What Is Fueling China's Interest in Africa?

Part of it:

With a growing population, increasing unemployment, a vibrant manufacturing sector and fast improving life-styles, China’s demand for natural resources, markets for its products and job opportunities is growing at astronomical rates. This has made it seek new sources of resources, markets and employment for its people and Africa fits the bill.

Learn more here.

Related article here.

Photo credit here: Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, welcomes South African President Jacob Zuma to Beijing.

If You Were to Bet on Growth, Where Will It Come From?

According to Abbott Laboratories Chief Executive Miles D. White:

... he has assembled a business in fast-growing countries that the company will count on for a big part of its growth.

"Where do you think the growth in the world is going to come from?" Mr. White asked during an interview at his suburban Chicago office, a few miles from Lake Michigan. "Would you bet on the U.S.? Would you bet on Western Europe? It's going to come from emerging markets."

The article goes on further to say:

Now, the fast-growing emerging-market economies are much more attractive. Expanding middle classes in such countries as Brazil, South Korea and Turkey are not only spending more on health care, but their rising affluence has contributed to increasing rates of diabetes, heart disease and other conditions that once had been limited to developed markets. Some governments, notably China's, are beginning to provide insurance to pay for health care.

Read the entire article here.

Graphic illustration source here.

Measure the Depth of Your Own Nature

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature.
It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures
the depth of his own nature."
~ Henry David Thoreau

Have a sunny and enjoyable weekend everyone!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, The Global Small Business Blog, Chicago lakefront

SOUTH AFRICA Democracy is...in our hands

Iris Cross: Manager, External Affairs, Houston, BP America

Now appearing in BP television commercials

Twenty five years experience in government and public affairs, with extensive knowledge in philanthropy and community relations. Currently responsible for shaping and implementing BP’s community investment programs.

Tenure with BP also included Director, Community Relations, BP Texas City, where an extensive community relations program was implemented, building relationships among employees, community and city reps.; Director, National Programs, which included managing the company’s national constituent initiatives, administered a $10 million budget, which included local and national recommendations, volunteerism programs, and corporate contributions, planned and coordinated highly visible BP sponsored events; Director, Community Relations, Houston; and Consultant, Community Relations, California.

Prior to the merger of Amoco with British Petroleum, held numerous positions in Chicago, including Program Advisor, Community Relations; Coordinator, Community Affairs; and Secretary of the Board, Amoco Foundation, Inc. (Linkedin)

BP Rejects AAEA's Partnership Proposal

Export Boom in New Jersey

Tens of billions of dollars worth of export-related revenue is being generated by New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia (considered a metro area).

Find out why here.

Within this same article, they mention a report, "Export Nation," published by the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, which describes the nation's export landscape in detail. Worth a thorough look.

Download it immediately here (PDF):

Export Nation

Illustration is captured from the Export Nation report.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

IRAN Democracy is the state of being free to act and look different from the way others do.

And the Growth Through Global Trade Award Goes To ...

Get ready, get set and go after the Growth Through Global Trade Award! Now's your chance to celebrate your global trade successes and be recognized for your export effort.

UPS, in collaboration with World Trade 100 Magazine, opened nominations for its Growth through Global Trade Award, a national award aimed to recognize a U.S. small- or medium-sized business that is effectively exporting to global markets. Is that your business?

Criteria

The award is designed for U.S. small- and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees that are already exporting to international markets. Anyone can nominate a deserving business for the Growth through Global Trade Award.

Nominees must have a principal place of business in the United States and must currently export to at least one international market. Interested parties can submit a concise online nomination form featuring a series of six questions and a 200-word essay. Nominations can be submitted online here: http://international.ups.com/globaltradeaward/nominate/index.html.

Nominations will be accepted now through November 12, 2010. The winner will be announced in January 2011.

The entries will be judged by a multi-member panel of small business and global trade experts from within and outside UPS (full disclosure: I will be one of the judges). The judges will evaluate all entries against a pre-determined set of criteria, including how exporting has helped the company better compete in today’s global business environment, grow international sales and business operations, and connect with new customers.

Don't stop short here. If you can't think of anyone to nominate yet you pre-qualify -- go for it. This is not a time to be shy. This is a time to toot your global small business horn big time.

I look forward to reviewing your applications.

And the Growth Through Global Trade Award goes to ...

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

AAEA Statement: National Deepwater Horizon Commission

Commission Co-Chair Reilly & McDonald
AAEA President Norris McDonald presented testimony before the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling today. The hearing was held in the Atrium Ballroom of the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.

C-SPAN Video [McDonald statement at 03:55:25]

FULL STATEMENT

Excerpts:

The Center, through its membership arm, the African American Environmentalist Association, is pursuing ownership stakes in offshore oil drilling operations because blacks do not own any of the energy infrastructure and resources in America. This is an effort by us to gain equity in the energy sector. AAEA is concerned that of the more than 4,000 offshore oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico, none of the leases are held by black-owned companies.

Blacks in Government (BIG) have also raised the issue of few to no blacks in MMS (BOE) management positions overseeing offshore drilling. Citing the lack of diversity among senior managers at the Department of Interior, BIG sees the same cozy ‘good old boys’ network as contributing to the failed oversight that contributed to the Gulf oil disaster. BIG has described in detail this cozy network of attitudes in its recent White Paper on race relations at Interior. The White Paper is entitled “Critical Personnel Issues Affecting Black Employees in the Department of Interior.”

The Center opposes expanded drilling off the East and West Coasts and Coasts of Florida. The Center will continue to work to reestablish the moratorium on expanded drilling.

The Macondo Well should be put into production by a responsible offshore oil production company. BP estimates that the reservoir contains upward of 50 million barrels of oil. A significant portion of the money from such production should go directly to the families of the 11 people killed during the April 20, 2010 explosion. Additional revenues should go to economic relief for the Gulf economies that have been negatively affected by the oil spill disaster.

The Center has opposed the moratorium on deepwater drilling because of the harm to the Gulf economy and our belief that the other companies have been operating responsibly.

The Center supports the efforts of some of Exxon Mobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and ConocoPhillips to provide emergency response services for deepwater oil blowouts.

EPA Announces “Green Streets-Green Jobs”

Pilot Grants for Anacostia

The U.S. EPA today announced that pilot funding is available to local governments and non-governmental organizations in the Anacostia River watershed under the Green Streets-Green Jobs initiative. The initiative delivers on a commitment in the Executive Order Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Green Streets-Green Jobs initiative demonstrates another commitment in the Executive Order strategy to address stormwater pollution. EPA is providing $250,000 for the grants, which are being offered through a watershed assistance partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Maryland Department of Environment and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Plans are to make them available throughout the Bay watershed in 2011. The deadline to apply for the grants is September 24 and more information can be found at http://www.cbtrust.org/.

The Green Streets–Green Jobs initiative unites a town’s vision for a sustainable future with the tools to accelerate local greening efforts, yielding positive results in watershed protection, community livability, and economic vitality. Through this effort, focused in the Chesapeake Bay – starting in the highly urbanized Anacostia Watershed - the initiative will build a better avenue to support and connect grassroots efforts as exemplified by the inspiring Edmonston, Maryland, Green Streets project.

EPA will sponsor a Green Streets-Green Jobs Forum in early 2011 to engage stakeholders and expand the initiative throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing pollution problem confronting the Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Green Street-Green Jobs Initiative will provide technical and financial assistance to communities in urbanized watersheds looking to reduce stormwater runoff, improve energy conservation, and promote livable communities through the creation of green streets.

View of Capitol Hill From Anacostia
Ordinarily, roads and highways serve as conduits for polluted runoff. When it rains, dirt, oil and other toxic chemicals that accumulate on streets and curbs are washed directly into storm drains and dumped untreated into local streams, rivers, and ultimately the Bay. Green streets minimize the impact on the surrounding environment by incorporating environmental best practices into the design and construction of roadways.

The strategy, which was developed under the Executive Order for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, issued by President Obama in May 2009, states that EPA shall “[initiate] a pilot grassroots effort, targeting towns and communities in urbanized watersheds to help retrofit and create ‘green streets’ that enable sustainable watershed protection, accelerated implementation of green infrastructure stormwater management through low-impact development practices, renewable energy use, green jobs creation and greater connectedness and access to restoration opportunities.”

Are You Export Ready?

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) kicked off the 28th annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference at the Omni-Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The conference focuses on “Strategies for Growth and Competitiveness in the Global Economy.”

The MED Week Conference helps minority-owned firms grow domestically and globally through a series of educational, training and business-to-business networking events. Throughout MED Week, nearly 1,500 minority business owners, government officials and corporate representatives will hear about President Obama’s National Export Initiative and develop the skills to become export ready. Minority businesses already export twice as much as the average business, as they often have existing cultural, family or business ties to foreign countries.

Are you export ready? Get with the program -- read more here.

Illustration source here.

Boycott Arizona 2010

by artbutcher.com —- The license plate is from ARIZONA

The Age of Global Urban Expansion

China and India rising.

Half of Asia will become urbanized, and nearly a billion people will shift from countryside to cityscape. Trillions of dollars will need to be spent on roads, trains, power plants, water systems, and social services. And it's going to happen in less than half the time that it took the West. China and India will account for two-fifths of the world's urban growth, but they are pursuing wildly different strategies for managing this shift.

Read more about this here.

How are you positioning your business to catch a portion of the opportunities mentioned in this powerful feature?

Photo credit here.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Harry K. Thomas: New U.S. Ambassador To the Phillipines

Harry K. Thomas Jr. is the new United States Ambassador to the Philippines. Mr. Thomas is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and is the first black envoy to the Philippines.

Ambassador Thomas, in the dark suit at right) served most recently as a Special Assistant to the Secretary and Executive Secretary of the State Department. He joined the Foreign Service in 1984, and served as Director for South Asia at the National Security Council in the White House from 2001 to 2002. He served as United States Ambassador to Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005.

His other postings include: New Delhi, India; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. He has served as Senior Watch Officer, Deputy Director, and Director of the State Department Operations Center, Special Assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs, and Staff Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. (Black Voices, Black Spin, 4/21/2010)

Chinese Love Luxury

Condolences To Samara Swanston and Family

Dawn Finnigan, left, the 39 year old daughter of Samara Swanston, passed away from an asthma attack on Thursday, August 12, 2010. Dawn was laid to rest on Thursday, August 19, 2010 at Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, New York. A touching Eulogy was provided by Samara Swanston at Roy Gilmore's Funeral Home in St. Albans, New York. A memorial service was also held the next day in Albany, New York, where Dawn Finnigen lived.

Dawn Finnigan was born to Barry Toland Finnigan and Samara Swanston on Nobember 26, 1970. Dawn obtained a beauticians license at the age of eighteen, worked at beauty salons in New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Albany and managed a Manhattan Supercuts for two years before going on to own her own beauty salon, "The Beautiful Ones." After ten years in the beauty field, she developed occupational asthma and was advised by her doctor to change fields. She went on to teach hairdressing and styling and barber skills at the Austin Education School in Albany while she pursued her Associate Degree. She became the Dean of the Evening School and ultimately wrote the curriculum for the school. Most recently, she created the first Natural Hair curriculum for women of color at the school and her curriculum was just approved by the State Department of Education.

Dawn was on her way to an old school rap concert when she had trouble breathing and succumbed to asthma.

Dawn's mother, Samara Swanston, is a well-known environmentalist and is counsel for the New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection.

City of Big Shoulders: Chicago

"Hog butcher for the world,
Tool maker, stacker of wheat,
Player with railroads and the nation's freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of big shoulders."

~ Carl Sandburg, 'Chicago,' 1916

Have a great weekend everyone!

Photo credit: Laurel Delaney, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, John Hancock Building

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog (GlobeTrade.com)

Black Enterprise/Shell Host Conversation on Energy Part 2

Black Enterprise is hosting Part 2 of A Conversation on Energy sponsored by Shell, in Washington D.C at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, on Nov. 8, 2010. The conversation will take place in two sessions focusing on:

1) Energy Security, where panelists will discuss how to transition from our major reliance on fossil fuels and foreign sources of energy; and

2) Energy Responsibility, to outline ways we can reduce our environmental impact and avoid disasters.

Leverage Failure to Boost Your Global Small Business

My latest contribution for Small Business Trends via the American Express OPEN Forum. If you find it useful (which I hope you do), please Tweet about it.

"Making the Most of Failure"

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

How to Survive a Shaky Global Economy

UPS CEO Scott Davis (pictured) has some experience on surviving a shaky global economy.

Totally agree with his closing paragraph in the featured piece:

The current shaky economic environment is a challenge for all leaders, Davis acknowledged. He detailed three types of corporate responses to the economic downturn. "Some companies won't make it. Some will be crippled; it may take five, six or seven years for them to get back to the level they were at before the collapse." The third type of company, however, will keep its long-term goals in sight. It will pursue strategic growth in line with its core values. These companies will effectively balance conventional and digital business, strive for efficiency and think globally. Consequently, Davis said, these companies will learn, adjust and evolve as the global economy recovers. "Some companies will come out of the recovery stronger than ever. Times of great uncertainty are also times of great opportunity."

Read: "Solving a 'Wicked Problem'"

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Interactive Training Module

We really like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Division’s interactive application module. The avatar, pictured at right, talks you through the permit application process in a training format.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires permits for building or developing in, on, or over wetlands and waters, and this interactive module will give you the guidelines and checklist for filling out and sending in a permit application form.

The interactive guide has a stop, pause, and play button so that you can use the help at any time while filling out the permit application form. You can also “Turn Guide Off” at any time if you would like to move ahead on your own.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program began in 1890 with the responsibility of protecting and maintaining the nations navigable waterways. As a result of changing public needs and evolving policy via new laws and court decisions, protection has been extended to all of the nations waters and wetland resources.

WE SUPPORT MAXINE WATERS

Illuminating Explanations On Why China and India Entrepreneurs Matter

"Billions of Entrepreneurs: How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures -- and Yours" by Tarun Khanna

Oh, in case you missed this: "China Passes Japan to Become No. 2 Economy"

Entrepreneurial Export Enabler

Meet Paul Yap, age 37, born in Selangor and currently living in San Pablo, California as an Entrepreneur. Or, as we call him: Entrepreneurial Export Enabler

Read about what he's up to: Crutch for small businesses

Track the Rate of Global Growth

To prepare your business for what's ahead economically, you should be monitoring closely the rate of global growth for companies big and small. Many countries are worried about the future of the U.S. economy which increases uncertainty worldwide.

“A slowdown in the global economy is now obvious and that is cooling investor sentiment,” said Tomomi Yamashita, a fund manager in Tokyo at Shinkin Asset Management Co., which oversees about $5.8 billion. “There are no attractive positions to take right now in markets. We’re waiting for better economic data.”

Read more here.

Big Mac Index Worldwide

Read: "Burgernomics: When the chips are down | The Economist"

Illustration credit here.

Where's the Bright Light?

There's an expectation of a slowdown in export growth ...

Asian companies have been on a tear, but this may be as good as it gets. Despite a stellar round of earnings for the last quarter, the outlook for many of the region’s companies — household names around the world — is dimming.

And a snippet from Alibaba.com:

“We continue to take a cautious view on the global economy and small-business development,” said David Wei, Alibaba’s chief executive, “and expect a slowdown in export growth for the following quarters.”

Read more here:
Pessimism in Asia Despite a Solid Earnings Season

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

American Brainwash

If you grew up in the U.S. - do you feel the history you were taught was incomplete?

In kindergarten I learned the song "This land is your land..."

The song made me feel like the whole U.S. was for everyone. The song doesn't mention the land was occupied for 40,000 years before the English arrived.

In fourth grade I learned the history of the U.S. trafficking humans from Africa. I didn't learn in grammar school that in America there were many white slaves called indentured servants. I also didn't learn in grammar school that indigenous native American's were sold as slaves.

Another area I was mis-lead is that the U.S. government uses the term "Indian" for people who are not Indians, but indigenous Native Americans. The reason our government and our society has decided to call indigenous Native American's "Indians" is because if the correct term term was used, the non-indigenous would constantly be reminded that this land was stolen from the original owners.

We are bombarded with the term 'race' as if there are just 3 races (or 4, or 6 or 30) in the world and everyone can check a box to fit into one of those categories.

Here's the poetic truth: There is one race - the human race.

Here's the scientific truth: There is one human species - the human species.

Here's the anthropological truth: There are no races - only clines.

What is a clien? It means subtle variations. In this case it means subtle variations based on geographic differences within a species.

What important information do you feel was missing in your childhood education?

Women Against War

We need more women running government.

Actually, we need women only to run government.

What you talkin bout?

How many women would declare war?
Women a nurturing.
They don't want to fight and kill - they want to resolve problems, find solutions and get along.

How many hateful groups are lead by women? How many hateful forum comments are from women?

As long as men have testosterone, they will continue to be overly competitive,

and continue to start wars where innocent women and children are harmed.

Impassioned

Is it more effective to sound upset and indignant to declare my idea!?

Or is it better to be calm and relaxed?

If I sound cool, would it mean I understand the issue and have obtained enlightenment?

So, tell me world. How do you communicate your impassioned causes?

What do we Believe?

If we believe ... my brothers and sisters ... that the root of inequity ... is poverty ... we must ... lift the world out of poverty.

If we believe ... my brothers and sisters ... that inequity is due to racism ... we must ... lift our racist brothers and sisters out of the bitter prison of hate.

If we believe that inequity is caused by lack of... education ... we must ... my brothers and sisters ... educate our community.

"Those Who Stand For Nothing, Fall For Anything" - Alexander Hamilton

Panda Color

I was showin my brother a cool Def Poetry video on YouTube and he says "Eh, I'm not feelin it." Then he says: "Glenn, I've noticed that you seemed to be attracted to things that are --- non-white."

Yeah, and your point is?

{Transition}

My wife told me that I only married her because she is Mexican.
What!? That hurt my feeling.
I said to her, "If you want to over simplify -- I married you because you're not white."
Like my friend said:

"You know what the problem with white people is? Lack of pigmentation."

When I was a kid a liked three things

Number 1: Black and White animals

Number 2: Half and half swirled ice cream cones.

Number 3: One stuffed animal.

My brother is wrong. I do like white things.

Number 1: I like milk ... with coffee

Number 2: I like rice ... with soy sauce.

Number 3: I like vanilla... chocolate chip icecream ... with chocolate syrup.

When we were at the gift shop at the San Diego Wild Animal park -- I was curious to know if my daughter would like the cute little stuffed panda the way I did. She didn't. She looked through all the lions, tigers, bears, birds, snakes, and picked... a quail.

I guess brown and gray are the new black and white.

What did you like when you were a kid - and still like now?

Raise the bar MUTHER FLOWER!

Here's the problem with the U.S. school system.

Number 1. Summer vacations are too long.

Number 2. Math and science scores are too low.

Number 3. College $costs are high. If it's not free for everyone -- it's too expensive. The U.S. government knows that more educated workers are needed, that's why the H-1B visa was created.

The reason the U.S. government has not subsidized college education is twofold.

Number 1. If you keep the masses uneducated and unemployable they will turn to the military for employment.

Number 2. If we fill jobs openings with the smartest people from other countries, the other country looses the benefit of their educated workforce and the U.S. gains it.

Students continue to drop out of high school and not go to college.

Why?

Number 1. Minimum wage is enough (if you you don't have debt, don't want to buy a house, and don't mind living with roomates).

Since most people want a house, a car and all sorts of luxuries, why do so many drop out of high school and not go to college?

Answer: They are distracted from their goals by the magnate of Entertainment.

What is the U.S. good at?

Entertainment creation, Entertainment marketing, Entertainment delivery.

We're so good with entertainment, the magnate is nearly impossible for children to resist.

Number 1: Kids have cell phones with text messaging and data plans.

Number 2: Kids come home to a house wired with YouTube, TiVo, Satellite TV, and Cable TV.

Number 3: Kids have iTunes, iPods, iPads, iMacs, Mini Macs, Blackberrys, Blueberries, and Halle Berries.

If you were a kid today would you want to complete tedious homework or listen to music, watch videos, chat with friends, read tweets, check Facebook, Myspace and DipDive?

What u sayin?

Kids need new instructions for today. They need a class called "How to do your homework when you really don't want to."

We also need to add classes for ethics, critical thinking, global economics and cultural awareness.

Why do you say that?

Our current Progress is too slooow. We need our kids to get with the program and fix the problems that we have made.

What do you think is wrong with the US education system? Comment or post a video reply below.