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30th May 2001

No clear view of SME access to capital in the US. Wahmpreneur report that there was a "mixed view on access to capital" for SMEs at the US House Committee on Small Business this month. Read More (Source Wahmpreneur)

25th May 2001

SBRT (UK) report that small firms main concern is not red-tape but their order book. A Small Business Research Trust press release today (24th May) states that the "key frustration for small firms is not Government regulations and paperwork but worries about order books". Read More. (Source email)

24th May 2001

SBA announces that US census data shows strong growth in firms owned by Asians, Pacific Islanders, Indians, Alaska Natives. The Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), announced today that it "welcomed the release today of the latest Census Bureau data showing sharp increases from 1992 to 1997 in businesses, most of them small, owned by Asians and Pacific Islanders and by American Indians and Alaska Natives. According to the data, there were 913,000 Asian- and Pacific Islander-owned businesses in 1997, and 197,300 firms owned by American Indians and Alaska Natives. " Read More. (source SBA)

Small Business Service (UK) is to launch a register of consultants. According to the Business Advisers Digest "the Small Business Service (SBS) has announced that it intends to introduce a single national SBS register of consultants by April 2002. The aim of the register is to raise standards across the Business Link network and to ensure consistency throughout the country. An appropriate standard is to be introduced and consultants will need to undergo an assessment in order to demonstrate that they have the required skills to be included on the register." (Source BAD)

Lancaster University Management School Corporate Enterprise Initiative progresses. Lancaster University Management School has announced today 23rd May 2001) that it "is now officially launching discussions with prospective sponsors with regard to its Corporate Enterprise Initiative." Further details can be obtained from Dr. Luke Pittaway (source email)

17th May 2001

ICE 2001, 7th International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising "Engineering the Knowledge Economy through Co-operation", Bremen, Germany, June 27 - 29, 2001. Read more.

Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Conference in Turku Finland, November 2001. Deadline for abstracts 15th June. Read More.

15th May 2001

SMEs need lower capital criteria for stock market in Vietnam. According to SMEnet "lowering the capital criteria applied to enterprises wanting to list on the stock market is necessary to raise the number of listed companies in Vietnam, stated participants in the forum "Listing on the Stock Market: Current Status and Solution" held recently in Ho Chi Minh City. According to the Decree 48CP on stock and stock market, enterprises wanting to list on Vietnam's stock market must have a capital of at least VND10 billion ($689,000). Such an amount is too large because most of joint stock companies in the country are small and medium sized enterprises. (Econet May 9 p4)" (source SMEnet)

New bill in US on independent contractors. According to Wahmpreneur "There's been a positive blizzard of newly proposed legislation from the Senate Small Business Committee this week, and one key piece of legislation will be a major boon to home-based working people if passed. The Independent Contractor Determination Act of 2001 (S. 837) proposes to set clear rules that allow businesses to easily classify who is an independent contractor and who isn't." Read More. (Source Wahmpreneur)

Labour party makes SME pledges at start of campaign. According to Businesseurope.com "Chancellor Gordon Brown has kicked off the Labour Party's election campaign by pledging to improve access to funding for small businesses in deprived areas and to double the number of enterprise courses in schools. Read More. (source Businesseurope.com)

11th May 2001

McGill Conference on International Entrepreneurship, University of Strathclyde, 21-23 September 2001. "The 4th McGill Conference on International Entrepreneurship will be hosted by Strathclyde International Business Unit (Department of Marketing) of the University of Strathclyde. The deadline for abstracts has been extended to the 30th May by popular request, since the original date coincided with examinations and marking for many academics. The submission deadline for full papers has likewise been extended to the 15th July". Read More. (Source email)

10th May 2001

USASBE: An Entrepreneurial Bonanza, Sliver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada, 17-20th January , 2002. Submission deadline for papers: August 1, 2001. Read More. (Source ImmEnt Listserver on Immigrant & Ethnic Entrepreneurship)

Special edition of the Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship on E-Commerce. Submission Deadline is 30th May, 2001. Read More. (Source ImmEnt Listserver on Immigrant & Ethnic Entrepreneurship)

9th May 2001

Small Business Service (UK) to relaunch website. According to BusinessEurope.com "the Small Business Service, sitting on a budget of £370 million, is poised to re launch its website, SBS chief David Irwin said this week". Read More. (source BusinessEurope.com)

Institute of Directors (UK) publishes SME manifesto. According to the Business Advisors Digest the "the IoD has published 'A Framework for Competitiveness: Manifesto for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises'. The manifesto sets out the themes and policies that the IoD would like to see the next Government pursue. Copies of the manifesto can be obtained by contacting: Richard Taylor, Press Office, Tel: (020) 7451 3264, E-mail: press@iod.co.uk " (source BAD)

The Federal Reserve Board (US) publishes report on SME finance. According to Wahpreneur, "last month, the Federal Reserve Board published its initial report on the types and sources of financial services used by small businesses, produced from its 1998 Survey of Small Business Finances. The survey was conducted in late 1999 with the owners of more than 3,500 businesses with fewer than 500 employees, and the consequent statistics were then weighted to reflect all small businesses. The survey, in addition to covering topics relating to how small businesses are financed, also collected an array of demographic information that will doubtless prove invaluable in the absence of a 1997 Characteristics of Small Business Owners survey from the Census Bureau." Read More.
(source Wahmpreneur)

2nd May 2001

Seminar on Ethnic Minority Enterprise hosted yesterday by SBS and Kingston University. The Small Business Service and Kingston University hosted the second SME Seminar in the series entitled "Linking Research and Policy" and chaired by Professor Robert Blackburn. The theme this time was Ethnic Minority Enterprise. Professors Monder Ram and David Smallbone presented a paper on "Ethnic Minority Business Policy in the SBS Era" and Professor David McEvoy presented a paper on "International perpsectives on Ethnic Minority Enterprise: The Word of the EU Fourth Framework Network on Immigrant Businesses".

1st May 2001

Professor Robin Jarvis to become Head of Small Business at ACCA. Professor Robin Jarvis from Kingston University is to become the new Head of Small Business at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. The former Head of Small Business, David Harvey, has recently moved to become the Chief Executive of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

30th April 2001

The Chartered Institute of Marketing will launch web-based support for SMEs. According to Marketing Business the CIM is deveoping a "web-based initiative to provide vital tools, checklists, models, features and general information for busy owners or managers and the sales and marketing staff of small businesses". (Source Marketing Business)

27th April 2001

Small Business Administration to announce US National Small Business Person of the Year award. Read More. (Source SBA)

26th April 2001

Seminar on Small Business Research and Government, hosted by Small Business Service Research, 0930-1700, 11th May 2001 at DTI Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London. For further details of the conference visit the notice board at the National Directory of Supervisors and Students in the area of Small Business Research and Entrepreneurship or contact Vivien Flynn at The Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU, Fax 0115 848 6130, Email: Vivien.Fynn@ntu.ac.uk. There are a limited number of places at the seminar. (Source email from bulletin board)

The call for papers is announced for the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Conference, 15th-16th April 2002, Jubilee Campus, the University of Nottingham. Read Call.

25th April 2001

The Business Europe website will be hosting an online interview with Entrepreneur and SME champion Ram Gidoomal on Tuesday 1st May 2001. The theme will be start-up issues. You can email your questions for Ram at talklive@businesseurope.com. Read more information on Talk Live. Read more about Ram Gidoomal. (source email)

24th April 2001

UK Employers spend 25% more on training last year, but SME gap persists. Department for Educationa and Employment announces that "Lifelong Learning Minister Malcolm Wicks has welcomed new figures released today showing that employers last year spent £23.5 billion on training, more than ever before. There has been a 25 per cent increase in real terms since 1993 on the amount that employers spend on training courses, according to the Learning and Training at Work 2000 Report. Mr Wicks said:'This shows that the importance of training is being increasingly understood by employers with them devoting more and more resources to investing in their staff. We can not be complacent, however, as this survey also shows that there are still a considerable number of employers who do not provide any training to their workforce, particularly among the smallest firms. Where training is provided, it is often the least qualified and lowest skilled workers that miss out.' Read More.

23rd April 2001

Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative endorses Business Europe's online small business guides. A SFEDI press release announced that "today (20th April) it is endorsing Business Europe’s online advice guides as part of a move to distinguish valuable advice from the mass available on the internet. The how to guides covering issues ranging from ‘how to understand sex discrimination legislation’ to ‘how to make your business plan stand out’ are the first examples of business advice on the internet to be approved by SFEDI for their quality and clarity." Read More.

17th April 2001

Small Business Service (UK) publishes revised research strategy for 2001 to 2003. Read full strategy. (source email)

12th April 2001

European Commission publishes outlines of cooperative SME research. The Cordis document states " The publication contains synopses on a range of cooperative research projects relevant to agriculture, agro-industrial and fisheries research that are selected and funded under the FAIR programme, part of the Fourth Framework programme." Read More. (Source Moreover and then Cordis)

11th April 2001

Small Business Service (UK) call for research proposals. They explain that "there will be 3 times in the coming financial year to submit proposals. Cut-off dates will be the end of April, July and November 2001. People intending to submit longer projects are best advised to tender in April and July. Projects will typically be expected to be completed by the end of March 2002. Longitudinal Studies that necessarily exceed this timetable will be considered for part funding if of exceptional benefit to SBS." Read more.

Family Firm Institute London 2001 Annual Conference, The Challenges Facing The 21st Century Family Business, October 10th-12th 2001, The Hilton London Metropole. The theme will be "Family Business Research in the Third Millennium: Building Bridges Between Theory and Practise". Read More.

12th Annual Small Business and Enterprise Development Conference, 15th & 16th April 2002, Jubilee Campus of The University of Nottingham. The principal theme will be:- Theoretical and Empirical Advances in International Entrepreneurship. A call for papers will be announced shortly.

10th April 2001

Census Bureau report on US women owned business. Wahmpreneur reports that "Last week, the Census Bureau released its report on the state of women-owned businesses in the United States, as reflected in the 1997 Economic Census. The news is impressive. As of 1997, women owned businesses in the United States totaled 5.4 million, employed 7.1 million people and generated $818.7 billion in receipts. These rates reflect a 16 percent increase in the number of women-owned businesses between 1992 and 1997, which is almost three times the rate for all privately held companies (6 percent), and an increase in receipts of 33 percent. Overall, privately held companies during the same period experienced a 24 percent growth in receipts. " Read More. (Soure Wahmpreneur newsletter)

Tourist businesses adversley effected by the foot and mouth problem can apply for special loans. BAD news reports that "Stephen Byers, Trade and Industry Secretary, has announced that tourist and retail businesses which are suffering cash-flow problems due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease will be able to apply for loans of up to 250,000 pounds from the Small Firms Loans Guarantee Scheme (SFLGS)." (Source BAD news)

Enterprise Forum, 11-12 October 2001, Hilton Hotel Cardiff. The theme of the Forum is "Top Class Business Support Services" Read More. (Source BAD news)

7th April 2001

The UK National Register of Supervisors and Students in the small business and entrepreneurship area has been launched by the Centre for Enteprise. (source email)

A Doctoral Symposium will be held by the Institute for Small Business Affairs (ISBA) on 13th November 2001 at Leicester University, before the ISBA National Policy and Research Conference. Read More. (Source email)

5th April 2001

Advanced management course Exploring Business Growth through Scenario Planning: A System Dynamics Simulation & Accounting Perspective , 18th-20th September 2001, will be held at Palermo (Italy). (source email)

Capability, the journal of Higher Education for Capability, has a call for papers for its special edition on ‘Developing Capability in SMEs’. If you have an idea for a paper contact the editor Professor Peter Newby by email P.Newby@mdx.ac.uk. (source email)

A Public debate on developing a culture of enterprise in the North East will be held at the Foundation for SME Development, University of Durham on Thursday 5th April at 5.30pm, MBA lecture Theatre. Email Ruth Ratcliffe ruth.ratcliffe@durham.ac.uk. Guest panellists include David irwin, CEO of Small Business service, Brian Smith CE of Lite-On, Kevan Curran (Regional Secretary GMB and Christina Hartsworth (Foundation for SME Development). (Source direct mail)

3rd April 2001

UK Government likely to restrict plans for higher business rates. According to Businesseurope.com "Small business groups are cautiously optimistic that the government will water down plans to allow local authorities to levy higher business rates from companies... Under government proposals unveiled last year, local authorities would be entitled to charge an additional 1% on top of the national business rate for a year, rising to 5% a year after five years. The extra money would be used to fund infrastructure projects chosen jointly by local authority officials and business leaders, but all companies would be obliged to pay the higher rate. However, the government is now understood to be considering alternative plans under which the higher rate would apply only in designated Business Improvement Districts, and with the consent of local companies. Any increase in local taxation would be earmarked for specific economic regeneration projects of benefit to, and supported by, the local business community." Read More. (Source Businesseurope.com)

1st April 2001

Elizabeth Barnett and John Storey win the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development Annual Bill Richardson Award. The paper entitled "Manager's Accounts of Innovation in SMEs" was awared to the authors at the Small Business and Enterprise Development Conference on Thursday 29th March 2001. The award is dedicated to the memory of Bill Richardson who was the founder of the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development.

27th March 2001

The British Chambers of Commerce National Conference & Exhibition, 27th- 28th March 2001, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, London. (Source BAD)

Widespread breach of distance selling regulations. According to the Business Advisers Digest the Office of Fair Trading's recent check of over 600 UK websites found that more than half were not complying with the new regulations. Read more about OFT regulations. (Source BAD)

23rd March 2001

New chair of the UK Economic and Social Research Council. According to a Department for Trade and Industry press release "Stephen Byers, the Trade Secretary and Cabinet Minister responsible for science, today announced Frances Cairncross as the new chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)". Read More. (Source DTI)

Free training materials are being offered by the IBSS (UK). According to a press release the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences is offering free training materials. The service has also undergone a new 'look and feel' revamp that was launched on the 19th March 2001. (Source IBSS)

Review of UK Patent Office to improve service. According to a Department of Trade and Industry press release the UK Patent Office has under gone a review that should improve services. Read More. (Source DTI)

21st March 2001

Sources suggest possible Small Business Administration budget cuts. Wahmpreneur suggests that "according to some sources, one little known fact about the recently proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2002 is the single agency that has been hit the largest funding cuts is the Small Business Administration. From increased fees for disaster loans to shutting down business mentoring programs before they even get started, here's the budget information nobody else seems to be talking about." Read More. (source Wahmpreneur)

20th March 2001

UK Government to fund £70 million in electronic technologies. The Department of Trade and Industry (UK) press release states " E-Minister Patricia Hewitt today announced a three-part £70 million Government investment in electronic technologies to keep the UK at the forefront of the high-tech revolution. Proposals include: * £20 million for pioneering work for "intelligent products" (next-wave technologies); * £30 million for transforming business practices using technology; and * £20 million for a national computing grid for UK scientists." Read More.

19th March 2001

Local authority buying procedures could help small businesses. Businesseurope.com reports that "new powers that enable local councils to consider a company's management practices when awarding contracts could favour small firms over large." Read more. (Source BusinessEurope.com)

IR35 tax on IT contractors goes to court. The Federation of Small Business newsletter announces that "the Professional Contractors' Group (PCG), of which the FSB is a member, went to the High Court this week on the IR35 issue. The PCG is arguing that the legislation is unfair under European law as it discriminates against small companies compared to multinationals. If the Revenue loses, it will not mean the end of the story, as it says it will almost certainly have to appeal. The PCG, too, says it will mount an appeal if it loses." (Source FSB)

16th March 2001

Euro Small Business Seminar abstract closing date extended to 31 March. The closing date for abstracts for the 31st European Small Business Seminar 2001 has been extended to the 15th April2001. The seminar will be hosted by the Dublin Institute of Technology in association with Enterprise Ireland on Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th September 2001. The conference theme will be '2001 an Enterprise Odyssey': the link between Education, Enterprise and Technology in the new Millennium. Abstracts date extended to April 15th 2001 and that the full papers must be submitted by June 1st 2001. For further information please contact: Anna Mulrooney, ESBS2001 Secretariat, DIT, Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1. Tel: +353 1 4024179, Fax: +353 1 4024298, E-mail: esbs2001@dit.ie

15th March 2001

Shifting Gears In Women's Enterprise Conference, 10th-12th September 2001, Durham UK. Abstracts needed by 31st March 2001. Further details by emailing mailto:shiftinggears@benchcom.co.uk.

New report on entrepreneurial attitudes in Europe and the US. The Flash Eurobarometer suggests that "though most Europeans would prefer self- rather than dependent employment, they are much more reserved than people in the US when it comes to the creation of a business. This is one of the key results of a Flash Eurobarometer survey on "entrepreneurship" that was conducted in autumn 2000 among about 8200 people of the general public in the EU and the US. A major reason for this is their general attitude towards risk taking. While a majority of Europeans and Americans is willing to give a second chance to people who started their own business and failed, many more Europeans support the statement that one should not start a business if there is a risk it might fail. The survey also looks into questions such as the difficulties perceived when setting up a business, the image of entrepreneurs in society and the social support for entrepreneurs from their family." Read More. (Source BADnews)

14th March 2001

European Study Visit Programme Sept-Dec 2001. European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training study visit programmes for 3 or 4-day visits to EU Member States and countries associated to the programme. The study visits will take place between September and December 2001 and participants can choose between the following topics: SME’s and ICTs: Small and medium-sized enterprises and the use of modern technologies; Quality in Vocational education and training; Social dialogue in the transport sector; Learning and skills acquisition; The learning of languages in vocational training. Read More.

Vietnamese social insurance extended to micro-enterprises. Smenet reports that Vietnamese "employers who hire laborers from 3 months upwards must provide social insurance, according to a draft amendment of the Labor Code by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA). The current regulation that only employers with 10 or more workers need to take out compulsory social insurance has now been dropped. This is because there is a trend for many small companies to employ less than 10 workers. Currently, a laborer has to pay 20% of their salary to a social insurance fund, of which 15% is paid by his employer". (Econet Mar 5 p2, Liberation Saigon Mar 5 p3, cited in SMENET) (Source Smenet)

Milken Institute Global Conference, 20th-21st March 2001 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles. The theme this year "is the effect of technology on global economics. Read More. (Source GCASE newsletter)

13th March 2001

SBS reports that SMEs are main source of increase in employment. An SBS press release states that "new figures reveal importance of small firms to employment. Nearly three-quarters of the increase in employment between 1995 and 1999 came from small and medium-sized firms." Read More (Source SBS)

12th March 2001

UKBI to manage new Internet Incubator Fund for DTI. UKBI, the national body for incubation in the UK is pleased to announce "that it has been awarded the contract by the Department for Trade and Industry (UK) to manage the new Internet Incubator Fund (IIF). This programme is aimed at encouraging incubator initiatives to help germinate and nurture new Internet companies and will be targeted at regions of the UK outside London, the South East and the East of England. The First Call for Proposals will kick off on Monday 26 March 2001. The closing date for applications is Friday 18 May 2001. To find out more about the IIF and to obtain a copy of the Guidance Notes, please visit UKBI's web site: www.ukbi.co.uk. Alternatively, contact their offices on +44 (0) 121 250 35 38." (source email)

New report calls for more funds for start-ups. Businesseurope.com reports that "an independent report on the performance of institutional investors in the UK... calls on investment funds to put more money into small business start-ups. Read More.

9th March 2001

Summary of SME aspects of UK Budget. HM Treasury summarised the small business aspects of the budget today (7/3/01): "There will be consultation on a radical new look at the tax treatment of small businesses aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for small businesses through aligning their profits for tax purposes broadly with those reported in their accounts. This will provide scope to avoid dealing with the complexities of the tax system. The Government will consult with small businesses and their representatives to produce a regime that blends the twin aims of simplicity and fairness. There is also help for certain small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in: a package of measures which will be introduced to help small businesses as they develop and grow, allowing them to manage their entry into the VAT system, reduce burdens and improve their cash flow. The package includes: increasing the VAT registration threshold; greater availability of the cash and annual accounting schemes; consultation on the flat rate and annual accounting schemes; and better advice; improvements to Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) to make it easier for companies to operate, removing the limit on the number of employees in each company who can hold EMI options, doubling the limit on the total value of shares under EMI options to £3 million, and offering advance assurance on whether or not a company qualifies; consultation on proposals to change the rules for life insurance companies that invest in venture capital limited partnerships. This proposal, which was recommended in the Myners review of institutional investment, should, by significantly reducing tax compliance costs for life companies, encourage more of them to provide equity finance to SMEs through the medium of limited partnerships; relaxing some of the rules of the Enterprise Investment Scheme, Venture Capital Trust scheme and Corporate Venturing Scheme to make it easier for small entrepreneurial companies to raise equity and long term finance". Read More on SME Aspects. Read Full Budget Report.(Source HM Treasury)

DTI announces new fast track powers to disqualify directors. Department of Trade and Industry announces "'new fast' track powers to disqualify directors of insolvent companies whose conduct makes them unfit to be involved in the management of a company come into operation on 2nd April". Read More. (Source DTI)

SBA will honor top entrepreneurs during Small Business Week. Small Business Administration (US) press release announces that it will honor top entrepreneurs and name the National Small Business Person of the Year for 2001 during National Small Business Week on 7th to 9th May 7-9, Washington, D.C. Read more. (source SBA)

7th March 2001

US National Small Business Week 2001, 6th to 12th May 2001 in conjunction with the 34th Annual Joint Industry/Small Business Administration Procurement Conference, Renaissance Hotel, Washington D.C., US. Read More. (Source SBA)

The Competition Commission (UK) has provisionally concluded that "a complex monopoly situation exists" in UK clearing banks that could be detrimental to SMEs. Read More. (original source word of mouth and Businesseurope.com, followed by CC website)

6th March 2001

UK budget news will be provided live by BusinessEurope.com on Wednesday 7th March. They will also be providing an analysis of the key issues for SMEs.

5th March 2001

Regional Studies Association International Conference Regional Transitions, 15-18th September 2001, at the City of Gdansk, Poland. Read More. (source Small Business Issues, ISBA Newsletter).

2nd March 2001

Profs Zoltan Acs and David Audretsch have jointly been awarded the 2001 FSF (Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research) and NUTEK (Swedish National Board for Industrial and Technical Development) International Award for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research. Read more about the FSF and NUTEK award. Previous winners include Dr. David Birch (1996), Prof. Arnold C. Cooper (1997), Prof. David J. Storey (1998), Prof. Ian C. MacMillan (1999), Prof. Howard E. Aldrich (2000). Read more about previous award winners. (source email).

New board members at the Institute for Small Business Affairs (UK) include Prof. Robert Bennett (Prof of Geography, University of Cambridge), Ian Dale (Head of Research for the Small Business Service), Tina McEwen (Chief Executive for the Business Link Lincolnshire and Rutland) and Dr. Lew Perren (Reader in Small Business Development, University of Brighton). Full list of ISBA Board Members. Read more about ISBA. (source Small Business Issues, ISBA Newsletter).

Prizes from the 23rd Institute of Small Business Affairs Small Firms Policy and Research Conference include: Prof Colin Mason and Prof. Richard Harrison (ISBA prize for best paper); Dr Kevin Mole (SBS prize for best methodology); Prof. Smallbone, Robert Baldock and Steve Burgess (Forum of Private Business best policy paper) (source Small Business Issues, ISBA Newsletter).

1st March 2001

New Survey on 'fast' and 'slow' growth companies. According to Businessweek-Online a new survey sponsored by FleetBoston Financial, the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Edward Lowe Foundation has compared the characteristics of 'fast' and 'slow' growth companies. Read more. (sourced from Moreover)

28th February 2001

SMENet newsletter reports that the Vietnamese "Ministry of Finance will provide incentives to developers of finance consulting businesses, including those involved in asset evaluation, investment and privatization consultation. The move aims to improve the capability of enterprises and reducing the workload of State financial management organizations. (reported in Investment Feb 25 p7)"

Business Advisors Digest reports that 2001 NatWest / British Franchise Association Survey has been published. Some of the key findings according to BAD are: 40 per cent of franchisors say the biggest barrier to growth is a lack of suitable franchisees; 95 per cent of all UK franchisees report profitability; there are 35,600 franchised businesses in the UK; the average initial outlay for a franchise is £44,500. Read more. (sourced from BAD)

Business Improvement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises Conference will be hosted by the University of Brighton at The Old Ship Hotel, Brighton, UK, 28th June 2001 . Email contact btontcsc@brighton.ac.uk; website http://www.bton.ac.uk/tcs

27th February 2001

According to the Sydney Morning Herald the Australian Small Business Minister, Mr Macfarlane, "has apologised for the suffering caused by the business activity statement, admitting it put stress on marriages and ruined small businesses with red tape." Read more. (sourced from moreover.com).

23rd February 2001

Entrepreneurship Training Curriculum (ETC) Workshop will be held on Friday 9th March 2001 at: INFANTES TRAINING CENTRE, Instituto Universitario Euroforum Escorial (IUEE), Calle del Rey, 38, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, SPAIN.

20th February 2001

Gcase newsletter reports that according to the "latest Local Commerce Monitor from The Kelsey Group and ConStat, Inc., 25 percent of all [US] small businesses are now using the Internet to provide service and support functions to their customers. The report shows that small businesses are integrating Internet and e-commerce technologies with their offline operations in order to streamline customer interactions and to improve their operational efficiency, as well as hoping to drive revenue..." (Sourced from the Gcase newsletter 19/2/2001 supplied by the Global Entrepreneurship Institute) Read More.

19th February 2001

Small Business Administration announced today (16/02/01) that statutory changes means its Surety Bond Guarantee program can now allow bonds of $2 million, up from $1.25 million, "for small and emerging contractors who cannot obtain surety bonds through regular commercial channels." Read more.

BusinessEurope.com reports that the Conservative party plans to repeal the new tax on freelance consultants. Read More.

15th February 2001

According to a DFEE press release today (13/2/01) "the Government today unveiled its active industrial policy to help people and businesses in all regions prosper in our fast changing world. Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers and Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett set out the Government’s next steps for raising GDP in the regions, closing the skills gap, helping industry through restructuring and nurturing new industries as they develop. The White Paper “Opportunity For All In A World Of Change” sets out the Government’s action plan for the future." Read More. Read White paper.

13th February 2001

Institute of Small Business Affairs announces a doctoral workshop will be held at 10am on 2nd March 2001 in the Long Room at the ACCA 29 Lincolns Inn Fields, London WC2A 3EE. The theme of the workshop is "research questions - framing and shaping them". It will facilitated by Prof. Paul Westhead and Prof. Shailendra Vyakarnam. To obtain registration details contact Vivien Flynn, The Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham, Fax Number 0115 948 6130 for a FAX Back registration form.

Discussion Forum on the role of the personal business advisor and business support in stimulating e-commerce is being hosted by the DFEE from the 9th to 23rd February. Visit discussion.

Business Advisers Digest reports today (12/2/01) that the the Welsh National Assembly Economic Development Committee has put foward changes to business support in the region including: demand led services, a single gateway, clarification of the roles of development agencies. Full copies of the report are available by emailing gareth.john@Wales.gsi.gov.uk.

Small Business Administration (US) press release announces today (12/2/01) that it has sponsored an e-business teleconference for new and growing small businesses with Great Plains, a e-business solutions business. The sessions will be held on February 20, at 11 a.m. EST and on February 22, at 3 p.m. EST. Small businesses can register to attend the Internet conference at www.greatplains.com/sba. Read More.

Business Week reports today (8/2/2001) on a new Small Business Administration programme that aims to help fund managers invest in entrepreneurs from low-income areas. Read More.

Business Europe reports today (9/2/01) that it can "exclusively reveal a forthcoming £30 million (UK) Government initiative to promote online trading among medium-sized companies." Read More.

9th February 2001

International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Learning is being will be held in Naples Italy, on 21st to 24th June 2001. It is being organised by Federico II University of Naples and the Enterprise Research and Development Centre, Business School, University of Central England.

8th February 2001

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) report announces "that company managers are a main source of fraud... The survey, which examines the incidence of fraud in smaller to medium sized British companies, discovers that 75 per cent of frauds involve company managers. This confirms findings by the Auditing Practices Board in its recent survey." Read More.

Small Business Service press release announced today (5th February) that "the Phoenix Fund, managed by the Small Business Service (SBS), has provided through the Development Fund £15m to support 50 organisations promoting enterprise in disadvantaged areas and communities across England." Read More.

Department for Trade and Industry announces that the final draft of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations is now avalible for comment. Responses should be sent by Friday, 16 March 2001. Read more.

National Small Business Innovation Research "Early 2001" Conference, Marriott Hotel Southern Hills, Tulsa, 26th February to 1st March 2001.

Institute of Business Advisers 11th Annual Conference, "Theme: E-ffective Marketing - practical techniques for small businesses" will be held on Saturday, 20th October 2001 at the Hilton Hotel, Coventry. Read More.

5th February 2001

Department of Trade and Industry Statistics showing insolvencies in the last quarter of 2000 are published today (2 February). The press release stated, "There were 3,697 company insolvencies in England and Wales in the fourth quarter of 2000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. This was a decrease of 1.5% on the previous quarter and an increase of 6.7% on the same period a year ago. 1.1% of active companies became insolvent in the twelve months ended Q4 2000, the same as the previous quarter and slightly down on the corresponding quarter in 1999." Read More.

Date of WASME 12th International Conference on SMEs at Antalya, Turkey, has been changed to the 22nd - 25th April, 2001.

2nd February 2001

New regulations for recruitment agencies to protect temporary staff were announced by a Department for Trade and Industry Press Release today (1st February 2001) Read More.

1st February 2001

Professor Evert Gummesson from Stockholm University has been announced as a keynote speaker at the Small Business and Enterprise Development Conference 2001. The SBED conference will be hosted at the University of Leicester, England, 29th-30th March 2001. Further details and booking from Elaine.

30th January 2001

Employment and Equal Opportunities Minister, Margaret Hodge, today (29th January 2001) launched "Equality Direct - an information and advice service for business on the whole range of equality issues such as providing better access for disabled people or equal pay" according to a Department for Education and Employment Press Release. Read More.

29th January 2001

E-Commerce Awards 2001 (UK). These awards are described as being "set up by the DTI and InterForum in 1999 to celebrate and reward UK small and medium sized companies which have been successful in doing business electronically. The 1999 and 2000 award winners have been promoted widely in the media and their example has encouraged many other small firms to take up e-commerce, learning from the successes of the winners. The awards in 2001 seek to generate a similar high standard of entries."

26th January 2001

Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers announces how funds from a new £54 million 'Regional Innovation Fund' will be distributed to England's 9 Regional Development Agencies, according to a DTI press release. Read More.

25th January 2001

Online survey "to understand how E-commerce impacts on SMEs growth processes" is being conducted by the System Dynamics Group (SDG), Centro Universitario Studi Aziendali. They are especially interested in "those issues related to internationalisation, knowledge, resources acquisition, logistics, customer service and satisfaction will be analysed". The results of the survey will be made avaialble to all respondents. Read more details and complete online questionnaire.

24th January 2001

Perspectives on E-Business: Evaluating the present and exploring the future will be held at the Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, Bedford UK from the 17th July to 18th July 2001. Full papers and short papers are requested. Notification of interest or submission of abstracts by 31 January 2001 and closing date for submission of papers is 28 February 2001.

23rd January 2001

European Commission's Enterprise Directorate-General Newsletter, Enterprise-Europe, publishes the following news and reviews: Competiveness benchmarking, European Information Centres expand to European Community candidate countries, Concerted Efforts on Enterprise Development. (sourced from Enterprise-Europe Newsletter January 2001).

22nd January 2001

SBS announced today (15th January 20010) that "Government departments have united to pledge their support for small businesses with their endorsement of the first-ever national framework for supporting small and medium-sized firms, 'Think Small First'. Read 'Think Small First' Report. (PDF Format)

18th January 2001

A press release from the Small Business Administration (US) announced today (16 February 2001) that it has expanded its network of women's business centres by 15 this year and sustained funding for seven existing centers. It explained that "The Women’s Business Center Program offers training, counseling, and mentoring services to current and potential women entrepreneurs. Each new center will receive a grant of up to $150,000 in the first year". Read More. For complete listing of the existing women’s business center locations the SBA suggests visiting the Online Women’s Business Center .

17th January 2001

Daily Telegraph usecolor.com Best Small Business Competition is launched. Read More.

16th January 2001

Business Start Up 2001, Enterprise exhibition for UK SMEs, is being staged at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham on the 28th- 29th April 2001.

15th January 2001

Glamorgan University is working with 6 colleges and the Young Enterprise Wales charity to pilot a new online enterprise college. According to the Time Higher the project originated from an approach by Hewlett Packard and Richard Branson and has now gone on to attract European Social Fund's Objective One support. Read More. (Reported in the Times Higher).

11th January 2001

Family Business Network 12th Annual Conference, The Westin Excelsior, Via V. Veneto 125, Roma, Italy, 4th-6th October 2001. Abstracts of research papers/PhD theses & workshop proposals needed by 28th February 2001. Further details.

10th January 2001

Ernst & Young announce that "Chairman-elect of Ernst & Young, Jim Turley, presented the 2000 National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award to technology guru Scott Kriens of Juniper Networks. Scott was also the winner of the National Entrepreneur Of The Year award for Technology/Communications." Read More (Sourced from GCASE newsletter).

9th January 2001

SMENET Newsletter reports on a SMEs' needs analysis for companies in Vietnam. The project is described, "the Foreign Trade and Investment Development Council (FTDC) in Ho Chi Minh City and the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) undertook, on behalf of the Advisory Assistance to Industry for Export Promotion (AAIEP) project, a needs analysis at company level in Viet Nam. The objective was to observe whether the advice offered earlier by the project (finance, quality management, marketing) was still relevant and to provide direction for future activities to the Vietnamese counterparts and project management. Read Results.

8th January 2001

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) press release explains it "has signed an historic memorandum of understanding with the United States Nigeria Development Institute (USNGDI) to develop a business and trade information exchange to establish bilateral trade and business partnerships." "The SBA is dedicated to the growth of small business and is continually encouraging the development of business networks and small business linkages to expand international relations and trade," said SBA Administrator Aida Alvarez. Read More.

5th January 2001

A DFEE press release stated today (2/1/2001) that 600 young entrepreneurs had been created through New Deal support. Employment Minister Tessa Jowell announced that "New Deal is an individually tailored programme that aims to meet the hopes and aspirations of young people. The programme has helped over 2,600 people kick-start business, with almost 600 now independent self-employed entrepreneurs. A key element of this programme is the level of support New Deal clients receive before they go it alone. They are put in touch with a business mentor, they receive a £400 grant and training towards a relevant qualification and using their training provider to co-manage their accounts." Read More.

4th January 2001

A Small Business Administration (US) press release announced today (3/1/2001) that "in a weekly radio address to the nation on Saturday, President Clinton asked the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to make government-backed loans available to small businesses struggling under the financial burden of rapidly rising oil prices. The President made the announcement as one of a series of steps to reduce the likelihood and severity of energy shortages to help Americans in what will likely be the coldest winter in several years." Read More. (SBA)

The National Federation of Independent Business announced today (3/1/2001) "that Pennsylvania business owner Thomas Musser will become its new chairman of the board, effective Jan. 1. Musser will replace the retiring Jim Herr, owner of Herr Snack Foods, who served as NFIB's chairman for more than two decades. A longtime NFIB member, Musser founded Tri-M Electrical Contractors with his brother in 1964. Tom became the sole owner in 1972, when the business was incorporated." (NFIB)

30th December 2000

New Years Honours were made to the following people for their work in SME related areas (UK):

Order of the British Empire

Commander (CBE)

Brathwaite, James Everett, chm, Business Link Sussex, For serv the Economy of Sussex.

Loades, Geoffrey, Chair, Norfolk and Waveney Training and Enterprise Ccl, For serv Training and Enterprise.

Lowe, Michael John, JP, DL, Predt, Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, Training and Enterprise. For serv Educ, Training and Business Support.

Officer (OBE)

English, Mrs Anita Georgina, Dir, Thames Valley Enterprise Board, For serv Training for Disadvantaged People.

Robinson, Anthony Charles, Chief exec, Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative, For serv Training and to Small Firms.

Ruia, Anil Kumar, Dir, Wrengate Ltd, For serv Business in Manchester.

Shackleton, Kenneth Everatt, For serv the New Deal in Peterborough, Cambshire.

Member (MBE)

Amos, Mrs Elizabeth Anne, Policy Adviser, Ccl for Excellence in Management and Leadership. For serv ind.

Dove, Geoffrey Lionel, For serv Small Businesses in Croydon Surrey.

McCrea, Samuel. For serv Small Business.

Patel, Rajesh, For serv the Black Training Enterprise Group.

(From list published in the Independent 30th December 2000)

25th December 2000

A press release from the Small Business Administration stated today (22/12/00) that "President Clinton signed into law legislation Thursday that provides a near-historic level of funding support for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, and authorizes a New Markets Venture Capital program to invest in small businesses in low-income areas." Read More.

22nd December 2000

National Federation of Independent Business announced in its newsletter today (21/12/00) that it had released "the Small Business Policy Guide, wasting no time in putting small business' public policy needs front-and-center as President-elect Bush and the new Congress prepare to lead the nation...The Policy Guide will be distributed to members of the incoming 107th Congress and to key Bush Administration staff and appointees. The Policy Guide is divided into three parts. Part one presents a comprehensive body of data on small business and its impact on America's economy. Small business and its owners are so pervasive, so deeply integrated into the economy and social fabric, that they constitute very familiar subject matter. However, while this familiarity may make small business seem easy to understand, the vast size and diversity of the small business population must not be forgotten when it comes to crafting public policy. Part two explains the problems and priorities of small businesses, noting that the top concerns of small business owners are 1) the cost of health insurance, 2) federal taxes on business income, 3) finding qualified employees, 4) unreasonable government regulation, and 5) FICA (Social Security) taxes... Part three offers policy ideas that would benefit small businesses. For example, NFIB proposes the adoption of Associated Health Plans (AHPs), which allow small businesses to band together across state lines to buy insurance for their employees at cheaper rates. One of NFIB's most urgent tax priorities is the repeal of the death tax, which places a confiscatory burden on small business owners trying to carry on a multi-generation family business."

21st December 2000

European Commission has published the latest call for proposals for the Fifth Framework programme's 'Promotion of innovation and encouragement of SME participation' programme. Closing date for submitting proposals: 15.03.01, by 17h00 (Luxembourg local time). Call Identifier: INN/00/04. FURTHER INFORMATION, European Commission, Innovation Help Desk, DG ENTR C4, office EUFO 2286, Rue Alcide de Gasperi, L-2920 Luxembourg, Fax: +352/4301 32084, E-mail: innovation@cec.eu.int, URL:http://www.cordis.lu/innovation-smes/src/cec-cont.htm

20th December 2000

The Employment Service (UK) has published a new guide for SMEs on its services and current legislation, including the new maternity and parental leave (reported by the Business Advisors Digest). Read More.

SMENET in Vietnam has just published a manual on production management for SMEs. This provides practical tips and case studies. Read full version.

The Better Regulation Task Force (UK) has published a report that looks at the problems with 'Regulating Cyberspace' (reported by the Business Advisors Digest). Read Report.

18th December 2000

The National Federation of Independent Business reports that according to the American City Business Journals, the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy in the US has asked the Justice Department to question the new postal rule that requires private mailbox users to include either "PMB" or the "#" sign in their addresses from 26th August 2001. It is suggested that this would 'stigmatize' small business. The NFIB as says "Postal officials say the regulation is needed to reduce the use of private mailboxes by fraudulent enterprises". But "Jere Glover, chief counsel of the Office of Advocacy, says small businesses use commercial mail receiving agencies "for a variety of reasons, including security, legitimacy for a home-based business and convenience."" (Report from National Federation of Independent Business Newsletter).

15th December 2000

2001 e-Commerce Awards will be launching on the 29th January 2001. More information by emailing Paul.Stevens@dti.gov.uk or visit http://www.ecommerce-awards.co.uk for background information (UKonline).

13th December 2000

24th ISBA National Small Firms Policy and Research Conference, 14th-16th November 2001, Hanover International Hotel, Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK. Submission of abstracts by 1st March 2001, Notification of Acceptance 30th March 2001 and Full Paper by 1st June 2001. Authors will be able to make submissions for a refereed papers track. Read More.

12th December 2000

The first seminar of Small Business Service and Kingston University Series will be held at the DTI Conference Centre in London today. Prof. Robert Blackburn will chair the session. Clare Elliott (Head of Research and Evaluation for the SBS) will present a paper entitled "Respective Visions of SME Research and Policy Making". Profs. David Storey and James Curran will present a paper entitled "Small Business Policy: Past Experiences and Future Directions". Rob Botham will act as a discussant to lead a group session. This is the first in a number of sessions that will be held in the New Year.

A Small Business Administration (US) press release announced that "an agreement to help develop a business support network to encourage small business growth in Russia was signed today by the United States and Russian small business development agencies.The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Ministry of Antimonopoly Policy and Entrepreneurship Support (MAP) moved another stepforward in their efforts to promote the development of private sector enterprise." Read More.

9th December 2000

31st European Small Business Seminar 2001 will be hosted by the Dublin Institute of Technology in association with Enterprise Ireland on Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th September 2001. The conference theme will be '2001 an Enterprise Odyssey': the link between Education, Enterprise and Technology in the new Millennium. For further information please contact: Anna Mulrooney, ESBS2001 Secretariat, DIT, Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1. Tel: +353 1 4024179, Fax: +353 1 4024298, E-mail: esbs2001@dit.ie

8th December 2000

A press release by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy (http://www.sba.gov/advo) suggested "that federal agencies are bundling federal contracts into increasingly large packages, at the expense of small contractors, the American City Business Journals report. A study by Eagle Eye Publishers Inc. finds that the average bundled contract totaled $8 million in fiscal 1999, a 21 percent increase from fiscal 1992. For every increase of 100 bundled contracts, there was a decrease of 106 individual contracts awarded to small businesses, the study found." (SBA)

6th December 2000

According to the Business Advisers Digest (BAD) the UK Government has announced a draft bill of over 20 reforms to ease the burden on businesses in its Regulatory Reform Bill, measures include new procedures for renewing business leases and placing local authority business tenants on the same footing with lease renewals as other businesses. Read More.

A press release from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)announced that it "has increased its size standard for health care providers, substantially expanding the number of businesses that can qualify as small for government programs and services. The agency estimates that nearly 5,000 firms will benefit from the change, mostly skilled nursing care facilities, and offices and clinics operated by doctors.". A full listing of SBA’s size standards is available at: http://www.sba.gov/size/NAICS-cover-page.htm

5th December 2000

Technology Means Business (TMB) has a new quality mark for business and ICT advice provided to small businesses. UKonline explained "Small businesses will be able to access an ever increasing network of advisers which will provide a comprehensive source of advice on business ICT related issues." (reported by UKonline for business)

International Conference on Dynamic Enterprises, GEA College of Entrepreneurship, Portoroz, Slovenia, 16th February, 2001. Further details.

4th December 2000

The Institute of Management (UK) reports that the recent Small Business Review found that one in four small businesses had difficulty in attracting the right managers last year. The Small Business Review is based on 141 small businesses with turnover below £60 million. The full report is available from Renumeration Economics, Survey House, 51, Portland Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 2SH, Tel 020 8549 8726, email nmss@celre.co.uk . (Institute of Management article)

30th November 2000

A Press Release from the Small Business Administration in the US today (29th November 2000) linked economic prosperity to entrepreneurship among women. It stated "Barriers to women entrepreneurs must come down to keep pace with emerging and thriving economies, Aida Alvarez, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) pointed out at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference in Paris today... At the conference, Administrator Alvarez announced the release of a new study, “United States Case Study: Successful Public and Private Sector Initiatives Fostering the Growth of Women’s Business Ownership”... The study highlights programs that have been successfully implemented by both government agencies and private organizations. It show cases the ways public-private partnership can help bridge the gap for women in obtaining more access to capital, businesses counseling, and other assistance." (SBA)

The DTI sets out its position on science parks in a new discussion paper. The paper starts with the following defintion of a Science Park: "The UK Science Parks Association’s (UKSPA) definition of a science park is of a business support and technology transfer initiative that: 1. encourages and supports the start up, incubation and development of innovation-led, high growth, knowledge based businesses. 2. provides an environment where larger and international businesses can develop specific and close interactions with a particular centre of knowledge creation for their mutual benefit. 3. has formal and operational links with centres of knowledge creation such as universities, higher education institutes and research organisations." Read Full Paper.

27th November 2000

9th Annual High Technology Small Firms Conference 2001, 31st May and 1st June 2001, Manchester Business School, Manchester. Abstracts needed by 12th January 2001, full papers by Friday 4th May 2001. Contact Miss Angela Hilton, HTSF Conference Administrator, Manchester Business School, Booth Street West, Manchester, M15 6PB, England, Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 6456, email ahilton@man.mbs.ac.uk.

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2000 Executive Report by Paul D. Reynolds, Michael Hay, William D. Bygrave, S. Michael Camp and Erkko Autio has recently been published. Read the full report. Offer review for the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development

ACCA publish new report on the role of non-executive directors in small firms by Aidan Berry and Lew Perren has recently been published. Read the full report. Offer review for the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development

24th November 2000

Associated Press reports incubators are out of favour. Justin Pope, Associated Press Writer, states "They were supposed to help e-commerce sites up off the ground, nurturing them with sound advice, and then unloading them at a profit. But these days, Internet incubators could use a hand up themselves. Recent weeks have seen waves of dot.com closings, and incubators - who often hold stakes in many dot.coms - are suffering." Read More.

22nd November 2000

Top tips for small business success are the focus of a competition launched by Investors in People UK and The Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative last month. Tips are invited from all owner-managers of small businesses with less than 100 staff. Read More.

21st November 2000

WASME 12th International Conference on SMEs will be hosted by the Confederation of Turkish Craftsmen and Tradesmen (TESK) at Antalya, Turkey, April 15-18, 2001. The main theme of the 2001 Conference will be "New Economic Approaches for Developing SMEs and encouraging entrepreneurship world-wide " Contact Arun Agrawal, Deputy Secretary General, WASME.

Report of the Global Conference on Microenterprises comprising of papers and presentations made by 40 eminent experts (including senior representatives of UN agencies: UNDP,ILO,WIPO,ITC, UNIDO and UNESCAP) will soon be available at a special pre-publication price of US$75( incl: packing and postage). Contact Arun Agrawal, Deputy Secretary General, WASME.

10th IFS Conference, St John's College, Oxford, 23-24 March 2001. The theme will be "Encouraging Enterprise" and the focus on the impact of the tax system on entrepreneurial activity. Further details and booking at http://www.ifs.org.uk/conferences/residential.shtml.

18th November 2000

The Family Business Network World Conference 2000 has published its proceedings as a helpful volume entitled 'Tradition or Entrepreneurship in the New Economy?' edited by Dr. Poutziouris (ISBN 090380882X). This volume costs £20 plus postage and contains over 25 papers from leading academics in the field of Family Business. Contact Dr. Panikkos Zata Poutziouris, Manchester Business School by phone +44-161-2756393, fax +44-161-2756542 or email ppoutziouris@man.mbs.ac.uk to order a copy.

US and Canadian Female Entrepreneurs have signed trade deals on Thursday 16th November following 2 months of interaction over the Internet. This was an innovative online inititiative sponsored by the Small Business Administration (US)(SBA). Read More.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that it 'is accepting applications from private, nonprofit organizations that can provide business assistance services to women entrepreneurs under the Women’s Business Center (WBC) program'(SBA). Read More.

New Start-up Planning Software has been developed by the Modbury Group in conjunction with the University of Plymouth Business School. Master Planner Start-Up planner is now available at £44.95 +vat from The Master Planner Sales Team, The Modbury Group, sales@masterplanner.co.uk or telephone 01548 830950.

The National Federation for Independent Businesses announced today (16th November 2000) that 'small business optimism dropped 1.7 points in October, according to the latest Small Business Economic Trends (SBET) report from the NFIB Education Foundation. The report indicates the beginning of a slowdown in the economy. The Foundation's Small Business Optimism Index, a 10-component measure of the economic status, plans and expectations of America's small firms, fell to 99.4 in October. Of the 10 Index components, one posted a gain and seven lost ground, with two indicators unchanged.' (NFIB)

14th November 2000

Senator Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Small Business (USSCSB) , said that the new ergonomics regulation was "a monument to regulatory excess". The proposal is designed to reduce workplace injuries, but the USSCSB says it "will devastate the nation's small business community through endless confusion surrounding employer responsibilities and crushing costs associated with compliance and potential fines and penalties". Read More.

10th November 2000

Company Leader provides a helpful summary of how the Chancellor's pre-Budget Report will affect small businesses. Read Comments on Report from David Irwin Chief Executive of the Small Business Service (UK).

9th November 2000

The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, hinted in his speech to the Conferation of British Industry that he was considering extending R & D tax credits for SMEs and also wanted to encourage entrepreneurs to reinvest capital gains (reported in the Guardian).

8th November 2000

AngelSociety Forum - Strategies for Success in Early-Stage Investing will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, 12th-14th December, 2000 (Reported in GCASE).

7th November 2000

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Institute of Small Business Affairs (ISBA) seminar on the role of non-executive directors in small firms on Thursday 30th November at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 29 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3EE. There are restricted places available, contact Victoria Jonson on 020 7396 5726.

Department for Trade and Industry has published a booklet for SMEs to explain the new distance selling regulations that came into effect from 31st October 2000 (reported by BAD). Read More.

Federation of Small Businesses Conference 2001 will be held in Plymouth (UK) on 23-25 March 2001.

6th November 2000

The Competition Commission held an open hearing in London on 3 November, as part of its inquiry into banking services by banks to SMEs. Details of Current Commission Inquiries.

DTI (UK) announced that there were 3,776 company insolvencies in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. This was an increase of 8.6% on both the previous quarter and the same period a year ago. Read More.

Export Credits Guarantee Department announces new package to improve the awareness amongst smaller capital goods exporters and investors of the products on offer from ECGD for tackling emerging markets. Richard Caborn, the Minister for Trade, said: "ECGD is offering improved and streamlined versions of its existing products as well as new features and facilities designed with the smaller exporter in mind. This will mean that exporters can often get a much quicker response for their type of deal". Read More.

3rd November 2000

Department for Trade and Industry announces new measures that will help businesses overcome short term-problems and create long-term success. The press release explained that the 'measures will ensure that the Crown Preference is used to help struggling, viable companies through the sympathetic consideration of Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs). Stephen Byers said: 'The Government is keen to ensure that our insolvency procedures are underpinned by an attitude that supports responsible risk taking and encourages businesses to develop. The Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise are often accused of ignoring the long-term viability of a company in order to secure payment of crown debts. I am pleased to be able to announce today, with Dawn Primarolo, that the revenue departments are introducing changes to the way they deal with companies in difficulties.' Read More (DTI)

SMEs advertise on the internet but less use it for business services themselves according to a telephone survey conducted by Research Support Marketing and HPI Research Group. Contact +44 (0) 207403 3322 (reported in Marketing Business)

2nd November 2000

Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative launched new standards for business support personnel on 31st October 2000. The new common core standards include: Working Relationships (deal with clients effectively, build effective advisory relationships with clients, build effective relationships with colleagues and contacts), Giving information and Advice (work with clients to give them the information they need, help clients to meet their business needs) and Professional Development (Develop your ability to provide business information, develop your ability to provide business advice). Read more.

Internet-based discussion forum on 'how can you be more successful in working with managers in SMEs', 23rd October to 6th November 2000. Link to discussion.

The 4th International Business and Economics Conference at St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin, US, Oct 5-6, 2001. Submission deadline is March 17, 2001. We welcome submissions from all disciplines. IBEC offers competitive paper sessions, a best paper award, proceedings, and a fast-track journal tie-in with MCB University Press. IBEC is a friendly, intimate conference, and we promote constructive feedback. Come visit our website at http://www.sncibec.org Or email us at info@sncibec.org

1st November 2000

US SMEs received a record of $18 billion in financial backing by the Small Business Administration in the last fiscal year (SBA). Read More about the SBA's performance last year.

The Office of Telecommunications (UK) (Oftel) published its survey of Internet use among SMEs. The summary states, 'Overall, 49% of SMEs were connected to the Internet, with 19% in the process of connecting and a further 5% likely to get connected over the next 12 months. Small businesses (at 49% connected) were less likely to be connected than medium businesses (at 70%). Possible barriers to use of the Internet emerging from the survey included a need for information on how the Internet can benefit businesses and on the equipment needed and how to use it, in addition to the cost of equipment, subscription and call costs.' Read More.

31st October 2000

46th International Council for Small Business World Conference will be held by the Republic of China Affiliate in Taipei, Republic of China, on 17-20 June, 2001. The conference theme will by 'SMEs in a Traditional-and-New-Mixed Era'.

The Wall Street Journal Europe is hosting the European Entrepreneurship Summit on Friday, 10th November 2000 at the Robinson College in Cambridge. This summit will bring together leading figures in Europe and the US to discuss European entrepreneurial activity. (GCASE)

30th October 2000

Th