World Business Review with Alexander Haig Interviews Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation.

FT Lauderdale, FL August, 2003 -- The FTZ Corporation, a leading provider of Foreign-Trade Zone consulting services, today announced that two partners and a senior consultant will appear on the award-winning television show World Business Review, hosted by Alexander Haig, to be aired on PBS and The Business and Technology Channel Sunday, August 24 through Saturday August 30, and on all United Airlines domestic and international flights in October and November. The program focuses on leading trends in business and technology and is hosted by General Alexander Haig, Chairman of Worldwide Associates Inc., former President and Chief Operating Officer of United Technologies, and former Secretary of State, White House Chief of Staff, and Senior Military Advisor.FTZ Corporation principals, Craig Pool and Greg Jones, and Senior Consultant Trudy Huguet, were selected to appear on the program to discuss the Foreign-Trade Zones program, which provides U.S. companies with tariff and duty savings, making them more competitive with overseas competitors. As noted on the show, FTZs offer many advantages to companies in both the manufacturing and distribution sectors, including:-Relief from Inverted Tariffs-Duty Exemption on Re-exports-Streamlined LogisticsAbout the FTZ Corporation:The Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation is a service provider offering FTZ cost-benefit analyses, applications, boundary modifications, assistance in designing and creating Zone projects, training, and Customs compliant Foreign-Trade Zone software.About World Business Review:The show's format is a newsmagazine style and provides education about the latest topics, trends and issues in a variety of industries. WBR features On-Location field footage illustrating business strategies and technology, along with commentary from leading corporate executives and industry experts.World Business Review is distributed worldwide via US Public Television in major markets including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, Tech TV, and independent carriers. The series airs internationally in Canada and on Asia Television. The World Business Review tape series has been developed into a full curriculum for college and university level courses. The educational institutions below currently use the World Business Review tape series with curriculum in a variety of business and technology courses or within their school of business libraries or on-campus TV networks.Broadcast dates and times in your market are located here: http://www.ftzcorp.com/World_Business_FTZ_Broadcast_Schedule.pdf.You may obtain more information about Foreign-Trade Zones and the FTZ Corporation by visiting the FTZ Corporation website, located at http://www.ftzcorp.com.

Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Trade Secrets Protects Your Invention!

Patent numbers are issued sequentially, beginning with the number one. Patent number one was issued to Samuel Hopkins on July 31, 1790. It took 75 years for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to issue patent number 1,000,000. Patent number 7,000,000 was issued February 14, 2006. It took only seven years for the USPTO to move from issuance of patent number 6,000,000 to 7,000,000. What does this mean? Simply, there is more creativity now that at any time in history. The old saw that there is nothing new is completely wrong. There has never been so many people and entities creating novel, unique products, technology and services, and so driven to commercialize these inventions. More patents and entrepreneurs attempting to market their products is indicative that there is more competition for successful placement. It is essential that entrepreneurs protect their inventions. This is a form of insurance. To attempt to market an invention without covering the work with the shield of patent, trademark, copyright or trade secret protection indicates a frivolous approach that will not succeed. Investors, licensees, and investors demand the protection that these intellectual property products afford. Even if the entrepreneur is going to self-market the invention, protection is essential in order to fend off competition. A pharmacist in Atlanta, at the beginning of the 20th century, created a formula for syrup that he sold at the soda fountain in his pharmacy. John Pemberton mixed the syrup with soda water and sold drinks of the concoction as a wellness beverage to cure aches and pains. Mr. Pemberton had created Coca-Cola. He never anticipated that Coke would become an international comfort product, the soft drink. The smartest thing John Pemberton ever did, besides inventing Coca-Cola, was to handle the secret formula for the syrup as a Trade Secret. To this day, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company zealously protects the ingredients and chemistry involved in producing the base syrup that is the essence of classic Coca-Cola. Big Boy Restaurants protects the recipe for the tartar sauce that goes on their sandwiches, and that many customers buy by the bottle and take home. McDonalds doggedly protects the process their restaurants utilize to cut, cook and season their French-fries. William Wrigley was just as manic in keeping secret his technique for delivering powerfully flavored, long lasting, chewing gum. Trade Secrets typically are not able to secure patent protections. The novelty of the Trade Secret is in the blending, chemistry or chronology utilized to deliver the finished product. If you have such a recipe you will want to keep this knowledge very near, as it can become very dear. If the public knew the formula for Coca-Cola, quite possibly there would be a lot of consumers keen to blend their own drink at home. Coke would not like that! If your product has the potential and necessity to become a Trade Secret you will want to follow several very basic steps. First, write down every event related to the development of the formula. Keep a logbook with the data, dates and details of your work. As you finalize your development work memorialize all of the steps essential to delivering the finished product you wish to keep secret in a recipe or summary document. Then store in a very secure place (a safety deposit box, or safe) all of the work product and the recipe or formula. The Trade Secret gains incredible asset value when your product becomes a market success. Selling a business built around a fully protected Trade Secret exponentially increases the value of the company. Coca-Cola, Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Oil of Olay, Schlitz, Dom Perignon, Ben and Jerrys and Estee Lauders Youth Dew are only a few examples of famous brands built around a Trade Secret. A Trademark is important in developing brand awareness for a product. Use a Patent Attorney when approaching the highly specialized area of seeking Trademark protection. I have never seen an entrepreneur successfully navigate the very complex workings of the USPTO. I HAVE seen many attempts to handle the process, all resulting in complete failure. The content of a Trademark can include a customized, identifying icon, stylized brand name and a branding statement. Nike uses the famous slash (icon) the Companys name (recognizable stylized font) and Just Do It! (branding statement). Include all of the elements that the public will recognize in your Trademark application. Look around at local, regional, national and international companies and brands that you see every day. Pats Cheese Steaks in Philadelphia is a local business that has gained great fame and brand recognition and protects their brand with a trademark. It is a destination for visitors to Philly. Chanel, the French haute couture brand, is internationally revered and the classic C that adorns every unit of Chanel product is one of the most recognized brand icons in the world. Truly Nolen, the national pest removal service, trademarks the mouse ears seen on every piece of sales collateral, advertisement and service vehicle the Company uses. Owning a Trademark confers an obligation to police and protect the assigned mark. The inclusion of on every unit of product is essential. Again, consult an attorney. Trademarks can inadvertently become vacated and lost. Copyrights are utilized to protect intellectual property. Movie content, poetry, music, books and plays are copyrighted. We have worked with clients on a number of video and board games. We always copyright the rules and/or the play features of the game. Recently, Dan Brown, the writer of the wildly successful book the The Da Vinci Code, was suited for plagiarism by the British authors of a book about the search for the Holy Grail. The search for the Holy Grail is central to the plot of the The Da Vinci Code. There are full library shelves devoted to the search for the mystical Holy Grail. And yet, during the run-up to the movie release of The Da Vinci Code a legal action involving this intellectual property was commenced. Brown and his publisher vigorously defended their rights under their Copyright protection. They won full vindication from the court. Producers of intellectual content properties (movie studios, record labels, book publishers) are very hesitant to accept unsolicited proposals for review. The Da Vinci Code saga is the reason. Legal action is rife in the area of intellectual property. We all remember things that we saw, heard or experienced from the distant, but dim past. Regurgitating a variation of that experience may find its way to the written page. Voila, was this material plagiarized? Mattel and Hasbro will not review ANY outside toy submissions. Is it not coincidental that there has not been a breakthrough toy introduction in years from Hasbro or Mattel? This is one of the unfortunate byproducts of a litigious society, the limits placed on needed innovations. Protect your intellectual property with a Copyright. I recommend to my clients, before spending a dime on a patent attorney, that they perform a cursory search at the USPTO.Gov web-site by providing all obvious key words applicable to their invention. If a number of patented products come up, and they are spot-on their idea, the item might not be a candidate for a filing. If the field seems open and clean, then I advise hiring the patent attorney to conduct a professional, thorough search. The in-depth search will confirm the potential for successfully obtaining patent protection. Patents are the preferred style of protection for most inventors and entrepreneurs. Patents (utility) are very powerful agents of defense against predators, thieves and knock off artists. Not to be a boor, but, again, utilize the services of a patent attorney. I am always amazed and amused at how many people think they can successfully write, provide highly specific 3-D CAD art, file, handle USPTO objections and move the patent through the labyrinth of a Federal Government bureaucracy. Go Figure! They waste time and money, and usually negate any opportunity to have a re-filed patent successfully obtain a patent number. The Provisional Patent filing is basically a letter that is placed on file with the USPTO. The Provisional filing advises the USPTO of the description of the product you are attempting to develop. The letter has a one-year life cycle and must be extended with a formal patent filing (Utility or Design) or the product is vacated forever. We utilize the Provisional Patent as a fully legal way to state that a product in early stage development is Patent Pending. This filing is also very inexpensive relative to a design or utility patent. A Provisional Patent filing also enables the entrepreneur to have a one year time window to test and gauge market response to the invention. If reaction is positive, then it reinforces the necessity of continuing to devote assets to further development of the opportunity. The Design Patent simply covers art features noted in the application. This is the weakest form of patent protection. A competitor only needs to change a design element, cosmetic feature or add an artisan variant to overcome a Design Patent. However, for products that have real commercial potential, but cannot overcome prior, existing product art to obtain a Utility Patent, the Design Patent offers one potentially important benefit: the option to keep a product suspended in ongoing Patent Pending status. We have done this on a number of occasions. A simple amendment to the initial filing means that a bureaucrat at the USPTO must find the file, pick it up, insert the amended filing detail and re-log the filing. As a result the filing goes to the back of the line and we gain months more Patent Pending protection. Why go through all of this? When a product is in Patent pending mode it has ultimate protection. When a patent number is issued the clock starts ticking on the effective life of protection and details of the novelty of the patented product become public knowledge. Your product is obviated. It can be amazingly simple for the less than scrupulous knock off artist to engineer around your inventions unique features and benefits. By keeping a product in Patent pending limbo we keep the features shrouded from any public awareness. This often leads to a first to market advantage and competition is only aware that there is a Patent pending. The added time that the product obtains, to build and extend sales traction, and begin the branding process is exponentially more valuable than the legal fees required to keep adding elementary addenda to the Design filing. You want to be first to market, and have as much time as possible to stand-alone in a market. The Utility Patent is exceedingly valuable, both as a protective shield against competition and as a business asset. The invention that receives a Utility Patent number from the USPTO is potentially of interest to licensees, partners, investors and venture capital. Most patented products (Utility), however, never make it to market. We often see inventions that are novel, and thus patent possible, but not commercial, or needed, or beneficial. We all know a mad scientist or two, with endless designs, inventions and patents, none of which are ever going to be a market success. The Utility Patent protects the novel features and benefits that the application describes in great detail. The patent attorney will narrate the unique aspects of your invention. They will also mention other patents near your space but painstakingly note the differences inherent to your invention. In addition, a great deal of effort will be devoted to creating 3-D Computer Assisted Design art that portrays your product from every possible angle and graphically depicts the uniqueness of your product. Utility Patent filings rarely sail though the USPTO without being challenged. A competent patent attorney often anticipates the weakness in a filing and has a sheath of retorts ready to address the examiners concerns and questions. This re-directs the file back into the bureaucracy at USPTO. I tell my clients that they can expect up to an 18-month wait before receiving notice of the USPTO decision. However, on several complex filings, I have seen the process take up to six years. Believe me, it is worth the work, the wait and the investment if a successful outcome from the USPTO is achieved. A Utility Patent conveys gravitas. The invention has stood up to the most stringent scrutiny and been accorded the most highly desired verdict: this invention has import.

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance. Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Courses Coming to America: Oil Trading and Price Risk Management Training from The Oxford Princeton Programme

Princeton, NJ July, 2003 - The Oxford Princeton Programme announces the courses Principles of International Oil Trading and Advanced International Oil Trading and Price Risk Management are to be presented in America this fall. Presented in Houston this September 2003, both instructor-led courses delve into the policies and procedures surrounding international oil trading and price risk management.Just added to the public schedule, Principles of International Oil Trading, September 24-26, 2003, covers the basic principles of international oil trading, and the allied fields of supply, transportation and refining. Through the medium of a case study, delegates will address day-to-day problems, and will understand the relevant commercial driving forces in this area. Advanced International Oil Trading and Price Risk Management, September 29-October 1, 2003, is being introduced to North America for the first time. The course covers the advanced trading techniques applicable to the management of price risk in international oil trading. Through a variety of case studies, delegates will learn the techniques involved in trading and how to address the day-to-day problems of managing the price risk associated with the role of producer, refinery, or consumer with an integrated trading position.Both courses are lead by instructor Mr. Robin Burley. Mr. Burley is principal consultant with Kennet Oil Logistics, a company established in 1990 providing expertise in the international supply, trading and transportation sector. Principles of International Oil Trading and Advanced International Oil Trading and Price Risk Management are both three-day intensive courses that are available through The Oxford Princeton Programme's schedule of courses found at www.oxfordprinceton.com. Alternatively, the courses are also available for on-site presentations at any organization. Both courses are part of the Gold Level of The Oxford Princeton Programme, presented by The College of Petroleum and Energy Studies.About The Oxford Princeton Programme:Formed in July 2000 through the merger of The College of Petroleum and Energy Studies and Princeton Energy Programme, The Oxford Princeton Programme is now the world's leading provider of training solutions to the energy, commodity and derivatives industries. In addition to PrincetonLive.com, the energy and commodity web-based training site, The Oxford Princeton Programme offers over 70 instructor-led classroom-training courses, including interactive workshops and in-depth views of specific industry topics. For more information, visit: www.oxfordprinceton.com. The Oxford Princeton Programme is a division of FAME Information Services, Inc.About FAME Information Services, Inc.:FAME Information Services Inc, www.fame.com, is a leader in time-series-based, decision-support solutions for the world's financial and energy markets, delivering enterprise information integration, managed data services and Internet-enabled analytical components and products. FAME also provides complete custom solutions for the management and analysis of historical and reference data through its professional services group. Headquartered in New York City, FAME has over 600 customers in 40 countries and employs over 350 professionals at 16 office locations.

Determining Your Trade Show Objectives

Millions of individuals attend and thousands of companies participate, but relatively few who are involved in trade shows fully understand the exhibit medium. Many exhibitors at the average trade or industrial show make gross errors in their exhibits because they do not know what the medium is or how to use it wisely.There are many reasons why a company enters a trade show, and it is important that a company spell out its objectives before making this decision. These objectives can include: to make sales; to maintain an image and continuing contact with customers; to initiate contact with new customers; to introduce a new product or service; to demonstrate equipment; to offer an opportunity for customers to bring their technical problems and obtain solutions; to obtain feedback from booth visitors; to relate to the competition; etcThe most common objective, of course, is the first one: to make sales and the trade show can play a unique role in leading a prospective buyer from mild interest to the decisive act of placing an order. While making sales and sales contacts is the most common objective of an exhibit, it is certainly not the only one. Participation in a trade show is a good way to sharpen one's sensitivity to the conditions of the marketplace. At a trade show, you can sense the general attitude of people more rapidly than any other way.Pinpoint your objective:In order to utilise the special characteristics of the trade show exhibit to their maximum, you must make it an integral part of the marketing program. You must define exactly what you want your exhibit to accomplish, and then see that all decisions about design, copy, scheduling, and so on, are based on these decisions. It all starts with the company's marketing goals, which are broken down into goals for each division or perhaps for each product or product line.When you set an objective, be sure it is meaningful and measurable. Objectives are written statements of measurable goals, prepared before participation in a trade show. Putting these objectives in writing not only helps you, the exhibitor, clarify your planning, but provides specific guidelines to everyone else involved: design; implementation, participation and evaluation.These objectives have two components:(a) Target audience (to whom, specifically are you communicating?) and(b) Quantifiable objectives: It is not adequate to say 'My objective is to display our new product'. This is not measurable.These statements are measurable: To attract 15% of the total attendees to our booth to see a demonstration of our new product. To communicate Benefit 1 and Benefit 2 about our product to attendees and to obtain 1,200 literature requests and 750 requests for demonstrations of our product.With proper research these can be measured and the data will pinpoint a contribution of the show, will help justify the cost and, will be a benchmark of accomplishment against which future participation can be compared.Plan your objectives:The first groups of question to ask are basic:"What shows shall we enter?" "How much space do we need in each?" " What do we want to say?" " Whom do we want to reach?" "What do we want to accomplish?" "What kind of an exhibit design do we need to achieve our objectives?" "How do we tell our story?"Once these are answered you need to ask: "How much will this cost us?"However, the most important questions to ask and really the place to start, because they get to the essentials of your marketing plan are: "what is the real reason for going into this show at all? "What end do we wish to reach?" and "What are our goals?"Ken MacKenzie's web site "The Marketing Update" is at: http://www.themarketingupdate.com He has had some 30 years experience in small business marketing and public relations and, prior to establishing Ken MacKenzie Communications in 1993, he was a Senior Consultant for over five years with International Public Relations Pty Ltd. He has also consulted to the United States Foreign Commercial Service, based in Sydney Australia. As a Consultant, Ken managed many accounts including Monier Roofing Limited, NUS International Pty Ltd, MasterFoods of Australia, the Jakarta Promotion Board, the Australian Made Campaign, Boral Roofing, Boral Bricks, Boral Plasterboard, Frontline Business Services and Sydney Point of Sale. In his consulting to the United States Department of Commerce in Sydney, Ken served as Principal Advisor to the United States Trade Centre Director on major U.S. trade event planning and implementation of numerous U.S. Government sponsored trade shows covering many different industry groups.

Participating in an Overseas Trade Show

Select a market with care: Study the market before you decide to enter an overseas trade show. You will find that most government agencies have publications and statistics that are helpful. Trade associations, chambers of commerce, foreign consulates also can assist you.Decide your objectives: Why do you want to exhibit? Are you looking for on-the-spot sales or new customers? Do you want to introduce a new product or service? Do you want to find representatives or distributors? Are you interested in a joint venture or licensing arrangements? Perhaps you want to exhibit in order to gain exposure or study the market. Whether you will be represented by one of your own sales people, a representative, or distributor, it is essential that you clearly establish and communicate to this individual your reasons for exhibiting and the results you expect during and after the trade show.Learn all you can about the exhibition: If it is a trade fair, ask the organisers of the event for a catalogue of the previous event. Get the opinions of past exhibitors. Attendance figures are important and can indicate whether a trade show attracts local, national, or international business people. Make certain that no other fair is scheduled that may be better known or more appropriate for your products.Establish a Budget: Make sure you budget includes total costs, not just space and design expenses. Keeping track of expenses will help you budget better next time and facilitate your evaluation of the show's worth.Decide who will staff your exhibit: Your representative should be a decisionmaker, authorised to transact business. If your product is highly technical, think about sending along an engineer. Even if your overseas representative will be at your stand, consider sending someone over to add prestige, lend a hand, evaluate and train your representative, and observe the competition.If you are seeking an overseas representative, invite several candidates to your exhibit for interviews, and then visit the more promising ones before making a final decision. No matter who represents you, make sure you clearly explain the objectives of your participation.Request a good location: The earlier you apply for space the better. Make certain you know all the trade show's rules, exhibiting hours, shipping regulations, design guidelines, and the utilities, services, and facilities available to you. Don't wait until you get to the exhibition to read important literature.Consult early with exhibit designer: Your budget, objectives, and desired impression will be important influences on what your exhibit looks like. Will you be showing one or two new products or your entireline ? Do you want visitors to move through quickly or linger and talk ? If you want to distribute literature or have visitors register, make certain these activities are considered in your exhibit design. For a more effective exhibit, highlight some new product. Remember, an outstanding exhibit cannot be put together overnight.Plan your trip: Decide what other markets you might visit before or after the exhibition, often at no increase in the air fare. Obtain confirmed hotel reservations as soon as your travel plans are firm. Be sure you have a valid passport with current visas and your immunisation record is up to date.Select a freight forwarder: Trade shows often designate "official" frieght forwarders, caterers, maintenance and other service companies. Contact these organisations early to determine their charges and services, make arrangements with them and, get their advice as required. Check on import duties, trade restrictions, required documentation.Initiate promotional activities well in advance: The first step should be to apply for a listing and to consider an advertisement in the official trade show catalogue. Many visitors to a trade show base their schedule of visits to exhibitors on the official show directory. Other ways of attracting prospects to your stand are direct mail invitations, personal contact, and advertising in trade magazines.Ken MacKenzie's web site "The Marketing Update" is at: http://www.themarketingupdate.com He has had some 30 years experience in small business marketing and public relations and, prior to establishing Ken MacKenzie Communications in 1993, he was a Senior Consultant for over five years with International Public Relations Pty Ltd. He has also consulted to the United States Foreign Commercial Service, based in Sydney Australia.As a Consultant, Ken has managed many accounts including Monier Roofing Limited, NUS International Pty Ltd, MasterFoods of Australia, the Jakarta Promotion Board, the Australian Made Campaign, Boral Roofing, Boral Bricks, Boral Plasterboard, Frontline Business Services and Sydney Point of Sale. In his consulting to the United States Department of Commerce in Sydney, Ken served as Principal Advisor to the United States Trade Centre Director on major U.S. trade event planning and implementation of numerous U.S. Government sponsored trade shows covering many different industry groups.

Robert Heuermann, Jr. Named Executive Director of World Trade Center Saint Louis

St. Louis, MO June 25, 2004 -- Robert R. Heuermann, Jr. who is executive director of the St. Louis Center for International Relations, has been named executive director of World Trade Center St. Louis, with responsibility to expand international economic development initiatives and merge administrative functions of the two organizations.As executive director of World Trade Center Saint Louis (WTC-STL), Heuermann will work to strengthen relations with local and international businesses while developing new WTC-STL programs to help local companies enter and conduct business in new global markets, including those in Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, Africa and the Middle East.Heuermann, age 38, also will lead initiatives to intensify promotions and pro-business outreach for both organizations to help generate new overseas trade, reciprocal investment and economic development for enterprises in metro St. Louis. St. Louis Center for International Relations (SLCIR) and World Trade Center Saint Louis will maintain separate identities, yet each will realize additional benefits from the pooling of resources, said Heuermann, who will continue as SLCIR executive director. Both organizations are located at the World Trade Center Building at 121 South Meramec Avenue.Heuermann has been executive director of SLCIR since 1999 and a member of the WTC-STL Board of Directors since 2000. Previously, he was an international marketing consultant for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. Early in his career, he was an independent producer for TV and movies, including National Geographic Television; Paramount Pictures; The A&E Television Network; The History Channel; BBC in London; RTL Television in Berlin; and for Japanese TV in Osaka.World Trade Center Saint Louis is a regional entity serving metropolitan St. Louis, the state of Missouri and Southern Illinois. It offers customized global market research and business intelligence services; conducts more than 30 trade-specific events annually; renders access to global business contacts and resources; and provides international business education programs and seminars. Its license is granted by the World Trade Centers Association in New York City. The St. Louis Center for International Relations is a non-profit entity administered jointly by St. Louis City and St. Louis County governments. Its primary mission is to promote the St. Louis region's international profile and develop socio-economic exchanges with other cities to attract more business investment and to expand educational and cultural opportunities locally. It is the development arm of St. Louis' thirteen sister city relationships and their committees.For more information, contact Robert Heuermann, Jr. at 314.863.6777 or Jeff Dunlap at Powerline Public Relations, LLC in St. Louis at 314.721 5505, or visit the websites www.worldtradecenter-stl.com or www.slcir.org.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

IMF was created to faster economic growth and to decrease the unemployment level in different countries. IMF's purpose is to provide the financial assistance to developing countries that seek it. There are economic policies that enable this initiative. IMF was created in 1944 along with World Bank and it provides aid to countries to pay back the already outstanding debts that the country has. However, countries often can't pay back the debt to IMF itself and are forced to borrowing more money from the Fund.As the indebted countries got into even more debt, the IMF's 'right' was to intervene into their economies, making structural adjustments with the purpose of actually helping to repay debts. Tragically, very often the effects on the economies have been devastating. Generally, the countries are required to: Reduce inflation; Reduction of Imports; Increase of Exports; Restrict flows of capital and goods; Liberalise Trade; Privatise government enterprises; Reduce public spendingThese are part of technical assistance policies, which were used in Poland during post-communism crisis and actually brought about healing to the economy. 'Shock Therapy' is said to have helped the Polish economy. But Poland already had a market price mechanism unlike the other post-communist countries. So whether IMF actually helped Poland still remains a highly controversial issue. But does the fact that policies were successful once mean that they are always successful? As we shall see with the examples of South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia this is not so. We shall now discuss the possible reasons of these policies' failure.Firstly, as said before, IMF encourages countries to increase exports and reduce imports. Generally this is achieved by devaluing their currencies. As might be expected, inflation occurs and the economy as a whole suffers - for example, businesses become under pressure and at risk of collapse. To decrease aggregate demand (which increased after devaluation and resulted in inflation) banks increase interest rates (also, adjusting to an increase in inflation by trying to balance out interest rates and the rate of inflation). Increase in inflation means increase in living costs. Therefore, wages should be adjusted, now that the purchasing power has decreased - i.e. an increase in poverty and inequality. Thus, taxes are cut in an attempt to increase salaries. Businesses collapse. Government runs a budget deficit, since it spends more that it receives through taxation. It might solve the problem by increasing taxation - but this would only get rid of firms and increase cheaper imports. In any case the economy suffers.Trade liberalisation involves the reduction of government control on the labour market and regressive taxation. This, again, aims to increase exports by promoting international trade. However, multinational corporations enter the economy and in the long run completely overtake them.This dark scenario may seem rather theoretical, but in actual fact, this is what is happening today.For example, in Korea, the IMF caused the government to reduce the money supply in order to reduce inflation. However, the interest rates have been greatly increased as well. Speculation of uncertainty surrounding the subject has created instability and panic among the national Korean banks and economy as a whole. IMF, like a medieval doctor, failed to recognise the true needs of the economy and treated it with its usual policies. Critics recognise the failure of IMF as of ignoring Korea's depreciation and fiscal tightening.In Thailand, the situation is little different. IMF's only aim seems to concern balance of payments. This is, again, cured by increasing interest rates, and other fiscal/monetary policies. The main finacial crisis has, as in Korea, been ignored. Investment has decreased and as a result, economy suffers even more. Also, while the baht might have got stronger as a result of increase in interest rates, national corporations and financial structures have been affected since less capital is available.IMF's cure for Indonesia, was again, to increase interest rates. This created instability in financial markets. In response, IMF recommended to close 16 banks. As a result, a lot of capital left Indonesia. Businesses suffered as a result of high interest rates and now weakened currency.The article was produced by the member of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at term papers. Get some useful tips for thesis and term paper writing .

How to Prepare For an International Exhibit

Planning to take your exhibition stand overseas? If so, you'll need to know what you're getting into. International trade shows can be a huge investment in money and time-but they can also provide a worthwhile payoff. Here are a few tips to ensure you get the most benefit possible from your international exhibit.Pick the right show. Picking the right place to set up your exhibition stand is essential in international exhibiting because your commitment is greater. International exhibition requires a greater investment of time and money than you'll need if you're attending an exhibit closer to home. Do some research to identify your target market in that country, assess need, and understand the culture.Tailor your marketing. How do you appeal to the demographic you're targeting in this country? Chances are, bilingual marketing collateral is just the beginning. You'll also need to know the hot buttons, cultural quirks, and values of this country in order to market to its citizens effectively. Some turns of phrase simply don't translate-pay special attention to this issue with your company name and tagline. And some colours mean different things to different cultures-so the graphics on your exhibition stand will need to take that into account. You may need to hire a consultant, copywriter or designer from the country in order to ensure you don't make any mistakes.Know local product regulations. Do your products meet health and safety regulations overseas, and if not, are there exceptions for international trade? Do you have to fill out certain paperwork or achieve licensure to sell in that country? Make sure you know all the applicable laws that apply to international sale of your product before going in. If you're attending an exhibit that usually sees a lot of international exhibitors, they may be able to help you find this information or point you toward a professional who can.Understand the workers. Every exhibitor relies on the floor workers who help them set up, make sure they have the right technology available, and keep things running smoothly on the floor. Know the cultural expectations-are you supposed to tip? Are there unions involved? Sometimes a cultural misunderstanding could make the workers irate, and this could cause problems for you during the exhibit. Know the rules and cultural expectations, and you should be able to interact smoothly with the workers on the exhibit floor.Be aware of different electronics. Are all your lights, media, and other electronics wired to work in the country? Do you have the right types of plugs to fit in the outlets you'll find there? There can be significant electrical differences between countries, and failing to prepare for them can leave your booth dark on exhibition day.Work with someone who speaks the language. You may need an interpreter during your interactions with customers and exhibit personnel. Even if most of the people in the country speak English, hiring a translator shows goodwill and a desire to meet them on their own cultural footing. When you hire one, it's vital to choose someone who is both a fluent speaker of the language and knowledgeable about your industry. Not all translators are created equally, and even a fluent speaker may not be familiar with your industry jargon or know how to translate it into the other language.Consider hiring native booth attendees. If your booth attendees are native to the country, you'll get a lot of goodwill-especially if you're one of the few foreign companies to take this step. While you can train your own people, having a sales force that understands not just the language but the business culture and sales process in this country will be invaluable.Be aware of cultural differences. How are women treated in a business environment in this culture? Are there any important social rituals you'll need to know in order to negotiate or discuss sales? What do attendees at exhibits in this country expect in terms of behavior and sales process?A lot more goes into preparation for an international exhibit than you'd need for a show in your native country. But if you have the time to prepare, you could open up key international markets for your company. With the proper research and preparation, you're sure to see success.

Mr G. Green works for the exhibition supplies company Just Displays. For more info visit the company website at http://www.justdisplays.co.uk

Book Series Protects Millions of International Travelers from Cultural and Social Embarrassments.

Baltimore, MD July 13, 2004 -- With the continued easing of international travel restrictions and growing interest in international trade and culture, more and more travelers have resumed traveling abroad. Unfortunately, while many of them are making their travel plans, they neglect to anticipate the very real problems and embarrassments they can encounter once their feet touch foreign soil."Do's and Don'ts Around the World: A Country Guide to Cultural and Social Taboos and Etiquette," by Gladson I. Nwanna takes the guesswork out of journeying abroad."Do's and Don'ts Around the World" contains hundreds of country-specific cultural and social do's, don'ts and taboos. Each regional volume contains a separate listing for almost every country in the region. The book addresses such diverse topical areas and concerns as greeting protocols, business etiquette, table manners, tipping guidelines, gift giving, body and sign languages. Readers will find in this book important social and cultural beliefs and practices ranging from the types of gifts to avoid, best types of gifts to give and best time to present gifts to such details as colors, shapes and numbers with culture-specific connotations and much more.In addition, "Do's and Don'ts Around the World" contains basic country information that should be useful to international travelers. Included is information on currency, electricity requirements, emergency telephone codes, shopping, national holidays, banking and business hours. Information conveyed in this book should help relieve some anxiety among foreign travelers and ensure a safe, enjoyable, rewarding and hitch-free trip for millions of overseas-bound travelers by increasing travelers awareness to issues, practices and behavior in other countries."Do's and Don'ts Around The World" will also be useful to every international traveler irrespective of the country of origin or country of destination. Both the business traveler and tourist will benefit from the variety of topics addressed in this book. "The Do's and Don'ts Around the World" covers virtually every country in the world, including every region and continent in the world. The nine books in the series include volumes covering countries in: (1) Europe (2) Asia (3) Oceania and Japan (4) South America (5) Russia and the Independent States (6) Africa (7) USA-Canada-Australia (8) the Caribbean and (9) the Middle East. Individual country reports are also available. Country Reports can be purchased by visiting www.frontlinepublishers.com .Gladson I. Nwanna, Ph.D., is also the author of the bestseller international travel book "Americans Traveling Abroad: What You Should Know Before You Go"; "Americans Living Abroad: What You Should Know While You are There," "American Businesses Abroad: How to Protect Your Assets and Personnel," and "Traveling Abroad 'Post 9-11' and in the Wake of Terrorism: A Practical Guide for Americans & Other International Travelers." Dr. Nwanna is a university professor, a former consultant to the World Bank and a veteran traveler. The Do's and Don'ts Around the World book series is published by Frontline Publishers. Europe 1-890605-00-X, 400 pages; $39.99; South America 1-890605-03-4; 230 pages, $24.99; Africa1-890605- 04-2, 450 pages; $39.99; The Caribbean 1-890605-02-6, 230 pages; $24.99; Asia 1-890605-01-8, 260 pages; $24.99; Russia & The Independent States 1-890605-06-9, 120 pages; $15.99; U.S.A, Canada & Austaralia 1-890605-08-5, 75 pages; $15.99; Oceania & Japan 1-890605-07-7, 200 pages; $19.99; The Middle East1-890605-05-0, 120 pages; $15.99. These books are available at Amazon.com, through major bookstores nationwide or directly from the publisher at 410-922-4903.A copy of your review or any mentions will be appreciated. Editors: Review Copy available upon request. To view a sample Country entry or listing please visit http://www.frontlinepublishers.com/sample.htm

English Courses For International Students

The education system of English courses was developed due to the great demand to learn English because thousands of foreign young people would prefer to get their education in Britain. This demand appeared about fifty years ago when international trade and globalization had grown up to the whole world scale, and more and more young people would like to make a good career and get good jobs at international market arena.Thus, British colleges started offering numerous English courses which were specially designed for international students and could be recognized by educational institutions throughout the world. Most British colleges have provided English courses for international students for over a few decades and, therefore can offer well qualified and experienced teachers who use modern teaching methods in order to give international students maximum opportunity to actually use English in class and help students to learn quickly. Many colleges have Education Advisers who can help English classes students with their practice and choice of English level. Most colleges which are specialized in English courses for international students are recognized as members of British Association of State English Language Teaching. The British Council inspects the English for International Students courses regularly. Many colleges have been accredited by The British Council as part of the English in Britain Accreditation Scheme to insure that their courses reflect students needs and interests. Colleges administrations have developed consultation process at the start of English courses and during the study.English courses curriculum is adopted to international students needs and demands and may vary from very intensive lessons to just a few hours a week. Usually English classes are divided according to the students future career, however most of them are career related.

ABP International Inc. announces new VoIP division 'ABP Technology Partners' to focus on ISP, IT and Telephony Reseller Markets.

Dallas, TX January 24, 2003 ABP International, Inc. a technology marketing and International business development company today announced the launch of a new business unit, ABP Technology Partners www.abptech.com to focus on the new VoIP market both in the ITSP / Emerging Carrier space and in the IT and Telephony reseller market.ABP has years of experience marketing international products in focused vertical niches which the company intends to leverage to advance the deployment of IP based Voice solutions based on open standards. ABP Technology Partners has put together a team of state of the art vendors and provides an end-to-end solution and provides a defacto one-stop VoIP solution.As a single source supplier we offer ISPs a fast, secure, and low-cost entry path to deploying VoIP services and provide systems integrators and resellers products that adhere to open standards - offering vendor independence and interoperability. Most of our solutions are SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) based, a new protocol for VoIP communications and Telephony which offers partners and service providers unprecedented power and flexibility to intermesh communications with application based intelligence and build very distinguishable solutions with unique combinations of features and services. Robert Messer " President of ABP InternationalABP Technology Partners will be exhibiting a complete suite of products covering snom technology's VoIP phones, SIP Server, Media Server, AudioCodes Gateway products, Ingate and Intertex SIP firewalls and Customer Premise controllers, as well as D-Tac's ISP/ITSP integrated billing solution among others.Now that the technology is getting to the maturity point at which today's service providers can no longer ignore it, SIP has taken the lead role as the VoIP standard that allows the integrator and partners to participate in the design and create their own solutions based services. The ISP market already understands this, and is looking very seriously at the opportunities open standards based IP phones and the snom 4S SIP Server and Softswitch can offer their customer base. snom is a technology leader in open standards based VoIP systems and IP phones. But technology is not enough "our VIA partners complement our product portfolio, and business development and VoIP focused global distribution partners, like ABP our keys to our success. Nicolas Pohland " Executive Director of snom technology AG Rich Tehrani " President of TMC and the Conference Co-Chairman of Internet Telephony Conference and Expo in Miami says The emergence of a player like ABP Technology Partners in this space is another signal to the service provider and reseller market that VoIP technology is a mature technology worth deploying in their networks... The standards are now in place and voice over IP quality has proven itself over the years. We are very pleased to see the market evolving to a point where companies like ABP Technology Partners provide the reseller channel and ultimately service providers an easy and inexpensive way to take advantage of the many benefits IP telephony has to offer.About snom technology AGsnom is a recognized technology leader in the area of VoIP phones, with a particular focus on SIP. Founded in 1996 and based in Berlin, the company has constantly pursued a commitment to innovation, open standards and SIP. snom is a customer-oriented company producing state of the art, affordable VoIP phones with a high cost-performance ratio and a range of practical SIP applications for business. For further information visit www.snom.de or contact Maria Schnake+49 (0) 30 398 330 or email: press@snom.deAbout TMCCelebrating 30 years as a leading technology publisher, Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) produces industry-leading trade magazines and events focused on technology and communications. TMC publishes two magazines: Customer Inter@ction Solutions, and Internet Telephony, and the online publications, TMCnet.com, Planet PDA Magazine, Alternative Power and BiometriTechTM. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs, and provide factual and unbiased product reviews. TMC also produces The Global Call Center Outsourcing Summit, BiometriTech and Planet PDA: The Enterprise PDA Event. TMCnet.com publishes more than 25 topical online newsletters. For more information about TMC, visit its Web site at www.tmcnet.com About ABP International, Inc.ABP International, Inc. is a technology marketing company that specializes in IT, Infrastructure security and telecommunications products. The company offers software and equipment manufacturers a full range of International consulting and market development services.ABP also provides full International distribution services including fulfillment, financing, foreign language tech-support and order processing through its division ABP Technology Partners. ABP Technology Partners focus on core product portfolios like VoIP and secure remote Infrastructure monitoring and management. ABP International, Inc. is based in Dallas, Texas and has a sales organization that covers the US, Mexico and Latin America. For additional information on ABP International, Inc. visit www.abptech.com or call 972-831-0280

Ten Day US Business Impacts Soar as Fear Shifts to Labor Productivity and Trade Corridor Capacity

The 10-day Los Angeles and Long Beach ports shutdown cost the United States $5 Billion dollars, said Senior Vice President Wally Baker, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). That doesn't count lost wages, taxes and the other disruption costs.Baker says according to new figures that are based on the Orange North-American Trade Rail Access Corridor (OnTrac) Trade Impact Study $2.3 billion or nearly half of the total10-day labor dispute costs were recorded in California. This is probably the worst time to have a labor dispute in the harbor with the holidays just around the corner, said Baker. The Christmas volume going through the ports this time of the year means we will soon have congestion on many of our nation's already overtaxed rail corridors systems, too. Further labor slowdowns will only make matters worse.According to another study the LAEDC completed earlier this year the LA basin rail capacity out of Los Angeles to the East Coast will soon reach maximum capacity in the next three to five years. There is just not that much extra capacity out there, says Baker.The OnTrac study, commissioned last year by the OnTrac Joint Powers Authority, mapped products throughout the country by Congressional District. The data (www.MayoCommunications.com) shows every Congressional member benefits from and is also impacted by the products that go through the corridors and ports in the Los Angeles basin. We have a strong economy in Southern California with a huge consumer base and this shutdown shows that we saw 37% of the national impact in LA County just from the ports of LA and Long Beach, said Ken Ackbarali, vice president and managing director of Economic Consulting, at LAEDC. The OnTrac Trade Impact Study was designed to help members of Congress better understand why corridors and ports are important and cannot be separated from their economic benefits. Ackbarali added, Certainly, the focus of the West Coast labor dispute will shift to our rail corridors now and show some of the capacity problems that must be addressed.The study also reveals that even the US Treasury is quite dependent on the revenue generated by the local rail corridors and ports. About $7 billion annually or 45% percent of all US customs revenues are assessed on products that go through the LA Basin ports and corridors each day. Additionally, Los Angeles County recorded a business interruption cost of $2.0 billion for the 10-day work stoppage. In the Southern California economy, the study also shows that about $88 billion of trade flows through the region annually just from the two ports.The study also reveals that LA local ports and trade corridors deliver more than $196 billion annually or $537 million per day of products and commodities in every part of the country. The study looked only at cargo that went through LA area corridors and ports in 2000. Here are the 50 States that show annual benefits and the cost of the 10-day labor stoppage:All dollars are expressed in millions of year 2000 dollars.(Millions of $)In & Out to/from10-day ImpactStateLA/LB Ports LA/LB Port closureUS$196,374.6$5,380.1California$92,815.5$2,542.9New York$15,962.2$437.3Texas$11,827.5$324.0Illinois$11,748.5$321.9New Jersey$10,747.6$294.5Tennessee$4,667.8$127.9Michigan$3,602.7$98.7Georgia$3,544.7$97.1Ohio$3,475.0$95.2Arizona$3,259.9$89.3Missouri$3,128.0$85.7Minnesota$3,092.4$84.7Massachusetts$2,817.5$77.2Indiana$2,597.5$71.2Florida$2,053.1$56.2Pennsylvania$2,022.0$55.4Kentucky$1,784.8$48.9Washington$1,743.1$47.8North Carolina$1,599.9$43.8Wisconsin$1,480.7$40.6South Carolina$1,387.5$38.0Colorado$1,231.6$33.7Kansas$984.8$27.0Alabama$865.0$23.7Virginia$847.2$23.2Connecticut$806.8$22.1Arkansas$707.7$19.4Nebraska$695.9$19.1Louisiana$680.9$18.7Maryland$486.6$13.3Utah$483.3$13.2Mississippi$452.1$12.4Oregon$422.1$11.6South Dakota$373.6$10.2Iowa $366.4$10.0(Millions of $)In & Out to/from10-day Impact State LA/LB Ports lA/LB Port closureWest Virginia$337.8$9.3Oklahoma$299.1$8.2Rhode Island$276.3$7.6Nevada$136.3$3.7Delaware$132.8$3.6District of Columbia$115.6$3.2New Hampshire$98.8$2.7Maine$86.3$2.4New Mexico$31.6$0.9Hawaii$30.5$0.8Idaho$24.5$0.7Vermont$15.5$0.4Alaska$9.5$0.3Montana$7.9$0.2Wyoming$5.4$0.1North Dakota$5.0$0.1Note: Figures include data for ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach onlySources: OnTrac Trade Impact Study; October 2002 BST Associates (Bothell, Washington)Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.International Trade, via Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports, and East Coast Trade Corridors for selected Southern California Regions (Year 2000 dollars.))RegionCong. Dist.Total($ Billions)10-day impact ($ Millions) Total LA/LB Ports($ BillionsLos Angeles County$51.1$73.0$2,000Orange County$270$6.9$9.9Riverside/San Bernardino$1.7$2.4$70San Diego/Imperial County$1.2$1.7$50Santa Barbara/Ventura/ San Luis Obispo$0.6$0.8$20Southern California Total$61.5 $87.8 $2,410Northern & Central CA. $3.1$5.0$133California Total Impact$64.6$92.8$2,543Note:Figures include data for Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach only.Sources:OnTrac Trade Impact Study; October 2002BST Associates (Bothell, Washington)Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.The LAEDC's results being released this week (Oct. 10, 2002) are from a yearlong study for the OnTrac Joint Powers Authority. LAEDC collaborated with BST Associates on this study due to the firm's vast knowledge of port and corridor issues. The LAEDC and OnTrac JPA have also worked closely and received a great deal of assistance from the Port of Long Beach, said Ackbarali.For more details and background on OnTrac visit http://www.ontrac-jpa.org/ and for a breakdown of the study visit www.MayoCommunications.com. For interviews call Aida Mayo, MAYO Communications, 818.340.5300 or 818.618.9226or Wally Baker, LAEDC at 213.236.4812, Ken Ackbarali, LAEDC, 213.236.4816, or Jack Kyser, LAEDC, 213.236.4820 or George Young, George Young & Associates at 310.822.0370. For more details on the products flowing in and out the L.A. and Long Beach Portscontact MAYO Communications at 818.340.5300 or extremepr@MayoCommunications.com. ##

The Foreign-Trade Zones Program as a Local Economic Development Tool

MOBILE, AL August, 2003 -- The article by Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation's Greg Jones, Foreign-Trade Zones: Using a Federal Trade Program as a Local Economic Development Tool, appears in the Summer, 2003 issue of Trade and Industry Development (www.tradeandindustrydev.com). The article touches upon the unique strengths of this federal program that involves the participation of both public and private sector entities.U.S.-based companies use the FTZ program to increase their cost-effectiveness in international trade. As Zone users become more competitive with producers overseas, jobs are created at home while local suppliers and vendors maintain their geographical advantage. The resulting increase in economic activity supports the tax base for the local government, which is then reflected in the community's infrastructure. New or improvements to roads, schools, hospitals and public services are just a few of the economic benefits to communities where an FTZ is located.Greg Jones is a principal of the Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation " Zone Project Administrators and consultants for 8 Zone projects in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Greg specializes in integrating business-oriented FTZ procedures into the operations of companies that use Zone procedures for manufacturing and distribution operations, and in helping communities establish FTZ projects. He has been an active member of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones since 1987 and served as its president from 1993 to 1995. In October 2000, Greg was designated by the NAFTZ as an Honorary Life Member.The Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation is a service provider offering FTZ cost-benefit analyses, applications, boundary modifications, assistance in designing and creating Zone projects, training, and Foreign-Trade Zone software.-end-CONTACT: Sara L. Dellinger, Foreign-Trade Zone Corporation+1-251-471-6725sara_ftzcorp@themail.comWeb site: http://www.ftzcorp.com/

Trade Leads Distribution With RSS

Traders from around the globe come to the Import-Export-Guide.com portal to post their trade leads - their requirements for products they want to buy and details of the products they have to sell. New trade leads are added all the time and it's important that traders can easily and quickly find out what new requirements and product offers are posted.Most traders are busy people with lots to do. Not really wanting to add to their burden of websites to visit, we decided it would be best to find a simple method of alerting our members about the latest trade leads.RSS (Really Simple Syndication) was the perfect solution.RSS RSS is an XML format originally developed by Netscape as a way of aggregating or combining the headlines of various news-type sites for display on a portal site. It has been through a few versions, the most current being RSS 2.0 which we used on this project.As well as being used by many news sites, the format is popular among the blogging community as it allows them to easily distribute the content of their blogs.The advantages of using an RSS feed include: It is simple to implement The feed can be easily added to desktop or web-based readers It displays the latest content from your site It includes links back to your site It helps drive targeted visitors to your site Creating The XML File The format of an RSS file is very simple.At its most basic it contains (within the main tags) a 'title', a 'link' and a 'description' tag followed by a series of 'item' tags.Each 'item' tag, representing a unique news or data article, contains at least 3 other tags - one each for the article's title, a link to the article and a description of the article.Generating the RSS file is simply a case of extracting the relevant data from the database, building it up to match the template above and saving the resulting file on the server. Any of the popular scripting languages can be used for this process.Our feed can be viewed here: http://www.import-export-guide.com/trade/leadsfeed.xml.Using Our RSS Feed You can't comfortably read the contents of a feed by looking at the raw file in a browser. To do that you need a news aggregator program.Aggregators let you include all your favourite feeds so that you end up with a page containing only content that interests you - headlines, quote of the day, weather, stocks, interest rates - you name it.Popular aggregators include FeedDemon (a desktop application) and Bloglines (web-based). My MSN, My Yahoo! and Google accounts all come with news aggregation facilities.Alternatively, if you are a website owner and want to include the feed contents on one of your site's pages you can either parse the file using a ASP, PHP or similar or there are JavaScript programs that can do this for you.Conclusion Our main reason for building the feed was to benefit our current members. But by syndicating the feed on the many RSS syndication sites we will be able attract many other visitors who would not otherwise have known about our site.Any content which is frequently updated and which can be packaged into separate items is suitable for creating an RSS feed. Hopefully this article will give other webmasters ideas for feeds to benefit their users and the wider Internet community.Rob Henderson, Import-Export-Guide.comImport-Export-Guide.com is an independent company that provides information and solutions for importers, exporters, trading companies, trading consultants and others involved in international trade. For more information and to register on the trade portal visit http://www.import-export-guide.com/trade.

Funding International And Overseas Businesses Through A Loan

International trade is one of the best ways to better your company?s bottom line, but breaking into an international market requires time as well as resources. You need to do a thorough research into the feasibility of selling to a particular local market, as well as scout for funds. This article discusses some ways to finance overseas business. International Trade Loans: The Small Business Administration in the US has many funding programs for businesses that want to break into the international market. You can borrow loans for investing in real estate or equipments from the SBA. Export Working Capital Program: Export capital working program help you translate your export ideas into reality. The program finances labor and supplies, and finances the receivables generated from the retailing of these materials. Confirming Houses: Confirming houses are lending institutions that finance small businesses by lending money in addition to what banks may lend. The services of confirming houses are generally related to cash loans and letter of credits to those who wish to open an office overseas. Confirming houses are also useful in helping in transportation, and provide transportation costs on a per project basis. Confirming houses should not be your primary source of funding, but they can help in smaller matters like rentals, moving goods to another location etc. Apart from interest on the loan provided, confirming houses also require some sort of fee. Invoice Discounting: Through the invoice discounting facility, financiers can buy and discount trade debts of corporations. The credit is lent based on receivables, not assets of the corporation. Invoice discounting is an ideal way of getting short-term loans. The loan is sanctioned almost immediately, making it a great source of funds when you need funds immediately. The amount you can borrow under invoice discount depends on sales volume. Factoring: Another source of funds for overseas business is factoring. Factoring refers to purchase of company?s receivable by the purchaser as soon as possible. This creates a continuous cash flow. The major advantage of factoring is that while the purchaser is responsible for the credits to the company, he or she does not interfere in the management of the company. Unlike other kinds of financing, factoring does not involve loans, but direct purchasing of receivables to provide funds to the company. These are just some ways to finance international trade ventures; you can also look into the possibility of grants, venture capital and joint ventures with local companies. If you need more information on how to fund international trade and overseas business, you can consult a small business advisor.

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Trade Leads - Business In An International Market

Billions of dollars worth of international trade is carried out every day, much of it by small businesses, importing and exporting products from and to their counterparts in other nations. As with every type of business an important task is locating people who will lead you to a signed contract - your trade leads.Traditionally, businesses have found their international leads by attending trade shows in the target country. But this is an expensive and time-consuming way to find leads and besides, attending a show in a foreign country can be quite daunting.Fortunately there is a great alternative to attending numerous trade shows - a substantial amount of import-export trade is now carried out online via B2B (Business To Business) trade portals.B2B Trade Portals These are websites that facilitate the exchange of goods and services between businesses. Our trade portal at http://www.import-export-guide.com/trade is an example of such a site.All kinds of products are being traded online between people from many different countries. On our portal we have members from Brazil, China, USA, Yugoslavia, Egypt Australia - every continent is represented. And the products they post are just as diverse - shoes, water coolers, gas, fibreglass insect screens, platinized anodes (whatever those are!).Typically on an online portal you will be able to communicate with the originators of trade leads, submit details of your company and its contact details, upload images of your products and post your own trade leads.Whilst all kinds are requirements can be posted on trade portals, including those for services, partnerships and others, the two most important types of trade leads are 'Buy' Leads and 'Sell' Leads.Buy Leads These are the posts you place when you have a need for a certain product. Make sure you are clear about what you require Describe the quantity, quality and size of the products you need Mention if there are any shipping restrictions or pricing requirements The more information you supply the more targeted will be the response you receive Remember you are not obliged to reply to all contacts. But if someone has taken the time and effort to prepare a good proposal then it does no harm to respond Sell Leads These are the posts you place to inform buyers of the goods you have available to sell. As with the Buy Leads, the more information you give about the products the better and more targeted the response will be Use an informative subject heading - if the subject doesn't seem to apply to a buyer they won't be bothered to read your lead You are dealing with an international market so use clear simple language - no jargon, no exaggeration, no hype Respond promptly to all reasonable enquiries If the facility exists on the portal to mention your company use it to establish your credibility Security Without a doubt many conmen and charlatans frequent online trade portals but there are steps you can take to protect yourself from such people: Don't respond to any suspicious contact or any that is obviously spam - if you show you are willing to listen they will do everything they can to take advantage Once you've made contact with a potential buyer or supplier, check out their credentials, convince yourself they are a respectable business: Take a look at their company website Find out who they've done business with in the past Ask if they have past clients from your own country Investigate their credit worthiness Use a Letter of Credit (L/C) - this is issued by a bank and guarantees payment to the Seller when all the terms and conditions of the trade are met. It protects both the Buyer and the Seller The Buyer will only part with money if the terms and conditions are met The Seller will always get his money if the terms and conditions are met There's a lot of money to be made in import-export and you don't have to travel far to make it. Whether you're looking for novel foreign goods to sell in your country or there's greater profit to be had selling your products overseas, you can find all the prospects you need simply by visiting an online trade portal.Rob Henderson, Import-Export-Guide.comImport-Export-Guide.com is an independent company that provides information and solutions for importers, exporters, trading companies, trading consultants and others involved in international trade. For more information and to register on the trade portal visit http://www.import-export-guide.com/trade.

Global Wizard -- Web-Based Trade Document Generation and Compliance Software Debuts at DC Expo, May 21-22.

St. Louis. Missouri, Friday, May 9, 2003 /PR Web/ -" Envision, an Internet application development and software integration consultancy, and Exits Inc., a respected international export document software and trade advisory company, today announced plans to officially launch Global Wizard, a new web-based export document generation and compliance software application suite, at the DC Expo in Chicago on May 21-22. "We are pleased to introduce Global Wizard, a web-based trade document generation and compliance software application, at DC Expo. As the largest exhibition and conference of Information Technology for Logistics, Distribution, Transportation, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management, and e-Business applications in the country, DC Expo provides the proper venue to introduce this robust export application suite said Steve Lowy, Chairman of Envision. "The hourly updating of the denied persons listing and expanded document requirement database of over 200 countries are critical product components of Global Wizard, with the increased regulatory concentration on security and compliance for global shippers, said Norm Smith, President of Exits, Inc. We feel strongly that the web-based model offers the greatest value to fill the gap between small and large global traders. Companies can realize the benefits of quick start-up, worldwide document delivery via the Internet, cost savings and operational efficiencies, an established trade product, technical and network support staff, and avoidance of capital expenditures for infrastructure and hardware, said Ed Walsh, Executive Vice President of Exits Inc. Our partnership further enhances the value of Global Wizard with outstanding support from both business and technical perspectives to meet the specific needs of customers. With the combined expertise, this hosted software application can be customized and integrated with many other shipping applications, ERP systems, and databases, said Mr. Lowy.About Exits, Inc. Exits, Inc. offers flexible solutions to prepare complex export trade and transportation documentation. Incorporated in Connecticut in 1993, the company's goal is to provide affordable export documentation and advisory software to the international business community. The software development is directed by three general managers who have over 80 years of practical experience involving international trade, customs regulations, banking, distribution logistics, computer and network technology. This international business experience has been incorporated with the latest computer technology to develop the Exits, Inc. suite of software products and services for global trade. Exits can be contacted at 1-203-396-0022 or at www.exitsinc.com.About EnvisionEnvision is the technology solutions partner for Exits Global Wizard. Headquartered in St. Louis, Envision was founded in 1983 and has provided high quality IT services for twenty years. Today, Envision is a leading Internet application development, integration services, and software product company with a large Web development consultancy. Envision combines deep expertise in the latest technologies with practical business experience, always paying close attention to the customer's business needs. Envision can be contacted in the U.S. at 1-800-438-7721 or at www.envision.com.

The Trouble About International Advice

There is no better way to raise the collective blood pressure of an organization than to encounter all sorts of unexpected problems associated with international expansion. If the world is becoming a smaller place, then how is it that many firms still continue to experience unexpected jolts and bumps along the way? Like the proverbial pedestrian who walks straight into a lamppost that is plain for all to see, executives then ask themselves why they didn't see this coming. "Perhaps we should have taken advice after all" they tell themselves, "but then again, we sought counsel, and take the view that no advice is better than bad advice!"In the post-Enron world this dilemma is a perfectly natural response for a firm that is finding its way on the international stage. Executives realize on the one hand that they cannot afford to go it alone, but on the other hand remain ambivalent about the quality of advice they receive. The recent scandals of Big Business in corporate North America have filtered their way down to the realm of small to mid size companies the world over, stoking the engine of client skepticism and rage. Consultants continue to bear the image and reputation of borrowing your watch to tell you the time and then walking away with it. Lawyers, accountants and tax advisors are called to account on the high fees that are charged, and of trying to be all things to all men. Economic and international trade advisors are called to question, either because they are perceived as failed businessmen, or because they simply don't have the relevant and necessary experience.Shortsightedness can occur easily when a company decides that it can go it alone, and that it knows best. This will in turn create a problem that will give executives really something to worry about on the international stage - the prospect of failure. Neither will you have all the facts and options at your disposal, nor will you have an external sounding board that can tell you how things look from the other side of the fence.Ultimately then, the success of a company going international is best served by a strong culture that openly welcomes external counsel at the outset, and follows basic principles regarding how to go about obtaining that advice:1.Trust: Good advice starts with those you know and trust. Work your network and spot the international talent that can help you.2.Focus on ROI: Expensive international advice is not necessarily the best international advice. Pay by results if you can, rather than time. 3.Challenge: If you are seeking international advice, then by default, the person in front of you will have the right credentials. Even if you are taking on the services of a consultancy or trade advisor, you have a right to challenge the background, experience and qualifications of the person in front of you. If in doubt, move on and spend your investment money elsewhere.4.Segment: Be wary of the hallowed oracle! Break down the advice and guidance you need into its lowest element and closely match the type of advisor to your problem. There is a tendency to expect all the answers from one single advisor, such as an accountants, lawyers and consultants - they are not able to do that, even if they say they can, at least not on the international level.5.Work around the problem: Public organizations are often slammed hard with the phrase - "pay peanuts and you get monkeys". This is a weak excuse for not using these organizations. They have been established with public money to help you, and generally provide a good infrastructure. Throw caution to the wind and find out from your OWN experience. If you then have an issue with either an individual or the quality of advice you have received, voice the issue at a higher level - there will be somebody within the organization tasked with putting solving the problem.With the rising pressure on firms worldwide to look beyond their domestic borders, buyers will become increasingly relentless in their quest for top quality counsel and information. That means that advisors in every field of expertise will need to continuously demonstrate their own knowledge, resources, experience and commitment to providing good international advice.As all in the advisory fraternity agree in the aftermath of the Enron scandal, it unfortunately only takes a small element to sour the reputation of the rest of the community who have worked hard to earn that trust. Moving forward, advisors in whatever capacity may wish to consider the following:1.Know your limits: There is no better way to build credibility than by saying: I can't help you, but I know somebody who can. If you really don't think you have the expertise, don't do it. Refer the business.2.Form alliances: If you are building an international capability into your existing advisory or consulting practice, then start by forming alliances, so that areas of expertise can be cross-referred, even on a finder's commission basis.3.Recruit experienced individuals: Advisors increasingly need to show their strong international and commercial background. That means having in place budgets for attracting, motivating and retaining top quality individuals into organizations who are uniquely familiar with the international challenges and issues of the area they are advising. 4.Performance and measurement: Ensure that you have a quantitative, results-based infrastructure in place. This infrastructure should not only recognize the efforts of your best advisors, but will also weed out those few mediocre unresponsive individuals intent on riding on the back of the rest.5.Avoid complacency: The world changes rapidly. So does information. Stay on top of your field of expertise.6.Give it to them in a language they can understand: Advice needs to be delivered in a way that is easily translatable into everyday, practical situations. Don't give clients an excuse to see your hard-earned work end up on a bookshelf collecting dust.7.Consider your options: Finally, to those very few who enter the field without the proper background and experience, or who are not taking their role that seriously, you are not only doing yourself a disservice, but also those of your advisory fraternity. Frankly, you should consider a career in landscape design.In summary, an indication of the strength of an executive's commitment to international success is his ongoing determination to continue seeking external counsel, realizing that not all advisors can be tarred with the same brush.The mountaineering and sports clothing manufacturer Berghaus sums it all up in a recent advertising campaign. A photo showing world famous climber Chris Bonnington reaching the summit carries a great strap-line - "Trust is earned!" International advisors in pretty much every capacity face a steep climb as it is. If we are to encourage firms to continue relying on external advice, let's not allow the a few misfits to spoil it for the rest of us who have worked so hard to earn that trust.

International Marketing

Before you consider entering into the international market, do as much research as you can. It is a whole new world outside the U.S., and it is very easy to make a fatal mistake. The following are just some of the marketing areas that must be considered.The market entry requirements or barriers to entry. Social or religious limitations that may affect your business. For example, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas had to rebuild its multi-million dollar entrance that was a tiger's mouth, because it was offensive to Chinese customers.International demographics will undoubtedly be much different from your domestic market. You also need to know the exact market size and be able to conduct effective international market segmentation and international positioning. This will require you to know the current market, market statistics, and market history.You must have affordable media strategies for consumer or business-to-business marketing. You need to know about the licensing requirements. You have to find appropriate and affordable channels of distribution within the foreign market that can deliver your product where and when you want it delivered.You may not have protection of intellectual property in foreign markets (copyright, trademark), and that could be a costly problem. You must carefully examine your product or service to determine whether there is a profitable international market. Your calculations of cost of goods sold or cost of sales, pricing, and revenue potential must be accurate in the international market.Consider whether there are available or a lack of local resources. Also, can you secure enforceable contracts with customers, vendors, and distributors in the foreign market. You need to consider stfing, training, and labor laws in the area. For example, there are very strict labor laws in Europe which make it very difficult to terminate an employee.You must prepare and effective marketing collateral and global branding strategy. For example, GMC had to change the name of the car named NOVA in Mexico, because NOVA translated to "no go." Obviously, that was not a good name for a car.Learn about international distribution agreements that must comply with foreign laws. Find out if you will need to localize you product or service to make it marketable in the foreign market. Localization is often required in U.S. markets also. For example, Wal-mart had to build horse barns for its store located in the Amish district of Pennsylvania so that Amish customer had a safe place for their horses and wagons while they shopped.There are other local customs, cultural idiosyncrasies, and mannerisms that must be observed in foreign business. Otherwise you may offend people, and they will not want to do business with you. These cultural diffences will probably be apparent in the negotiating styles. There may even be cultural differences about shaking hands or making eye contact. Also, many other cultures know about American history, and they are insulted if you know nothing about their history.In additional to the marketing concerns, there are larger concerns about the government and monetary policies in the foreign market you are considering such as:Gross domestic product growth Per capita income Foreign trade risk factors Monetary policies Trade policies Foreign investment policies Economic growth Political attitude toward U.S. business Government stability Customs regulations for imports and exports Tariffs Many documents used in international tradeThe are so many complicated issues involved in international marketing that they cannot all be addressed here. It is strongly recommended that anyone considering international marketing try to learn as much as possible about business in the foreign market, and hire an international business consultant that has many years experience in that market. To start that process, the following is a list of some good sources of information:Embassies http://www.empage.org/index.html www.embassy.orgDepartment of State http://travel.state.gov Bureau of Consular Affairs American Citizen Services Ph: (202) 647-1488, (202) 647-5225http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html Ph: (202) 663-1225www.stat-usa.gov National Trade Data Bank Ph: (202) 482-1986http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/ U. S. State Department Background NotesDepartment of Commerce www.ita.doc.gov International Trade AdministrationCentral Intelligence Agency http://www.odci.gov/ciz/publications/bactbook/index.htmlThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.dcd.govThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce http://www.uschamber.orgThe U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov The Library of Congress http://www.loc.govInternational Electrical Adaptors and Telephone/Modem Adaptors, Magellans' Travel Supplies http://magellan.com/getcustomsDun & Bradstreet http://www.getcustoms.comCopyright 2006. Indigo Business Solutions is a registered trade name. The future of your business starts here.About the authorJo Ann Joy, Esq., MBA, CEO Indigo Business SolutionsYou may contact Jo Ann by phone at (602) 663-7007, by fax at (602) 324-7582, by email at joannjoy@Indigo Business Solutions.net, and by mail at 2313 East Ocotillo Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016For more information about these and other important business topics and for legal consultation, please visit our website at http://www.IndigoBusinessSolutions.netJo Ann Joy is the CEO and owner of Indigo Business Solutions, a legal and business consulting firm. Indigo Business Solutions is a "one stop shop" for small businesses. We differ from other business consulting firms, because we offer comprehensive legal and business counseling. We can offer most of the professional services that a business requires. We work with our clients to develop strategies that create value and competitive advantage.Jo Ann has a law degree, an MBA, and a degree in Economics, but she is not a traditional attorney. Rather, she is a strategic business attorney who works closely with clients to create and implement strategies that will greatly improve their performance and chance of success. Her background includes commercial and real estate law, accounting, financial planning, mortgages, marketing, product development, banking, and business strategies. She ran a successful business for 10 years, and she has written and given presentations on many different legal and business subjects.

Top 7 Ways to Profit from Foreign Trade

Here are seven excellent ways to earn income from international trade.1. Importing: Retail store owners can find additional products to sell from foreign manufacturers, distributors, and other suppliers. You may even decide to go exclusively into the import business and become a wholesale distributor.2. Exporting: Manufacturers can find new customers for their products in foreign countries. You could also become an Export Management Agent. Arrange for other domestic companies to sell their products to foreign corporations and earn a commission.3. Licensing: Consider becoming a licensing agent. Earn royalties by arranging for foreign corporations to manufacture and sell the products of domestic companies.4. Finder`s Fees: You can earn fees from domestic companies for finding foreign buyers (or for finding suitable imports from foreign suppliers). You can also earn fees from foreign companies for finding domestic corporations that will buy their products (or for finding suitable suppliers and products from domestic corporations).5. Drop Shipping: Visualize receiving an order from a customer based in a foreign country and not having to be bothered with shipping and handling the product. No customs declarations or brokers are required by you. This is because your drop ship supplier is handling those details.6. Mail Order: Add a mail order service to your existing business operation. Manufacturers, retail stores, and other businesses can increase their sales by using this additional method of selling that is very conducive to international trade.7. Internet Marketing: You can also extend your reach to worldwide customers by means of the Internet. Methods of obtaining foreign business include affiliate marketing, online auctions, online stores, and websites.RESOURCE BOX:J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., http://www.popeconsultinginc.com/ has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years.For valuable Work at Home Small Business Ideas, visit: http://www.yenommarketinginc.com/

Global Trade Base Announces Strategic Plan for increasing business for customers.

Subject: 12/06/01 Press Release Alert - Global Trade BaseGlobal Trade Base Announces Strategic Plan for increasing business for customers. FORT WORTH, Dec 6, 2001 -- Global Trade Base, Inc. , a leading international trade hub, today unveiled its strategic plan for 2002, which calls for the company to aggressively acquire successful business companies and applications that will increase the services offered to international buyers, suppliers, shippers, financers, freight forwarders, consultants, international attorneys and other companies involved with international trade.Global Trade Base's recent acquisition of King Submitter has brought the capability for companies to be instantly promoted to over 380,000 international search engines and international businesses. The first phase of this strategic plan is to offer an aggressive rate for all new customers between December 7, 2001 and December 14, 2001. "We are very excited about how well this strategic plan is being integrated. We have had two recent acquisitions, are exploring four additional acquisitions and are in strategic partnership negotiations with a major transportation company. We have had a 10% increase in business with new customers taking advantage of this new marketing rate." says Patrick Donnell, president of Global Trade Base. "There is a major shift combining international trade and the integration of internet business. Potential customers are no longer taking the time searching through the internet ocean for independent suppliers and service providers. They are now migrating towards 'hub' sites where all aspects of their business requirements are available in one site. Now you have to put your company in the places that your customers go for business.""We know we are on the right track," continues Patrick. "Some of the biggest names in international trade are commenting publicly on the growing business migrating to hub sites such as Global Trade Base. Companies can enroll in a strategic partner program. This program is designed to bring additional business to the customers of our clients when they do business with our clients. This increased business will strengthen the global economy."Microsoft president, Bill Gates said earlier this year that, "Web Services will take individuals empowerment to a new level, create unprecedented opportunity for the industry and trigger a renewed wave of excitement." And, Hewlett-Packard's Bill Russell said that, "Web Services will drive the next wave of business development opportunities." Information about Global Trade Base, Inc. can be found at www.GlobalTradeBase.com --Press Release End---

Outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade-G.W. Bush February 12, 2004

February 21, 2004--The European Union presently boasts some of the best GDP growth figures and highest R&D funding in the world and with value of the Euro reaching new highs on a daily basis, the time has never been better to sell your products in Europe.Consalient is Europe's leading sales outsourcer and offers a market penetration program to help companies establish European sales and customer care operations. The First Steps Program draws from a pool of seasoned sales professionals who act as your local sales team for a contracted number of hours per month. This highly economical solution allows US Companies to begin building VAR networks in Europe while taking the time to plan a permanent solution to address European sales opportunities.US companies can now setup a corporate presence, backed up by managed phones, and a team of some of the best sales people around for about $3000 a month said Richard James, Business Development Director at Consalient. That is far less than a company normally pays to hire a single full time employee, let alone the cost in European tax and employment compliance, facilities and operational expenses. We make our money when we sell our clients products, not by charging high consulting fees. Our motivation is tied directly to the success of our clients.Consalient is based in Cambridge UK, and offers sales representation across Europe.For more information contact Richard James at Consalient Ltd. on +44-208-584-2268. if calling from the US, Conslaient can be contacted Toll Free by dialling 1-888-667-8997 Contact: Richard JamesConsalient Professional Representation174 Parkers House, 48 Regent StreetCambridge, England CB2 1FD United KingdomFrom the US: 1-888-667-8997Global: +44-208-584-2268info@consalient.comhttp://www.consalient.com

Med-e-Tel, the International Trade Exhibition and Conference for eHealth, Telemedicine and Health ICT, Announces Highlights of 2004 Event

February 18, 2004--The Med-e-Tel exhibition and conference, taking place on April 21-23, 2004 in Luxembourg, focuses on a wide range of medical ICT applications and on the convergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) with medical applications, which lead to higher quality of care, cost reductions, workflow efficiency, improved disease management and patient compliance, and widespread availability of healthcare services.Products, services and applications that will be presented and demonstrated at the 2004 edition of Med-e-Tel include: vital signs monitoring systems and devices, electronic patient records (EPR), picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), videoconferencing, secure data exchange, surgical systems and software, mobile devices, speech recognition and processing, telemedicine applications in pathology, cardiology, dermatology, wound care, radiology, and more.In a professional and business-minded environment, Med-e-Tel brings manufacturers and suppliers together with healthcare service providers, distributors and other key contacts from government agencies, academic institutions, insurance companies and consulting firms, for the purpose of establishing valuable trade contacts or consolidating existing relationships. The presence of representatives from national and international associations and organizations, who are involved in the research, development, funding, implementation and promotion of telemedicine and ehealth, will offer unprecedented networking opportunities.Med-e-Tel also features an extensive program of seminars and presentations on topics such as cost-benefit studies, business models, current ehealth realizations and telemedicine projects, distance education, home monitoring and homecare applications, ehealth integration into routine medical practice, and telemedicine applications in various medical disciplines. Special plenary sessions will be devoted to "Tracking eHealth Evolution in Europe" in cooperation with HINE (Health Information Network Europe), "Telemedicine in Hypertension" sponsored by TensioMed, and "PACS & EPR" in cooperation with Frost & Sullivan.Satellite meetings and symposia held in conjunction with Med-e-Tel, include events by:- CRP-Sant (Public Research Center for Health - Luxembourg): From Electronic Patient Record to Health Portal - What are the Conditions for Success?- eHealth Standardization Coordination Group: Standardization in e-Health- International Telecommunication Union and World Health Organization: Telemedicine in Developing Countries- MEMO: Medical Mobile Devices- WEALTHY: Wearable Health Care System- Africa Telehealth Group: Telemedicine Needs and Opportunities in AfricaThe International Society for Telemedicine (ISfT) and several of its member associations will use Med-e-Tel as a forum to provide information about national and international telemedicine and ehealth activities and initiatives. Also the Telemedicine Alliance (TM-Alliance) partnership between the International Telecommunication Union, World Health Organization, European Commission and European Space Agency are planning a presentation of their own projects and goals during the Med-e-Tel exhibition.Med-e-Tel also presents a Media Corner where information will be provided about publications, magazines, journals, reports and on-line news and information services in the fields of ehealth and telemedicine.Produced by the Luxembourg International Trade Fair Corporation (FIL), Med-e-Tel is actively supported by a.o. European Commission (DG Information Society), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Health Organization (WHO) representatives responsible for telemedicine and ehealth, the Luxembourg Ministry of Health, International Society for Telemedicine (ISfT), European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL), UK eHealth Association (UKeHA), Africa Telehealth Group, Russian Telemedicine Foundation, Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine (NST), Nordic Telemedicine Association (NTA), Association of Telehealth Service Providers (ATSP), Telemedicine Research Center (TRC) and several other national and international organizations.Med-e-Tel will be attended by industry and healthcare decision makers from over 40 countries worldwide. Being staged in beautiful Luxembourg, the event obviously also attracts a crowd from the local SarLorLux region, which covers Luxembourg and parts of Germany, France and Belgium.Details and information about the programs, conferences, companies and organizations that will be featured at this year's Med-e-Tel are available at www.medetel.lu.For more information: www.medetel.luor contact: info@medetel.lutel: +32 2 269 84 56