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Many Businesses Are Put Off Developing An e-commerce Arm

Many businesses are put off developing an e-commerce arm because of concerns over technical complexity or the risk of online fraud. However, these can be overcome. Trading on the internet is becoming easier– the hard part is becoming and staying visible in front of customers. Business social networking sites are invaluable tools for achieving this. They are free and easy to join and give SMEs a great chance to showcase their goods before millions. read more

 

UKTI Announces More Help For Small Businesses Keen To Export

Interested in talking construction in Dubai? Meeting up with key players in India’s entertainment industry? Or networking on nanotechnology in Tokyo? UK Trade & Investment today announced new funding rules that will help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to take part in more overseas trade fairs. read more

 

Winners Secure Worldwide Software

Sutton-based Next Generation Security Software Ltd (NGS) has been named as South-East England regional winners of the 2008 International Trade Awards. The International Trade Awards, sponsored by HSBC, recognise companies of all sizes which have excelled in creating new international business, in exporting, importing or investment. read more

 

Heavy Metal Team Takes Title

Gateshead-based steel roll manufacturers The Davy Roll Company have won the North East Region leg of the annual International Trade Awards 2008. Davy Roll Managing Director Steve Bell and Commercial Manager Carl Patterson collected the award at an announcement function held on 11 April at the Malmaison Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne. read more

 

Halstead Floors Opposition

Radcliffe (Greater Manchester)-based James Halstead plc wiped the floor with the opposition to take the coveted North West region trophy in the 2008 International Trade Awards, sponsored by HSBC. James Halstead plc, founded in 1915, now specialises in the production of contract and industrial flooring products. read more

 

Penn Signs In As Winner

Tredegar-based Penn Pharmaceutical Services has beaten competition from dozens of organisations in Wales to win an International Trade Award. Designed to recognise excellence in export, import and international trade achievement, The International Trade Awards selected Penn as winner of the Wales category in recognition of the company's diverse global customer base. read more

 

London 2012 Olympics Could Be Big Business For Small Firms

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics underway, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) is concerned that, although small firms are winning their fair share of contracts for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, a target to award them 30% of all public contracts could be jeopardised by recent government proposals. The FPB is concerned at plans to force business-owners to report on gender and racial equality, and also offer trade union membership to their employees, in order to be eligible to tender for work. read more

 

Study Confirms Growing Power Of Chinese Managers

China has the fastest growing global economy and – according to research by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) – also boasts a highly ambitious, sophisticated and commercially astute management population that poses a rising challenge to managers and businesses in the West. The Global Management Challenge – which surveyed the opinions of over 325 managers in the UK, US, France and China – paints a picture of Chinese managers who are hugely underestimated by their complacent Western counterparts and who are launching a serious challenge to established Western business and management practices. read more

 

Good Language Skills Give Firms The Exporting Edge

On-the-ball companies need to take advantage of a fair wind to avoid missing a ‘staggering’ export opportunity, according to a West Midlands business linguistics business. The weak Sterling against the Euro has made British prices competitive: but more businesses need to use the bridge of language to make the most of these opportunities, warns Sue Clarke, of PromoLingua, a Warwick-based language consultancy. read more

 

UK Finance Directors Reveal Barriers To Trading Overseas

A staggering 52 per cent of UK businesses have encountered problems with foreign payments in the last 12 months causing them to spend as much as a month a year managing and reconciling funds, according to a new report released today by Travelex Global Business Payments (GBP). The study, which was carried out amongst Finance Directors of UK businesses that trade internationally, reveals that some of the biggest barriers to international trade are caused by current banking payment systems. read more