Local economies and business networks re-visited. A case study of business and professional services in London

This article describes networks among business and professional services (BPS) firms in London, and deals with the relationship between the businesses interviewed and their locality. The article is based on empirical material derived from a large number of interviews with BPS firms in central London. It is noted that lateral links between firms are poor, relationships are better characterised as competitive rather than co-operative, and businesses tend to take little interest in the various support agencies. Although all the businesses interviewed placed great emphasis on the development of close, co-operative relationships with clients, markets are geographically diffuse. However, despite the weakness of localised, inter-firm links, businesses were able to identify a number of valuable and distinctive assets attached to their current location, which implies that the “local economy” continues to be important. The article finishes briefly with some implications for local economies and appropriate methods of business support.     

A targeted approach to informal business development: the entrepreneurial route

The present paper maintains that initiatives to promote and support small businesses need to focus on those with growth potential rather than on the small business sector as a whole, and that the human factor, especially entrepreneurial intentions and behaviour, is the overwhelming force in small business success. Empirical evidence shows that many entrepreneurs setting up businesses in the informal economy of South Africa have little business acumen. The majority of informal businesses operate as survivalist entities with limited development and growth potential. The paper suggests that only between 10 and 15 per cent of informal entrepreneurs have sufficient business skills to expand and develop their businesses. These should be the focus of policy initiatives. Separate collective support measures should be designed to make the business environment more hospitable to low-potential informal businesses.     

企业加强全面预算管理的对策

企业管理是非常复杂的系统，涉及战略规划、市场营销、产品生产、技术研发、财务管理、人力资源支持等方面，是企业运作的综合基础和平台。重视并充分运用全面预算管理手段，有助于提高管理效率。     

Local tourism value chain linkages as pro-poor tools for regional development in western Uganda

Building on the model of Meyer [(2007). Pro-Poor tourism: from leakages to linkages. A conceptual framework for creating linkages between the accommodation sector and ‘poor’ neighbouring communities. Current Issues in Tourism 10(6), 558–83], this paper focuses on the regional development potential of local linkages with the supply chain and community partnerships of established tourism businesses in western Uganda. Results show that supply-related inconsistencies of local produce undermine the existence of supply chain linkages with local farmers, and favour business linkages with local intermediary suppliers, dominantly shaping the regional development potential of supply chain linkages in western Uganda. Yet, this research found several ‘windows of opportunity’ for local suppliers to connect to the tourism value chain. Results on community partnerships suggest that most businesses do not move beyond the absolute minimum partnership intensity that is required to be able to strategically use for marketing purposes and obtain a unique selling proposition. Finally, our research exposes the complexity of locating responsibility among different stakeholders of the value chain in suggested paths for (regional) development.     

Is There a Local Business Community? Explaining the non-participation of small business in local economic development

This article reports a study of the attitudes of small business owners to the localities in which their businesses are located and local economic development. The views of the owners contrasted strongly with those of representatives of local business bodies and economic agencies. The findings indicate small business owners tend to be detached from the locality and from local economic initiatives. This appears to be due to historical trends that have reduced the role of small business in local political and economic processes and the logic(s) of business practice within the sectors analysed. This has occurred despite trends soliciting more private sector involvement in local economic initiatives.     

贸易政策与欧美产业界商务外交策略研究

贸易政策是政府与产业界博弈的结果。政府是商务外交的主体,产业界是商务外交的关键角色,欧美产业界以商务外交策略参与政府贸易政策的制定和调整从而实现其国际化目标。中国产业界应当加强与政府的商务外交合作,发挥行业协会的作用,通过商务外交获取政策优势,推动国际化。     

我国制造业企业网络营销中存在的主要问题研究

文章对我国制造业企业在网络营销中的问题进行了研究分析,指出主要问题表现在缺乏科学规划、网络营销前台系统建设存在缺陷、缺乏后台信息系统支撑、网络分销渠道与传统分销渠道缺乏整合和管理变革滞后等方面。制造业企业只有发现并解决这些问题,才能发挥网络营销的优势。     

Local economic development by community business

The contribution of community business to local economic development is being increasingly recognised. In Scotland's largest Region, Strathclyde, there are already 35 community businesses trading. The companies - community owned, community controlled and non-profit distributing - are almost exclusively based in 'deprived' areas. Glen Buchanan looks at the background of deteriorating employment opportunities against which community businesses have emerged, outlines the characteristics of community business, analyses their role as an agent for local economic development, and appraises the work of Strathclyde Community Business Ltd, the UK's largest community business development agency.     

Mixing Family Business with Politics in Thailand*

This paper uses newly compiled data on Thai family businesses and their direct participation in politics to examine whether the political participation of family business yields private economic payoff. The paper finds that the political participa‐tion of family members is positively associated with the profitability of family businesses. Furthermore, this ‘political benefit’ is found to be particularly large when firms are connected to cabinet members. These results support the crony capitalism view that powerful business groups in Thailand have an incentive to directly hold influential public offices to influence economic policy in their favor.     

Productivity Gains from Offshore Outsourcing: Evidence from the Chinese Manufacturing Industry

Using the Cobb–Douglas production function and vertical specialization share, the present paper measures the productivity spillover effects of offshore outsourcing in the Chinese manufacturing industry. We examine different production factors and the degree of openness by dividing the Chinese manufacturing industry into five major categories: capital‐intensive business, technological‐intensive business, labor‐intensive business, open business and non‐open business. The results show that offshore outsourcing is positively associated with productivity in the Chinese manufacturing industry as a whole, but less so in labor‐intensive industries and more in capital‐intensive industries. Moreover, the positive impact of outsourcing on productivity is slightly higher in open industries than in non‐open industries. These results shed light on the differential spillover effects of offshore outsourcing on productivity. Our findings suggest that outsourcing structure is important to China's long‐run competitive advantage. China's policy‐makers should encourage further offshore capital‐intensive and technology‐intensive activities and focus more on outward‐oriented offshore businesses.     

The future effect of e‐business on treasury and risk management systems and treasury management in South Africa

‘Internet’ and ‘e‐business’ are words that have become part of today's business world. Invariably we hear of the effect thereof on the way we used to do things, due to the shift in paradigm from command and control to a more open globalised, multi‐polar world. Traditional ways of doing business are fast becoming redundant, as they are not able to cater for the needs of a business in cyberspace. New technology has helped create new risks and more volatility in the financial environment due to the ease with which information is spread. To benefit from the many new developments that allow more efficient marketing, improved productivity, lower costs, better service, and better access to financial resources, a rethink or re‐engineering of the way we used to do things will be necessary. Doing business in cyberspace means getting involved in an environment where all rules have not yet emerged and where breach of security is a very real threat. E‐business has important implications for South Africa as an emerging economy, as it creates the possibility for better access to various financial resources and eventual increased economic activity. This will affect all sectors in the economy and may lead to generally improved business infrastructure for the country as whole and for individual businesses, local authorities and government treasury departments. This is especially important for South Africa as a developing country as it may lead to a stronger economy, which, in turn, will make an important contribution to more rapid alleviation of poverty and more rapid reform in the long run.     

Small firms and local economic development in South London

A growing body of literature has identified a number of potential constraints on small firm growth. Arguably, the severity of these constraints is closely related to the differing fortunes of industries and firms and the extent of localised external economies or diseconomies. This paper looks at the constraints facing manufacturing and business service firms in a large urban area. The paper draws on findings from a survey of small firms in Croydon. Data from the survey reveal some differences between small manufacturing and service firms in their experience of the urban environment. Physical constraints on expansion and labour shortages appear to be hindering small manufacturing firms in Croydon. Deficiencies in specific niches of the local business service sector may be preventing small business service firms from complementing and enhancing their internal capabilities. The problems facing small firms in Croydon and the sorts of local policy initiatives being developed are likely to be applicable to other large urban areas.     

The tourism potential of Beaufort West: a study based on visitor demand

Tourism is increasingly viewed as a key strategy for promoting local economic development. The integrated development planning (IDP) process of the Beaufort West municipality on the north-eastern border of the Western Cape identified tourism as a key to economic progress. Starting from this tourism-orientated approach to local economic development, a three-month survey of visitors examined the tourist potential of the town, a possible tourism product, and an approach to marketing the town as a destination. The findings suggested that Beaufort West should develop a ‘destination brand’, portraying the town as a ‘tourism gateway’ through which important sectors such as eco-tourism could be marketed. The profile of the survey participants revealed that tourist industries are not fully aware of their customer profile and should adjust their offerings to attract family visitors. The impact of the N1 route through town was also confirmed in the survey, which demonstrated that significant expenditure emanated from the high levels of traffic through the town.     

对日本企业融资方式及其治理结构的反思

日本企业采用的是银行主导型融资方式,产由此产生主银行内部控制型的企业治理结构模式,这种曾经促使日本经济快速腾飞的融资模式和治理结构是目前日本难以摆脱困境的根本原因,目产我国国有企业融资应采用“间接融资为主,直接融资为辅”的方式,其治理结构为证券市场,银行制度,融资结构“三位一体”的方式。     

基于电子商务的企业营销渠道创新

文章对传统营销渠道结构进行分析,传统营销渠道在网络经济条件下存在许多缺陷,文章基于电子商务对传统营销渠道整合以弥补传统营销渠道的缺陷,通过调整企业组织结构与经营方式,构建覆盖全球的商业营销体系,探索了电子商务背景下的企业营销渠道创新.     

Business reactions to the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak in Scotland

The paper focuses on two aspects of the 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Scotland that have been largely ignored: first, business managers perceptions of the impact of FMD during and immediately after the outbreak; and second, reactions to the outbreak in terms of action taken by businesses and advice sought. A panel survey of non-farm businesses conducted in April, June and September of 2001 is analysed to shed light on these issues. We find that even at the time, the vast majority of businesses did not report any real impact, although businesses in rural areas and in the tourism industry were more likely to feel some impact - either positive or negative. We show that business managers appeared to favour private sources of advice, although some public sources were found to be very useful, and that some actions, such as increased advertising in tourism businesses, could be more effective than others, such as making redundancies. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings for contingency planning in the event of future FMD outbreaks.     

Improving Access to Early Stage Venture Capital in Regional Economies: A New Approach to Investment Readiness

It is now recognised that many businesses are unsuccessful in raising equity finance because they are not investment ready. This has prompted enterprise support organisations in various countries to develop investment ready programmes. In the UK, the emphasis of these programmes is on providing information on sources of finance and how to access them, and on presentational skills. These are necessary but not sufficient conditions to get a business investment ready because they do not address business development issues which discourage potential investors. These issues are generally company specific and often require the input of significant expertise in order to make a company investable. This paper reviews LINC Scotland's approach, which is based on investment facilitation. It suggests that this approach does effectively address the business development support component of investment readiness at limited public cost and provides useful lessons for the design of investment ready programmes.     

日本中小企业的历史地位及其在经济再生中的作用

在战后日本经济总量的扩大和产业结构的优化过程中，中小企业发挥了不可替代的作用，它与大企业一起共同支撑了日本经济的振兴。究其缘由，这是中小企业具有自己相对固定的优势领域、与大企业形成的长期分工和互补关系以及多品种小批量的生产体制等多种因素共同作用的结果．20世纪90年代以后，中小企业更是利用其在生产经营上具有的机动性和灵活性特点，在吸纳劳动力就业、推动技术革新以及振兴地方经济等方面积极发挥作用，为遏制日本经济的进一步恶化进而走上“再生”道路不断贡献力量．     

Broiler production in an urban and peri-urban area of Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT

Broiler chicken production is an important livelihood option for urban households in Zimbabwe. A study was carried out to document the technical, demographic and socio-economic parameters characterising the production of broilers in an urban area of Zimbabwe. Findings showed that producers have quite diverse livelihoods and broiler production is not restricted to a survival strategy for the urban poor with no livelihood alternatives, but mostly involved the more privileged. Access to start-up capital and property ownership were pre-requisites for the business. Broiler units were small-scale, informal, backyard businesses dominated by women. Flock sizes averaged 398 (range 25–3500) birds per cycle. However, 79% of the producers kept at most 200 birds per cycle. The mean stocking density was 9.5?birds/m² and reported mortality averaged 7.4%. Respondents have ad hoc marketing arrangements, and face constraints with regard to lack of sectoral support, shortage of capital, prohibitive council by-laws, market access and disease. Poultry production is therefore an important livelihood and business option in the urban and peri-urban area studied.     

Product strategies, managerial comprehension, and organizational performance

Recent comments on the national competitive model based on thelinks between organizational skills and value added have recognizedthat individual firm performance can be significantly moderatedby either or both marketing expertise and differentiating skillswithin the organization with an emphasis on high-level managerialcapabilities. This article considers both a more detailed analysisof marketing approaches in this area and also the developmentin business strategy of concepts such as core competencies andcapabilities. The market approaches have focused on detailedproduct market strategies and, in particular, segmentation andpositioning in competitive markets. More sophisticated marketingapproaches can help resolve the complexity of ex-ante choices,which should not be confused with the simple ex-post patternswhich often emerge. Along with recent tentative work on theimpact of managerial comprehension, this suggests that the moderatingeffects of these two factors may indeed be even stronger thanpreviously suggested.