globalEDGE Blog - By Author: Sarah Vogel

One Cleveland company has had amazing global success due to the Golden Key program through the U.S. Commercial Service. Jet Incorporated is a Ohio-based company that has used technology to design an environmentally friendly water treatment system aimed at replacing septic tanks.  This product relies heavily on new home construction. When the U.S. experienced a major slump in residential construction, Jet Incorporated needed to look to new markets in order to sustain growth. Now international sales are close to 30% of their overall income.

There is no question that Greece has had some financial struggles lately, particularly in the tourism industry. Greece has so many beautiful attractions that a large part of its economy has relied on tourism for several years. One in five jobs in Greece come from the tourism industry, so when revenue in this sector fell by 15% this past year the economic situation began to look even more grim. 

While the United States has made great strides to increase its exports in the last several years, there is still a lot of untapped potential for more growth abroad. There are already several ways to get government assistance when exporting. All 50 states have Export Assistance Centers that aid US companies who are new to exporting. These centers help companies get in touch with overseas suppliers as well as potential customers abroad along with walking them through the entire exporting process. Still, some argue that more needs to be done to increase US exports.

Today Michigan State University hosted the Go Global: Exporting 101 Seminar at the Henry Center for Executive Development. The seminar was centered on showing businesses all of the resources available to help them export. Small businesses in particular were targeted as there are many national and local initiatives aimed to help increase exports. Many interesting statistics were shared that prove just expansive the growth opportunities are if companies begin to export more aggressively.

Small companies are often intimidated by the thought of selling their products abroad. To be fair to them, there are a lot of considerations that need to be factored in that do not apply in domestic sales that can be overwhelming. There are often extra fees, legal considerations, shipping concerns, as well as culture and language barriers. Still, selling abroad is a great option for small companies who are looking for rapid growth. By no longer limiting your business to selling within your boarders, countless new customers will become available to you. That is exactly what Charles Popenoe III found out with the help of the US Commercial Service and International Trade Administration.

There is no question that India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has a massive population that is eager to learn new skills and grow companies.  Still, there is one factor that may be holding India back from reaching its full potential: lack of women in the workforce. While India has made great strides in the past several years in this area, there is still a large discrepancy between men and women in the business world. According to a recent report India has one of the lowest percentages of women on Executive Boards and in leadership positions worldwide.

Franchises have been booming worldwide. Close to 10 million employees work at approximately 400,000 franchise locations worldwide. Franchise owners enjoy that they can open a restaurant without as much risk, and the restaurants enjoy the increase in revenue coming from new stores in a variety of countries. One of the most recent booms in the franchise world is the massive growth in Latin markets. In the past year alone Brazil has experienced a 15% growth in franchises, Mexico has had a 13% increase, and Argentina also had double digit growth with 10.5%. 

With some of the largest economies in the world struggling to grow, companies are looking to emerging markets to boost sales. Global corporations are testing their limits as they reach into new untouched markets. While there are many challenges that come with selling in a new market, there is also great potential. Many global companies are discovering this fact as they see emerging markets growing their sales.

Work-life balance has always been a priority for employees, but not all workplaces have given it the same respect. The amount of vacation time and the number of hours employees are required to work in a week vary greatly across the world. Much of this is a result of cultural differences and tradition, but it also can greatly affect the productivity and happiness of workers. Overworked and unhappy employees can be extremely unproductive. There are many theories and methods for improving morale, but one of the simplest ones is limiting the amount of time employees are working. Sounds simple right? For many employers, it hasn’t been so easy.

The US Commercial Service is hosting a webinar to highlight the new opportunities and positive outcomes from the recent free trade agreement with Korea. The U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement took effect earlier this month on March 15th and has provided many new business and trade possibilities. Billions of dollars in tariffs are expected to be eliminated due to this new agreement. It is estimated that up to 95% of bilateral trade with Korea will be duty free within the next 5 years. This will benefit a wide variety of industries: agriculture, services, financial services, and more!

This webinar, which will detail more specific benefits, will be held on April 12th from 2-3pm EST and does require a $15 fee along with registration. To find out more information and details about the webinar, please visit the export.gov website. Here you will also find information on how to register for the webinar event!

It appears that Saudi Arabia is attempting to become more open to foreign direct investment. Currently they are a large exporter of oil. Saudi Arabia exports about 9 million barrels per day of oil. Since oil prices are high this has benefited Saudi Arabia, but they are attempting to plan for a less oil dependent society in the future. In order to do this, they will need to diversify the types of businesses in operation in the country and work more with foreign investors.

The unemployment rates in the United States have been a concern for several years now. Until recently, these unemployment rates had seen nothing but increases. Still, other countries around the world have had very low unemployment rates – even through the global recession. So what is the difference?

China has grown immensely in the global gold market. India has been the largest gold consuming nation for many years, but in 2012 China is predicted to take over the top spot. Chinese demand reached around 770 metric tons in 2011. This demand is a 20% increase from the previous year. This growth is strong, and experts see the demand continuing to skyrocket in China. There are several factors that have caused this increase in demand.

Latin America is on the rise. Not only has the region experienced a significant amount of economic growth in the last decade, it has begun to dominate large areas of trade worldwide. Latin America contains a large amount of land, along with a large population ready to drive its international success. While often Latin America is looked at as impoverished, author Raul Rivera points out that in fact Asia and Africa are much poorer regions.  Latin America is filled with natural resources, and a population that is ready to explore more business ventures.

The perfect leader is outspoken, bold, voices opinions, and is a people person right? Not necessarily.  Whether we realize it or not, we often associate many extroverted traits with strong business leaders and assume that those who are introverted will not be as successful. This is not always true. There are several characteristics that introverts possess that businesses could benefit from that are probably being overlooked.

Attention international business professionals – Kwintessential has recently released a free iPhone app designed to easily compare cultures. This app will assist you in your international travels by giving you tips and pointers about various cultures. Check out all the details here, and more on the Kwintessential website. Thanks!

The global economy has certainly taken a hit recently. The global downturn has not been easy for countries or companies to deal with, but still there are inspiring success stories that encourage us to keep pushing on. In hard times, focusing on these successes can be a great way to spur growth. This week in our blog series we will share some of these encouraging stories.

The Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Italy on January 13th and has caused, along with a devastating heartbreak, major waves in the cruise industry. The tragic crash of this ship has caused speculation about the competency of major cruise lines worldwide. It seems that there are not strict regulations on cruise lines as passengers may have assumed which has caused customers to question their safety and could affect the travel industry as a whole.

Hop on that plane, business travel is back! After the global recession hit, many companies scaled back on corporate travel. More sophisticated technologies along with cost cutting initiatives around the global recession also led to a decline in business travel. To companies less travel meant lower costs, and more virtual meetings. While this may have helped some companies’ bottom lines, some saw business relationships and sales numbers suffer.

Solar power has been a hot topic all over the globe. Many countries have made commitments to use solar panels to clean up energy sources. Still, it does not seem that all of the hype has lead to much production. Many countries have begun these initiatives to "green up" their energy, and now it seems that a reduction in solar panel prices might begin to press the issue.

We are all aware that online retailers monitor our every click, but you might be surprised that brick-and-mortar stores are beginning to use a similar approach to maximize sales. Some may think that being monitored while shopping is a little invasive, but big brother is definitely watching. E-retailers are able to monitor the pattern of clicks and place similar items on the same web pages to maximize purchases. Now, there are a few new methods that brick-and-mortar retailers are using to produce similar results.

Sponsorships are a huge part of both sports and business. Each depend on the other to gain the benefits sponsorships provide to each party. Businesses look forward to the increased publicity and sales, and athletes, teams, and sporting events count on sponsorships for funding. Still, for businesses, the monetary benefits of a sponsorship can be somewhat difficult to quantify. Yet, countless businesses still participate in sponsorship deals to increase publicity and get their name and logo out there as much as possible.

Skiing in Barcelona probably sounds like an oxymoron to most people. With its warm climate and lack of snow, Barcelona is not normally on avid skiers’ top lists of destinations, but that all could soon change once an indoor skiing facility is built in Barcelona.

The concept of an indoor skiing facility may be foreign to some, but there are actually a lot of facilities like this that already exist. There are several in Europe – mostly in areas with cooler climates, some in Asia, and others scattered across the world. The indoor skiing facility in Dubai is the most relevant to Barcelona because it is also in a very warm climate. The facility has had to take extra care by making walls several feet deep and heavily insulated to keep the inside cold enough for ideal skiing conditions, exactly what the facility in Barcelona will need to emulate.

Recently, many governments have slowed their momentum as far as environmental regulations policy creation efforts are concerned. This means that it is up to major corporations around the world to be more proactive about going green. One motivation is to be recognized by businesses and consumers as a environmentally friendly company. Newsweek annually ranks global companies and recently released their World’s Greenest Companies Rankings for 2011. They take into account “actual environmental footprints, management (policies, programs, initiatives, controversies), and reporting practices of each big company.” Using these hard facts and ignoring the publicity and public relations efforts companies may have made gives the most accurate picture of how firms are actually doing environmentally.

Africa is the second largest mobile phone market in the world. Does this fact surprise you? Probably, but Africa is expected to reach over 700 million mobile subscribers in the next year. Not only is the African mobile market large in size, it is also the fastest-growing on the planet as well.  This provides an abundance of opportunity for investors, technology and mobile companies, and service providers.

The 4th annual Global Entrepreneurship Week kicks off today (November 14th) and runs through November 20th all over the world! Over 100 countries, thousands of partners and activities, and millions of people will be involved in inspiring up-and-coming entrepreneurs, fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, and allowing successful entrepreneurs to pass along their knowledge. Governments, educational institutions, businesses, and the media are all coming together this week to stimulate start-up’s and foster growth among entrepreneurial ventures.

Excessive flooding in Thailand has not only made life a challenge for locals, but global businesses are experiencing hardships due to the harsh monsoon season as well. Many technology suppliers are located in Thailand and have suffered because of the massive flooding and have caused a significant supply chain back up. Several have lost large amounts of inventory and suffered excessive property damage. Some say it could take up to a year for these plants to begin operating at normal capacity again.

While Asia and North America have been making large strides in the mobile industry, Europe has been falling behind, even though it previously had a large competitive advantage over other regions. This is mainly due to lack of focus on emerging products, less advanced software, and lack of government support.

In the early 90’s Europe was a strong player in the mobile industry mainly due to its cooperative take on the market. The European countries worked together to coordinate an infrastructure that worked through out the continent. In North America, multiple different standards and products that made it more complex and expensive for customers. This structure forced the North American cell phone producers to step up their game and look into a more structured format.

With the world population recently reaching 7 billion, many wonder how the agriculture industry will keep up to feed this multitude of people. It seems that much of the success will come from developing countries. Many of these countries are a large part of the growing population and also have natural resources that produce a large amount of the world’s agricultural products. Still, an enormous amount of effort is needed to increase agricultural production in developing countries.

Forbes has just released its list of "Best Countries for Business" and this year Canada has reached the top. Canada jumped up from last year’s number 4 spot to claim the top spot on the list. Countries were ranked based on 11 key factors including “property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protection and stock market performance.” Through a variety of reliable sources, Forbes was able to evaluate countries based on these characteristics and rank the countries in order of business attractiveness.

As global food prices continue to rise, rice is no exception. In Thailand, extreme rain and government regulation are also expected to contribute to a sudden hike in rice prices.

Thailand has around 8 million rice farmers, and currently accounts for about 30 percent of global rice exports. However, the Thai government is stepping in to increase local prices, so that share is likely to drop. The Thai government hopes the increase in prices will benefit local struggling farmers increase their income. Unfortunately, the increase in prices also means that Thailand rice exports will be less competitive internationally. Some say that other countries, such as India and Vietnam, will be able to make up for what Thailand does not export but global price increases are still likely. With other countries becoming larger international players in the rice market the Thai government may end up rethinking its rice pricing policy.

“We are also excited to bring a greater focus on social media and connectivity to the latest version of globalEDGE with numerous RSS feeds, opportunities to connect with globalEDGE via LinkedIn and Facebook, and to follow us on Twitter and by reading our blog.” – The globalEDGE Team

globalEDGE has certainly transformed into a more interactive and social site. Our new Get Connected portal is the best place to find all of the ways to stay up to date with globalEDGE. From here you will be able to access the Blog, the globalEDGE Business Review, the Newsletter, and quick links to all of our social media pages. With our Facebook and Twitter feeds streaming on the side of the page, it is easier than ever to stay on top of all that globalEDGE has to offer!

While the global economy has been slowly improving, it is still not back to where most would like it to be – especially for those out of work looking for jobs. The good news is fewer positions are being cut, and more people are choosing to leave jobs on their own. Still, for every open position, there are several candidates out of work. This puts the power in the hands of the hiring managers. In this intensely competitive environment, it is important to set yourself apart.

Food prices have certainly become a hot topic recently, and so has food quality. With oil spills, nuclear waste scares, and natural disasters constantly threatening the quality of the world’s food supply, businesses have to be more careful with what food they sell. Still the exporting of food seems to continue to increase. Fish exports in particular have seen a huge increase in global demand.

Globalization is becoming increasingly important for businesses all over the world. Not only is it important to expand into new markets, but it is important to localize enough to be accepted while still keeping your brand consistent worldwide. Corporations are beginning to see how difficult this balancing act can be. Expanding into new countries can lead to enormous profits, but it comes at a much higher risk.

It’s no secret that in these hard economic times companies worldwide have had to streamline processes and cut back on costs. These cut backs are starting to directly affect the value consumers are getting for their money. Now, due to rising global food prices, food and beverage companies are struggling more than most and having to cut back even more. Chips are mysteriously missing from bags, canned vegetables contain fewer ounces than before, and packaged goods of all types are seeing box size reductions. Even things like diapers are seeing shrinking package sizes. This is certainly not good news for consumers.

In the business world competition is something companies must thrive on. In order to survive in this cut throat global economy, companies have to be able to compete with each other and show their strengths. Our coming blog series is based on just that, competition. We will be show casing the best of the best in international business.

Any international business professional should be aware of the world around them. We will help you out by putting the important information all in one place. This week watch for lists of the top countries for offshoring, top global business cities, top traded commodities, top countries in the ease of doing business, top business risks, and top international business trends. It is essential to stay on top of the latest trends and know where in the world potential for business growth lies. All of these lists should help you to get a feel of the current international business environment, and see ‘What’s On Top’.  So come back later this week for some awesome posts!

Social media has became an extremely important business trend worldwide. It took time for social media to morph from purely a social tool into a business tool, and the transition into the classroom has had its challenges as well. To many professors the words Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube probably provoke some form of frustration. Until recently, social networking sites like these meant nothing in the academic world except distractions. Now, with the business prevalence of social media becoming more apparent, many business schools are starting to see the importance of including social media into their curriculums.

While much of India has modernized, the agriculture sector has yet to do the same. This has made it very difficult for farmers with smaller amounts of land to stay afloat when inopportune conditions arise. Recently India experienced a prolonged monsoon season that has ruined the crops of several local farmers. Many local farmers do not have the modern drainage systems required to carry the excessive rain away. Many crop prices have soared, onions prices have grown 600%, but the farmers affected by the weather have not been able to reap the rewards of this recent boom.

The entertainment industry has many different facets, and each country seems to have their own spin on each of these. One thing that seems to be universally enjoyed by every culture is live music. There really is nothing quite like it. Mp3 players and stereos are great, but nothing can replace seeing your favorite band live in concert. The music industry thrives off of this desire. Artists from all different countries plan world tours and plan shows in some of the world’s most impressive venues. Concerts have become their very own version of business. With fans willing to spend such a premium to see their idols, concert venues have turned into extremely lucrative buildings. There are some venues that truly stand above the rest, and make concerts that much better. Here are just a few of the world’s most captivating concert venues:

Are you familiar with the free webinars on the Basics of Exporting provided by the U.S. Commercial Service? These webinars have been especially designed to meet the needs of new exporters. There is no fee to participate, although registration is required. Each webinar will begin at 2:00 p.m. EST and will last one hour. Content will include slides, live audio, and question-and-answer sessions with international business experts. 

The newest upcoming webinars are:

As I am sitting here working from home due to massive amounts of snow, it got me wondering; if my office is closed, how does weather affect other businesses worldwide? There is no question that weather affects our everyday lives. It helps us decide what we are going to do and where we are going to go, so it's no wonder that it affects businesses too.

If you’ve been reading our blog series then you know that microfinance is a term that describes the practice of giving small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries that would not otherwise be able to get a loan. This seems great, but some say that these loans are unfair because of their high interest rates they charge. There are companies that specialize in this and make a lot of money because of the extreme interest rates, however Kiva is different.

‘China is on the rise’ is a statement that we hear all too often. However, China’s growth does not only appear to be benefiting China alone. Vietnam has been able to use this neighboring country’s growth to benefit its own economy. Vietnam has a lot of appeal for international business and has begun to make a name for itself through China's success.

The international flower market seems to be growing faster than the plants themselves. Over $100 billion worth of flowers are traded internationally each year. It is easy to assume that most flowers are grown locally, but you would be surprised to know that most likely that the bouquet sitting on your table is not from your own country. In the United States, imports account for 68% of fresh cut flowers. These flowers mainly come from Colombia, Ecuador, The Netherlands, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Canada.

Cotton prices have recently reached record highs and have begun to cause some clothing retailers problems. Many European clothing stores import their cotton from various countries in Asia, so they are often at the mercy of their suppliers. China and India are two of the top producers of cotton in the world, and they have recently undergone some industry changes that may lead to lower profit margins for their European buyers.

In the past few years, there has been a lot of speculation on companies’ labor and environmental standards. Consumers are finding it more and more important to buy from companies that are responsible with their resources and that are careful not to exploit developing countries and low wage workers. Corporate responsibility is a term that is often used to describe these obligations that corporations have to workers and their families, to consumers, to investors, and to the natural environment. Since this has become more of a priority worldwide, it has exposed several companies that have taken advantage of workers and the environment in the past. Luckily, many companies are making a big effort to improve their standards.

It is no secret that going global has become more and more essential for successful businesses in this competitive world. Still, some smaller companies find it difficult to break into foreign markets and are struggling to know where to start. Luckily, the U.S. Commercial Service and the National Export Initiative provide several helpful tools for businesses looking to export. One of the most useful resources for businesses looking to expand internationally is international trade shows. These can provide businesses with trade leads, business connections and exposure to the latest trends and technologies.

The fourth annual Americas Competitiveness Forum is happening right now in Atlanta, Georgia. Representatives from countries all over the Americas will be there to give updates about their country and region and brainstorm improvements for export collaboration across borders. This event has over 1,000 participants including government officials, educators, trade experts, and business leaders and is the foremost economic and commercial event in the Western hemisphere. Its main focus is on the competitiveness of companies within the region and trade facilitation and border clearance. There are numerous of different topics that will be discussed but the four main themes of the conference are:

1. Innovation and green technologies
2. Education and workforce development
3. Entrepreneurship and small business development
4. Trade facilitation, border clearance and supply chain logistics

Carpet sales have been the center of Nepal’s exports for years (up to 1/3 of total exports), but recently sales have been on a steep decline. Many carpet firms in Nepal have gone under due to the extreme decline. There was once over 3,000 in operation but now only around 600 remain. While there are still hundreds of carpet companies in Nepal, they say that they will need help from the government in order to stay on top of this global market.

The global travel industry has been hit hard by the recent economic downturn. Hotels all over the world have experienced a drop in occupancy rates due to this decline. So renovations and sprucing up rooms seems like it would be last on their priority list now, right? Not necessarily. Some hotel chains have decided that it is worth their investment to improve rooms, lobbies and other facilities to make them more modern and up to date and appealing to travelers.

In the increasingly global landscape, globalization has become a goal for many businesses large and small. Free trade agreements, along with technology advancements have encouraged the globalization of companies. Trade is much easier and quicker than it used to be, but that does not eliminate the challenge that globalization presents to businesses. Small businesses that cannot afford to hire a foreign marketing agency sometimes struggle with the globalization and exporting process, luckily it can be done through careful planning and utilization of free and readily available resources.

While many United States and European airlines have been floundering, the Latin American airline industry has been soaring and is expected to continue to grow into next year. New non-stop flights, frequent flier miles partnerships and alliances of airlines have propelled the airline industry in Latin American countries. While much of the globe has been hit hard in the airline sector, the International Air Transport Association expects Latin America to thrive.

It can be done! Creating jobs back home while increasing sales overseas is possible and United Solar Ovonic has proved it. United Solar Ovonic is a Michigan based company that creates and exports solar panels and has recently begun a joint venture with United Solar Ovonic Jinneng in China. They develop lightweight, flexible solar panels. They are great, not to mention green, energy producers so it’s no wonder that this business has been booming.

Over the past decade we have come a long way as far as technological innovations are concerned. Businesses that did not even exist before 2000 have become household names, and have created products and services that are part of our daily lives. In the past 10 years there have been so many creations that have shaped our world today.

There’s no question about it, businesses are globalizing, and those who aren’t are getting left behind. The question is, are executives making the necessary changes to keep up with the changing business environment? Maybe not.

Trade between Zambia and Malawi should soon be increasing due to a Simplified Trade Regime (STR). Its goal is to help to eliminate some customs, duties, and other taxes that exporters would normally have to deal with when crossing the border between the two countries. Until now, trade between these two countries has not really been encouraged, even though they both have resources the other desires.

France has recently made great strides to increase its exports to Latin America. With globalization taking the international business world by storm, many French companies have begun to look for opportunities outside of its close neighbors in Europe. This has caused them to turn to Latin America. This means more business opportunities for French companies and more jobs for South Americans.

The European Union has committed to the goal of increasing the use of biofuels to 20% throughout the region by 2020. To do this, they have decided to work with Brazil and Mozambique. This agreement will follow recent trends to increase renewable energy sources, and will greatly benefit both Brazil and the EU.

Recently Jim Glasingame of The Small Business Advocate talked with Doug Barry of the US Commercial Service about the US National Export Initiative. The United States has announced that they want to double the number of exports as well as increase jobs at home. The reality is that a lot of US companies do not export as well as they could, or to as many places as they could. Research shows that most companies that actually do participate in exporting only export to one country. There are so many opportunities all around the world that businesses are not taking advantage of.

Luckily, the US Commercial Service is willing to help businesses. They have offices in countries all over the world and are passionate about helping businesses expand internationally. Want more information? Go to export.gov or listen to this interview here!
 

Today’s traveler is different than it once was. People are interested in finding unique and adventurous destinations rather than the typical beach vacation. This is great news for smaller countries rich with cultural and historical attractions. People want to be taken off the beaten path, and local businesses around the world are profiting.

Gender equality is certainly a worldwide issue. Gender discrimination has existed for centuries, and rigid gender roles have actually now begun to affect the success of businesses. It is becoming more and more apparent that businesses around the world need to train and educate women to reach their full potential.

Germany is Europe’s largest economy and the fourth largest in the world. Their success is mainly based on exporting. They are the second-largest exporting country in the world, beaten only by China.

We all need vegetables in our diets, but many people also base their entire business off of these healthy foods. Research from the University of Massachusetts shows that the United States vegetable industry is beginning to be heavily influenced by other regions. This is good news for farmers all over the world. Supermarkets and restaurants are looking to expand their markets by offering more exotic options. Areas like Africa, Asia and Latin America produce several exotic vegetables that the United States has started to take interest in. This could help smaller countries who are heavily dependant on agriculture and are looking to increase their exports.

The auto industry has certainly gone through hard times these past few years, and now it is trying to rebuild itself. Part of the comeback is restructuring the companies, and finding ways to cut costs. This is often done by offshoring the manufacturing portion to countries that demand lower wages. Mexico is one of the countries that will see the benefits of this move in the next few years.

We all know that China is a place full of innovation, business growth, and a giant work force. However, they have not been known as an extremely ‘green nation’. But now, they are attempting to make the future of business more environmentally friendly. The China Greentech Initiative was started about two years ago and was designed to encourage innovation in the green technology sector in China. Both the U.S. and Chinese governments have made climate change commitments and are both striving to be more sustainable.

The first round of the World Cup has definitely been cut throat so far! But the action on the field has not been the only competition centered around the world cup. In our blog series last week we talked about how sponsoring the world cup and advertising during it is not only extremely expensive, but very competitive as well. Any international sporting event brings the opportunity to bring global attention to your brand, product, or even country. The 32 countries that have a team representing them in the tournament have an advantage for international exposure, but other countries aren’t out of the game yet.

With 32 different countries represented, and almost the whole world watching, the World Cup is a hot spot for advertisers across the globe. While FIFA is exclusive with who is officially sponsoring the tournament, other companies are still trying to get a piece of the action. The six main sponsors of the World Cup are Adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates Airlines, Hyundai Cars, Sony, and Visa. There are also several other sponsors that are not as prominently featured at the tournament. 

Indonesia and Vietnam have decided to team up to boost their local tourism. The two countries already have put effort into increasing the trade between them.  Indonesian companies have invested in over 20 different projects in Vietnam. Now, they want to continue into the tourism industry.

Many African nations have grown in the international business world through the many natural resources they have been blessed with. Anything from oil, to farm land, to diamonds, Africa has an abundance of opportunities for growth through these resources.

The Africa-France Summit held this week has brought up some wonderful opportunities for international business professionals. Many countries around the world have been looking to Africa for new business opportunities. The continent has vast natural resources and a lot of potential for growth in infrastructure that makes it appealing to foreign investors. Many African countries are now attempting to encourage France to invest in these growing areas.

This week is National Small Business Week in the United States! This yearly tradition began in 1963 and has continued ever since. Its objective is to recognize how small businesses contribute to the growth of America. This year’s Small Business Week conference began Sunday and just finished up today. Some of the topics discussed at this year’s conference were ‘turning innovation into jobs’, ‘taking your business global’, and ‘social media and small businesses’.

This week we will be taking a look into how developing countries around the world are competing in international markets. Many developing countries have expansive natural resources but have not yet reached their full exporting potential. We will discuss how these countries trade and what industries are expanding into these new markets. While some of these countries may be small, they still have huge opportunities for growth.

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti this January, a global effort has been made to rebuild the country. The hospitality that was shown to the hurting country has been inspiring. Haiti is certainly still working to rebuild its country, but luckily people around the world are seeking to help create a better economy for this small country.

The Middle East is looking for new places to expand in the agriculture industry. After an Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) meeting, they are searching for the best places to invest in foreign farmland. In recent years, buying foreign farmland has been especially appealing to Middle Eastern energy companies who have a lot of capital but not a lot of land.

Singapore has grown tremendously in the last few decades. They have one of the highest population densities of any country in the world. The Singapore government has devoted large amounts of time and money to urban planning to make this a possibility. They have used urban planning to make them globally competitive and increase their economic potential. Not only this, but they have also built an extremely environmentally friendly city. This makes their expertise in urban planning even more appealing. Now, they are looking to share that expertise with other cities around the world.

One of the major trends around the world right now is creating healthy products. Recently the world’s favorite morning beverage is doing just that! Coffee is consumed all over the world by all different types of people, so it has amazing potential for business.

Quality wine is produced and consumed all over the world. It is custom in so many different countries to have a glass of wine with dinner, serve it at gatherings, or drink it socially. It has become a huge industry worldwide. What is fascinating now is how the industry is constantly evolving.

When a natural disaster hits a country, the negative affects are quite obvious. The number of deaths is always devastating, along with the destruction of the land. Luckily, the number of casualties associated with natural disasters has dropped significantly in the past few decades. On the other hand, the cost of natural disasters is continuing to rise. They can have an enormous effect on the country’s GDP and economic growth. Natural disasters have been proven to drop a country’s GDP significantly.

In the past decade, China has grown its relationship with Latin America immensely. China has been very interested in South America’s natural resources and their potential for power production. China has been importing South American copper, soybeans, iron ore and many other materials for many years. They have also begun lending money to the major energy companies in the region.

Looking for a new place to expand your business? Why not Peru? It has become apparent that U.S. exports to Peru are getting simpler and simpler. The U.S.–Peru Trade Promotion Agreement that was signed a few years ago has really expanded the opportunities for U.S. businesses in Peru. With this agreement, many goods can be shipped into Peru duty-free. The certificates of origin and other forms are also becoming more uniform to make exporting easier and simpler.

We know that green energy and fuels have been a hot topic for the past few years. Electric vehicles seemed so strange when they first came out but now many environmentally conscious people have made the switch. There are a lot of pros to these little cars; they don’t use any fuel and still get you from place to place just as a gas-guzzler would. However, is it likely that everyone in the future will drive an electric car? Maybe, but right now fuel cars continue to be what are selling.

Bhutan is a country that is not known for its exports. Last year their total exports were only $350 million. Nearly all of that was energy exports to India, yet they have a lot more potential for agriculture exports. The majority of their workforce is in the agriculture industry, but currently it is not one of their exporting strengths. That is where hazelnuts come in. Hazelnuts could be the future of exporting for Bhutan.

The US Department of Commerce and United Parcel Service (UPS) have announced that they will work together in attempts to increase US exports. They are hoping to increase local jobs by expanding businesses internationally. This may seem contradictory, but the hope is that small and medium sized businesses will be able to find new markets to thrive in internationally, therefore increasing the need for jobs back home.

The fashion industry makes up a major portion of the retail around the world. Fashion retailers are found in every country, each one trying to have the latest trends at the best price. However, this is much more difficult than it may sound. There are people working ‘round the clock to ensure that fashion retailers know what is going to sell next.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics beginning today, the world looks on with anticipation. The first ever Olympic Games were held way back in 776 BC. Since then, things have obviously changed quite a bit. Everything from the events, to who competes in them, to how we watch them has drastically changed. Until 1960 the Olympics were not televised, but since then businesses all over the globe have taken advantage of the major publicity the Games receive.

It’s no secret that large corporations have been under speculation for overspending on top executives. Extravagant trips and parties for these executives seem to be a thing of the past, at least for the time being. Once it was leaked how some executives were being treated, companies began to cut back. In the fall of 2008 there was a major drop in business travel which hurt the hotel and flight industries. Will it ever bounce back to where it was, or are companies looking at other options?

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. unveiled its new enormous cruise ship last month. It has been named ‘The Oasis of the Seas’, and rightfully so. Onboard passengers will have access to countless restaurants, clubs, spas and bars. They will be able to try surfing, scuba diving, zip lining, or even see a Broadway show. These are just a few of the activities that are available on this colossal ship. Obviously, customers are extremely excited about this new ship.

Tokyo, Japan is famous for the outrageous fashion designs that are found not only in expensive boutiques, but all over the streets as well. The Harajuku street styles are known for being extremely unique and inspire fashion designers all over the world. For years these distinctive looks have sparked global trends, but many Japanese designers still have not taken advantage of their designs’ popularity.

Heineken has just announced that it will be buying the beer operations of Femsa, a large beverage company in Mexico. The beer industry has experienced several acquisitions this past decade, so this move was not exactly a surprise. Many brewing companies have done this to tap into different markets across the world.

Until recently China was the world’s largest exporter of coal. While it is still the largest producer, a new exporter has come on to the map. Indonesia recently surpassed China in the market for exporting coal. Many Chinese power stations are even importing coal from Indonesia rather than obtaining it from within its own borders.

Luxury brand sales have been hit especially hard by this recession. Since people are so worried about paying their bills, that in turn makes expensive jewelry and high end hand bags seem frivolous and unnecessary. Luckily, some high end brands have had success internationally.

Companies all over the world are feeling the pressure to make more efficient products and packaging. With the media picking up any story about ‘greener’ products, it also gives incentive for some free, very positive, publicity. Unfortunately this sounds much simpler than it actually is. Many companies have been working at this for years. Luckily, there has been some amazing progress.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is coming to South Africa. Along with it are several business opportunities! As the most popular sport in the world, football brings countless opportunities for many industries to take advantage of. The World Cup in particular attracts business people from all over the world because of its expansive publicity and popularity.

It’s that time of year again! All over the world workers are bustling around, working hard to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Online retailers are rushing to get everything in order for the big day – “Cyber Monday”. This is the first Monday in December and also the most popular day for online shopping. This year, expectations are high and hopefully, so will be sales.

Imagine walking into a car dealership and seeing a brand new car with $2,000 written on the windshield in huge neon letters. It seems too good to be true right? Well in India this actually happens. Tata Motors is an Indian automaker that produces the world's most inexpensive car – the Nano.

In recent months, there has been a huge cutback in business travelers staying in luxury hotels. With thousands of workers having been laid off, companies who sent their executives to 5-star hotels were being attacked. Since companies have been under scrutiny for unnecessary spending, business travel has been cut back and downgraded to the bare minimum. Now, the international hospitality industry is trying to bring back luxury business travel.

It is well known that the auto industry has taken a hit across the globe. With sales and production down and several plant closures, it seems that things are looking grim. However, several Japanese automakers are thriving, not internationally, but in China.

Greenland is covered by ice on nearly 80% of its surface, making business activities in this area rather difficult. However, as we all know, the northern ice caps are beginning to melt due to rising global temperatures. In fact, it has been predicted that in the next few decades the Arctic Ocean will be almost all open water. While this is bad for the environment, it does open up new opportunities for business.

Ethiopia is one of the poorest nations in the world. However, they have seen GDP growth in each of the past 7 years. One of their major businesses is livestock, but recently they have been suffering due to animal smuggling. Livestock is an essential part of Ethiopia’s economy. They exported about $53 million worth of animals last year, but unfortunately, criminal activity is cutting into the small country’s profits.

Chicago was one of the four locations being considered for the 2016 summer Olympic Games, unfortunately it was not chosen and was actually the first to be eliminated.

Poultry has been traded globally for years. Each individual country can not possibly produce everything it needs, making this trade a necessity. Of course, that does not mean that there hasn't been any problems. There are several past examples of poultry trade gone wrong, but as a result standards are higher, making trading less of a risk.

In 2004, China and the United States had a major rift in their chicken trades and there has been tension ever since. The initial problems were a result of the bird flu outbreaks. Following that, both countries temporarily banned the trade of poultry from one another. Soon after, China lifted their ban, but it was another two years before the U.S. followed suit. Around the same time, Thailand chicken exports were suffering because several countries refused to buy their chicken because of past outbreaks, even after the products have been inspected and deemed safe. It seems that there will always be tension over poultry trade.

Business and Africa are not always two words you hear in the same sentence. However, with globalization being such a huge component of today’s business, it is important for companies to always be on the lookout for new places to expand. More and more things are being exported and imported these days. It appears nearly impossible to do business without crossing a border into another country. One country that has recently come onto the international business radar is South Africa.

With a rapidly growing population and a rising middle class, South Africans are seeking out many of the same products and brands that other developed nations have become accustomed to. This means there is an opportunity for businesses to enter and prosper in this expanding market.