Message-ID: <199804020356.WAA03887@cornell.edu> Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 22:56:34 -0500 From: Jean-Claude Lorin <mailto:jlorin@synapse.net> Subject: ENTERWeb News #5 To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
**************************************************************************** ENTERWeb News #5 February / March 1998 >From ENTERWeb, The Enterprise Development Website
< http://www.enterweb.org/> ****************************************************************************For those of you who have visited ENTERWeb lately (like less than a week ago) you will have noticed that the entry page has changed somewhat : a more attractive menu and a faster loading time overall. Let me know what you think.
February / March 1998 have also been very good months for ENTERWeb which was awarded the Argus Clearinghouse Digital Librarian's Award in February, incorporated in the Reference Section of the Internet Public Library, chosen by the editorial staff of the Scout Report which is the flagship publication of the Internet Scout Project of the InterNIC , received 4 star from the Blue Web'n Knowledge Network of Pacific Bell, and finally got a full feature article as the weekly spotlight of the Mining Company Small Business Guide ( <http://sbinformation.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa032698.htm>) which is the fastest growing guide on the Web and now incorporated in Netscape Search.
This recognition of quality was translated as well in the increased number of visitors: 3,227 separate visits in March, compared to 2,026 in February and 1,257 in January 1998.
That success could not have happened without new sites being listed as part of ENTERWeb.
You will find hereunder the titles ( and short descriptions ) of the new sites which have been added to ENTERWeb during the months of February and March 1998. If you are interested in accessing any of those sites just go to ENTERWeb main page < http://www.enterweb.org/> and press on the What's new button which will direct you to the appropriate sections.
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1)SmallbizNet
A service of the Edward Lowe Foundation, SmallbizNet is an information toolbox for starting, running, and growing a small business;. The heart of SmallbizNet is a collection of over 4,000 documents, selected from government agencies, small business consultants, etc. Although the focus is very much on the U.S. the library will be useful to anyone.
2)Central Banking Resource Center
Mark Bernkopf's Central Banking Resource Center is much more than a simple directory of Central Banks. It includes sections on Ministries of Finance and Economy, Currency Boards, Financial and Economic Conferences, Multilateral Financial Institutions, Monetary Research Institutes and Consultancies, Bankers' Institutes and Associations, etc. A very good site.
3)Pôle microfinancement
This site on microfinance is set up by GRET and CIRAD, two organizations based in France. Its objective is to promote information gathering and exchange on microfinance knowledge and practices. As it stands only the bibliographic references section is operational, but is definitely worth the visit.
4)AsianNet
AsianNet labelling itself the No. 1 Information Provider of Asia is a combination of a business directory and a country guide. Very useful, especially for traders and exporters.
5)Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a private, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working to advance the mutual interests of the United States and the Asia-Pacific region. The section on reports and publications is interesting although it provides only summaries.
6)West African Enterprise Network
The West African Enterprise Network (WAEN) was created in 1993 with the objectives of improving the business climate in the member countries of the Network, and of promoting cross-border trade and investment in West Africa. Interesting initiative which shows the dynamism of the "new generation" of african entrepreneurs.
7)Lokace Finance
Lokace Finance describes itself as the first francophone finance directory. It includes sites related to stock exchange, financial markets, information services, financial software, commercial financial services. Interesting but still limited at this stage.
8)The Electronic Commerce Guide
The E-Commerce Guide from Mecklermedia Corporation features a comprehensive list of links to hundreds of sites and resources on theWorld-Wide Web devoted to the evolving electronic commerce industry.
9)EcEdWeb
Although the main purpose of EcEdWeb, the Economic Education Website, is to provide support for economic education in all forms and at all levels, it is a very useful site for anyone looking for general information on Economics. Its commented list of related weblinks is excellent.
10)The Small Business Resource Center
The Small Business Resource Center is a collection of free reports, hypertext links and an illustrated catalog containing books and tapes of interest to current and prospective business owners.
11)The Mining Company
The Mining Company is a new concept of web guide relying on outside experts to compile lists of sites that deal with their areas of expertise.The result is impressive as well as innovative. A combination of news, feature articles, country focus, practical tips, preferred links, etc make the site enjoyable as well as useful. I particularly liked the small business and global business sections. A truly excellent site, directly focused on the information needs of small businesses and a model to follow.
12)Madalyn Business Research Tool
A business research tool from the University of Delaware, Madalyn is a meta-index of Internet resources in a number of topics including entrepreneurship, international business, accounting, management, etc. A very good and very rich site. Do not miss the MIS and Technology section.
13)African Women and Economic Development Conference; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The conference will seek ways to speed up the socio-economic development of Africa by integrating gender issues into development policies, plans and programmes. It will also address information and communication as a strategic tool to build effective partnerships around the priority concerns of men and women.
14)Entre World: A World of Resources for Entrepreneurs
EntreWorld is an online information resource for entrepreneurs and supporters of entrepreneurship. EntreWorld provides a solution to information overload on the Web by providing information coded by stage of business development. An excellent site.
15)Microfinance and Anti-Poverty Strategies
A very interesting book by by José Garson from UNCDF which looks at the ways microcredit can be used in fighting poverty, ie microcredit as an income generating tool (credit provided to the entrepreneurial poor should cause the poor to cross, or move closer to, the poverty line) or microcredit used a basic human needs tool ( in financing the provision of basic needs, especially in the areas of low-cost housing, water supply and sanitation
****************************************************************************** If you have sites to suggest for review, please let me know. If you have comments or suggestions on the way ENTERWeb should evolve, don't hesitate and drop me a line, and finally don't forget to tell your colleagues and friends about ENTERWeb. The more feedback I receive the better it will be.
Happy browsing
t. Jean-Claude Lorin ENTERWeb Webmaster <mailto:mailto:jlorin@synapse.net> <http://www.enterweb.org>