Side benefits of learning both a foreign language and a foreign culture.
Snippet:
How to learn about culture and language. When you live in a foreign culture, you learn how to learn. You learn what vocabulary is important, what language learning techniques work, how to make relationships, what skills are important, what details to pay attention to. These skills will carry over to other languages and other cultures in the future.
Read the entire piece here: The Best Defense (be sure to read the wild comments)
If you are looking to increase sales and profit, reduce dependence on the domestic market and stabilize seasonal fluctuations with your business, you should consider exporting.
“We’re really wasting time,” says Janet Carmosky (pictured), CEO of the China Business Network. Carmosky knows what it’s like to be busy. When not running the China Business Network, a resource geared towards international professionals doing business with China; advising major corporations on their China strategies; or speaking at conferences, she writes about China for publications like the Economist and the Harvard Business Review.
Getting involved in international trade is no simple feat. Here are some import and export issues you will have to understand in order to be successful.
I am working on a new project where I will be covering both importing and exporting for a small business. Watch for it. But in the meantime, here's a short cut answer to the question:
The only legal requisites to opening an import business are having an importer of record number, which is usually just the business's tax-identification number, and a surety bond to protect the U.S. government if you can't pay your duties, taxes and other fees. Surety bonds are required for all so-called formal entries where the shipment is valued at more than $2,000, but many importers use them on smaller shipments as well. They can be purchased ...
Exports during the month hit their highest level since August 2008, the month before the financial crisis.
"More and more of our exports have started going to the faster-growing regions in Asia, Latin America and Canada," said Morgan Stanley economist Ted Wieseman. "It highlights that the emerging markets never really had much of a slowdown at all. They've continued to outperform throughout the crisis."
Exports of industrial supplies were particularly strong, rising 8%, driven by chemicals and plastics. Food exports also surged. Among the big gains: Soybean exports jumped to almost $2.4 billion, an all-time high, from $1.8 billion in September.
The LR4 receives some minor changes for 2011 after replacing the LR3 last year. The LR4 competes with the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Lexus GX 470. : New for 2011 : The LR4 adds improvements to its Terrain Response system. A wireless cell-phone link is now standard, and a rear view camera is now standard on HSE models. Several new option packages are available, and the availability of some previous packages changes.
The LR4 adds improvements to its Terrain Response system. A wireless cell-phone link is now standard, and a rear view camera is now standard on HSE models. Several new option packages are available, and the availability of some previous packages changes. There is also a hill start assist and hill descent control to aid with climbing steep grades. There is also a hill start assist and hill descent control to aid with climbing steep grades.
Exterior The LR4's exterior design doesn't change much for 2011. Exterior features include:
■Standard 19-inch wheels ■Standard front and rear fog lights ■Optional heated windshield ■Optional 20-inch wheels ■Optional auto-leveling headlights Interior There are no significant interior changes for 2011. Interior features include:
■Five- and seven-seat configurations ■Optional system that uses five cameras to show a complete view of the area around the LR4 ■Optional third-row bench that folds into floor ■Optional cargo net Under the Hood The LR4 has four-wheel drive. The LR4 features Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which tailors vehicle characteristics to accommodate driving conditions, whether you're on pavement, slogging through mud or in other conditions. Mechanical features include:
■375-horsepower, direct-injection 5.0-liter V-8 with 375 pounds-feet of torque ■Six-speed automatic transmission Safety Standard safety features include:
■Anti-lock brakes ■Side-impact airbags for the front seats ■Side curtain airbags ■Electronic stability system.
The LR4 received some minor changes for 2011 after replacing the LR3 last year. The LR4 competes with the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Lexus GX 470. Go to your local Land Rover Dealer and test-drive the 2011 Land Rover LR4 and we think you will be blown away by the refinement.
Oh! be sure to tell them that Harry Douglas of Car Concerns Radio sent you!
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A sport sedan is something of an aspirational purchase. It’s a car you might have to wait for while you toil away behind the wheel of cars you tolerate rather than treasure.
Among the automakers trying to edge into the sport sedan segment is Buick. While you wouldn’t expect it, the full-size LaCrosse is a very respectable attempt to do so by a company better known for catering to the motoring needs of elders, not enthusiasts. Round Two in Buick’s attempt to burn away that stodgy image is the mid-sized Regal, a resurrection of a name last seen in 2004, before it and its Century twin were displaced by the Allure (the first-generation LaCrosse in the United States). The Regal is ground-up new, based heavily on (and in terms of styling, differing little from) the Opel Insignia, built in Germany by GM’s European division. (Future Regals will be built in Oshawa, Ontario starting in early 2011.)
It seems like an easy win, right? Europe practically invented the sport sedan as we know it, so why shouldn’t a German-built car be one right out of the box? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
While the Opel Insignia is available with a range of engines, there are just two offered in the Regal. The highlight is a 2.0-litre Ecotec turbocharged four-cylinder, good for 220 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque in the CXL Turbo model, set to join the line-up this fall. The base engine, and the one in my CXL tester, is GM’s “other” Ecotec motor, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder making a more modest 182 hp and 172 lb-ft. The 2.4-litre motor comes standard with GM’s Hydra-Matic 6T45 six-speed automatic, while the turbo mill is paired with a six-speed manual and gets the Hydra-Matic as the upgrade.
The chassis is the most impressive aspect of the Regal’s on-road character. Here, its European roots show through with a firm-but-comfortable ride and handling that surprises given the Buick nameplate. Even in the relatively basic trim of my tester, the Regal corners eagerly, responding to the steering wheel with the kind of enthusiasm you’d never expect in any GM sedan short of a Cadillac CTS.
The Regal’s overall feel falls short of its European-branded competitors though; a Mercedes C-Class feels more solid over rough pavement, and the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 will out-handle it at the limit. For the casual driver who enjoys a spirited spin down a favourite two-lane highway or carrying a little more speed than usual through a freeway ramp, the Regal is a satisfying drive. Despite its comfortable ride, the Regal feels very well-planted at high speeds and is a terrific highway car. There are aspects that could be better, such as the overboosted steering, which will be a letdown for anyone who’s driven a decent European car, but brake feel is more impressive, with a firm pedal and confident stopping power. All of this is without the Turbo car’s available Interactive Drive Control system, which allows a choice of three modes that alter things like suspension and stability control settings, throttle response, steering sensitivity and transmission shift patterns.
Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimates for the non-turbo Regal are 10.8/6.5 L/100 km (city/highway); I averaged 10.4 L/100 km in a week that was split roughly 50/50 between city slogging and highway cruising.
The Regal’s interior is snug, but no more than expected, and even taller drivers should have no trouble getting comfortable. Shoppers looking at the Regal for a possible upscale family sedan might be turned off by the tight back seat; in Europe, the Opel Insignia is considered a mid-sized car, but here it’s much smaller than mainstreamers like the Accord, Camry, Sonata and Malibu, and noticeably tighter inside than its LaCrosse line-mate.
The sleek rearward roofline has the double-barrelled effect of cutting into rear-seat headroom and making it easy to whack your head on the doorframe while getting in and out. More impressive is the large, nicely-finished trunk, along with a 60/40 folding rear seat that opens up to a sizable pass-through for oversized cargo.
The Regal’s dash is lifted more or less intact from the Insignia, and while the layout is simple and easy to figure out, the flat black plastic of the centre stack looks low-rent, with just some piano black trim to break up the all-black dash. The are a few other curiosities, such as the ill-fitting blank panel in the headliner that looks like it should be a sunglass holder, but isn’t, and the cover for the console storage bin that’s cut away to make room for cupholders, making it marginal as an elbow rest for the driver and useless as such for a front passenger.
Regal pricing starts at $31,990; my tester included a Preferred Equipment Group that added a 12-way power passenger seat with four-way power lumbar adjustment, rear park assist, rear-seat power outlet and a power sunroof for an extra $2,525; add the $1,450 destination charge and the total comes to $36,065.
The Regal’s price isn’t unreasonable. What is unreasonable is Buick’s expectation that the base model will be taken seriously by anyone in the market for a sporty car. The chassis is very good, but GM let its marketers get ahead of the engineers here; the team behind this car should have given more thought to what powertrain it would use in this base model before it started throwing the term “sport sedan” around.
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The 2011 Nissan Versa SL from Nissan won't let you get sucked-in by the high price of gasoline and will get you around town or on a long trip in style.
Weather we had the 2011 Nissan Versa SL at the Car Concerns Radio Proving Grounds or out for a spin on the open road one thing was for sure is that this was indeed a vehicle that could achive almost 30 MPG and do it without the cramping the passengers.
The interior was inline with a car with this price tag but non-the-less appealing. Our Versa SL had a Xtronic CVT 6 speed automatic transmission that enabled the 1.8L DOCH engine to produce 122 horses & 127 lb-ft. of Torque.
This Versa Sl was also a Ultra Low Emmissions Vehicle (ULEV) and that made you proud to be doing your part towards leaving a smaller envio foot-print while driving.
This 2011 Nissan Versa SL fills our needs very well. Available in both sedan and five-door hatchback body styles, the Versa offers a surprising amount of interior space inside of its small, unassuming exterior. The 2010 version was named a "Best Buy" by Consumer's Digest, and a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In basic sedan form, it's pretty sporty, but the up-level sedan and hatchback models not only offer all you really need in the way of comfort, performance, and safety, they can be had with nearly all of the convenience options that were restricted to the luxury class not too long ago. The 2011 Versa 1.8 SL Hatchback could be "all you want" as well as "all you need". It's that good!
PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city / highway / observed 28 / 34 / 31 0 to 60 mph est 9 sec
OPTIONS AND CHARGES Premium Package - includes: Nissan Intelligent Key™, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 16" alloy wheels: $ 980 Navigation and Satellite Radio Package - includes: Navigation system with 5-inch screen and USB, XM® satellite radio (subscription sold separately): $ 610 Power Moonroof: $ 600 Destination charge: $ 750
Recorded on December 11, 2010 using a Harry Flip Video Camcorder. Producer: Cat Smith of Cat Smith Photo Shoots
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Nato's new strategic concept unveiled in Lisbon underlines the global role of the alliance's new non-continental or non-geographic preoccupations such as cyber and space.
The following article covers ten areas that anyone wishing to start a small business had better think about before moving forward. Here's a glimpse at No. 7:
Foreign Competition
Especially if you are creating a small business that does manufacturing, you are going to have to deal with foreign competition.
So are you going to be able to compete with the companies in your industry that pay their workers on the other side of the world less than a tenth of what you are paying to your American workers?
On the other side of the world, companies often don’t have to worry about unions, worker’s comp, health benefits, retirement benefits, nightmarish environmental regulations, crushing taxes or miles of paperwork and red tape.
Are you certain that you can compete against that?
For small businesses doing a great job for big-name clients close to home can leverage those relationships to expand abroad. This is a savvy way to grow global for a small business. That is what economist Jayson Myers, head of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, one of the country’s biggest industry groups, said in an interview.
“Often the best sales strategy is not going directly into new markets, but it’s leveraging up your existing customers. We are seeing this in a lot of manufacturing sectors, in a lot of technology companies. We [Canadians] have very, very good products, but often these products have to be packaged or integrated into a bigger service for customers.”
Here are ten fabulous things you need to know about doing business in China.
It’s a global economy. We know that. But what does that really mean? It means that even if you decide to start a business tomorrow in your hometown, more likely than not, you’re going to have to turn to other parts of the world to make your business efficient and profitable. For many business owners, that other part of the world will most likely be China.
Nissan's 2011 Quest minivan is somewhat of a reversal for Nissan. The previous Quest was sort the minivan for those who would rather not have a minivan, the new Quest is more like the ultimate, typical minvan - boxy, functional and luxurious.
The 2011 Quest is availble in four trim levels - S, SV, SL and luxury LE. The base S model is about $28,000 but even that version includes remote keyless entry and push button start and a 260 hp, 3.5L V6. The top of the line LE model is priced at about $42,000 and includes a 13-speaker Bose sound system, navigation, rear parking camera and 18-inch wheels. But you don't have to pay for the LE to get a decent amount of luxury. The $35,000 SL still includes heated leather seats plus a color display screen for audio and vehicle stats. All Quest minivans get the same 3.5L engine and CVT- there's no four cylinder version like the base Toyota Sienna.
There is a noticable difference in driving dynamic between vans like the Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Quest. The Honda feels tighter and a little sportier - is that a good thing in a minivan? Maybe not, it just depends on the buyer. The Nissan Quest feels like a plusher, more luxurious van overall. The interior of the Nissan is more inviting and that soft ride works very well on the highway and surface streets.
Toyota's new Sienna is clearly in the game too - for 2011 the three best minivans are all new. Honda, Nissan and Toyota each have an all new van and the Kia Sedona is due for an update. It's hard to say which is the best, all three are so good the choice likely comes down to personal taste.
The kiosk, which is located at SME Corp's office in Menara Matrade, also helps them leverage on the toolkit to enhance their business by reducing their operational cost. SMEs can gain access to the relevant information in the toolkit via the Internet and need not go to the kiosk personally to access it.
The SME Toolkit is an online program that enables entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn how to implement sustainable business management practices needed for growth in areas such as finance, accounting, international business, marketing, human resources or legal, at no cost.
Harry and the Car Concerns Road Crew was all-over the Nashville International Automobile Show this Thanksgiving weekend.
Jessica Cox, Actress and Model, reports on the all-electric Nissan Leaf for Car Concerns Radio.
"Just as leaves purify the air in nature, so Nissan Leaf purifies mobility by taking emissions out of the driving experience," the company said.
The five-seat, electric-blue Leaf hatchback is to be launched in select U.S. and Japanese markets to begin what Nissan hopes will become an era of global leadership for the company in a growing EV market.
Leadership shouldn't be evasive if the Leaf lives up to its performance billing. A top speed of 90 mph, a range of 100 miles per charge with a 30-minute recharge where quick-charging stations are available (6 hours with a 220-volt current) and seat cushion-compressing acceleration that will launch it from zero to 30 mph faster than an Infiniti G37, thanks to 207 pound-feet of torque from its 80 kilowatt (107 horsepower) electric motor are all part of the package.
To the degree that price matters, Nissan's also got a big edge in the EV world. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the company insists the Leaf will be "affordable" with pricing equivalent to a well-equipped C-class (compact) car.
That's a European compact, though, and they're a lot better equipped, and more costly, than compacts in the U.S. so figure $28,000 to as much as $35,000 (the range for Nissan partner Renault's Megane hatchback) — not super cheap, but a bit less than the five-place Chevy Volt.
And that's before any government incentives — which could knock a substantial amount from the car's price in Japan and would be at least $7,500 in the U.S. as long as funding continues for the federal clean car credit program.
Harry can't wait to Ride & Drive the Nissan Leaf at the Car Concerns Proving Grounds.
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After attending the third edition of the World Entrepreneurship Forum (www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com/2010/), I was overwhelmed by the inspiring presentations from thought leaders around the world.
With this blog post -- the first in a series that I'll cover over the coming weeks -- Patrick Molle (pictured at microphone), President of Emlyon Business School (founding member of World Entrepreneurship Forum) is featured.
According to my notes, here are some of the points he touched on during his welcome presentation on "Shaping the World of 2050."
Worldwide environmental changes
Accelerating backlash against globalization
Depletion of vital resources
There will be 9 billion people by 2050
At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10/day!
Africa is the only continent creating bigger youth population than older population
Challenges:
The world needs more (environmentally friendly) jobs
The world needs to reinvent itself
The world needs a new development model which reconciles the creation of wealth and with social justice (Laurel here ... which is what the World Entrepreneurship Forum is based on)
Ambitions for the World Entrepreneurship Forum:
Primary: Educating entrepreneurs of the world (with emphasis on early stage).
Secondary considerations:
How to prepare young people?
How to train (to become agile)?
How to educate cross-cultural leaders?
Goal: To produce entrepreneurs for the world!
"Entrepreneurs are not born but created by their experience." ~ Patrick Molle, President of EMLYON
His conclusions and recommendations can be found here (requires translation).
Ahhhhhhh, if only we could truly have an open source global trade platform that the whole world could tap into (similar to a Wikipedia for global trade) and benefit from!
We hope to see eBay and Global Sources welcomed into this exchange soon.
