When it comes to horse racing, for years the leading buyers destination was Dubai thanks to the wealthy investments by the Royal Family. With Dubai in flux, many investors have backed off. Finley has been exploring Ireland now instead. "We were one of the first to buy and bring back horses from Ireland," says Finley. "Now we have Irish investors interested in us."

Read more here.

Explore Opportunities Outside Your Local Market

Lots of good tips here on how to grow your business in a flat economy but we particularly like Tip No. 2:

Explore outside the local and domestic market. When it comes to horse racing, for years the leading buyers destination was Dubai thanks to the wealthy investments by the Royal Family. With Dubai in flux, many investors have backed off. Finley has been exploring Ireland now instead. "We were one of the first to buy and bring back horses from Ireland," says Finley. "Now we have Irish investors interested in us."

Read more here.

The World Wide Web Through Language

Why is it so hard to learn a foreign language?

Learning a language sometimes seems as difficult as dieting. The solution is to figure out how to stay interested after the novelty wears off.

For an option, go here.

The World Wide Web Through Language

Why is it so hard to learn a foreign language?

Learning a language sometimes seems as difficult as dieting. The solution is to figure out how to stay interested after the novelty wears off.

For an option, go here.

Online Tutorial in Global Marketing

Our friends and colleagues over at globalEDGE have put together a neat little online tutorial on Global Marketing.

Test it out or get smart (direct link … sound and all) here.

Online Tutorial in Global Marketing

Our friends and colleagues over at globalEDGE have put together a neat little online tutorial on Global Marketing.

Test it out or get smart (direct link … sound and all) here.

Global Game Changer

Apple’s new iPad (pictured) is here and we most certainly will have to wait to see if it becomes another global game changer. Read more here.

Apple’s motto which we can all learn from: Think DiFfeRent.

About Steve Jobs. One more here.

Our post about the much anticipated new product launch here. And another post October 9, 2009 on: “Who Has The Global Edge On Wireless Readers?”

Related topic wise … watch for upcoming post to the American Express OPEN Forum on “bold innovation.” Follow us on Twitter to capture it @LaurelDelaney.

Global Game Changer

Apple’s new iPad (pictured) is here and we most certainly will have to wait to see if it becomes another global game changer. Read more here.

Apple’s motto which we can all learn from: Think DiFfeRent.

About Steve Jobs. One more here.

Our post about the much anticipated new product launch here. And another post October 9, 2009 on: “Who Has The Global Edge On Wireless Readers?”

Related topic wise … watch for upcoming post to the American Express OPEN Forum on “bold innovation.” Follow us on Twitter to capture it @LaurelDelaney.

A Dose of Davos

The World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of government and corporate leaders in Davos, Switzerland (pictured), runs until Sunday.

Here are some highlights.

World Economic Forum

How It Works: Cloud Computing

With cloud computing, an on demand access to virtualized IT resources that are provided as a service over the Internet, you can reduce risk and gain control. This is not new. It has been taking place in some form or fashion for years. Just a new name has been coined to define it. For example, if you have an email account with a Web-based e-mail service like Gmail, Yahoo or Earthlink, then you’ve had some experience with cloud computing.

Cloud computing 101: “How Cloud Computing Works“
Wikipedia definition: Cloud computing

Whatis.com definition:

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that’s often used to represent the Internet in flow charts and diagrams.

According to InfoWorld: What cloud computing really means

2010 Tipping Point for SMB Use of Cloud Computing:

Tip No. 5: SMBs use the cloud to avoid infrastructure problems faced by offering their services in different countries around the globe. The cloud will act as an equalizer in this manner and allow SMBs large and small to compete internationally.

In line with above, cloud computing has changed how companies market, sell, provision and deploy new services on a global basis.

As cloud computing goes global, you have to ask yourself: whose laws matter?

TechTip2U Powered by: Verio

Global Copyright Treaty?

A landmark intellectual IP agreement — known as Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) — is in the works. Why the secrecy?

Learn more here.

How It Works: Cloud Computing

With cloud computing, an on demand access to virtualized IT resources that are provided as a service over the Internet, you can reduce risk and gain control. This is not new. It has been taking place in some form or fashion for years. Just a new name has been coined to define it. For example, if you have an email account with a Web-based e-mail service like Gmail, Yahoo or Earthlink, then you’ve had some experience with cloud computing.

Cloud computing 101: “How Cloud Computing Works“
Wikipedia definition: Cloud computing

Whatis.com definition:

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that’s often used to represent the Internet in flow charts and diagrams.

According to InfoWorld: What cloud computing really means

2010 Tipping Point for SMB Use of Cloud Computing:

Tip No. 5: SMBs use the cloud to avoid infrastructure problems faced by offering their services in different countries around the globe. The cloud will act as an equalizer in this manner and allow SMBs large and small to compete internationally.

In line with above, cloud computing has changed how companies market, sell, provision and deploy new services on a global basis.

As cloud computing goes global, you have to ask yourself: whose laws matter?

TechTip2U Powered by: Verio

Global Copyright Treaty?

A landmark intellectual IP agreement — known as Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) — is in the works. Why the secrecy?

Learn more here.

Benefits of Offshoring When You Think Wide

Too many organizations mistakenly limit offshore work to routine tasks.

More broadly, our research has implications for what kind of work is "offshore-able." We believe that if Western companies focused more on fostering collaboration between workers separated by geography and culture, and less on forcing offshore workers to perform tasks in very specific ways, the range of work they could source offshore would be significantly expanded. Companies struggling to fill talent gaps in semiconductor-chip design, drug discovery, engineering and other intellectually complex areas could draw on high-quality and growing talent bases in countries like India and China.

Read the entire article here.

Benefits of Offshoring When You Think Wide

Too many organizations mistakenly limit offshore work to routine tasks.

More broadly, our research has implications for what kind of work is "offshore-able." We believe that if Western companies focused more on fostering collaboration between workers separated by geography and culture, and less on forcing offshore workers to perform tasks in very specific ways, the range of work they could source offshore would be significantly expanded. Companies struggling to fill talent gaps in semiconductor-chip design, drug discovery, engineering and other intellectually complex areas could draw on high-quality and growing talent bases in countries like India and China.

Read the entire article here.

Doing Business With the World: It's Easy. Here's How.

Who wouldn't want to sell to more than 1.7 billion people? According to Internet World Stats, that's the current number of Internet users worldwide, up 200,000 since December! How can you prepare to capture this astounding audience and do business with the world? Above all else, you need customers, but before we cover that, here are other factors to consider.

Read more here.

Like what you see? Sign up to keep up with what’s going on in the world of global small business.

Separately, Happy Australia Day!

Doing Business With the World: It's Easy. Here's How.

Who wouldn't want to sell to more than 1.7 billion people? According to Internet World Stats, that's the current number of Internet users worldwide, up 200,000 since December! How can you prepare to capture this astounding audience and do business with the world? Above all else, you need customers, but before we cover that, here are other factors to consider.

Read more here.

Like what you see? Sign up to keep up with what’s going on in the world of global small business.

Separately, Happy Australia Day!

Learn Global Business Etiquette

If you are in the process of expanding abroad, avoid cultural gaffes by learning local business etiquette in the country you are about to do business.

This article offers some good tips by business owners and experts in the trenches on how to immerse yourself in a country’s culture to better understand the people, respect their ways and be sensitive about never offending.

Expanding Abroad? Avoid Cultural Gaffes

You might also check out our 8 Global Marketing Gaffes.