Business & Entrepreneurship
Business & Entrepreneurship
Fair Observer's analysis of innovation, entrepreneurial energy, venture capital, new businesses and job creation.
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360° Analysis / entrepreneurship / immigration / kauffman / United States / visas for students / Business & EntrepreneurshipLegal, entrepreneurship experts at the University of Missouri-Kansas City propose reforms to keep entrepreneurial talent in the United States to support economic growth. By Barbara Pruitt and Anthony Luppino U.S. colleges and universities nationally are seeing increasing numbers of international students with a passion for entrepreneurship, and many of those students want to start new ventures in the United States. However, current immigration laws make it difficult – if not impossible – for these budding innovators to establish startups while in school, or to remain in the country after graduation to grow their companies and create jobs that could bolster the U.S. economy...
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Why Europe can copy the business models, but not the essence, of Silicon Valley. In the last two years, Atrapalo.com has introduced Spaniards to last minute hotel deals and stickers on Spanish restaurant windows have begun imploring passersby to order online via Just-Eat.es. To an American eye, it seems like a rewind to New York circa 2006. Not to mention the fact that Spain’s first social network, Tuenti, was founded by a Californian. Spain is aware of the role startups play as an engine for economic growth. “The crisis can be a blessing,” economist Javier Santiso told a crowd of entrepreneurs earlier this year in Madrid, “because it forces people to think big....
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As China maneuvers to maintain its competitiveness and further advance its economy, it is confronting myriad bottlenecks and inefficiencies that are drags on growth. One of the most daunting and costly obstacles is the issue of logistics. Overall logistics costs in China -- the price of moving goods and materials -- take up about 18% of the country’s GDP. That compares with about 10% for many developed economies. There is clear room for improvement, but for political reasons, the topic is rarely addressed openly. China’s logistics industry suffers from the same troubles found in many of its industries. It is fragmented, with legions of logistics providers, from self-employed...
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By Janny WangThe relentless Chinese drive for expansion, and accompanying work culture, lead to tension with more laid-back African communities China’s media has never paid so much attention to Africa before. It’s not only because interactions between China and Africa are frequent, but also because the Chinese government likes to emphasize its ongoing business efforts in Africa. The Chinese government encourages central enterprises to expand investment and business operations in Africa and has been providing policy guidance and economic support. In fact, most of China’s investments or construction projects in Africa are started on the Chinese government’s initiative and not for...
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In this exclusive interview, startup expert Yaniv Feldman tells Fair Observer about the trends in the country with more startups and venture funding per capita than any other. Interview conducted by Andrew Pollen. FO: How does someone become an entrepreneur? YF: It starts with an early love for technology. In my case, I started working on PCs at the age of three. I was a computer technician and writing newspaper articles already at 13. Then in the Israeli Army, I trained network administrators and systems engineers in the computers unit. FO: And now you divide your time between Newsgeek, Venturegeeks and The Startup Digest. YF: Yes. I started Newsgeek as a side venture. Initially it...
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By Ravi ManthaSingapore applies its multiculturalism and smart eye for business to new industries. Recently, The Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI), a cheerleader of Singapore’s buzzing technology start-up scene, held its first demo day. Eleven companies from its first batch piled onto a nightclub stage in rock-band style, giving eight-minute long pitches in rapid succession to over a hundred investors. Among the potential investors were several Singapore government agencies, part of an intensive effort by Singapore to promote entrepreneurship. The Singapore ethos is built on hard work combined with good economic governance. This is the secret sauce behind how a tiny island state went from a...
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By Naim AmeurDespite an improvement in the business climate in post-revolution Tunisia, further administrative and communicative reforms are necessary to encourage entrepreneurship. The Tunisian revolution ended the corrupted regime of former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. The small country in the Maghreb then elected a National Constituent Assembly in order to devise a political system based on democracy and balanced powers, and the writing of a new constitution. However, the revolution has generated a slowdown in the economy, increased inflation and growing unemployment. In addition, social demands from activists and sit-ins have deepened the economic recession. Tunisia's...
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An analysis of how to create a balance of domestic interests in Africa and the interests of globalization. As managing director of Goldman Sachs' South African office, Colin Coleman has witnessed, and advised, the execution of countless business contracts across Africa. Each deal -- from China's US$9 billion copper deal with the Congo to Walmart's US$2.4 billion purchase of South African retailer Massmart -- highlights the tenuous balance between domestic interests and foreign investment, and raises a set of key questions. "How do you create a balance of domestic interests in Africa and the interests of globalization?" Coleman asked. "How do you create a balance...
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As a number of countries throughout Africa transition from conflict to democratic rule, many governments are seeking to speed development. Whether delivering an engine for a river barge in South Sudan or bringing bottles of Coke to an Ethiopian village, overcoming infrastructure challenges in Africa can be a story of both speed and sluggishness. A glance at the mobile phone industry reveals an Africa leapfrogging over much of the world, connecting remote regions with state-of-the-art telecom networks. Yet, when it comes to some of the basics - roads, airports, and electricity - much of Africa still struggles. At the Wharton Africa Business Forum 2011, a number of experts in African...