Growth & Export
News, opinions and advice for fast growth businesses with an eye on the horizon.
Australian crowdsourcing outfit 99Designs picks up Webby and celebrates with song
99Designs' achievements have scored it the Best Web Service & Application gong in the Webby People’s Voice Awards, beating international crowdsourcing heavy-weights Dropbox and Tumblr. When entering, 99Design founder Mark Harbottle promised his Twitter followers that should his company win an award he would thank fans of the company in song. The following clip is the fulfilment of that promise.
Global Growth by Design
Want to break into Europe? Doing business in China? Is the USA your next stop?
Letter from Japan: Why Japan is a paradise for entrepreneurs
Doing business in Japan has often presented cultural difficulties for westerners. However, as our expat entrepreneur living in Tokyo Jon Sparks reveals in this new series, Japan might be in the shadow of the emerging markets of China and India, but is still one of the best places in Asia for entrepreneurs to operate.
An Aussie tech star talks about taking on the world (and winning)
This instalment focuses on Dr John Papandriopoulos, who in 2007 as a 30-year-old University of Melbourne research fellow revolutionised broadband by developing an algorithm that speeds up ADSL connections by up to 100 times.
The Great Escape – How Australian exporters survived and even thrived in the GFC
It was widely predicted that 2009 was going to be the year that hit the first world economies the hardest when it came to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). And for many it did just that. Australia, however, managed to weather the worst of it. Tim Harcourt reports on Australia’s strong export industry and showcases some shining examples of Australian exporters growing in these turbulent times.
Is Australian prosperity too dependent on the rise of China?
According to the latest rankings released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, China is again our number one trading partner. But it raises the question: Do we have too many eggs in the China basket?
The Great Recovery and soaring dollar create headaches and opportunities for Australian companies
It is generally thought that a soaring Aussie dollar is terrible for exporters. However, as Austrade's Chief Economist Tim Harcourt reveals, there are two sides to every coin.
What will global and Australian trade look like in 2020?
Ten years ago, Australia’s ‘old economy’ looked to be an emerging liability. In the next ten years, however, this same ‘old economy’ foundation – expertly equipped to fuel the emerging Asian economies – will likely deliver unparalleled opportunities for transformation and national prosperity. So say Tim Harcourt, Chief Economist at Austrade, and Chris Richardson, Director of Access Economics.
The importance of leveraging Brand Australia
Australia is top of the pops when it comes to perception. Look at most of the global brand surveys from Anholt to Future Brand....
Are these the first signs of The Great Recovery?
So how did 'The Great Recession' on Monday become "The Great Recovery' by Friday? Well it didn't, but in between the beginning and end of the week, we did have a remarkable run of good data to boost our spirits (such evidence is now better known as 'green shoots' after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke used the term to describe a positive run of data showing signs of a possible recovery).
Letter from China – Innovate, or else…
The Chinese word for "crisis" is often erroneously thought to be composed of two characters: one representing danger and the other representing opportunity. Etymological nuance aside, how you see the 'glass' will ultimately determine how you perform through a crisis. The Chinese are very good at planning for such an event. After all, it's all in Sun Tzu's 'Art of War'.
What your business should learn from Iceland’s collapse
The great Michael Lewis is probably the best and most readable chronicler of the current financial crisis. In this fascinating piece, he investigates the collapse of Iceland, and finds that mass delusion and lack of dissenting voices, products of Iceland's provincial and isolated culture, were keys to this "perfect bubble" and ensuing disaster.
What your business should learn from Iceland's collapse
The great Michael Lewis is probably the best and most readable chronicler of the current financial crisis. In this fascinating piece, he investigates the collapse of Iceland, and finds that mass delusion and lack of dissenting voices, products of Iceland's provincial and isolated culture, were keys to this "perfect bubble" and ensuing disaster.
Do exporters make better bosses?
At a time of global economic uncertainty, the issue of trade and employment is becoming the focus of public debate - particularly with news of large scale redundancies in the media. If this trend continues, there is the risk of increased calls for protectionism here in Australia (as has already occurred in the USA). This is a concern because we all know what has happened in the past when the world has returned to protectionism - mass unemployment, inequality and conflict extending well beyond the trade sphere.
Letter from China | Meetings – how many will it take?
The term "losing face" is big in China. Mistakes are a blight on someone's reputation and must be hidden and protected at all times. Truth and foresight can be impaired if "face" is involved. It supersedes all other qualities and motives.
Letter from China | Meetings – how many will it take?
The term "losing face" is big in China. Mistakes are a blight on someone's reputation and must be hidden and protected at all times. Truth and foresight can be impaired if "face" is involved. It supersedes all other qualities and motives.
Letter from China | China, one scoop at a time
Shanghai.
You would think that in China - with its growing power base, its population of more than 1.4bn people and its status as a...
Letter from China | China, one scoop at a time
Shanghai.
You would think that in China - with its growing power base, its population of more than 1.4bn people and its status as a...
