Will It Be Unsafe for Gay People to Travel In Russia?

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Here's the scoop.  It starts with columnist Chicagoan Dan Savage authoring, "Why I'm Boycotting Russian Vodka."  He makes a plea for gay people to stop drinking Russian vodka to protest the Kremlin's aggressive anti-gay laws.  It's now a movement that has gay bars all around the world dumping Russian vodka to show their displeasure with the country's treatment of gay people.

According to The Atlantic Wire:

True, these viral movements often get branded as "slacktivism," a term that suggests people are not really doing anything to help the cause at hand. But, then again, the vodka ban is not asking for your money — only your attention to the plight of gays in Russia and, perhaps, a moment of thought about whether you want to patronize companies that might be a little too friendly with the Kremlin. 

Read the entire article:  Gay Bars' Ban on Russian Vodka Is Going Global

Savage writes a syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love (appears weekly in the Chicago Reader).

Innovation Has Become More Global

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According to Soumitra Dutta for Businessweek, innovation has become more global and the trend will continue in the immediate future. What's the impact on global businesses?

Senior managers considering global expansion should evaluate the local innovation scene to see if the dynamics are there to act as a petri dish for growth on an international scale.

Read the entire article:  Expand Globally, Innovate Locally

Note: Dr. Soumitra Dutta is dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.

Time to Rethink Globalization

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"For the first time in decades, I'm beginning to hear upbeat accounts from entrepreneurs engaged in American manufacturing." - Ron Felber, CEO, Chemetall-North America

Ron Felber writes a provocative article for IndustryWeek on how "the wave of technological innovation in communication systems and production tools make it easier to bring new products to market faster than the competition by designing, refining, and manufacturing them right here in the United States."

For Americans, the most important factor is the emergence of new tools that address an old problem. The old problem is the cost, delay and inefficiency of converting an idea into reality.  Before a company can earn the first customer, or their first dollar, they have to decide whether the product can be built, at what cost, and how fast, so they can beat competitors to market.

Read the entire article:  Expansion Management:  The Myth of Globalization

Note:  Mr. Felber is also the author of A Man of Indeterminate Value.

 

Lady Flowering Head

The mysterious Lady Flowering Head at Navy Pier, Chicago.

Have a good weekend!

Photo credit:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Factors to Consider For New Importers

Below is an article I wrote for the About.com Import and Export site.  I offer eight tips for new importers - covering everything from the importance of trusting your supplier, to determining if you need a license, to making sure merchandise can freely enter the United States.

So you can breathe a sense of relief and smile knowing all will go smoothly.

Read:  Eight Tips for New Importers

Photo courtesy: ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

How to Lead a Global Enterprise

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Harvard Business School has a new executive education program entitled, "Leading a Global Enterprise."  It's taught by HBS professors Bill George and Krishna Palepu.

The Program:

The 21st century is the era of globalization. To sustain success in this rapidly changing landscape, global companies must develop a cadre of leaders who can operate throughout the world, lead global product and marketing teams, and create strategies that are effective globally and locally. To that end, HBS Professors Bill George and Krishna Palepu, renowned global leadership visionaries, have developed a highly personalized, one-week course that is designed to help you take your own leadership to higher levels and build greater global leadership capabilities within your company.

Learn more and apply here (program starts July 28th and runs until August 2nd; cost is $13,000).  Be sure to watch the one-minute video Professor George gives (upper right sidebar).

How About Mexico for Manufacturing?

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I interviewed Carlos Balderrama, executive president of CODESIN about Sinaloa, a state in northwest Mexico. What follows is an excerpt from our interview, when we talked about what makes Sinaloa a good investment opportunity right now.

Laurel Delaney: Not too many people have heard of Sinaloa, Mexico. Why is that?

Carlos Balderrama: Americans are better acquainted with Mazatlán, which is located on the south coast of the state and considered one of the premier tourist destinations of Mexico. We are a state with an agricultural and food industry tradition; even though we have only 3 percent of the nation’s territory and 2 percent of its population, we are responsible for 30 percent of Mexico’s total production of food and also supply much of the off-season produce to the United States.

Read the entire interview:  An Interview with Carlos Balderrama of CODESIN