on entrepreneurship, success, needs and wants and niches

The triangle of success in work or entrepreneurship: a) like it b) be good at it c) it is in demand?

What do I mean?

Well, you have a hobby that you love, you turn it into a profession - job, you work very hard at it, BUT is it in demand? Many entrepreneurs forget that (the demand dimension).

Can you create demand for something because YOU think that people need it? IMO, that's quite unlikely! It's like trying to MAKE someone love you or fall in love with you: it rarely works! same with demand 4 a product or service! Unless you have many millions to spend in advertising, and then, even then, it is not that more likely IMO.

Of course that does not ignore the utility of pockets of demand (niche) but that niche demand IMO has to satisfy niche's needs

some thoughts re our lifestyles in 2009

Forget shopping therapy, read a good #book or go watch a good movie instead, much more satisfying and cool!

Are your lifestyle and choices - decisions in life

a) in tune with the times and

b) suitable for you, personally? (both?)

OR

are you living in another time (not in 2009) OR living (mimicking) someone else's life - lifestyle?

The same applies for business/companies!!!
Is "your" company's strategy a) suitable for your company or b) a copycat of another company's strategy? If (b), Ooops!! Better re-think it!

Reforms in business regulations on the rise in 2008-2009 says World Bank survey

According to the World Bank's "Doing Business" survey (published annually since 2004), 131 economies (more than 70% of those surveyed) reformed business regulations in 2008-9.

That is a record number since the report was launched in 2004.

The survey recorded 287 reforms between June 2008 and May 2009, up 20% from the previous year.

According to the survey reforms focused on

a) making it easier to start and operate businesses,

b) strengthening property rights

c) improving commercial dispute resolution

d) bankruptcy procedures


Most reforms were implemented in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

the core business functions in 2009?

IME Sales and Finance (and Operations) continue to be seen as the core of a corporation - business!

HR, PR, Public Affairs etc, even Marketing, are seen (really) as "auxiliary" by many corporations

The "PR" about HR

Human Resources (HR) Management is much more than the old "Personnel Mgt" but not many companies really believe in its value for all seasons

Globalization, market access and the small companies

Does anyone really expect small companies - anywhere - to feel part of the globalization "game" as it is today?

IMO the name of the globalization game is: (real) Market Access. Without it, it's a myth

uncertainty as opportunity or risk: USA vs. Europe

Europeans used to view uncertainty as a threat - do they still do that?

Americans used to view uncertainty as an opportunity - do they still do that?

On "real" globalization

IMO real globalization means that small even mini companies from all WTO countries can compete in the global market as niche players

Management in 2009: Global SMEs?

Management: Global SMEs?

Globalization will, I argue, be better embraced by the world public opinion when small and medium size companies (SMEs) in the WTO member countries feel that they have a reasonable chance to grow and prosper in it.

I think that what the world needs is many, many, more "globally active SMEs".


Note: Of course "globalization", "capitalism" and "liberalism" mean different things to different people not only around the world but also within specific countries. In the presence of such absence of commonly agreed definitions of these and other terms, these terms and the notions and systems they stand for will continue to "suffer". Globalization, capitalism and liberalism as well as market economics are thought to be the systemics "in power" in most of the WTO countries today! Are they? How "global", "capitalist", "liberal" or "market economy based" are for example the United States today? France? Germany? The UK? The EU?

Original written: February 15, 2007
Updated: May 30, 2009

Management - the basics: The name of the game = "Access"

Management - the basics: The name of the game = "Access"

I have written it before and I think it is as current and key as ever before today:

The key tool in survival and prosperity in the world today, not just in business but in almost everything is not access to capital and other traditional sources of "power".

It is access to markets, agoras in general (economic or other, even .... dating, visiting relatives, social activities, etc, etc).

You can have access to capital (venture or loans), ease to set up a new company in a few minutes, etc, etc, etc, a great product or service to "sell", but without real access to a suitable market for the said product or service, it is no use, IMO (in my opinion).

What are the key elements of "real access"? Technical/physical and regulatory and "bureaucratic" and marketing/business related.


Originally Written: June 21, 2007
Updated: May 30, 2009