A Restaurant High in the Arctic Circle

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When a restaurant is high in the Arctic Circle, and most ingredients have to come in on a boat or a plane, you have to get pretty creative with your fine dining. That means seal, whale, reindeer – and plankton?

Many of the dishes at Huset – established October, 1951 – are served on stones collected from the nearby hills, which are thick with fossils.

Longyearbyen, on whose outskirts Huset sits, is the northernmost permanent settlement of more than 1,000 people in the world, a mere 800 miles (1,288 km) from the North Pole.

Up here, where there is night for four months of the year, not much grows. But there is more living here than you might think.

Italian SMEs: The Role of Digitalization in Cross-Border E-Commerce Performance

©iStock/Alexander Farnsworth

In this paper, the authors aimed to understand the impact of digital technologies on cross-border e-commerce for Italian SMEs.

Overall, they observed that Italy is lagging behind its European counterparts in terms of digitalization and IT capabilities, although several national policies are addressing this topic and the initial data seem to show that they are succeeding.

This paper deals with three main categories of digital technologies: 

1. e-business
2. e-marketing
3.  e-commerce

They show that e-business has a mixed impact on cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) performance, and the relationships need to be further analyzed, while e-marketing tools have a significant positive impact on the online export performance. 

Today in Global Small Business: Governing Global eCommerce

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Several dozen World Trade Organization (WTO) countries have signed a sweeping agreement governing global eCommerce.
• Kamala Harris would bring greater foreign policy experience than most US presidents.
• Quote of the week:  "I am a tariff man, standing on a tariff platform." – William McKinley
• Going global to retain local talent.
• The question of TikTok bans.
• Tariffs as a major revenue source. 

Pretty Bird

Removing Obstacles That Prevent Small Firms From Seizing Global Opportunities

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The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed its SME Export task force – a transformative blueprint designed to remove the obstacles that prevent small firms from seizing global opportunities.

Despite their agility, only 10 percent of small firms trade internationally. Imagine economic growth if we could double that figure.

It’s time for small firms to take their place on the global stage – backed by a supportive framework designed solely for their success.

Setting Up Overseas Special Zones in Taiwan

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The Taiwanese government should play an active role in Taiwanese small-and-medium enterprises' (SME) international expansion, possibly through "overseas special zones," Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei has said.

Kuo said he envisions a special arrangement designed by the government to help Taiwanese SMEs that do not have the same kind of resources and bargaining power of industry giants such as TSMC and GlobalWafers Co., gain a foothold overseas.

Learn more about other ideas Kuo proposed such as setting up 'sogo shosha' style Japanese general trading companies.

Questions to Ask When Selecting a Master's Program in International Business and Trade

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The Hinrich Foundation Guide to Master’s in International Business and Trade (Hinrich Foundation Guide – requires completing a short form) is a comprehensive resource to assist students and professionals to identify the right master’s program to accelerate their careers in global trade. 

Here are key questions to ask to evaluate master's programs in international business and trade.

VP Kamala Harris: How SHE May Lead

©iStock/Thanumporn Thongkongkaew

Vice President Kamala Harris is now the leading Democratic standard-bearer in the 2024 elections after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed her on Sunday, July 21, 2024.

According to Time, Harris’ long record in public office—from being San Francisco’s district attorney in 2003, to becoming California state attorney general in 2011, to a Senator from California in 2017, and then Vice President—offers more clues on how she may lead as Democratic nominee and President.

Today in Global Small Business: President Joe Biden Is Not Seeking Reelection

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• President Joe Biden is not seeking reelection.
• Biden to step down as Democratic presidential nominee.
• Quote of the week:  "I believe today [7/21/24] what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do - when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America." – President Joe Biden on X announcing his exit from the 2024 presidential race
• Joe Biden drops out of US presidential race.
• VP Kamala Harris is ready to step in.
• President Biden no longer seeking reelection.

The Cars We Drive

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"The cars we drive say a lot about us." – Alexandra Paul

The Demand for Spanish in China is Increasing

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In China, the demand for Spanish is increasing, and it is now taught in high schools and universities. Since the opening of the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute in Beijing in 2006 and of the Biblioteca Miguel de Cervantes in Shanghai, the number of Spanish students in China has grown to around 60,000.

With Spain being a stable trading partner of China, mastery of Spanish opens multiple opportunities in business, tourism, and education, not only with Spain but with the entire American continent.

Good News For Global Entrepreneurs! Foreign Startups Can Stay in U.S. For 5 Years

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The U.S. is making it easier for startups, business owners and entrepreneurs to extend their stay.  Remember the Obama-era program called the International Entrepreneurs Rule (IER)?

Under this programme, foreign entrepreneurs were initially allowed to stay in the US for two-and-a-half years. Now, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they can remain for up to five years if their ventures meet specific criteria such as funding milestones and job creation.

Learn the particulars here.

Top 10 Global Risks in 2024

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The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 says the biggest short-term risk stems from misinformation and disinformation. 

In the longer term, climate-related threats dominate the top 10 risks global populations will face.

Two-thirds of global experts anticipate a multipolar or fragmented order to take shape over the next decade.

The key findings of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 reflect these most pressing challenges faced by people in every region of the world.

Is Free Trade Under Attack?

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One of the defining transformations of the 20th century was globalization. Since the end of World War II, countries and cultures have become more interconnected than ever before, through free trade agreements, technology, multi-national corporations, and the creation of structures such as the IMF and the World Trade Organization.

Trade economists liked to think that the benefits of globalization—economic growth, more consumer choice, lower prices—had made it unassailable. But cracks in the international order have started to appear. 

Today in Global Small Business: Designing Across Cultures

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Designing across cultures refers to the process of creating products and services that are tailored to the needs and preferences of diverse cultural groups.
• Stancé, a designer art toy company, proudly announces its global partnership with UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. 
• Quote of the week:  "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality." – Walt Disney
• Why human-centered transformation design is critical for universities.
• Elevating interior design globally.
• OpenAI, the AI company behind the viral AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT, has acquired Global Illumination, a New York–based startup leveraging AI to build creative tools, infrastructure and digital experiences.

Loves You More Than You Love Yourself

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself." – Josh Billings

Updated Rules for International Trade

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Globalization refers to the process of connecting the world economy more closely through the flow of goods, services, investment, technology, data, ideas, and workers. It began around 1870 and took off in the decades after World War II as countries started reducing restrictions on capital and trade flows in anticipation of benefits to growth and welfare.

Today we may be at another turning point in globalization’s history. So what is this powerful force that does so much to influence the world economy? How is it changing? And can it be improved?

Updated rules for international trade, coupled with stronger domestic policies, could make globalization more inclusive and sustainable.

Two Men Guilty of Illegally Exporting U.S. Electronics Used in Russian Weapons In Ukraine

©iStock/Dragon Claws

Two men – Nikolay Goltsev, 38, of Montreal, and Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, 53, of Brooklyn – have pleaded guilty to illegally exporting US electronics used in Russian weapons in Ukraine, the Justice Department said.

Goltsev and Nasriddinov face up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit export control violations, the department said in a statement.

"The defendants shipped millions of dollars of US electronics critical to the missiles and drones Russia uses to attack Ukraine, and they now face US prison time for their scheme," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.

Read more here.

SPECIAL: Robert Marovich's Response to Peggy Noonan, Opinion Columnist at the Wall Street Journal

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The letter below by Robert Marovich, Chicago, Illinois, was not accepted for publication at the Wall Street Journal yet I felt it was important to share with the world.  It is in response to a column by Peggy Noonan, "The Most Important Presidential Debate Ever" (Saturday/Sunday, June 29-30, 2024).  Unfortunately the column has a paywall, otherwise I would share the link.  I took a photo of it for your review so you can appreciate Bob Marovich's letter and put it into context.

"Dear Editor:

I read Peggy Noonan's column regularly because I respect her experience, appreciate her depth of knowledge, and appreciate her cogent arguments. I always will. But I strongly disagree with her description, in "The Most Important Presidential Debate Ever" (June 29 - 30), of former President Donald Trump's demeanor at the debate. He was not "calm, sure-voiced, focused....self-disciplined" He didn't debate - he ranted his greatest hits like a carnival barker on caffeine, delivered more than 30 lies, and even seemed to make some things up on the spot. Hyperbole and inaccurate superlatives, no substance, as usual. 

But what Ms. Noonan failed to mention, and what needs mentioning, is how despicably Mr. Trump spoke of the United States. President Reagan referred to the US as "the shining city on a hill." Trump, in front of more than 50 million viewers, referred several times to the US as a third-world country. Those are fighting words; in times past, proud Americans would have told him to put up his dukes. Would Mr. Reagan have suffered such an insult?

Yes, our nation has many problems, it always has, and we need to fix them, but we are not a third-world country, we are a first-rate country. Any candidate who denigrates his country so vociferously as Mr. Trump did on Thursday shouldn't even qualify for the presidency of a book club. President Biden stumbled significantly during the debate. We saw it. He knows it. I agree with Ms. Noonan that he missed landing several easy punches that could have turned the tide of the debate. But what Mr. Trump said about our nation is unforgivable. He insulted all of us that evening. The party of Ronald Reagan should hold its head in shame that Mr. Trump is the best they can offer." 

Best,

Robert M. Marovich

Chicago, IL

wegginar® 7/10/24 with Missy Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Join free of charge 7/10/24 at 11 AM CT thanks to generous sponsors as noted in the graphic.  To learn more and to register, visit, "Scaling Globally:  Insights and Inspiration from a Global Leader in Innovation."  Missy Kelly, the presenter, is co-founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips.  Learn about innovation.  Invention.  Entrepreneurship.  Scaling globally. 

Today in Global Small Business: Making Supply Chains More Resilient, Collaborative and Networked

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Research shows severe disruption through the pandemic is driving enterprises to make their supply chains more resilient, collaborative and networked.   
• Social commerce is key.
• Quote of the week:  "The best way to reduce your supply chain inventory is to sell it.” – Dilbert
• Well what do you know.  An instant global cross border payment system – NEW!
• What is Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)?
• New trade pacts show trade collaboration is still possible.

Cling to Your Vision

©2024 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Do not give up your dream because it is apparently not being realized, because you cannot see it coming true. Cling to your vision with all the tenacity you can muster. Keep it bright; do not let the bread-and-butter side of life cloud your ideal or dim it." – Orison Swett Marden

Why We Celebrate 4th of July and How Fireworks Became a Part of the Tradition

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Here are five things to know about July Fourth, including the origin of the holiday, why we celebrate it and how fireworks became a part of the tradition.

Happy 4th of July from the Global Small Business Blog

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"America is another name for opportunity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Is India the Future?

©iStock/Henk Bogaard

In a global marketplace reshaped by volatile forces — not least the animosity between the United States and China — India shows signs of emerging as a potentially significant place to manufacture products. 

Yet the trouble is they – in India – are slow.  Slow on samples.  Slow on producing.  Slow on deliveries.  Can we afford the wait?

Read:  For American Brands Worried About China, is India the Future?

wegg® showcase Issue 2, July, 2024 with Coni Lefferts

©2024 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Bob Marovich, Chief Operating Officer of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®, interviews Coni Lefferts, President, Creative Packaging Solutions for the wegg® showcase Issue 2, July, 2024:  Global growth is in the bag.

Today in Global Small Business: Grants, Loans and Programs to Benefit Your Global Small Business

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Check out 60 grants, loans and programs to benefit your global small business.
• Trying to determine best website builder for your business?
• Quote of the week:  "Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” – Michelle Obama, First African-American First Lady of the United States
• A new survey of 1,000 small to medium-sized business owners from DHL shows two-thirds of small enterprises are optimistic about growing ecommerce.
• In the month of June, small business owners continued to identify inflation as the single most important problem for them in operating their business, as upward price pressures continue to increase expenses and lower profitability.  Learn more from the House Committee on Small Business.
• 25 business grants for women who have started and are growing a business.