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
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?
A landmark intellectual IP agreement — known as Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) — is in the works. Why the secrecy?
Learn more here.
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?
A landmark intellectual IP agreement — known as Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) — is in the works. Why the secrecy?
Learn more here.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
Newsweek’s Fareer Zakaria has a conversation with Google CEO Eric Schmidt about doing business in China despite the restrictions that Beijing imposes on Internet freedom.
Excerpt here:
Why did you make this decision? It surprised many people and many companies.
Google is a different kind of company than many others. The issue of operating in China was always complex for us. We were asked to accept a system of censorship that we were very uncomfortable with. But we had come to the conclusion that operating in China was better for everyone—us, the Chinese people—than staying out of the country. We have decided that we cannot participate in censorship anymore.
Read the entire interview here.
You might also check out Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.’s commentary in the WSJ (1/22/10): China, Google and the Cloud Wars (very interesting)
Refer to our blog post 1/19/10: Message to China: Stop Carving Up Cyberspace with Boundaries
Newsweek’s Fareer Zakaria has a conversation with Google CEO Eric Schmidt about doing business in China despite the restrictions that Beijing imposes on Internet freedom.
Excerpt here:
Why did you make this decision? It surprised many people and many companies.
Google is a different kind of company than many others. The issue of operating in China was always complex for us. We were asked to accept a system of censorship that we were very uncomfortable with. But we had come to the conclusion that operating in China was better for everyone—us, the Chinese people—than staying out of the country. We have decided that we cannot participate in censorship anymore.
Read the entire interview here.
You might also check out Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.’s commentary in the WSJ (1/22/10): China, Google and the Cloud Wars (very interesting)
Refer to our blog post 1/19/10: Message to China: Stop Carving Up Cyberspace with Boundaries
According to contributing writer Carol Tice at Inc., one-half of all small businesses do not have a website. Yes, you read that right.
Think about how many small businesses that might be if you polled the planet!
Half of Small Businesses Don’t Have a Website
The actual study can be found here.
Customers.
What are you waiting for?
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According to contributing writer Carol Tice at Inc., one-half of all small businesses do not have a website. Yes, you read that right.
Think about how many small businesses that might be if you polled the planet!
Half of Small Businesses Don’t Have a Website
The actual study can be found here.
Customers.
What are you waiting for?
TechTip2U Powered by: Verio
We don’t know too much about this organization (launched April, 2009) other than it came across our email desk over the past couple of weeks.
KnowEm was developed to assist everyone – from individuals to Fortune 500 companies – in discovering where their names, brands, or trademarked terms are available (or stolen) on Social Media networks. KnowEm will not only help you secure your name across the vast social media landscape but we can also show you how to contact each site in order to have the name released and returned to you.
Check it out. Let us know if it’s useful to you or not. Don’t see too much global here.
We don’t know too much about this organization (launched April, 2009) other than it came across our email desk over the past couple of weeks.
KnowEm was developed to assist everyone – from individuals to Fortune 500 companies – in discovering where their names, brands, or trademarked terms are available (or stolen) on Social Media networks. KnowEm will not only help you secure your name across the vast social media landscape but we can also show you how to contact each site in order to have the name released and returned to you.
Check it out. Let us know if it’s useful to you or not. Don’t see too much global here.
Japan’s largest cosmetic company, Shiseido, is set to acquire the American make-up company Bare Escentuals Inc. (products pictured) for $1.7 billion, marking the largest acquisition in its 83-year history.
It goes to show you the price companies are willing to pay to boost and capture a market.
Read all about it here.
To expand your reach, what’s your global acquisition target in 2010?
Japan’s largest cosmetic company, Shiseido, is set to acquire the American make-up company Bare Escentuals Inc. (products pictured) for $1.7 billion, marking the largest acquisition in its 83-year history.
It goes to show you the price companies are willing to pay to boost and capture a market.
Read all about it here.
To expand your reach, what’s your global acquisition target in 2010?
My fellow readers, I am sure you have been following every last little detail concerning the China-based hacker attack on Google and as many as 34 other companies, including Adobe Systems Inc., Juniper Networks and Yahoo. As a result of the cyber attack and the fact that the China government continues to force Google to neuter searches, Google has threatened to pull out of China.
This is a very critical juncture in the history of international business but it’s not the first time a company has walked away from China. Levi Strauss & Co., 17 years ago did too, and returned. Funny thing, Levi’s brand is currently made in China and they just opened their 501st retail store in Beijing last November. What happened in between? Take a look at this.
But this predicament is different — far more public thanks to the Internet (go Google!) — and will most likely bring foreign-policy implications. It will be interesting to see what happens when Google shuts off the valve in China on censoring search results and how fast China’s government blocks or shuts down Google.cn, if at all.
In the course of determining what really happened, we will unveil more evidence of weird things going on.
Needless to say I admire and respect Google’s bold move here (tough place to be but I always like to see people/companies take a public stand, exhibit backbone and show a strong sense of world good) and it’s in line with this fine commentary, appropriately entitled, “Google Gets on the Right Side of History,” written by Rebecca MacKinnon, a fellow with the Open Society Institute.
My feeling is you can’t be part pregnant; and when you are Google, you most certainly can’t be part-search engine in China.
We’ll keep you posted.
My fellow readers, I am sure you have been following every last little detail concerning the China-based hacker attack on Google and as many as 34 other companies, including Adobe Systems Inc., Juniper Networks and Yahoo. As a result of the cyber attack and the fact that the China government continues to force Google to neuter searches, Google has threatened to pull out of China.
This is a very critical juncture in the history of international business but it’s not the first time a company has walked away from China. Levi Strauss & Co., 17 years ago did too, and returned. Funny thing, Levi’s brand is currently made in China and they just opened their 501st retail store in Beijing last November. What happened in between? Take a look at this.
But this predicament is different — far more public thanks to the Internet (go Google!) — and will most likely bring foreign-policy implications. It will be interesting to see what happens when Google shuts off the valve in China on censoring search results and how fast China’s government blocks or shuts down Google.cn, if at all.
In the course of determining what really happened, we will unveil more evidence of weird things going on.
Needless to say I admire and respect Google’s bold move here (tough place to be but I always like to see people/companies take a public stand, exhibit backbone and show a strong sense of world good) and it’s in line with this fine commentary, appropriately entitled, “Google Gets on the Right Side of History,” written by Rebecca MacKinnon, a fellow with the Open Society Institute.
My feeling is you can’t be part pregnant; and when you are Google, you most certainly can’t be part-search engine in China.
We’ll keep you posted.
The media coverage is extraordinary on the powerful earthquake (measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale) that struck near Port Au Prince, Haiti on January 12. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is suffering right now in Haiti.
To offer your own help with a donation of any size, go here for guidance (straight from the United States Whitehouse Blog):
The President has been receiving updates on the urgent situation in Haiti late into last night and throughout the day, and top members of his team have been convening to formulate the government response.You can also help immediately by donating to the Red Cross to assist the relief effort. Contribute online to the Red Cross, or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting “HAITI” to “90999.” Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.
Families of Americans living in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.
Haiti Earthquake Relief (video)
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Facts on Haiti (including update on the earthquake)
Embassy of Haiti in Washington D.C.
Embassy of the United States Port Au Prince Haiti
The media coverage is extraordinary on the powerful earthquake (measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale) that struck near Port Au Prince, Haiti on January 12. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is suffering right now in Haiti.
To offer your own help with a donation of any size, go here for guidance (straight from the United States Whitehouse Blog):
The President has been receiving updates on the urgent situation in Haiti late into last night and throughout the day, and top members of his team have been convening to formulate the government response.You can also help immediately by donating to the Red Cross to assist the relief effort. Contribute online to the Red Cross, or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting “HAITI” to “90999.” Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.
Families of Americans living in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.
Haiti Earthquake Relief (video)
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Facts on Haiti (including update on the earthquake)
Embassy of Haiti in Washington D.C.
Embassy of the United States Port Au Prince Haiti
Maybe some of these ideas will help spur you on to more spontaneous innovation day-to-day within your global small business.
My latest post for American Express OPEN Forum:
2010: The Year of Spontaneous InNoVaTiOn
You like it? Hit the Tweet button at the top. You really, really like, hit the thumbs up button at the bottom of page.
Posted by: Laurel J. Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog
Maybe some of these ideas will help spur you on to more spontaneous innovation day-to-day within your global small business.
My latest post for American Express OPEN Forum:
2010: The Year of Spontaneous InNoVaTiOn
You like it? Hit the Tweet button at the top. You really, really like, hit the thumbs up button at the bottom of page.
Posted by: Laurel J. Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog
Forrester Research says the global technology industry will see an 8.1 percent increase in IT spending in 2010, with software and computer hardware leading the charge, and IT consulting services following.
IT spending is expected to grow 6.6 percent in 2010 to $568 billion, according to Forrester’s latest research report. Global tech spending, which dropped 8.9 percent in 2009, will rise to more than $1.6 trillion in 2010.
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