Here is an extremely useful site for international businesses: http://www.scinet-corp.com/associates/index.htm?bdd_md.htm~index2 A glossary of selection of terms used in world trade of goods, products and services, in 4 different languages: Spanish, English, French and German.
The only drawback of the glossary is that the terms are sorted alphabetically in English only (i.e. it's made easy to translate a word from English to any other 3 languages). However, if you have a German word, say "Vorleistung" and you need to translate it in English or any other language you'll find it difficult because it is not listed under V, it is listed opposite English word "advance" under A.
But this site also offers information on a number of other useful world trade documentation such as (check the links on the same page above the glossary of trade terms):
EXPLANATION OF BILL OF LADING TERMINOLOGY
INCOTERMS 2000
DOCUMENTARY CREDIT
and others.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland
Before coming to US 1,5 years ago I lived in UK for 5 years. It was like second home that’s why nostalgia made it quite difficult to write about it for quite some time… But now that passed and here is my story. I planned to write it in summer because it’s the best time to visit the country since July – August give you the best chance of avoiding rain.
There are 3 concepts in my mind that describe UK best of all: tradition, mystery and aristocracy.
TRADITION and HISTORY: everything in this country is about tradition and most of its customs go centuries back, so far that you start doubting if the world existed then… The guys still have the Queen, the Crown and other stuff like that! It feels like there are more palaces and ancient castles per square mile than anywhere else. And it’s not enough to visit one or 2 of them to get the full picture. Each castle is unique, it has different architecture, interior design, surrounding garden and it dates back to a specific era and has its own history and (often) love story behind it. Security cameras at royal palaces (mostly Hampton Court) even capture old ghosts in black cloaks on camera from time to time. Nowhere else you’ll be able to see the abundance of ancient armor and crown jewels on display.
Speaking about customs I couldn’t avoid mentioning one specific, tradition which is well known but not so well understood around the world: English tea. It’s not the tea that’s important but the ritual. It is a 2 hours’ long occasion when the tea is served with special finger sandwiches, small cakes, scones, clotted cream and jam. Take away 1 ingredient and it is not English tea anymore.
MYSTERY: besides the ghosts that haunt the royal Hampton Court Britain is home to 2 other most famous mystical sites: the Stonehenge and the Loch Ness. I visited both of them and each one made a deep impression on me though I have not seen the Loch Ness monster with my own eyes (note: the less the amount of tourists found at the spot the better the impression). There is something inexplicable about these places, something beyond words. I even didn’t try to explain anything to myself; I was just left with an inner feeling that I touched the untouchable, the unimaginable… One must see and feel it with ones own eyes….
ARISTOCRATIC: or “high-class”, or “upscale” or “posh” whatever word you use Britain has a lot of places and events you can attend which will make you feel like “royalty” for a day. For starters it will cost you a fortune but this is exactly the point: if you could afford it every day it wouldn’t be such a special treat! Try special seats at Wimbledon with Champaign and strawberries; a visit to Ascot (horse races favored by the royal family) where you HAVE TO be dressed elegantly (for ladies a beautiful dress, heels and a stunning hat is a must); or see a performance at Royal Albert Hall or Royal Opera.
Finally, don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a chance to meet the Queen - go see the change of the royal guards that the Buckingham palace. The site of dozens of well-trained, handsome, tall and young “warriors” will definitely substitute for that of one old lady.
There are 3 concepts in my mind that describe UK best of all: tradition, mystery and aristocracy.
TRADITION and HISTORY: everything in this country is about tradition and most of its customs go centuries back, so far that you start doubting if the world existed then… The guys still have the Queen, the Crown and other stuff like that! It feels like there are more palaces and ancient castles per square mile than anywhere else. And it’s not enough to visit one or 2 of them to get the full picture. Each castle is unique, it has different architecture, interior design, surrounding garden and it dates back to a specific era and has its own history and (often) love story behind it. Security cameras at royal palaces (mostly Hampton Court) even capture old ghosts in black cloaks on camera from time to time. Nowhere else you’ll be able to see the abundance of ancient armor and crown jewels on display.
Speaking about customs I couldn’t avoid mentioning one specific, tradition which is well known but not so well understood around the world: English tea. It’s not the tea that’s important but the ritual. It is a 2 hours’ long occasion when the tea is served with special finger sandwiches, small cakes, scones, clotted cream and jam. Take away 1 ingredient and it is not English tea anymore.
MYSTERY: besides the ghosts that haunt the royal Hampton Court Britain is home to 2 other most famous mystical sites: the Stonehenge and the Loch Ness. I visited both of them and each one made a deep impression on me though I have not seen the Loch Ness monster with my own eyes (note: the less the amount of tourists found at the spot the better the impression). There is something inexplicable about these places, something beyond words. I even didn’t try to explain anything to myself; I was just left with an inner feeling that I touched the untouchable, the unimaginable… One must see and feel it with ones own eyes….
ARISTOCRATIC: or “high-class”, or “upscale” or “posh” whatever word you use Britain has a lot of places and events you can attend which will make you feel like “royalty” for a day. For starters it will cost you a fortune but this is exactly the point: if you could afford it every day it wouldn’t be such a special treat! Try special seats at Wimbledon with Champaign and strawberries; a visit to Ascot (horse races favored by the royal family) where you HAVE TO be dressed elegantly (for ladies a beautiful dress, heels and a stunning hat is a must); or see a performance at Royal Albert Hall or Royal Opera.
Finally, don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a chance to meet the Queen - go see the change of the royal guards that the Buckingham palace. The site of dozens of well-trained, handsome, tall and young “warriors” will definitely substitute for that of one old lady.
Monday, July 02, 2007
World Public Opinion - Global Issues 2007
A week ago the Chicago Council on Global Affairs released an in-depth study of world public opinion on key international issues, including climate change, globalization, the future of the United Nations, U.S. leadership, and the rise of China.
Participating research centers interviewed nearly 22,000 people in China, India, the United States, Russia, Indonesia, France, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Armenia and Israel, plus the Palestinian territories. In addition to a global overview of opinion on key issues, the report includes detailed country-by-country analysis. The publics polled represent about 56 percent of the world’s population.
On this site http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/dynamic_page.php?id=61 you can download the full report or just the parts of it, depending on what you are interested in. I personally found the study very interesting and enlightening in a way
Participating research centers interviewed nearly 22,000 people in China, India, the United States, Russia, Indonesia, France, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Armenia and Israel, plus the Palestinian territories. In addition to a global overview of opinion on key issues, the report includes detailed country-by-country analysis. The publics polled represent about 56 percent of the world’s population.
On this site http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/dynamic_page.php?id=61 you can download the full report or just the parts of it, depending on what you are interested in. I personally found the study very interesting and enlightening in a way
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Useful sites for Tourism
Though I do talk about International Business a lot (since this is my profession - International Business Consultant :-) I cannot ignore the fact that it is summer now and many people are finally fulfilling their dream of a long vacation. So to help those planning a trip (nationally or internationally) here is a good resource: http://www.everything-about-tourism.com/
It is a centralised directory including information on 70 most popular countries on all 5 continents in various categories: airlines, accommodation, golf, festivals, limousines, discos - anything. When you perform a search the results will bring you Internet links to relevant sites. Very handy "one stop shop" for travellers.
It is a centralised directory including information on 70 most popular countries on all 5 continents in various categories: airlines, accommodation, golf, festivals, limousines, discos - anything. When you perform a search the results will bring you Internet links to relevant sites. Very handy "one stop shop" for travellers.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Trade Promotion Directory
I just recently found an excellent resource for companies who are doing or planning to do business in Europe: UNECE 's (United Nations Trade Economic Commission for Europe) Trade Promotion Directory, http://www.unece.org/trade/ctied/tradedir/trddir_h.htm
As mentioned on the site "this Directory is intended to help enterprises and investors find the organizations and information they need for trading or investing in the UNECE region.
The information is organized by country. Under each of the 55 European countries (the list includes also USA and a couple of countries in the Near East, such as Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, etc.) are lists of organizations covering the following areas:
-Information for investment and enterprises
-Government organizations and other supporting organizations
-Trade facilitation
-Corporate governance (including regulatory agencies)
-Trade and enterprise financing
-Chambers of commerce, and business associations
-Sectoral business associations "
The informatin is regularly updates and the site mentions in which country directory there were recent changes.
As mentioned on the site "this Directory is intended to help enterprises and investors find the organizations and information they need for trading or investing in the UNECE region.
The information is organized by country. Under each of the 55 European countries (the list includes also USA and a couple of countries in the Near East, such as Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, etc.) are lists of organizations covering the following areas:
-Information for investment and enterprises
-Government organizations and other supporting organizations
-Trade facilitation
-Corporate governance (including regulatory agencies)
-Trade and enterprise financing
-Chambers of commerce, and business associations
-Sectoral business associations "
The informatin is regularly updates and the site mentions in which country directory there were recent changes.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
World Customs Organization
As fantastic as it was to talk about travelling there is always business to attend. Here is a great resource for everyone doing business internationally: Customs Administartion Websites world-wide http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/En/CustomsWebSites/customswebsites.html
Everyone trading across the borders knows that customs regulations and procedures are usually the most complicated in any country. On this site you can find links to Customs offices in most of the countries in the world that will make your task a little bit easier.
One tip: when you try to select "Europe" as a continent the page does not work properlly, so just select a country you are interested in from the "select a quick link" drop-down menu below.
Everyone trading across the borders knows that customs regulations and procedures are usually the most complicated in any country. On this site you can find links to Customs offices in most of the countries in the world that will make your task a little bit easier.
One tip: when you try to select "Europe" as a continent the page does not work properlly, so just select a country you are interested in from the "select a quick link" drop-down menu below.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Puerto Rico, Part III of III
As usual, here is the visiual story to go with the text (all photos we made ourselves while in Puerto Rico). From the rain forest to underground caves to old San Juan Puerto Rico didn't stop to amaze me. Do you see a wild geiko on a "Wild Life Watch" sign? :-)
Friday, June 01, 2007
Puerto Rico, Part II of III
In my previous comment about Puerto Rico I forgot to mention the business side of things (I was so mesmerised by the natural and architectural beauty of the island that I forgot about everything else).
It's another example of a small territory in a region (Caribbean) that managed to recreate itself and achieve great results (compare with similar stories I already posted about Dubai (Middle East) and Mauritius (Africa)) Puerto Rico was poor, devastated by hunger, unemployment and hurricanes in late 1930s. In the forties the government of PR realised that they could not any more rely on agriculture for the growth of the economy and in 1942 established Puerto Rican Industrial Development Corporation. They placed their bet on 3 main areas: rum, industry and tourism - and won.
To cut a long story short, though since 1940s Puerto Rico had some ups and downs, eventually great results were achieved. It was a smart move to finally realise that fight with poverty was more important than fight for independence from the U.S. and Puerto Ricans managed to capitalize on all the benefits the tie with the U.S. offered, especially the Section 936 of Internal Revenue code that for some time exempted manufactures from having to pay federal income tax on profits earned by their subsidiaries located in Puerto Rico. And though this clause was later abolished thanks to it more than 2000 factories operate now on the island. Pharmaceutical industry accounts for 1/4 of gross domestic product and I already mentioned the famous Bacardi factory in my previous post. Tourism industry is booming too: more than 700 cruise ships come to the port of San Juan every year.
Though Puerto Rican per capita income is less than anywhere in USA it tops most of the Caribbean islands and it is higher than anywhere in Latin America. Actually, Puerto Rico has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean.
Once again I cannot fail to mention how fascinated I am with such stories of success, the stories of how small countries can make big changes.
It's another example of a small territory in a region (Caribbean) that managed to recreate itself and achieve great results (compare with similar stories I already posted about Dubai (Middle East) and Mauritius (Africa)) Puerto Rico was poor, devastated by hunger, unemployment and hurricanes in late 1930s. In the forties the government of PR realised that they could not any more rely on agriculture for the growth of the economy and in 1942 established Puerto Rican Industrial Development Corporation. They placed their bet on 3 main areas: rum, industry and tourism - and won.
To cut a long story short, though since 1940s Puerto Rico had some ups and downs, eventually great results were achieved. It was a smart move to finally realise that fight with poverty was more important than fight for independence from the U.S. and Puerto Ricans managed to capitalize on all the benefits the tie with the U.S. offered, especially the Section 936 of Internal Revenue code that for some time exempted manufactures from having to pay federal income tax on profits earned by their subsidiaries located in Puerto Rico. And though this clause was later abolished thanks to it more than 2000 factories operate now on the island. Pharmaceutical industry accounts for 1/4 of gross domestic product and I already mentioned the famous Bacardi factory in my previous post. Tourism industry is booming too: more than 700 cruise ships come to the port of San Juan every year.
Though Puerto Rican per capita income is less than anywhere in USA it tops most of the Caribbean islands and it is higher than anywhere in Latin America. Actually, Puerto Rico has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean.
Once again I cannot fail to mention how fascinated I am with such stories of success, the stories of how small countries can make big changes.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Puerto Rico, Part I of III
I have never been to Latin America and this May was my first time – we went to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a US island in the Caribbean basin though only on paper. In spirit it is nothing but. It is truly Latin American in all respects and this is what I liked most about it.
If I had to describe Puerto Rico in two words I would say it is all about Celebration of Life. From the lush green and bright fragrant flowers everywhere to multi-colored houses of old San Juan (the capital) where indeed there are no 2 houses alike: pale pink next to bright orange, sky blue to vibrant green - it seems like these houses represent all colors of the rainbow, all shades and all variations except for boring black and gray which dominate the usual urban landscape.
The abundance of tropical fish swimming even in shallow waters right at the beach compete in variety of colors with the old San Juan’s buildings.
In addition you hear birds singing everywhere: various birds, many distinct voices. You might not see them since they are hidden somewhere among beautiful tropical plants but their songs follow you wherever you go.
In the evenings there are other songs heard on every corner: street festivals, bars, and clubs welcome you. It is not by chance that it was Puerto Ricans who invented one of the hottest Latin American dances – salsa.
Puerto Rico reminded me of Mauritius (I already wrote about this island on my blog): it is tiny but it has so many things to explore. An amazing tropical rain forest with magnificent waterfalls, a cave park with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, old fortresses and cathedrals, the famous Arecibo Observatory and so much more. If you are into nature or arts or history or astronomy you will realize that your trip to Puerto Rico was worth making.
So when next time you see a Bacardi rum commercial on TV which invites you to the “Latin Quarter” you can be sure that the “spirit” it is talking about is very much real and it is very much Puerto Rican (again, it is not by chance, I think, that the largest Bacardi plant is located on this amazing island).
If I had to describe Puerto Rico in two words I would say it is all about Celebration of Life. From the lush green and bright fragrant flowers everywhere to multi-colored houses of old San Juan (the capital) where indeed there are no 2 houses alike: pale pink next to bright orange, sky blue to vibrant green - it seems like these houses represent all colors of the rainbow, all shades and all variations except for boring black and gray which dominate the usual urban landscape.
The abundance of tropical fish swimming even in shallow waters right at the beach compete in variety of colors with the old San Juan’s buildings.
In addition you hear birds singing everywhere: various birds, many distinct voices. You might not see them since they are hidden somewhere among beautiful tropical plants but their songs follow you wherever you go.
In the evenings there are other songs heard on every corner: street festivals, bars, and clubs welcome you. It is not by chance that it was Puerto Ricans who invented one of the hottest Latin American dances – salsa.
Puerto Rico reminded me of Mauritius (I already wrote about this island on my blog): it is tiny but it has so many things to explore. An amazing tropical rain forest with magnificent waterfalls, a cave park with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, old fortresses and cathedrals, the famous Arecibo Observatory and so much more. If you are into nature or arts or history or astronomy you will realize that your trip to Puerto Rico was worth making.
So when next time you see a Bacardi rum commercial on TV which invites you to the “Latin Quarter” you can be sure that the “spirit” it is talking about is very much real and it is very much Puerto Rican (again, it is not by chance, I think, that the largest Bacardi plant is located on this amazing island).
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Small businesses going global: International Art Gallery
When we talk about International Business, most of us think about huge multinational corporations. What fascinates me personally is the ability of small businesses to find their unique niche and grow the business globally. With this article I start a series of stories about such companies.
Capucines Boulevard art gallery and auction (http://www.capucinesboulevard.com/) is a very interesting entrepreneurial venture based out of Chicago, IL which succeeded in becoming international on several levels:
1. Capucines Boulevard gallery attracts artists from all over the world: though it's a relatively new venture founded in 2005 it already represents nearly 60 artists from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, India, USA. Therefore it creates a unique opportunity for visitors to experience everything from the mesmerising landscapes of New Mexico to unusual sceneries from a small Russian village. Paintings, ink drawings, prints; glass and metal works; painted silk - an art lover can find anything and everything in this gallery. But most importanly many of the exhibited works of art can be found ONLY at CapucinesBoulevard.com. Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, for example, are not strong in e-commerce yet and Capucines.Boulevard.com is the only outlet where artists from these countries offer you their art for purchase.
2. Being an Internet based art gallery and auction CapucinesBoulevard.com has a truly global outreach: it can sell a work of art to anyone anywhere in the world. You can make a purchase from the comfort of your own home and it will be delivered to you by a courier within a couple of days.
Of course, there are many Internet art galleries but the following characteristics make CapucinesBoulevard.com unique:
1. It does not specialise on just 1 - 2 - 3 countries, this gallery is truly diverse and international
2. The experience you get from interaction with the gallery is dynamic: you can view the photos of the works of art, listen to the artist's favourite music or their interviews, view virtual tours of their studios, etc.
3. Even static works of art come to life in CapucinesBoulevard.com gallery!! To learn how it's possible you can watch these videos:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-6C6S0Zma8
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obNvYJSsGdI
This company is a great example of a small business going global, an excellent sales and marketing approach and an exciting experience for customers - all in one.
PS The ink drawing included in the article is called "Dancing Libra" from Zodiac collection of a Russian painter Anatoly Kudravcev exhibited at CapucinesBoulevard.com
Capucines Boulevard art gallery and auction (http://www.capucinesboulevard.com/) is a very interesting entrepreneurial venture based out of Chicago, IL which succeeded in becoming international on several levels:
1. Capucines Boulevard gallery attracts artists from all over the world: though it's a relatively new venture founded in 2005 it already represents nearly 60 artists from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, India, USA. Therefore it creates a unique opportunity for visitors to experience everything from the mesmerising landscapes of New Mexico to unusual sceneries from a small Russian village. Paintings, ink drawings, prints; glass and metal works; painted silk - an art lover can find anything and everything in this gallery. But most importanly many of the exhibited works of art can be found ONLY at CapucinesBoulevard.com. Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, for example, are not strong in e-commerce yet and Capucines.Boulevard.com is the only outlet where artists from these countries offer you their art for purchase.2. Being an Internet based art gallery and auction CapucinesBoulevard.com has a truly global outreach: it can sell a work of art to anyone anywhere in the world. You can make a purchase from the comfort of your own home and it will be delivered to you by a courier within a couple of days.
Of course, there are many Internet art galleries but the following characteristics make CapucinesBoulevard.com unique:
1. It does not specialise on just 1 - 2 - 3 countries, this gallery is truly diverse and international
2. The experience you get from interaction with the gallery is dynamic: you can view the photos of the works of art, listen to the artist's favourite music or their interviews, view virtual tours of their studios, etc.
3. Even static works of art come to life in CapucinesBoulevard.com gallery!! To learn how it's possible you can watch these videos:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-6C6S0Zma8
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obNvYJSsGdI
This company is a great example of a small business going global, an excellent sales and marketing approach and an exciting experience for customers - all in one.
PS The ink drawing included in the article is called "Dancing Libra" from Zodiac collection of a Russian painter Anatoly Kudravcev exhibited at CapucinesBoulevard.com
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
International Consultants
I wanted to share my recent observations with regards so-called "international consultants" who are plenty in USA and whom I meet quite often at various networking events.
I don't really understand what is the reason behind the phenomenon I am going to talk about (may be the geographical position of USA - far away from most of the world, i.e. Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa) but most of Americans I meet who spent at least a couple of months abroad during their lifetime (either working or as a student) consider themselves to be professional international consultants. Here are 2 classic examples that I recently met:
1. Middle-aged guy who spent 3 months in Europe as a student (about 20 years ago) insists on being extremely knowledgeable about in European business. He never worked in any European company and since his days over there many countries do not exist any more and new ones emerged.
2. A lady who spent a year or so in Europe working as a ground personnel for 1 of the American Airlines (you know those girls who check in your luggage before the flight) now has her own consulting company specializing in... international business and international relations! How much did she learn about European business models printing baggage receipts???
Moreover, neither of these so-called "international consultants" speak any foreign language and I suspect has know clue about cultural aspects of the regions they "specialize in" either.
However, their businesses exist and, apparently, some companies trust them! I just wanted to warn my readers about these types of "consultants" and "international experiences". Don't waste your money! If you have never been abroad except as a tourist your experience and knowledge is not inferior to that of such "consultants" even if they spent several month abroad. The main question you have to ask is what were they able to learn doing whatever they were doing while staying abroad? Drinking in pubs with other students or printing boarding passes (as per my examples) has nothing to do with understanding the principles of international business.
I do call myself an international consultant too (my company is Emerging Markets Advice http://www.emadvice.com/ ) but in contrast to what I have already mentioned I lived, studied and worked in 5 different countries (and when I say "studied" I mean I studied international management, and when I say "worked" I mean I worked as international business development professional in big multinational companies). I also participated in a number of cross-regional and global projects involving a dozen other countries and in addition I speak 3 languages.
This phenomenon does not exist, say, in Europe because you cannot fool a truly international community where the majority speaks at least 2 languages, has experience studying abroad and some of them have worked abroad too. There you really have to show you can add value compared to everyone else.
Therefore, dear business owners, if you plan an international expansion, please, be careful choosing a consultant to help you with the task! Beware of former international camp councelors, flight attendants and the like.
I don't really understand what is the reason behind the phenomenon I am going to talk about (may be the geographical position of USA - far away from most of the world, i.e. Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa) but most of Americans I meet who spent at least a couple of months abroad during their lifetime (either working or as a student) consider themselves to be professional international consultants. Here are 2 classic examples that I recently met:
1. Middle-aged guy who spent 3 months in Europe as a student (about 20 years ago) insists on being extremely knowledgeable about in European business. He never worked in any European company and since his days over there many countries do not exist any more and new ones emerged.
2. A lady who spent a year or so in Europe working as a ground personnel for 1 of the American Airlines (you know those girls who check in your luggage before the flight) now has her own consulting company specializing in... international business and international relations! How much did she learn about European business models printing baggage receipts???
Moreover, neither of these so-called "international consultants" speak any foreign language and I suspect has know clue about cultural aspects of the regions they "specialize in" either.
However, their businesses exist and, apparently, some companies trust them! I just wanted to warn my readers about these types of "consultants" and "international experiences". Don't waste your money! If you have never been abroad except as a tourist your experience and knowledge is not inferior to that of such "consultants" even if they spent several month abroad. The main question you have to ask is what were they able to learn doing whatever they were doing while staying abroad? Drinking in pubs with other students or printing boarding passes (as per my examples) has nothing to do with understanding the principles of international business.
I do call myself an international consultant too (my company is Emerging Markets Advice http://www.emadvice.com/ ) but in contrast to what I have already mentioned I lived, studied and worked in 5 different countries (and when I say "studied" I mean I studied international management, and when I say "worked" I mean I worked as international business development professional in big multinational companies). I also participated in a number of cross-regional and global projects involving a dozen other countries and in addition I speak 3 languages.
This phenomenon does not exist, say, in Europe because you cannot fool a truly international community where the majority speaks at least 2 languages, has experience studying abroad and some of them have worked abroad too. There you really have to show you can add value compared to everyone else.
Therefore, dear business owners, if you plan an international expansion, please, be careful choosing a consultant to help you with the task! Beware of former international camp councelors, flight attendants and the like.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Starting in Exporting
Last year (August 29, 2006, see the blog archive) I posted information on this blog on how to start in International Trade from a UK point of view. I mean the site it based in UK but information they give is pretty generic and quite useful.
Here is a great US site of the similar nature: http://www.foodexportusa.org/export101/. Though some specifics are US and food industry related they are just a few, most of the information is applicable to any industry. For instance, there is a checklist you need to go through to evaluate if your company is ready for exporting or guidelines on export pricing applicable no matter what product you are planning to export.
Each page on the site gives you numerous useful links on that topic too, for example: http://www.foodexportusa.org/export101/price-links.htm
Here is a great US site of the similar nature: http://www.foodexportusa.org/export101/. Though some specifics are US and food industry related they are just a few, most of the information is applicable to any industry. For instance, there is a checklist you need to go through to evaluate if your company is ready for exporting or guidelines on export pricing applicable no matter what product you are planning to export.
Each page on the site gives you numerous useful links on that topic too, for example: http://www.foodexportusa.org/export101/price-links.htm
Sunday, April 22, 2007
I borrowed some of these photos from some excellent sites where you can see even more pictures of Morocco, such as: http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/Africa/Morocco/, www.morocco.com
PS: photos above represent several of the places of interest I mentioned in my story about Morocco:
Pic 1: Yves Saint Laurant Garden
Pic 2: Marrakesh
Pic 3: Atlas mountains
Pic 4: Marrakesh, main market squareDjemaa el-Fina
Monday, April 16, 2007
Morocco
To continue the theme started in my recent posts - here is another story about the Muslim World. This one is about Morocco. I also decided to write this story now because recently I saw a new movie, “Babel”, a part of which takes place in Morocco and I can definitely say that the movie doesn’t give this country justice. And don’t get me wrong, the movie is great (actually it is in itself a great international experience since the action unfolds in 4 locations: USA, Mexico, Morocco and Japan) but they way it portrays Morocco is horrible it doesn’t show any of the beauty and charm of this African jewel so I decided to restore the country’s reputation in this abstract.
If Dubai has the “future” look of the Muslim World, Morocco has the past (in the good sense of this word). Naturally, your hotel will be as modern as anywhere else but outside its walls there is a totally different world. The only truly modern city you will find in Morocco is Agadir, the resort city on the Atlantic coast, but it is modern only because a terrible earthquake entirely destroyed the old city in the middle of the 20th century. It is funny how, in fact, Dubai, is trying to imitate Moroccan heritage: one of the most famous hotels in Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, is built in the old Moroccan style.
Morocco made a major impression on me in three ways:
1. UNUSUAL SIGHTS: I always had a misconception, as many of you, my readers, probably do too, that Africa is hot and there is no snow there except for the top of the famous Kilimanjaro. Imagine my astonishment to see snow covered mounts on the background of Moroccan sun burnt landscape in May, which turned to be the Atlas mountains. They look magnificent!
Another amazing sight, which I have never seen before – goats on the top branches on trees! (I don’t remember the name of the tree but goats love its fruit (or leaves) and they climb all the way up to get some!)
The most remarkable sight though is the main market square (the square in front of the souq) in Marrakech: fruit and sweets traders, acrobats, magicians, snake charmers and other performers – the picture out of a fairy tale indeed…
2. SMELLS: the amount of various extraordinary smells embracing you on your trip: eucalyptus forest (camel ride through which is a hilarious experience), cooked lamb, freshly baked bread, spices, Agadir seafood market and the famous Moroccan mint tea everywhere…
3. COLORS: the amount and brightness of various colors like in Morocco I have never seen before: the colors of the souq (everything from carpets to silk scarfs of all colors of the rainbow, really), the colors of the Majorelle Botanic Gardens (which not so long ago was taken over and restored by a famous fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge – it combines pink and red flowers, bright blue buildings, green foliage and red-brown paved walkways), mosaics in the mosques, palaces and restaurants, etc.
My story-telling ability is not too good to be able to describe in words all the richness of this country. If you are intrigued you can read more in Paolo Cohelo’s book “The Alchemist”, but better still go there and experience it by yourself – trust me there is nothing in the world like Morocco.
I will be posting some photos of Morocco later this week: they won’t be able to reproduce the smells but I will do my best at the sights!
If Dubai has the “future” look of the Muslim World, Morocco has the past (in the good sense of this word). Naturally, your hotel will be as modern as anywhere else but outside its walls there is a totally different world. The only truly modern city you will find in Morocco is Agadir, the resort city on the Atlantic coast, but it is modern only because a terrible earthquake entirely destroyed the old city in the middle of the 20th century. It is funny how, in fact, Dubai, is trying to imitate Moroccan heritage: one of the most famous hotels in Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, is built in the old Moroccan style.
Morocco made a major impression on me in three ways:
1. UNUSUAL SIGHTS: I always had a misconception, as many of you, my readers, probably do too, that Africa is hot and there is no snow there except for the top of the famous Kilimanjaro. Imagine my astonishment to see snow covered mounts on the background of Moroccan sun burnt landscape in May, which turned to be the Atlas mountains. They look magnificent!
Another amazing sight, which I have never seen before – goats on the top branches on trees! (I don’t remember the name of the tree but goats love its fruit (or leaves) and they climb all the way up to get some!)
The most remarkable sight though is the main market square (the square in front of the souq) in Marrakech: fruit and sweets traders, acrobats, magicians, snake charmers and other performers – the picture out of a fairy tale indeed…
2. SMELLS: the amount of various extraordinary smells embracing you on your trip: eucalyptus forest (camel ride through which is a hilarious experience), cooked lamb, freshly baked bread, spices, Agadir seafood market and the famous Moroccan mint tea everywhere…
3. COLORS: the amount and brightness of various colors like in Morocco I have never seen before: the colors of the souq (everything from carpets to silk scarfs of all colors of the rainbow, really), the colors of the Majorelle Botanic Gardens (which not so long ago was taken over and restored by a famous fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge – it combines pink and red flowers, bright blue buildings, green foliage and red-brown paved walkways), mosaics in the mosques, palaces and restaurants, etc.
My story-telling ability is not too good to be able to describe in words all the richness of this country. If you are intrigued you can read more in Paolo Cohelo’s book “The Alchemist”, but better still go there and experience it by yourself – trust me there is nothing in the world like Morocco.
I will be posting some photos of Morocco later this week: they won’t be able to reproduce the smells but I will do my best at the sights!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Legal Alien's Guide
One of my biggest and most important International experiences was relocating to live in USA. It is very hard for a newcomer to rebuild one's life in a new place so I decided to write a book based on my own experience which, I hope, will make the life of everyone relocating to US and even within US to Chicago much easier.
The book is called "Legal Aliens Guide. Chicago. IL. USA". It's a comprehensive guide to various organizations, associations, clubs, etc. that help you to find a job, start/develop your own business or just find friends. The book is also full of useful Internet resources from cheap international telephony services to free daily networking calendars of events.
The guide is designed to be a help for everyone who is new to the networking scene and though I give Chicago as an example most of the organizations I talk about are active nationwide.
The book is in publishing now and it is coming out end of spring - beginning of summer 2007.
For more information you can visit the book's blog http://legalaliensguide.blogspot.com It not only provides information about the book but it is a living addition to the book because new organizations appear every day, interesting one-time events are being held which are not mentioned in the Guide but they will be posted on the blog as soon as the information about them comes to my attention.
The book is called "Legal Aliens Guide. Chicago. IL. USA". It's a comprehensive guide to various organizations, associations, clubs, etc. that help you to find a job, start/develop your own business or just find friends. The book is also full of useful Internet resources from cheap international telephony services to free daily networking calendars of events.
The guide is designed to be a help for everyone who is new to the networking scene and though I give Chicago as an example most of the organizations I talk about are active nationwide.
The book is in publishing now and it is coming out end of spring - beginning of summer 2007.
For more information you can visit the book's blog http://legalaliensguide.blogspot.com It not only provides information about the book but it is a living addition to the book because new organizations appear every day, interesting one-time events are being held which are not mentioned in the Guide but they will be posted on the blog as soon as the information about them comes to my attention.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Happy Easter!
I would like to continue this year's introduction of holidays around the globe. Today is a rare occasion when both Catholic and Orthodox Easters coinside (they usually don't because since 16th centuray Catholics adopted Gregorian Calendar and Orthodox kept the Julian one). I send all my warm wishes to everyone who celebrate this Great Holiday today. Here are 2 postcards representing how the two communities celebrate this holiday: the "chocolate" one for my Catholic friends and the egg and "kulich" (specially cooked cake) for my Orthodox friends.
HAPPY EASTER!!!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Truly International Experience - RIVERDANCE
I just came back from Riverdance performance in Chicago (they are touring USA at the moment and the other company is touring Europe, as I understand they do these tours every year) and I could not fail to mention it. It's an eccentric and exciting fusion of Celtic folk dance, Irish history and other folk traditions: Flamenco, Russian folk dances, jazz, etc. It is a truely international fest of dance, music, light and colour.
If the Company is coming to your city I strongly recommend going - I bet you have not seen anything like this before. To learn more information about the performances, locations and dates, visit their site: http://www.riverdance.com/htm/theshow/index.htm (the photo is from the site)
If the Company is coming to your city I strongly recommend going - I bet you have not seen anything like this before. To learn more information about the performances, locations and dates, visit their site: http://www.riverdance.com/htm/theshow/index.htm (the photo is from the site)
"In Paris, Language Sparks Culture War"
The title of this post is the title of an interesting article published in New York Times on March 31, 2007. The article is a great find especially for those interested in France and the French language. It describes how such processes as globalization can dramatically influence a country, a culture, its language and literature.
Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/31/books/31ridi.html?_r=3&ref=arts&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/31/books/31ridi.html?_r=3&ref=arts&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Monday, March 26, 2007
Trade in Muslim World
If you are planning to engage in international trade with a Muslim country (whether in Middle East or Africa) here is a great help: http://www.muslimtrade.net/tradeguideline/ This site has great country specific information such as export/import regulations, legal framework, banking system, taxation, etc.
Some of the countries' profiles are missing for now, such as Jordan and UAE, for example, but the site promisses that "other muslim countries are on the way..." so it's worthwhile checking it out on regular basis for new additions.
Some of the countries' profiles are missing for now, such as Jordan and UAE, for example, but the site promisses that "other muslim countries are on the way..." so it's worthwhile checking it out on regular basis for new additions.
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