Conclusion

The global landscape, economy and cultures

· The global economy is dominated by the G-20

· The most common type of economy is capitalist, supported through competition

· Macroeconomics is following nation state economies and world finances

· The world economy is moderated by agencies like the IMF, WTO and World Bank

· A crisis is recurrent in economics and made better through circulation

· Culture is unique to people, languages and regions

· Cultural goods are bought and sold and part of localization

· The culture industry includes film, television, travel and more

Politics and the black market

· Nation states are the authorities over economies and cultures

· Nation states have authority over businesses with currency, taxes, customs and other laws

· Nation states help businesses with tax breaks, listening to lobbists, conflict resolution, bail outs

· The black market is a lawless economy that operates without a nation state and includes illegal goods

· The black market is controlled by organized crime who use racketeering and extortion to maintain power

· The UN and UNESCO play a role in mediating political bodies and international crime

· Other non-profits, NGO’s, are supported through grants and donors

Technology and media

· Technology is applying knowledge to materials to create a tool

· The technology industry is not only computers but pharmaceuticals, airlines, chemicals and more

· Digital Rights Management allows technology companies to control their products

· Media are the tools of communication

· Advertising is mass media that employs specific strategies that sell the product and myth

· Now media targets global consumers without using language

Globalization

· Globalization is the integration of economic, cultural, political and technological systems

· Global trends include increased interconnectivity, green consciousness, sponsoring, role transformations and more

· The luxury industry is an ancient global industry

· The Kyoto Protocol is one way nation states and their businesses are being held accountable to the environment

· The green business goal is to reduce-reuse-recycle in that order for the least amount of impact

Global Success

Above, France's Order national de la Legion d'honneur

There is no one formula to success, as success is many different things to many different people. It varies industry to industry, country to country. There are all types of classic success from winning Olympic gold, the American Oscar, the Swedish Nobel Prize or the French Legion of Honor. It is also considered success to have a healthy family, or help people less fortunate than you. Ultimately, for international business it is your education, skills and relationships that will be life long assets to in the college, internship and job steps...

1 – Respect existing resources and advantages – appreciate what you have already learned and consider existing resources such as a family business and family contacts

Read about billionaire heiresses making the most of their assets:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/24/billionaire-heiresses-to-watch-business-billionaires-wealth.html

2-Academic research - study the schools and the programs they offer, you should begin as a generalist. Here are some specialties:

Entrepreneurship, International law, Management, Finance/Accounting, Marketing/Advertising, Communications/Information Systems

-Best US business schools

University of Chicago

Harvard Business

Northwestern

University of Penn/Wharton

Stanford

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1112_best_business_schools/index.htm?technology+slideshows

-Best International Business Schools

Queens University, Canada

IE Business, Spain

INSEAD, France

University of Western Ontario, Canada

London Business School

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1112_best_international_business_schools/index.htm

3-Market research – study the top businesses. You need to follow Business Week and other major news sources to gain insight to the world’s influential businesses. You should also follow macroeconomics.

4-A clear but flexible global vision- After you research, decide what role you want to play globally. Think big and visualize your success. But remember with each project it is good to consider many options before you execute something and to remain flexible to change.

5-Internship- Seek summer internships with top businesses starting as soon as your Freshmen year in college

6-Skill building- International business is an area that requires you to have advantages

Language skills – you need a minimum of 2 fluent languagesCreative skills – given the competition of capitalism creativity gives you an edge

Team skills –most business schools work in teams because business is about relations

Leadership skills – step up to the leadership position of school teams

Analysis skills – in the end business is about learning, analyzing and applying the knowledge. The stock market, and long range planning both require analysis skills.

7-Continued relationships- Because business is about relationships, make an effort to have good bridges from school to the work world, as you never know when you will cross paths again

See Forbes guide to a first job:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/22/college-employment-jobs-personal-finance-guide-to-first-job_land.html

See Forbes guide to best cities for business careers:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/16/jobs-cities-career-lifestyle-real-estate-young-professionals_slide_2.html?thisspeed=25000

See US CNN corespondant Jim Bittmen honored by France for his success in media:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/01/01/france.legion.of.honor/index.html

Green Businesses

The great “global responsibility”

Now it is no longer enough to be an international business, you have to be a responsible global business. Responsible global businesses are first and foremost caring about the lasting influence your business has on future generations. Sustainability is simply the ability to endure. Some businesses take form the earth and do not give back like de-forestation or animal hunting, fossil fuels, etc. Some businesses are just one hit wonders, following trends, rather than understanding enduring human needs. Businesses can also care for sustaining humanity, caring for employees and making use of people who need jobs in Africa and elsewhere.

The Kyoto Protocol

-The United Nations called a conference on the stabilization of greenhouse gasses by international businesses, mandated by countries

-This took place in 1997 and by 2009 most countries agreed to reduced emissions

-The United States signed the agreement but has not ratified or that is put into place the protocol

-China is the largest emitter of gases and excess overall, they claimed to making reforms but have increase emissions every year

-Since 1997 there have been many post-Kyoto meetings and conference to keep up to date with how to control the problems. The problem is not the governments but the businesses who are moderated by the governments.

-Many countries are starting to impose a Carbon tax upon businesses that refuse to reduce emissions

See the top 10 global environmental issues:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4887

See the plan to transform Paris using Kyoto protocol guidelines:

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010210.html

Green Businesses

The hierarchy of environmental strategies is to first reduce use, second to reuse, and third to recycle. Examples of green businesses are companies involved in the sustainability aspects of food, energy, water, waste management, and other environmental issues.

#1. Reduce

Whole Foods is a good example in the Food category as they purchase local production to reduce cost and energy required in transportation and distribution.

Watch - Global is being Local

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y3TvMvW-hA

Zap! Is an example of “Zero Air Pollution” and is an all electric car company that also has a solar option. http://www.zapworld.com/

SmartCar is a small size hybrid that reduces impact per driver.

http://www.smartusa.com/smart-fortwo-plant-a-tree.asp

The most fuel efficient car in the US is the Toyota Prius

http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/trims-prices.html

Both Siemens and GE are good examples of green business in the energy and water business. They both manufacture and utilize wind turbines and hydro power plants. They both are involved in improving water filtration, desalination plants, and rebuilding of water infrastructure. There are also many small companies involved in solar power, both using photovoltaic cell, and mirrors.

Solar power is currently now economically competitive without subsidizes. The U.S. is the current leader in solar power application but Spain, China, and India have also installed solar plants. Currently, wind power provides 1% of the U.S. electrical capacity and solar is less than 1% but the projected growth rates of both wind and solar are high. Wind and solar are projected to be 20% of the U.S. capacity by 2030.

As we reduce oil consumption, there is a lot of new interest in the Middle East control of new energy in solar power. This is a very long range initiative which intends to bring solar power from Africa and the Middle East to Europe by 2050. This is still in the feasibility stage and requires three years of additional study and will only supply 15% of Europe's power needs by 2050.

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/renewable-generation/display/366191/s-articles/s-pennenergy/s-power/s-renewable-energy/s-european-firms-unveil-eur400bn-plan-to-bring-solar-power-from-north-africa.html

Solio is one company bringing solar power to the people. They have created global chargers for computers and cell phones. Only one hour of sunshine gives 20 hours of Ipod use! For every charger that is purchased a Solio is provided to a family in global poverty who may be living with little or no electricity.

http://www.solio.com/charger/

US plan to issue grants for reduced impact, renewable energy

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE56U5HR20090731

#2. Re-use

Re-use is preferable to re-cycling because it takes less energy.

Business re-use includes

Packaging – the glass bottle beverage container, printer cartridges

Machinery – with renewed parts

Donating equipment and furnishings to smaller businesses and non-profits

Repurposing something like old clothes for cleaning cloths

Businesses that re-use are HP, Mac cosmetics and many bottle companies

#3. Re-cycle

Waste management is a company that recycles waste material. Plastic water bottles are a good example of a poor environmental choice as they can be eliminated by using filters. Plastic bottles can be recycled into secondary plastic products but virgin plastic is required for new bottles and requires energy and material to manufacture. The elimination of plastic in our environment is helped by non-plastic containers that are biodegradable. The use of cloth grocery bags in lieu of plastic bags. etc.

Environmental design means creating new products that will have less impact. This includes housing with more efficient appliances, improved insulation and more passive energy such as solar heating of water, instant hot water heaters, and environmental friendly materials which are a growing area of green business suppliers.

-Recycled fabrics, Rogan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OZyubqKRgE

-Surfboards of recycled glass, and “green” friendly foam

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/03/brazil_turning_1.phphttp://www.seattlepi.com/business/327308_bioboards13.html

Sustainability also includes the work force!

Patagonia in Ventura, California, urges all employees to take it outside. The office is stocked with surfboards, climbing gear, bikes and even a yoga studio. Patagonia's flex time philosophy lets Patagonians escape from their desks to the sun and surf anytime of day -- as long as the work gets done, no one cares when you clock in or out. If you're wondering where the best breaks or swells are that day, simply call reception. It's their job to direct your call and tell you where you catch the best surf. This keeps employees active and reduces sick days which reduces costs.

More on Patagonia:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/124/measuring-footprints.html

Atelier Yanagi, 100% recycled green surfboards

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Thanks to Doug Ware and www.score.org and www.scoreorlando.org; Image Wikipedia and http://www.alternativeenergy.productsconsumerreport.com/How-To-Make-Wind-Energy.htm