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list Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's official statistical organisation. It describes its mission to "assist and encourage informed decision-making, research and discussion within governments and the community, by providing a high quality, objective and responsive national statistical service." The site provides access to key national indicators and other services. Australian Business Limited is described "as a member-based business improvement organisation with more than 100 years experience in advice, networking, support and advocacy". It proviides information and advice on issues relating to SMEs including: Australian employment laws, financial management and latest economic trends. Australian Government Links and information provided by the National Library of Australia British Chambers of Commerce (UK) Brunei Darussalam Small and Medium Enterprise Homepage. This provides general information on SMEs and the advantages of trading in Brunei. Business Information from the Department for Education and Employment (UK) Business Link (UK) is provided by the Small Business Service the central government agency for SMEs in the UK. It is aimed at small business owners and provides access to practical advice. CCTA Government Information Service (UK) Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) is a part of the European Commission's INNOVATION Programme. It provides information on a range of research, development and innovation activities undertaken on a European level. Companies House (UK) is a Government body that registers and archives information on UK companies. It has the following main functions: "the incorporation, re-registration and striking-off of companies; the registration of documents that must be filed under company, insolvency and related legislation; the provision of company information to the public - for this purpose we enforce compliance with legal requirements." Its website allows company searches to be undertaken at no charge for basic information, further information is available at a charge. Confederation of British Industry (UK) Council for Excellence In Management and Leadership (UK) Department for Education and Skills is the UK government department for all aspects of education and skills development. The department was formally called the Department for Education and Employment. Department for Education and Employment Forums (UK) offers an information source on departmental initiatives and discussion boards for small businesses to learn and share information. There are three sections announcements from the DfEE, feedback to the DfEE and business to business collaboration. Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business (link direct to small business section) (AU) Department of Trade and Industry (UK) Economic and Social Research Council (UK) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council European Commission (DG III Industry, DG V Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs, DG XXII Education, Training and Youth and DG XXIII Enterprise Policy, Distributive Trades, Tourism and Cooperatives) EVARISTE (Etude et Valorisation des Activités de Recherche et d'Innovation Scientifique et Technique pour les Entreprises) is the French homepage for the Global Information Network for Small and Enterprises. It is described as "an official WWW site of the French Ministry of Industry, focused on innovation and technology transfer. It is designed to become a fully operational market place. It works as a starting point giving access to a series of other WWW sites and databases with lists of public and private research centers, especially in France." Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECDG) (UK) is the UK’s official export credit agency. It is a separate Government Department reporting to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under the 1991 Export and Investment Guarantees Act. They describe themselves as having 'over 80 years’ experience of working closely with exporters, project sponsors, banks and buyers to help British exporters compete effectively in overseas markets where the private sector may be unable to help. We do this by arranging Finance Facilities and Insurance for contracts ranging from around £25,000 up to hundreds of millions of pounds. We also provide insurance for UK-based companies investing overseas.' Euaffairs.com is a "portal and magazine about the European Union initiatives and policies for SMEs and professionals" (Source email). FirstGov, provides an information portal for the US Federal Government. It is described as having topics ranging from business and economy to money and benefits to science and technology (US). Fit for the Future is a CBI-led, DTI-backed campaign that promotes successful best practice by linking those with experience with those who want to learn more. Gateway contains information on a European funded project which offers businesses in the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot area of South West Wales the opportunity of having a presence on the Internet with virtually no costs for three years and have access to a specially created Business Information Portal. Genesis Initiative acts as an umbrella think-tank and pressure group to help achieve the reforms to help small businesses. It has grown out of the Small Business Bureau that has a long history of campaigning for SMEs. The intitiative is intended to be an entirely seperate and ring-fenced think-tank consisting of the major player organisations that represent the whole of the SME sector. German homepage of the Global Information Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This does not appear to offer much more information than is on the main site of the Global Information Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. Global Information Network for Small and Enterprises is the home page for access to information on SMEs across the world. The gateway currently includes the G7 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and US. There are also links to Australia, brunei, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, HongKong (Special Administration Region). The Global Information Network for SMEs is described on the site as being started in 1995 after "the G7 Ministerial Conference on the Information Society was held in Brussels and was attended by the Ministers of the G7 countries and Members of the European Commission. They agreed to execute 11 joint projects. These projects aim at demonstrating the potential of the Information Society and stimulating its development. The goal of the "Global Information Network for SMEs", a part of the "Global Marketplace for SMEs" which is one of those 11 projects,is to contribute to developing an environment where SMEs can exchange information on products, technologies, human resources, etc. freely, overcoming obstacles of distance and borders." Gorbals Initiative is a Local Development Company based in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, Scotland. Associated with the Small Business Gateway Scotland. Hongkong SME Information Centre is desrcibed as "a Virtual SME Information Centre [that] is administered by the Small and Medium Enterprises Office (SMEO) of the Trade and Industry Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The establishment of this Centre is part of the ongoing efforts of the Hong Kong SAR Government to support the SMEs in Hong Kong. We provide SMEs with useful business related information including the services and facilities offered by various government departments and major industry support organisations. The ultimate goal is to help SMEs improve in competitiveness and enable them to exploit fully the benefits of the wide range of supporting services." International Chamber of Commerce ICC was founded in 1919. It describes its service as grouping "thousands of member companies and associations from over 130 countries. National committees in the world's major capitals coordinate with their membership to address the concerns of the business community and to convey to their governments the business views formulated by ICC.is the world business organization, the only representative body that speaks with authority on behalf of enterprises from all sectors in every part of the world." The site provides links to country level chambers of commerce that are affiliated to the ICC. (sourced through www.gin.sme.ne.jp) Information Society Initiative (ISI) (Department for Trade and Industry) (UK) Inland Revenue provides news and information on UK tax and national insurance matters. The Inland Revenue desrcibes itself as being "responsible, under the overall direction of Treasury Ministers, for the efficient administration of income tax, tax credits, corporation tax, capital gains tax, petroleum revenue tax, inheritance tax, national insurance contributions and stamp duties. The Department's job is to provide an effective and fair tax service to the country and Government." Italian homepage of the Global Information Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This provides links to a directory of Italian SMEs and basic information on SMEs in italy. Japanese Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation (JASMEC) The Activities of the Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation(JASMEC) has its basis in the Japanese Government's "Policies toward Small and Medium Enterprises." Japanese SMEs Home Page "guide for Internet users to information on small and medium sized enterprises... We can provide you with SME information in WWW servers of several Regional Information Centers(RIC) and information on SME policy in Japan also." Learning and Skills Council (UK) was started in April 2001 to "take on the functions of the current Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) network and the funding responsibilities of the Further Education Funding Council". It will have an annual budget "of around £6 billion and responsibility for funding around five million learners each year in England." LEDU Small Business Agency for Northern Ireland (UK) Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Japan). An important link, but only available in Japanese at present. National Institutes of Health (US) Office of Extramural Research's Small business research funding opportunties. Northumberland Business Alliance is a partnership of regulatory bodies, business support organisations and Local Authorities in Northumberland. The site provides information on current UK regulatory advice, for example, a search on the term National Insurance provided a helpful link to relevant Inland Revenue Information. In their own words they "are actively working to improve relationships between regulators and local businesses and to help businesses access advice and information regarding regulations affecting them." Ntsika Enterprise Promotion Agency (South Africa) Open Government Website to UK Government (UK) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) brings together the 29 member countries into an organisation to develop economic and social policy. This can lead to international policies and legally binding agreements. The website provides access to these dicussions and many of their publications. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) initiative on SMEs Patent Office (UK) is the 'is the official body for the granting of patents and for the registration of designs and trade marks in the UK (through its Designs Registry and Trade Marks Registry) and is involved with domestic and international policy on all forms of intellectual property, including copyright, design right and other unregistered rights (through its Policy Directorates)'. The website offers helpful guidance on the differences between patents, trade marks, designs and copyright. Pilot Action of Excellence for Innovative Start-ups (PAXIS) has been launched by the European Commission's Enterprise Directorate to promote regional initiatives that have a proven track record in creating and developing innovative start-up companies. Project North East (Enterprise and Economic Development Consultancy) (UK) Research Councils' (UK) joint home page. This explains that the "UK Research Councils are established under Royal Charter to fulfil the objectives set out by Government in the White Paper "Realising our Potential" dated May 1993. Statutory control of the Councils is exercised by the Department of Trade and Industry, supported by the Director-General of Research Councils, within the Office of Science and Technology." The page provides links to: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council and Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils. Self Employment Development Initiative Canada (CA) Singapore Connect "links Singapore companies and the world". It provides a directory of companies and matching service. Small Business Administration (US) Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Centers is a network of more than 80 Women’s Business Centers (WBC) that provide a range of services to women entrepreneurs across the US at all stages of business development. The website offers information on starting and growing a business, management, finance, marketing and technology Small Business Development Corporation of Western Australia (AU) Small Business Gateway provides Scottish SMEs with advice on business start-up, business growth and high-growth. The website has information on business plans, finance, training, legislation, factsheets, freebies, case-studies and links. The Small Business Gateway has branches across Scotland. Small Business Innovation Research Department of Education (US) Small Business Service (SBS) is described as "an agency within the United Kingdom's Government that champions the interests of small businesses." Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Small Enterprise Development (CH) Thialand Department for Industry Promotion is described as aiming "to be the core organization in promoting, supporting, and developing the capabilities of small and medium-scale industries to compete in the world trade market arena". It has three main missions: "1. To recommend policies and strategies to develop and enhance the capabilities of small and medium scale industries in accordance with the country's social and economic development and changes in the world economy. 2. To cultivate and develop the capability of small and medium-scale industries in compliance with the government policies. 3. To develop skilled personnel for the industrial sector, especially in technology and management, in order to upgrade productivity according to international standards." TradeUK is Trade Partners UK's Internet service that offers a matching service for international buyers and UK exporters. UK homepage of the Global Information Network for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This provides some links to government websites and the Confederation of British Industry. UK Online for business (UK) is the Department for Trade and Industry's portal for providing small businesses with advice on using Information and Communications Technologies. United Nations Industrial Development Organization US Business Advisor provides access to federal government information, services and transactions. It describes its goal as "to make the relationship between business and government more productive. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Small Business Information (US) United States Senate Committee on Small Business (US) |
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