The Dialogue focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities that both countries face on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global areas of immediate and long-term strategic and economic interests. This first meeting of the Dialogue also set the stage for intensive, ongoing and future bilateral cooperative mechanisms.Learn more here.
Here's another American Express OPEN Forum contribution, "11 Tips to Help You Thrive After Losing Your Biggest Client."
Jim Stengel (pictured), a former global marketing officer for Procter & Gamble who retired from his post last fall,, has started his own firm, The Jim Stengel Company, LLC. The firm focuses on “purpose-based marketing." He plans to consult, author a book and serve an advisory role to MarketShare Partners.
In Midwest, U.S.A., we are fortunate to have the Food Export Association which is a non-profit organization that promotes the export of food and agricultural products from the midwestern region of the United States.
Stephen McNulty, regional vice president, Asia Pacific, with supply chain solutions provider JDA Software, offers five strategies for managing demand in India's emerging market.1. Ensure a clear understanding of local principles, customs and barriers.As the article states, India presents many opportunities to U.S. manufacturers, but just as many operational challenges.
2. Establish constant communication. India's communications infrastructure is still inadequate for global companies doing business there.
3. Develop comprehensive procedures and processes.
4. Ensure the quality of input information.
5. Identify and integrate the right professionals and insist on teamwork.
The U.S. will fuel some growth in the coming years through exports to China and emerging markets but what other part of the world will lead the global recovery?
I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday. It's a beautiful day here in Chicago.
Here's my latest contribution over at the new American Express OPEN Forum under their Innovation: Idea Hub.
The global recession has taken a harsh toll on international trade, particularly for many members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. World trade in goods and services will fall sharply in 2009 and is unlikely to rebound much in 2010, so APEC members must ensure that they do not make this bad situation worse by implementing protectionist policies (yes, the second of two posts in two days on this topic) that restrict opportunities for trade and investment.Do no more harm to the global trading system through damaging tariffs or subsidies; help world trade recover by accelerating and broadening the Doha Round trade negotiations; and complement Doha with APEC initiatives on trade, the environment, and regional economic integration.Read more here.
The most secure as compared to what?Of all the trends we followed before the crisis, globalization seemed the most secure. Today, however, big and important question marks hang over some aspects of global economic integration.See what the verdict is here.
I recently interviewed Alan M. Webber, author of "Rules of Thumb," over at the new American Express OPEN Forum.
Five years ago today (7/20/04) we launched The Global Small Business Blog (http://borderbuster.blogspot.com/) which is now, according to Technorati, ranked in the top one percent of all blogs worldwide.
Are you a relatively new entrepreneur (newpreneur)? Do you have a start-up story to tell that will blow people's mind because it's that amazing and important?It's simple: share your story in a short essay on why you should be the Newpreneur of the Year; join Alibaba for an inspiring discussion and dialogue among experts (e.g, Tom Peters) and peers and celebrate the excitement around entrepreneurship. Top Grant=$50,000, Second Grant=$25,000. Third Grant=$15,000 and two Fourth Grants=$5,000.Alibaba (China-based) claims it is the world's largest online B2B marketplace.
Good commentary by Scott Davis, Chairman and CEO of United Parcel Service.
My latest contribution for OPEN Forum by American Express OPEN highlights how Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" parallels much of what we do every day within our businesses.
The World Economic Forum has released a new report ICT for Economic Growth which highlights how information and communications technologies (ICT) are critical for a transformational and inclusive global economic recovery.
Two of the world's most important economies -- China and the United States -- are showing signs of growth.U.S. exports grew in May, while imports fell, helping to narrow the trade deficit to its lowest level in nearly nine years. The report prompted economists to revise up their estimates of second-quarter gross domestic product. Some even suggested the economy might have grown slightly in the second quarter.Read all about it here.
Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Rogers Park, Illinois, United States
Maria Bartiromo, anchor of CNBC's Closing Bell and author of "Face Time" column in BusinessWeek, talks with Alexander Cutler, CEO of Eaton, a $15.4 billion diversified corporation with businesses extending deeply into the global economy. She asks eight questions:
Tough times call for smart solutions and Intuit is offering a boatload of them over at its new Small Business United Blog. We reported about this in our Borderbuster e-newsletter on July 6th but just in case you are not a subscriber and missed it, we decided to re-feature the information here -- it's that important.
Calling all young, hip, fast-growth, BEST entrepreneurs in America! We want to hear from you. BusinessWeek is taking nominations for their annual America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs roundup through Aug. 16.
Very important. The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a hearing at the Port of New Orleans on Keeping America Competitive: Federal Programs that Promote Small Business Exporting. The event included testimony from a number of witnesses. Read more here but let me leave you with an inspiring (yet maddening!) quote:In her opening statement (PDF), Committee Chair Senator May Landrieu (D.-La.) noted that in 2008, $70 billion in exports maintained or created 600,000 high-paying jobs, and that small businesses make up nearly 97% of exporters nationwide. However, she went on to say, “while most of our exporters are small businesses, most of our small businesses are not exporting. In fact, small businesses make up just more than a quarter of the country’s export volume; trade remains dominated by larger businesses. What’s holding our entrepreneurs back?”You tell me.
Small businesses make up 97 percent of the country's exporters yet only 1 percent of the nation's small businesses export. This stat was cited by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.,) last week to demonstrate that exporting offers an opportunity for small businesses to grow even as they are bogged down by the recession.Landrieu also said, "exporting has become a practical solution for small businesses looking to survive and grow."
Read more about how the Small Business Administration has two key programs designed to help small businesses that export. Go here.
The tough global economic climate is forcing Mother Nature to come out full force in unexpected positive ways.Over the past year, many of the world's best-known luxury labels have started to introduce eco-friendly products, snap up brands that tout their social responsibility and weave environmental themes into their advertising and marketing.Are you looking into the validity of global small business environmental and social responsibility efforts?
If you have the time and the funds, nothing beats a visit to a country you are about to do business in to fully understand and appreciate how the people live day-to-day. Even Pepsi CEO, Indra Nooyi, realizes this:The visit, one sweltering morning last week, was part of a 10-day "immersion" tour of China for Ms. Nooyi, who is seeking to strengthen the Purchase, N.Y., company's business in emerging markets. "I wanted to look at how people live, how they eat, what the growth possibilities are," she said in an interview Tuesday in Beijing. What she has seen has persuaded her that PepsiCo's approach to the Chinese market "is good, but not good enough. The opportunities are so much bigger." The company's "model for China has to be vastly different."Read the entire article: "Pepsi CEO Tours China To Get a Feel for Market."
Ms. Nooyi challenged her China team to come up with ideas for products that cater to China's large older population. She also called for more in-depth research into women who, in China, are likely juggling work and motherhood and making the key day-to-day consumption decisions for households. She says she's calling on her executives to think "differently and disruptively," encouraging them to look beyond the company's traditional businesses in China.Are you thinking differently and causing a little innovative disruption at your company?
What was he thinking when Tom Adams, CEO (37), chose to take Rosetta Stone public in April during the worst downturn in recent memory?Since 2003, the company has grown from a small, family-owned business with $10 million in annual revenue and 90 full-time employees into a 1,200-employee operation with first-quarter revenue this year of $50.3 million.
Rosetta Stone’s shares have recently traded above $27 (shares went out initially above the estimated range of $15 to $17 and raising $112.5 million). The wildly successful offering sent a message of good news worldwide for privately owned companies.
