Enterprise Excellence 3

In the News

Here we feature some recent news stories that relate to the research and development agenda of Transforming Business.

Bono and Bill Gates summon Davos to fight poverty
Discussions at the World Economic Forum gathering at Davos were focused on fears of economic recession and political conflict. But on the summit's final day attention was focused on the world's poor, with the help of Bono and Bill Gates. More. For a recorded debate of Gates' speech involving the development economist Bill Easterly, click here. As Gates prepares to step down as Microsoft Chairman to concentrate on philanthropy with his wife Melinda, she talks about their philanthropic vision in Fortune magazine here. Gates is a relatively recent convert to enterprise solutions to poverty, which he previously dismissed with the famous words 'the poor don't need computers'. Following a meal in which he sat next to the economist CK Prahalad, (whose work is noted under Books and Resources in this ezine), his opinions changed. He now regards extending market forces to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid represents a win-win scenario for the poor and for business.

Bill Gates (L) and Bono
© AFP - Pierre Verdy

China to build 97 new airports by 2030
Reflecting China's economic boom, air traffic volume rose 16 percent during 2007 to 185 million passengers. Plans have now been announced to build nearly a hundred new airports over the next dozen years. More.

An Air China passenger jet lands at Beijing Airport's new Terminal 3
© AFP/File - Frederic J.Brown

Nick Leeson style rouge trader at Societe Generale
The case of French trader Jerome Kerviel, who allegedly lost the banking giant Societe Generale 7.15 billion dollars, dwarfs that of the British rogue trader Nick Leeson, who lost 1.5 billion dollars at Barings, causing the bank's collapse in 1995. More.

Jerome Kerviel
© AFP/Societe Generale

Africa gets massive Chinese investment
In recent years, Chinese investment in Africa has risen exponentially. Most of these investments are in manufacturing, of which only 9 percent are in resource-related industries, compared to 40 percent in services. But the 800 Chinese companies now operating in Africa bring labour as well as capital. The Economist ponders the impact of the influx of Chinese workers on Africa's development here.

Gordon Brown to harness big business for development
Gordon Brown wants MNCs, including Google and Vodafone, to help tackle global poverty. He's called for 2008 to be a development year, not only for governments but also for the private sector, civil society and faith groups. More... For a response by the Shell Foundation's Dr Kurt Hoffman, click here. Brown is no doubt responding in part to the call by MNC leaders at the UN summit in July last year, available here, for business to be more involved in the fight against poverty.

George Bush's African tour
Although the foreign policy of the Bush administration has been widely denounced, critics often agree that his policy towards Africa is one of the highlights of his presidency. A recent tour the US President made of five countries on the African continent gave him an opportunity to examine some of the fruits - for instance, how his $15bn President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) has helped impact HIV/AIDS treatment, and the effects of his debt relief programmes and anti-corruption and pro-democracy incentives. News reports available here.

The US President is welcomed at a ceremony in Cotonou, Benin.

Google searches engines of development
Google plans to 'make the world a better place' by making philanthropic investments of $175m over the next three years in for-profit enterprises. Its focus will be on small to medium sized companies in the developing world. It thereby seeks to address the needs of the 'missing middle' - businesses that are neither large corporations nor micro-enterprises. More... Google.org's thinking is expressed in a 3-page issue brief and related YouTube video.

Educating McDonalds
Commercial firms, including McDonald's, are to be given the right to award public vocational certificates in line with national qualifications. Their training programme is to be given the power to award vocational certificates at levels one, two and three; level three is the equivalent of an A-level, and in theory qualifies somebody to enter university. For a critical response, see here. It remains to be seen whether this announcement is a good one for developing and emerging economies, in which some regions have better business opportunities than educational ones.