Message-ID: <199712110346.WAA33226@dresden.american.edu> Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 22:46:58 -0500 From: Jean-Claude Lorin <mailto:jlorin@SYNAPSE.NET> Subject: ENTERWeb News #3 To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
****************************************************************************ENTERWeb The Enterprise Development Website < http://www.enterweb.org/>
****************************************************************************
- NEW for October / November 1997
You will find hereunder the titles ( and short descriptions ) of the new sites which have been added to ENTERWeb during the months of October and November. If you are interested in accessing any of those sites just go to ENTERWeb's What's new page <http://www.enterweb.org/whatnew.htm> which will direct you to the appropriate sections.
-IISD: Business, Entrepreneurs and Sustainable Development
Created by the International Institute for Sustainable Development , this site is based on the belief that "a sustainable business has interdependent economic, environmental and social objectives, and understands that long-term viability depends on integrating all three objectives in decision-making." The site is divided in several sections (Sustainable Development and Business Options, Corporate Sustainable Development Reporting , Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurs, etc). Do not miss the "Business Strategy for Sustainable Development " and the "EarthEnterprise Tool Kit". A "Must" site.
-Green Pages: The Global Directory for Environmental Technology
This electronic directory system offers a quick way to find information on leading suppliers of environmental technologies from around the world. Extremely well structured site making it easy to find subsectoral information. Do not miss the editorial section.
-MIT Program on Technology, Business, and Environment
The Technology, Business and Environment Program of the Massachussets Institute of Technology was founded to help companies meet the dual challenges of achieving environmental excellence and business success. The Program centers on business practices and links technological change with sound environmental management. An excellent site. Do not miss the industrial ecology references and the primer on "implementing design for environment" in the publications section.
-Global Green Standards
This site is about ISO 14000 volontary standards which provide industry with a way to track, manage, and improve environmental performance without conflicting with the business priorities of an operation. They have been developed to assist organizations to achieve environmental and economic gains through the implementation of effective environmental management systems.
-World Business Council for Sustainable Development
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a coalition of 122 international companies united by a shared commitment to the environment and to the principles of economic growth and sustainable development. Its members are drawn from 34 countries and more than 20 major industrial sectors. Do not miss their "focus areas" in policy development and best practice.
-Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development
The Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development helps communities design and implement innovative strategies that enhance the local economy as well as the local environment and quality of life. US focused but quite good. Do not miss the excellent "sustainable development toolkit".
-Environmental Colours of Microfinance
Part of the Informal Credit Homepage (see ENTERWeb subpage on microcredit), the main interest of the "Environmental colors of microfinance" site is the section on "Enabling the link between Microcredit and Environment" which attempts to provide guidelines on environmental assessment for microfinance institutions and microenterprise activities.A truly "World Premiere" in the area of microenterprise development.
-Environment Technology Case Studies Directory (Australia)
The Environment Technology Case Studies Directory details 'best practice' solutions to environmental problems. Each case study provides detailed information on technology which is being successfully applied to an environmental problem in Australia. Covers a wide range of industries and environmental problems and should be of interest to many despite the sole focus on Australia.
-CzechInvest
This web site describes investment opportunities in the Czech Republic, and gives background data on the Czech economy as well as the political situation and other general information about the Czech Republic.
-Association for Global Internet Services (AGIS)
Although the site title might be slightly misleading, the principal mission of AGIS is to develop and promote the use of Internet services and applications to help solve basic economic, political, and social problems. Of interest are the AGIS Micro-Biz Network, focusing on business development services to micro- and small enterprises (MSEs), and the AGIS Global-Biz Network which includes a guide to trade and investment promotion resources on the Internet. A new site with potential.
- Youth Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development
A research project of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) aiming to assess the potential of youth enterprise and entrepreneurship skills development as a strategic policy and program focus for generating youth employment opportunities. Do not miss their links to other organizations and relevant research.
-Trade Winds
TradeWinds focuses on the electronic publication of information which assists in the promotion of International Trade. US focused but very useful.
-International Trade Law Library
Part of TradeWinds Publishing, this Electronic International Trade Law Library includes a series of information databases, or "infobases", consisting of international trade documents. Some of the infobases include: GATT, NAFTA, U.S., Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese International Trade Law and are searchable on-line through keywords. A very good site.
-Start Up Education
Start-Up Education is a US based NGO whose mission is to teach youth how to be entrepreneurs through a hands-on course where students operate a small business. Do not miss their page on web resources for youth entrepreneurship.
- Canadian Youth Business Foundation
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (Youth Business) is a non-profit, private-sector initiative designed to provide mentoring, business support and lending to young Canadian entrepreneurs who are creating new businesses. This site has very much improved since its creation and now includes very good resources links (although very much focused on Canada)
-USAID Microenterprise Innovation Project
The Microenterprise Innovation Project (MIP) is USAID's principal vehicle for microenterprise development activities. It's objective is to provide microentrepreneurs, particularly women and the very poor, with greater and more reliable access to financial and nonfinancial services needed to improve enterprise performance and household income. To achieve this objective, the individual components of MIP are designed to increase the capacity, outreach and scale of the international and indigenous organizations providing services to the microenterprise sector. A great site, already listed in the "Donors" section but very much relevant to microcredit
-Estrellamar Microcredit and ATM system
Urban microcredit and credit card access through ATM technology in Panama. A surprising initiative from the Estellamar Group and a very new website (October 22nd 1997). Can't wait to have more details.
-MicroFinance Network
The MicroFinance Network is a global association of leading microfinance practitioners. The members of the MFN are committed to improving the lives of low-income people through the provision of credit, savings and other financial services.
- Women and Money
"Women an money" is a 20 pages newsletter produced and commercialised by a women microentrepreneur . The corresponding site provides some past articles (on entrepreneurship, microcredit, etc. ) from previous newsletters as well as an interesting set of links.
-AJR Newslinks
Excellent index for all online newspapers, magazines, journals and broadcasts. Provides links to over 3622 newspapers from all over the world
-Total News
TotalNEWS is a search engine and directory of news sites designed to increase access to information. Categories include business, world, politics, etc. Despite the obvious focus on the US, it is still an excellent index of news sites.
-Euromoney magazine
Euromoney Online has been developed by Euromoney magazine to offer a sophisticated source of business and financial information on the world wide web. The entire editorial content of the magazine is available free. The focus is international but still US driven (Bank of America). Do not miss their recent Asia special edition
-Newspage
A compendium of daily business briefings divided by industry sectors and organised for the most part on a "Pay per View" basis. Limited interest unless you are ready to pay.
-Business Day:Thailand's first international business daily
The Internet edition of Business Day contains general business news, information on stock market as well as a special section on finance. A very good informative business site.
-Thailand Board of Investment
The Office of the Board of Investment is designed to be your one-stop source of up-to-date information about the business and investment environment in Thailand.A very informative site although a bit gimmicky in its Presentation. Very good business news section.
-Department of Industrial Promotion - Ministry of Industry
The official site of the Industrial Promotion Department of the Ministry of Industry. Provides information on the government industrial policy and on a number of government financed programs.
-Thailand: the big picture
Mostly useful for its map of Internet connectivity and the links to various information servers in Thailand. Also includes a commercial directory.
-ACCION International
Since 1961, ACCION International have been a pioneer in microcredit and microenterprise development, particularly in Latin America. Of particular interest is the information on the microfinance network, the list of publications and the US and Latin America statistics.
-China Vista
ChinaVista is a division of the Xindeco Business Information Company, the first and currently only publicly listed information company in China.This commercial site offers free information on current news, stock markets, investment reports, etc. as well as a very rich list of China links. Do not miss the Hyper-C link.
-Finance & Development
Finance & Development is published on the Web, quarterly in English, by the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Even though you have to order (and pay) some of the publications, what is available on site makes it an essential reading.
-Partnerbase: International Trade Resource for Finding Partners
Partnerbase is a new service dedicated to promoting business partnerships between North American and European companies. This business resource can help companies identify and develop international trade opportunities through transatlantic alliances. A commercial site which provides a free directory and an extensive list of related links.
-Transaction Net: Enabling Markets Online
According to the site description, Transaction Net is "an independent informational web site devoted to harnessing the power of win/win technologies like the Internet to transform factory-style practices into efficient, sustainable Information Age policies". Do not buy all the "hype" but do not miss a very interesting, unusual and challenging site.
-EntreWorld : Entrepreneurs in business
EntreWorld is an online information resource for entrepreneurs which attempt to provide a solution to information overload on the Web by providing filtered information coded by stage of business development (Starting Your Business, Running Your Business, Rapid Growth, and Supporting Entrepreneurship. ) Impressive collection of links and related documents. In my view more focused on academics than on entrepreneurs but still a very good site.
-Africa Online: Business & Finance
The Africa Online Business Information Network provides in-depth information on business and finance-related issues, as well as company profiles for three countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya). A very good site which also provides links to general sources of information on Africa including newspapers and magazines.
-IFC's Africa Business Network
The Africa Business Network, developed by the International Finance Corporation, is oriented towards the needs of investors in Africa. For small businesses, it provides general business help and "how-to" information in formulating a business plan, starting a business, financing and managing it. It also includes a variety of information for larger businesses.
Happy Browsing
Jean-Claude Lorin mailto:jlorin@synapse.net <http://www.enterweb.org>