jlorin@synapse.net What's new on ENTERWeb http://www.enterweb.org/whatnew.htm ManagementFirst objective is to help managers improve their skills and knowledge. It provides numerous articles and summaries of key business news and management theory. Very rich site. You have to subscribe to Emerald journals to access all the articles although non subscribers can access certain sections for free. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm The Management Development Network (EFMD) is an international membership organization, based in Brussels, Belgium. With more than 500 member organizations from academia, business, public service and consultancy in 65 countries, it provides a forum for information, research, networking and debate on innovation and best practice in management development. Very interesting site. Do not miss the section on knowledge and publications and particularly the subsection on thought leadership. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm The SOSIG Business and Management Gateway provides free access to high quality resources on the Internet. Each resource has been evaluated and categorized by subject specialists based at UK universities. The guide includes a full section on management further divided into financial management, human resources management, management theories, operations management, organizational management, and small and medium size enterprises. Excellent meta index. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm BetterManagement vision is to improve the leadership and decision making skills of business and government executives around the world. They address critical business management issues in areas such as Performance Management, Financial Management, Business Intelligence, and IT management, through online resources such as business articles, webcasts, and online learning. Excellent site. Registration is required but is free. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm This guide on management is divided into several sections amongst which a section on management essentials which includes management 101 and a management glossary, a section on management topics which includes managing people, finance for managers, leadership, management skills, project management, women in management, management theory, etc. Very good site which leads to many interesting links. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm Management Logs consists of 27 discussion forums on management sciences, including forums on benchmarking, change management, business ethics, corporate finance, crisis management, international accounting, performance management, risk management, supply chain management, etc. Interesting site although not very active. http://www.enterweb.org/managmt.htm The European ebusiness policies portal, the backbone of the European eBusiness Support Network (eBSN) for SMEs, serves as one stop shop, online environment for all European ebusiness initiatives, launched by (or in collaboration with) public authorities at national, regional or local level, that aim at promoting the adoption of ICT and ebusiness among SMEs. The portal provides information about ebusiness policy initiatives, statistical data about the take up of ebusiness among European SMEs, examples of best practice, news, announcements, articles, etc. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm A free, practical and common sense guide from the UK to help small businesses get to grips with the Internet and eBusiness. The guide is split into 10 factsheets which provide tips and guidance and can help answer your questions. The guide offers basic information from which you choose what is relevant to your particular business needs. Excellent guide which was produced in 2001. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm ebusiness.info is a francophone site which provides several information services on electronic commerce, ebusiness thematic kits, news review, directories, conferences and workshops, practical guide for SME, export data. Interesting site. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm From Enterprise Ireland this website helps small businesses use IT and eBusiness to improve competitiveness and grow sales. It includes How to guides to help with such decisions, case studies about companies which have addressed similar issues, key guidelines for managing IT, and other resources. Very good and useful site. Do not miss the How to guides which are very well made. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm This Australian guide to doing business on line provides information and resources about ebusiness for small businesses. It comprises six building blocks for ebusiness: Understanding, Planning, Building, Protecting, Managing and Improving. Excellent site, very useful even if you are not from Australia. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm Developed by British Columbia Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development this not for profit ebusiness resource center was created in response to the entrepreneurial community demand for more and better ebusiness and ecommerce resources. It offers a comprehensive collection of ebusiness information services to help small businesses adapt to technological change, and remain competitive in our rapidly changing information economy. Very interesting and useful site. Do not miss the ebusiness guides. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm The MIT Center for eBusiness is the world largest center for research and education in eBusiness. It brings together global companies, leading researchers, and some of the best students in the world, in inventing and understanding the business value that can be created by the productive use of digital technologies. The research briefs are particularly interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm This website from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is designed to bring you the latest analysis of the top technology trends affecting business worldwide and to provide you with all the information and analysis you need to hone your business strategy for the global digital economy. Very rich and excellent site which is divided in 5 sections: thought leadership, best practice, global news analysis, research and doing ebusiness in .. which assesses the prospects for ebusiness growth in 60 countries. Do not miss the Research Portal which is an annotated guide to helpful ebusiness websites. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm The European Commission eBusiness Watch is a sectoral eBusiness observatory which monitors the adoption, development and impact of electronic business practices in different sectors of the economy in the enlarged European Union. Special emphasis is placed on the implications of electronic business for SMEs. The 2005 eBusiness report is very interesting. Do not miss its section on international eBusiness developments. http://www.enterweb.org/cyber.htm The Center for Women Leadership at Babson College, Massachusetts is dedicated to the advancement of enterprising women around the world. Very interesting publications section. Do not miss the excellent 2005 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report on Women and Entrepreneurship which covers 34 countries. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm As an independent, nonprofit membership organization, Catalyst conducts research on all aspects of women career advancement. Interesting site. Do not miss the section on knowledge which includes a number of interesting reports which can be downloaded. The bookstore section also includes free downloads. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm The World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM) is a non profit, non governmental, non political and non sectarian organization whose activities at the national and international level, are aimed at promoting women entrepreneurial initiatives and reinforcing national associations of women business owners. The site includes a list of those national associations on a country basis. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm The U.S. National Women Business Council has been created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. Its mission is to promote initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women business enterprises at all stages of development. Excellent site. Do not miss the very rich section on research and publications and the section on links. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm The Center for Women Business Research describes itself as the premier source of knowledge about women business owners and their enterprises worldwide. The center does research documenting the economic and social contributions of women owned firms. Very interesting site particularly its section on research studies which unfortunately cannot be downloaded but can be purchased for a fee. Do not miss the section on resources and links. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm Women21.gov is a one stop US federal resource for targeted information, registration for online programs, and networking opportunities to help women entrepreneurs. Do not miss the section on tools and tips. http://www.enterweb.org/women.htm Jurisexpert is a law portal on information technologies which includes a law directory of more than 500 websites. Very interesting site. Do not miss the section on useful cards. http://www.enterweb.org/law.htm GigaLaw.com provides legal information for Internet and technology professionals, Internet entrepreneurs and the lawyers who serve them. Interesting site whose main value is the section on articles which covers many aspects of Internet law. http://www.enterweb.org/law.htm This site dedicated to trademarks, and trademark law, and maintained by Gregory H. Guillot, provides users with the many tools necessary to learn the basics of trademark law, conduct trademark searches, and access sites devoted to trademarks. The most impressive element of the site is its exhaustive collection of trademark links. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/law.htm Investopedia also known as the Investing Education Site includes the most comprehensive investing dictionary on the web as well as numerous articles and tutorials on nearly any aspect of finance and investing. Excellent site which should be of interest to students, individual investors, traders, professionals. Do not miss the section on tutorials which differentiates between beginners, intermediate and experienced investors. http://www.enterweb.org/finance.htm This personal website by Matt H. Evans provides free advice on certain issues related to business finance. Probably the best source of advice comes from the Short Courses which provide very concise knowledge on specific issues, such as Managing Cash Flow, Evaluating Financial Performance, Budgeting, etc. Excellent site. The different courses can be downloaded in pdf or word format. http://www.enterweb.org/finance.htm The Finance Policy Resource Guide offers quick access to key documents, organizations, research themes, discussions and other key resources on finance policy. Very good site. Do not miss the section on finance policy websites. http://www.enterweb.org/finance.htm Electronic resources on the nations of the world selected by Library of Congress subject experts. They are arranged by country or area with the links for each sorted into a wide range of broad categories. Excellent site essential for exporters trying to penetrate foreign markets. http://www.enterweb.org/market.htm The Global Connector is managed by Indiana University Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). This search engine puts the Internet best sources of international business information at your fingertips in order to help you expand your business into new overseas markets. Search can be made on a country or industry basis in order to identify the best relevant websites and provide information on trade associations, trade publications, trade shows, international trade, etc. as well the domestic economy. Very good and useful site. http://www.enterweb.org/market.htm The International Trade Forum is the magazine of the International Trade Centre (ITC). It focuses on trade promotion and export development, as part of ITC technical cooperation programme with developing countries and economies in transition. The magazine is published quarterly in English, French and Spanish. Excellent site. Do not miss the sections on the various themes and more particularly the list of related sites on the various topics. http://www.enterweb.org/market.htm The Trade Policy Resource Guide offers quick access to key documents, organizations, research themes, discussions and other key resources on international trade. Very good site. Do not miss the section on trade policy websites. http://www.enterweb.org/market.htm A project of the International Finance Corporation, the SME Toolkit offers free business management information and training for small businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on accounting and finance, business planning, human resources (HR), marketing and sales, operations, and information technology (IT). The SME Toolkit offers a wide range of how to articles, business forms, free business software, online training, self assessment exercises, quizzes, and resources to help entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers in emerging markets and developing countries start, finance, formalize, and grow their businesses. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/advisory.htm My Own Business is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free training and resources to aspiring entrepreneurs. Their website includes a free, complete and in-depth online course on starting up a business. Excellent site. Although the course is free, you have to pay for the course textbook and the completion certificate. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm One of the main policy themes of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the fight against poverty and the reduction of inequalities. This objective is achieved through the support given to enterprises and in particular the provision of non financial business development services such as advisory services, training, technical support, information services, technology transfer, joint ventures, etc. The objective of this site is to provide a synthesis and a translation of what is done and written on the problematique of business development services (BDS). http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm The Enterprise Development Impact Assessment Information Service (EDIAIS) was established to provide information and expertise in enterprise development impact assessment to DFID and the wider development community. Very interesting site. Do not miss the documents on assessing the impact of business enabling environments. http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm microLINKS is a dynamic knowledge sharing Web site designed to improve the impact of USAID funded microenterprise programs and activities. It allows to share cutting edge research with microenterprise development and financial services practitioners, USAID Mission staff, and other interested individuals and organizations while also serving as a meeting place through which visitors can share their own experiences and knowledge. Excellent site truly essential for all those interested in microenterprise development. http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm This inter agency information exchange site has been created to share documents and information about donor supported work to develop markets for business services. Very innovative and useful initiative. http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm This inter agency information exchange site has been created to share documents and information about donor supported work to enhance the business environment to achieve pro poor growth. It focuses on aspects of the Business Environment that discriminate against small firms and also covers the overall approaches of governments to SME policies and institutions. Very innovative and useful initiative. http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm In the long run this site from Laval University will be used to make available results from the research program Microfinance: a market approach and as a reference site for issues on regulation and supervision of Community Oriented Financial Intermediaries (COFI). Currently it serves principally to facilitate the access to documents, literature and references in electronic format to the members of the research network. The site has a free access section and a limited access section. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The MIMAP Microfinance Network on the regulation and supervision of Community Oriented Financial Intermediaries (COFI) is a project of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) which aims to establish a cross country network that will examine the link between COFIs, the regulatory and supervisory environment within which they operate, and poverty outcomes. Interesting site although somewhat limited. Do not miss the document library. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The Credit mutuel, 5th Group in the French banking system, was created at the end of the 19th century. The cooperative and mutual principles introduced by his founder are still applied today. The international involvement of the Credit Mutuel is based on the promotion of these values as a key component of an effective economic and social development for cooperative institutions in search for sustainability. Interesting site. Do not miss the documents on informal financial systems in Africa in the publications section. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The mission of the Microfinance Management Institute (MFMI) is to advance capacity in microfinance management worldwide through its Microfinance in MBA Programs Project. Very limited site at this stage which will eventually include a resource library and a publications section. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The program of capacity building of microfinance institutions in francophone Africa (CAPAF) is a joint initiative of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP) and the French foreign ministry (MAE). Its mission is to promote a market approach to the provision of viable capability building services to microfinance institutions (MFIs) including training, technical support, and information dissemination. Do not miss the tool box and the resources section which include many essential documents. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The Comite d’Echanges et d’Informations sur les Systemes d’Epargne Credit (CERISE) was created in 1998 by four french organizations working in support of microfinance institutions: CIDR (Centre International de Developpement et de Recherche, Autreches), CIRAD (Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement, Montpellier), GRET (Groupe de Recherche et d'Echanges Technologiques, Paris) and IRAM (Institut de Recherches et d'Applications des Methodes de developpement, Paris) in order to offer a common working space and to facilitate contacts between the various actors. The section on themes and publications contains many interesting documents on the social impact of microfinance, the financing of agriculture, governance and the various models of interventions in microfinance. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm This site of the French coordination committee for the international year of microcredit, which encompasses Coordination SUD, Cerise, Finansol, and which is presided by Maria Nowak, President of the Adie and of the European Microfinance Network, represents their attempt to take up the challenge of the International Year of Microcredit : work together to build a financial system accessible to everybody. Do not miss the media section which contains many interesting documents. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm Since 2001, the Solidarity Finance workshop of the Workgroup on Solidarity Socio Economy has focused its interest on the issues of financial tools, used in the North as well as in the South. Its objectives is to make basic financial services accessible to the poorest populations (mainly on saving and credit). The proceedings were focused on an underestimated topic: the relations between solidarity finance and social ties. Very interesting site which covers subjects much broader than just microfinance. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The MicroInsurance Centre is the only independent institution that is focused full time on actively promoting the Partner Agent model of microinsurance. In this model, MFIs are linked with regulated insurance companies to provide professional insurance products to the low income market, while maintaining the risk where it belongs, with a regulated insurer. This method has proven to provide important risk management tools to low income people, provide an important addition to the product line of MFIs (as well as profits through commissions), and allow insurers to enter this market efficiently and profitably. Interesting site on a topic of wide interest among microfinance institutions and donors. Do not miss the documents section and particularly the donor guidelines for supporting microinsurance. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm MicroRate is the first rating agency specializing in the evaluation of microfinance institutions (MFIs). Its objective is to link MFIs with funding sources and in particular with international capital markets. Interesting site although focused mostly on Latin America. Do not miss the document on performance indicators for microfinance institutions. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm This website developed by FAO and its partners is dedicated to providing access to the best materials for capacity building in the field of rural finance. Capacity building materials can be accessed through the Training Gateway and the Resources Gateway. Excellent site, very well designed, which contains a lot of useful information. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The United Nations International Year of Microcredit 2005 provides an occasion to raise awareness of the importance of microcredit and microfinance in the eradication of poverty, to share good practices and to further enhance financial sector development that supports sustainable pro-poor services in all countries. Very good site. Do not miss the information kit and the section on resources. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm Appui au Developpement Autonome (ADA) is a non profit organisation based in Luxembourg which works with Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) by offering them a combination of financial support and customised technical services. Excellent gateway on microfinance. I particularly liked their section on links and resources. Do not miss either the section on publications. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The Canada Research Chair on the socio organizational challenges of the knowledge economy has the objective to re examine the various theories of firm, in particular the evolutionary theory, according to which, knowledge of an organization is above all, the function of individual knowledge of its members, and notably of tacit knowledge (in opposition to codified or clarified knowledge) that possessed by these persons. The Chair wants to try to go beyond this opposition between tacit and explicit knowledge to study the ways of sharing of knowledge among individuals in different working contexts (telework or telecommuting, independent work or self employed, communities of practice within an organization), but also between individuals and their environment, and among organizations. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm This OECD paper discusses the importance of a comprehensive policy framework that integrates information and communications technologies, innovation and human resources as the drivers of growth; future directions of policy frameworks for the knowledge economy; and integrated approaches that link policy development to broad economic and social goals. Interesting paper which raises more questions than it provides answers. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm The rules and practices that determined success in the industrial economy of the 20th century need rewriting in an interconnected world where resources such as know how are more critical than other economic resources. This briefing highlights recent thinking and developments and offers guidance on developing appropriate organizational strategies to succeed into the new millennium. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm Education for the Knowledge Economy (EKE) represents one of two central thrusts of the World Bank support for education in helping countries achieve economic growth and poverty reduction (the other being attainment of Education for All). Such support recognizes that in today fast changing, information driven world, nations comparative advantage depends heavily on their ability to use and generate knowledge. Very interesting site. Do not miss the two reports constructing knowledge societies and lifelong learning in the global knowledge economy. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm The general objectives of this 2002 forum were to stress the importance of a comprehensive policy framework that integrates ICTs, innovation, and human resources as drivers of growth, and share experiences on the development and future directions of policy frameworks for the knowledge-based economy. The site includes the various papers and presentations as well as the summary report of the global forum. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm Advancing Knowledge and the Knowledge Economy is an international conference that took place in January 2005 and brought together leading experts to examine how processes for creating and organizing knowledge interact with information technology, business strategy, and changing social and economic conditions. The conference was designed to broaden and deepen common understanding of how difficult to measure knowledge resources drive an increasingly virtualized economy and to assess prospects for advancing and regenerating knowledge infrastructure, institutions, and policies. Interesting and very rich site which includes all working papers of the conference. Do not miss the section on resources. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm The Creative Knowledge Economy Project is a grassroots initiative of Communities of the Future (COTF) , an evolving network of people and organizations throughout the U.S. and other countries that are working in collaboration to develop new concepts of governance, economic development, and education/learning for a fast-paced, interconnected, and increasingly complex society. Interesting site which combines the concepts of community development and knowledge economy. Do not miss the Creative Knowledge Economy Handbook. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm In the context of the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Commission the project KEI (Knowledge Economy Indicators: Development of Innovative and Reliable Indicator Systems) started on September 2004. The project aim is to develop and improve indicators for the knowledge economy, including the analysis of aggregation issues and the use of composite indicators. The project will cover indicators from 30 European countries (the EU25 plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Romania, and Bulgaria) and six non European countries (the US, Japan, India, China, Australia and Canada). Interesting site although somewhat limited at this stage. The site includes the materials of the workshop on Knowledge Economy Indicators which took place in March 2005. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm The Knowledge for Development (K4D) Program helps build the capacity of client countries to access and use knowledge to strengthen their competitiveness in the global economy and increase their social well-being. It works with client countries to design and develop realistic and achievable strategies to further their transition to the knowledge economy. Excellent and very rich site. Do not miss the learning materials and the section on knowledge economy assessments. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm The Community Tool Box (CTB) from the University of Kansas provides over 6,000 pages of practical information to support work in promoting community health and development. The core of the Tool Box is the topic sections that include practical guidance for the different tasks necessary to promote community health and development. There are sections on leadership, strategic planning, community assessment, grant writing, evaluation, etc. Each section includes a description of the task, advantages of doing it, step-by-step guidelines, examples, checklists of points to review, and training materials. Excellent site on community building despite the initial focus on community health. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Rural Assistance Center (RAC) was established in December 2002 as a rural health and human services information portal. RAC helps rural communities access the full range of available programs, funding, and research that can enable them to provide quality health and human services to rural residents. Their information guide on community development is a meta index of sites useful for the community development practitioner. The focus is on rural America. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Center for Community Economic Development from the University of Wisconsin , creates, applies and transfers multidisciplinary knowledge to help people understand community change and identify opportunities in their communities. Excellent site which contains several tools useful for the community development worker. Worth several visits. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The training material you will find here is mainly for community workers in the field. The strategies and methodology described go beyond traditional community development techniques, with their rural bias and emphasis on mobilizing self help groups; it includes modified action-oriented management training aimed at community members and their leaders, and adaptations of community organizing methods that are appropriate to the currently rapid urbanization of the world. Other topics include poverty reduction, gender strategy, facilitation, income generation, capacity development, monitoring, brain storm, community participation, social animation, learning an oral language, and empowerment. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm This web site is a joint collaboration between Cornell University and Penn State University and is maintained by the Community and Rural Development Institute (CaRDI) located at Cornell University. Its purpose is to provide accessible tools to local community and economic development (CED) practitioners, so that they are more knowledgeable about basic CED issues and are better equipped to assist in decision making and determining the future of their communities. Very good site. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Centre for Sustainable Community Development of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia aims to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives in community development. Interesting site. Do not miss the Gateway to Community Economic Development Resources despite a number of broken links. The Minding Your Own Business report is also quite interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Centre for Community Enterprise (CCE) is a nonprofit organization committed to building the capacity of community-controlled organizations to generate durable social and economic benefits. Excellent site which contains essential resources for Community Economic Development. Do not miss the Community Resilience Manual: a resource for rural recovery and renewal and also the manual on Tools and Techniques for Community Recovery and Renewal which can be both downloaded from the site. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The European BIC Network is the reference point on innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship in Europe. It gathers 160 Business and Innovation Centers (BIC) and similar organizations such as incubators, innovation centers and entrepreneurship centers. Very interesting site. Do not miss the guide of the European Business and Innovation Centers. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm If business incubators are to deliver economic development benefits, then more attention needs to be paid to promoting business growth among incubator clients. This Australian report treats this issue by identifying best practice by business incubators in facilitating the development of competitive growth businesses. The report looks in-depth at eight case studies of leading business incubator programs to provide detailed appreciation of program design and incubator operations. Four of these programs are Australian and four are drawn from the United States. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm This study of the National Business Incubator Association entitled Identifying obstacles to the success of rural business incubators, identifies the challenges and obstacles that rural incubators must address in order to improve performance. Very interesting report. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm This small guide from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) provides an overview of the different types of incubators and how they function. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm InfoDev Incubator Initiative, launched in 2002 with resources from the Government of Japan, is aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and private sector development in developing countries through the establishment of a network of incubators to facilitate the emergence and development of small and medium size Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) enterprises. Interesting site. Do not miss the InfoDev Incubator Support Center and its section on resources. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm This site from the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) aims to provide a single entry point to all business incubators in Europe. Very rich and interesting site mostly due to the many documents included in the library section which should be of interest to anyone looking for information on incubators. Do not miss the section on benchmarking. http://www.enterweb.org/incubtor.htm The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science was established to provide engineers, scientists and science and engineering students with resources useful for understanding and addressing ethically significant problems that arise in their work life. Very good site. The case studies are fascinating. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Transparency International is an international non-governmental organization which brings civil society, business, and governments together in a powerful global coalition, and works at both the national and international level to curb both the supply and demand of corruption. Excellent site which includes a newsletter and a rich publications section. Do not miss the business principles for countering bribery. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This extremely rich site from the European Commission leads to all the works undertaken by the commission in the area of corporate social responsibility. Do not miss the ABC of CSR instruments and also the other commission web pages on CSR particularly the one from the DG Enterprise which includes a brochure on responsible entrepreneurship for SMEs. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative at the Kennedy School of Government is a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder program that seeks to study and enhance the public role of the private enterprise. It focuses on exploring the intersection between corporate responsibility, corporate governance and strategy, public policy, and the media. Interesting site. Do not miss the very rich publications section. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This subject focused guide offers quick access to key documents, organizations, research themes, discussions and other key resources. Very rich and excellent site. Do not miss the list of links on corporate social responsibility. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is an alliance of UK companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and trade union organizations. Its objectives are to promote and improve the implementation of corporate codes of practice which cover supply chain working conditions. Very rich and interesting site. Do not miss the section on ethical trade which provides an introduction to ethical trade, codes of practice and international labour standards and also the ETI library which includes downloadable documents. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This personal site of Mallen Baker presents news and articles on corporate social responsibility. The site includes a newsletter and an interesting section on resources where several documents can be downloaded. Do not miss the section on definitions of corporate social responsibility and on arguments against CSR. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College is a membership based research organization which works with global corporations to help them define, plan and operationalize their corporate citizenship. Their goal is to help business leverage its social, economic and human assets to ensure both its success and a more just and sustainable world. Very interesting site. Do not miss the section on publications where there are many documents available for download, and the section on corporate citizenship links whicdh is very good. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Each issue of Business Ethics, the magazine of corporate responsibility, carries news and analysis of cutting edge topics in corporate social responsibility, business ethics, and social investing. Two articles of the current issue can be read online. Interesting site but limited. Do not miss the section on resources. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The UK government has an ambitious vision for corporate social responsibility: to see UK businesses taking account of their economic, social and environmental impacts, and acting to address the key sustainable development challenges based on their core competences wherever they operate. The site includes sections on definition of CSR, policy and legislation, projects and programmes, practice, resources, etc. Very interesting site. Do not miss the international strategic framework on corporate social responsibility and the section on resources which provides access to a number of publications. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm CSR Europe is a non profit organisation that promotes corporate social responsibility. Its mission is to help companies achieve profitability, sustainable growth and human progress by placing corporate social responsibility in the mainstream of business practice. The site includes an extensive list of publications on CSR as well as a very large list of links. Do not miss the section on CSR general information. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This site from Industry Canada, a department of the federal canadian government, addresses the issue of definition, outlines tools that can be employed by businesses, presents best practices on the subject, and describes what it does to support corporate social responsibility. Excellent site. Do not miss the section on lessons learned and also the CSR monitor 2004 which is a survey of public opinion on corporate social responsibility. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This site from the UK outlines corporate social responsibility as it relates to small and medium sized enterprise. It provides a roadmap for a business on how to be socially responsible. It is about direction: how you create products and services people value; culture: the way you do things in your business; policies: how you define policies and turn them into practice; relationships: how people relate to your business. Excellent site. Do not miss the how to guides and the resource centre and its 10 pages of research papers. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Ethikos is a bi monthly publication that examines ethical and compliance issues in business. A sample issue is available as well as selected articles from past issues. You need to be a subscriber to access all the information. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Global Compact is an international initiative that will bring companies together with UN agencies, labour and civil society to support nine (now ten) principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption. It seeks to advance responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalisation. Interesting site. Do not miss the Chatham House report which explores the policy options for implementing the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) commitments on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This website presents examples of codes of conduct ( a formal statement of the values and business practices of a corporation). Interesting site. Do not miss the section on interest groups which presents codes of conduct developed by NGOs and the section on government which includes guidelines for multinational companies. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) is a non profit, business led, national membership organization of Canadian companies working to improve their social, environmental and financial performance. They have developed the GoodCompany Guidelines for Corporate Social Performance which are a set of guidelines that outline what companies can do to become more socially and environmentally responsible. Excellent site. Do not miss the SME resource database. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance were endorsed by OECD Ministers in 1999 and revised in 2004. They cover six key areas of corporate governance : ensuring the basis for an effective corporate governance framework; the rights of shareholders; the equitable treatment of shareholders; the role of stakeholders in corporate governance; disclosure and transparency; and the responsibilities of the board. Essential document. Do not miss the Frequently Asked Questions and the Policy brief which is even more interesting than the principles themselves. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm EthicScan Canada Ltd is a synthesis of three different services an ethics consultancy, Canada first corporate social responsibility research house, and a clearinghouse or resource centre for consumer and corporate ethics. Interesting site but most of the reports available have to be purchased. Do not miss the FAQs and the extensive list of links. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Ethics Compliance Management System Standard (ECS2000) is a guideline for corporations and other organisations which are endeavouring to conduct business in an equitable and responsible manner. The ECS2000 standard has been made publicly available by the Business Ethics Research Project at the Reitaku Centre for Economic Research. Very useful document for any organisation which aim to establish, apply, maintain and consistently improve an ethical legal compliance management system. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College is a nonprofit educational and consulting organization whose vision is a world in which all businesses contribute positively to society through their ethically sound and responsible operations. The site houses studies and surveys as well as the Ethics Matters Magazine. Do not miss the list of ethical newsletters in the resources section. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The North American BBB system is an important force for marketplace ethics, operating a range of programs and services to promote ethical business conduct. These programs include voluntary standards and codes of practice, dispute resolution processes, and information and education programs. The site includes a code of advertising and a code of online business practices. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Council for Ethics in Economics is a worldwide association of leaders in business, education, and other professions working together to strengthen the ethical fabric of business and economic life. The site includes the quaterly publication Ethics and Economics. Do not miss the 1998 publication on competitive intelligence where are the ethical limits? http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The World Council for Corporate Governance is an independent, not for profit international network aimed to galvanise good governance practices worldwide. It was eastablished at the first International Conference on Corporate Governance held in January 2001 in New Delhi. The site includes past conference reports. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Caux Round Table (CRT) is an international network of principled business leaders working to promote a moral capitalism. The CRT advocates implementation of the CRT Principles for Business through which principled capitalism can flourish and sustainable and socially responsible prosperity can become the foundation for a fair, free and transparent global society. Very rich and interesting site. Do not miss the section on resources and the summaries of selected corporate responsibility codes and standards. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Ethical Corporation is an independent publisher on business ethics and corporate responsibility. Interesting site which combines daily news and a monthly magazine. With the exception of the daily news and corresponding newsletter most of the information is accessible only if you are a paid subscriber. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions from the Illinois Institute of Technology has put their extensive collection of codes of ethics on the web. This includes codes of ethics of professional societies, corporations, government, and academic institutions. The Codes of Ethics Online site includes an index and a search engine. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Institute for Global Ethics mission is to promote ethical behavior in individuals, institutions, and nations through research, public discourse, and practical action. Interesting site but limited. Do not miss the Ethics Newsline. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) is an international scientific non-profit association which provides a forum for debate and dialogue between academics, legislators and practitioners, focusing on major corporate governance issues and thereby promoting best practice. Excellent and very rich site. Do not miss the section on codes where corporate governance codes on a country by country basis can be downloaded. The section on working papers is also interesting although much more technically focused. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The European Business Ethics Network, EBEN, is an international network dedicated to the promotion of business ethics in European private industry, public sector, voluntary organizations, and academia. The site includes a newsletter and a discussion forum but you need to be a paid member to access them. Interesting set of links. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The e business ethics center from the University of Colorado provides a source of information on business ethics, corporate citizenship and organizational compliance. The goal of the e business ethics center is to create a virtual community of organizations and individuals that share best practices in the improvement of business ethics. Excellent site with a very rich resources section. I particularly liked their examples of codes of conduct. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Center for Ethics and Business at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles aims to provide an environment for discussing issues related to the necessity, difficulty, costs and rewards of conducting business ethically. Recognizing the special challenges connected with discussing ethical issues on a multicultural planet at the dawn of the 21st century, the Center encourages a secular and philosophical approach to these matters. Interesting site. Do not miss the Ethics toolbox and the section on links. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is a global organization that helps member companies achieve success in ways that respect ethical values, people, communities and the environment. BSR provides information, tools, training and advisory services to make corporate social responsibility an integral part of business operations and strategies. The site includes a section on Business Ethics. Do not miss the Issue brief library which covers the full spectrum of corporate social responsibility issues. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Ethics and Policy Integration Centre (EPIC) is an ethics and policy research effort based on the belief that applying the principles and practices of organizational ethics is an eminently practical part of organizational life. Very interesting site with a rich resource section. Do not miss the section on small and medium enterprises and also Business Ethics: a manual for managing a responsible business enterprise in emerging market economies. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The International Society of Business, Economics, and Ethics (ISBEE) is a professional association focusing exclusively on the study of business, economics, and ethics. The site includes a newsletter, documents and the papers from their world congress. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Ethics Resource Center (ERC) is a nonprofit organization whose vision is a world where individuals and organizations act with integrity. Interesting site which includes a monthly newsletter and some free publications. Do not miss the Ethics toolkit and the publication on Ethics and compliance in a global economy. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm Built by MBA students at the Joseph M Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, under the direction of Assistant Professor Bradley Agle, the site contains information pertaining to the business ethics climate in a number of countries in every region of the world. For each country covered, the information is divided into 5 topics: cultural religious beliefs and traditions; law, adjudication and enforcement; stakeholders priotities and corporate social responsibility; major business ethics cases; major multinational firms operating in the country. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The International Business Ethics Institute promotes business ethics and corporate responsibility through two key program areas. First, it works to increase public awareness and dialogue about international business ethics issues through such educational resources and activities as the Roundtable Discussion Series, the International Business Ethics Review and their website. Second, the Institute works closely with companies to assist them in establishing effective international ethics programs. Excellent site. Do not miss the Business Ethics Primer in the resources section and the articles of the International Business Ethics Review in the publications section. I am also looking forward to their Comprehensive Guide on Developing Global Codes of Ethics which should be published in 2005. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm EthicsCentre.CA (Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy) is an independent ethics centre dedicated to promoting and maintaining an ethical orientation and culture in Canadian organizations. Its mission is to champion the application of ethical values in the decision-making process of business and other organizations. Very interesting site. Do not miss Management Ethics which is a quarterly publication featuring topics of interest to the business community, and also the numerous articles and speeches included in the Resources section. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm The Business Ethics Links Library (BELL) from the university of Colorado at Boulder is a comprehensive starting point for research in corporate ethics and social responsibility. The database provides access to codes of ethics for U.S. companies and trade and professional associations, ethics sites at college and university business programs, industry information resources, and company promotion of social responsibility. Excellent meta index and search engine. Do not miss the online ethics publications. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm This guide is a straightforward and highly practical tool designed to help leaders and managers implement comprehensive ethics management systems in their workplaces in order to deal with the complex, ethical issues that can occur in the day to day realities of leading and managing an organization. It provides guidelines for managing ethics, identifies key roles and responsibilities, provides instructions for setting up a code of ethics and a code of conduct. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm In this report to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Commission on Private Sector and Development focuses on how business can create domestic employment and wealth, free local entrepreneurial energies, and help achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Very interesting report which could have focused more on the role of microenterprises and the informal sector. http://www.enterweb.org/donors.htm The Entrepreneurship Research Alliance (ERA) is a multidisciplinary and multi university research project based at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its objective is to understand why some firms grow while others stagnate or go out of business. The site includes quite a number of research papers and publications which can be downloaded. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The primary goal of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship is to be the focal point for efforts to stimulate and support private and public entrepreneurship development in communities throughout Rural America. The site includes a library which provides interesting documents in addition to a number of entrepreneurship tools to help those in the field identify and support their entrepreneurs. Very interesting site. Do not miss the Rural Entrepreneurship News. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education champions entrepreneurship education and provides advocacy, leadership, networking, technical assistance, and resources nationally across all levels and disciplines of education, promoting quality practices and programs. The site provides materials and resources for teachers, instructors, program developers and others who help students of all ages find their own entrepreneurial opportunities. Do not miss the Guide to Resources and Models for Entrepreneurship Education. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm Housed at the University of Alberta, the Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (CCSE) is the result of a partnership between the volontary sector, government and business. Its objective is to build the foundations necessary to encourage entrepreneurial approaches to social innovation. Interesting site on a subject of growing popularity and importance. The publications section is quite rich and interesting. Do not miss the discussion paper on social entrepreneurship. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The Entrepreneurship Centre is an initiative of OCRI ( Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation) a partnership organization between business, education and government. It is dedicated to helping Ottawa entrepreneurs make educated decisions about starting and growing their businesses.The services provided are divided in three main areas: thinking of starting a business, starting a new business, up and growing an existing business. Very useful site even though it is focused mostly on Ottawa entrepreneurs. Do not miss the frequently asked questions and the free business tutorials. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm This project of the Public Forum Institute aims to develop a National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship to improve awareness of the value of entrepreneurship. Very rich and varied site which provides a wide range of entrepreneurship related information from entrepreneurship news from around the world to information sources and global resources, research papers and reports. For those interested there are background reports on the state of entrepreneurship in the UK, Japan and South Korea. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research program is an annual assessment of the national level of entrepreneurial activity in more than 30 countries. Full global reports for each participating country can be downloaded as well as a National Summaries report which provides information on three key issues: the level of entrepreneurial activity , specific national features, and key issues surrounding entrepreneurship in each country. Excellent site with very interesting reports. Do not miss the 2004 report on financing which reviews and assesses the state of financing for entrepreneurs and their ventures around the world. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm This business research tutorial presents a step by step process for finding free company and industry information on the World Wide Web. Very good tutorial which demonstrates that you can gather a tremendous amount of business intelligence information on prospects, competitors, vendors, suppliers, customers, or other companies in just a few hours. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm This report on the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in competitive intelligence discusses possible uses of ICT for intelligence activities. In this discussion particular attention is paid to ICT tools such as the systematic use of the Internet for collection of information, groupware applications for uncovering information requirements, specific applications for supporting the analysis of information, the use of an intranet for disseminating intelligence, and data warehouses or data mining tools. Very interesting report which also makes the distinction between competitive intelligence as a product and competitive intelligence as a process. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm The Competitive Intelligence Resource Index is a search engine and an annotated meta index on competitive intelligence. The index is divided in eight categories (associations, books, companies, documentation, education, jobs, publications and software) and includes 1961 sites directly related to competitive intelligence. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm The International Association of Strategic Management is a francophone professional association whose members are researchers in management, strategy and organization. Its mission is to promote research on strategic management, disseminate information and help its members in their professional development. Very rich and interesting site although not directly focused on competitive intelligence or strategic intelligence. However its focus on strategic management makes it very relevant. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm The Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) is a global nonprofit membership organization for everyone involved in creating and managing business knowledge. Its mission is to enhance the skills of knowledge professionals in order to help their companies achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. Quite interesting site. Do not miss the index of free information available on the site. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Intelligence Onlinedescribes itself as the first system of political and economic intelligence. It deciphers all influence-bringing activities around the world whether they originate from lobbying groups, intelligence services, or economic intelligence units, and it evaluates emerging risks around the world (terrorism, proliferation, organised crime, money laundering, political instability). Potentially interesting but one has to pay to access the information http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm From the library of Santa Clara University this small research guide combines bibliographic information and list of Internet resources. The focus is on how to find information on competitors in a given industry sector. Interesting but limited. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Compiled by Fuld and Company Inc, a leading consulting company on competitive intelligence, the Internet Intelligence Index is designed to help you gather information from a wide variety of public services, in support of your competitive intelligence efforts. This meta-index contains links to over 600 intelligence-related Internet sites. Excellent site. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm This excellent guide on competitive intelligence developed by Industry Canada proposes an action plan which will help a company become a stronger competitor in the present e-business environment. Do not miss the section on resources. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm From Loyola college in Maryland this meta-index lists sites related to military intelligence, strategic intelligence, economic espionage, businesss intelligence, competitive intelligence, technology transfer and national security, etc. Interesting site, somewhat outdated and focused mostly on military intelligence and national security. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Describing itself as the Premier News and Business Intelligence Portal this site is a well known and reputed resource for Business Technology Management and Knowledge Management. The section on latest news and business intelligence is quite interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Veille.com represents the first on line community on economic and strategic intelligence. The site includes a directory on economic intelligence and strategic watch, a guide on search tools and search agents, discussion lists, etc. The directory is particularly rich and interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm This meta index includes 261 referenced sites useful for the competitive intelligence researcher http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Strategic Road has the ambitious objective of achieving a truly strategic watch function at the crossroads of economic intelligence and online information search. It provides essential information on strategic intelligence, infostrategy, geopolitics, security and risks. Do not miss the section on documents. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm This Info Guide provides basic information on the concept of strategic and technological intelligence and guides you through the government services and programs relating to this subject. Although focused on Quebec it can be used by anyone as it will enable you to understand the various types of intelligence and the various levels of monitoring for intelligence purposes that exist. http://www.enterweb.org/strategy.htm Microfin is a software which has been designed to assist Micro Finance Institutions in developing detailed financial projections to accompany their business plans. The Microfin technical support website provides support services to users of CGAP's Business Planning and Financial Modeling Handbook, including the Microfin projection model. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The MIX Market is a global, web-based, microfinance information platform which objectives are to facilitate information exchange and investments flows, promote transparency and improve reporting standards in the microfinance industry. Interesting site particularly for microfinance institutions and funders. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm This section of the Development Gateway portal, an interactive site for information on development and poverty reduction originally set up by the World Bank, focuses on microfinance and related issues and provides on a chronological basis documents, news, articles, sites related to microfinance . Very rich and useful site which unfortunately does not rank information according to quality or importance making it somewhat difficult to quickly identify and retrieve high quality information. Excellent site nevertheless. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) is the US national association of organizations committed to microenterprise development. It provides its members with a forum, information, and a voice to promote enterprise opportunity for people and communities with limited access to economic resources. Interesting site directly related to community economic development. The section on resources is quite rich. Do not miss the Best Practice Guides for microenterprise development from the Aspen Institute. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) is a nonprofit organization that works to expand economic opportunity, primarily in low-income and distressed communities, in order to bring greater social equity, alleviate poverty and lead to a more sustainable economy for everyone. Interesting site of a leader in economic community development. The publications section is very rich but only a few items can be downloaded for free. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm The Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED) is a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of services to assist disenfranchised individuals to enter the economic mainstream and create solid economic futures for themselves and others. The site is rather small but interesting nevertheless, its main value added being its publications section. Do not miss the literature review on microenterprise development and the cookbook on microenterprise lending. http://www.enterweb.org/communty.htm Globalization is a bi annual academic journal devoted to the examination of social, political, economic, and technological globalization. http://www.enterweb.org/global.htm Globalization ( the growing integration of economies and societies around the world ) has been one of the most hotly debated topics in international economics over the past few years. Rapid growth and poverty reduction in China, India, and other countries that were poor 20 years ago, has been a positive aspect of globalization. But globalization has also generated significant international opposition over concerns that it has increased inequality and environmental degradation. This World Bank site provides access to some of the most recent presentations on globalization and some of the leading research on the subject. Excellent site. Do not miss the briefing paper Poverty in an Age of Globalization. http://www.enterweb.org/global.htm Globalization101.org is an Internet site dedicated to providing students information and learning opportunities on globalization. The site, managed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), hopes to serve as an informative and engaging space for those interested in learning more about changes in the international economy. Very good starting point for those interested in globalization. Despite being pro globalization the site attempts to present a balanced view, presenting arguments for and against globalization. http://www.enterweb.org/global.htm The Globalization Research Network is a consortium of four globalization research centers, each with its own special area of interest (UCLA , Africa; University of Hawaii-Manoa , Asia and the Pacific; University of South Florida , the Caribbean and Latin America; George Washington University , Europe and the Middle East). The four universities collaborate on research and on public education programs addressing globalization issues. Although it is a bit overwhelming to try to navigate through four university sites at once, it is worth the effort as their publication sections and corresponding papers are quite rich and interesting. I particularly liked the concept of the globalization curriculum project of the University of Hawaii. http://www.enterweb.org/global.htm The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is the US affiliate of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Its mission is to advance knowledge and foster business development through entrepreneurship education and research. Most of the information is available only to paid members with the exception of white papers which can be downloaded and which are very interesting. Do not miss the excellent paper Women entrepreneurs, an overview of research and theory. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The objective of the European Commission is to promote successful entrepreneurship and to improve the business environment for SMEs, to allow them to meet the challenges faced in today knowledge-based economy to realise their full potential. This page on promoting entrepreneurship and SMEs presents their policy framework and corresponding action plan. The green paper on entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship action plan are particularly interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm The goal of this part of the LEED programme (Local Economic and Employment Development) dedicated to entrepreneurship is the assessment of policy instruments employed in the context of local enterprise promotion. The page leads to interesting events related to entrepreneurship. Do not miss the section on publications and working papers. http://www.enterweb.org/entrship.htm IKED is an independent, international non-profit organisation focusing on the emerging issues of the knowledge-based economy, and aiming to link the primary actors forming the knowledge-based economy ( government, industry, academia and civil society ) by facilitating international networks and policymaking forums, leading projects and forming recommendations to turn policies into action. Interesting site but rather very limited at this stage which reflects the young nature of the organisation. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm KnowledgeBoard is a Knowledge Management portal (KM) funded by the European Commission under the Information Society Technologies Programme (IST) and is a growing community of over 7,000 KM professionals throughout Europe and the world. Very rich and interesting site which takes a while to explore fully as most of its value added comes from news, articles and discussions. There is a special section on KM for small and medium enterprises and one on KM for beginners. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm This section of the Development Gateway Portal provides on a chronological basis news, articles, sites related to the knowledge economy and its interface with knowledge for development. Very rich and useful site which unfortunately does not rank information according to quality or importance making it difficult to identify and retrieve high quality information. Do not miss the sections on country development strategies and on related issues. http://www.enterweb.org/know.htm This small and innovative site targets all non-specialists who would like to understand better the functioning of financial markets, particularly with regards to the new financial products such as derivative products. The site is structured according to the trilogy actors-functions-products which ensure clear explanations. In summary very interesting site which would benefit of having an english version in addition to the french version in view of the predominance of the english technical terms being utilized. Do not miss the annotated links section. http://www.enterweb.org/finance.htm This recently (?) created network regroups 27 members, operators or consultants in microcredit. Its objectives are the promotion of self-employment, microentreprises and microfinance in Europe, the development of best practices, and the improvement of the regulatory framework of microfinance and self-employment in the European Union and its member states. In addition to its section on news, the main value added of the website is its virtual library which includes downloadable handbooks and reports. http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm This OECD conference, which took place in 1998, is to my knowledge the first international conference on self-employment. The site presents all the papers delivered at the conference. This includes international perspectives on self-employment trends, country studies, the relationship between the taxation system and self-employment, gender and self-employment, self-employment assistance programs, etc. Very interesting site despite its age. The sections on gender and self-employment and on the role of self-employment for job creation are particularly interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm Revised every two years, the Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations. Quite useful for anyone looking at self-employment opportunities. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The purpose of Workinfonet.ca is to ensure that all Canadians can obtain enough information when conducting a search for wage and salary employment or self-employment. Their site includes a self-employment section which leads to 106 relevant websites. Despite the facts that the target group is Canadians and the main focus wage and salary employment this is a very good site for anyone interested in self-employment. Do not miss self assesment in the career planning section and business tools and supports in the employment section. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm FirstGov is the U.S. Government official web portal. The section FirstGov for the Self-Employed is structured like a table of contents listing the various subjects and/or issues related to self-employment. Very good site, easy to navigate. Do not miss the section on franchising. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) is a U.S non-profit organization providing a broad range of benefits to their 250,000 members and representing the interests of the self-employed among legislators in Washington D.C. on key issues that affect their business. The site includes a section on micro-business advice as well as a newly created women action center. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm This report by Human Resources Development Canada summarizes and updates what is known about own-account self-employment (OASE). It identifies the reasons for growth, the determinants of success and failure, and the various lessons learned. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm Considering self-employment: What to think about before starting a business is a 9 pages article from Occupational Outlook Quaterly (1999) which presents a general overview of the various steps to be taken in order to achieve self-employment. The table showing the repartition of self employed workers by occupation as well as the forecasted trend for 2006 is quite interesting. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The Startup Journal also called the Wall Street Journal Center for Entrepreneurs aims at the individual starting a business or buying a franchise. The site includes sections on franchising, financing, running a business, etc.. Its content is quite interesting and comes mostly from articles and editorials from the Wall Street Journal. It is also possible to do an online trademark search or access business tools. The section on business planning tools, which includes a cash flow calculator and mini business plan could not be accessed at the time of my visit. Very good site nevertheless http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities of the University of Montana works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to show that self-employment can be a viable employment option for people with disabilities. They have developed an excellent (and free) on-line manual Self-Employment: Steps for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Helping a Consumer Start a Business which is a must for anyone wanting to prepare and understand a business plan for a self-employed person http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm This online complement to the bimonthly newstand magazine Home Business presents a combination of short articles, book excerpts, interviews, success stories, advertisements, etc. on a variety of topics related to Home Business. Merits a few exploratory visits. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm From one of the largest retailer of office products in the world comes this surprising and extremely well made Small Business Handbook which covers all aspects of a small business operation. Although the main target group is the small business owner it can be extremely useful for the self-employed particularly the sections on starting, planning and getting financing for your business. Do not miss the section Do you have what it takes http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm This Canadian guide is designed to inform current or future self-employed workers of the rights, privileges and obligations associated with their status as well as certain resources that they can turn to for assistance. Excellent and very comprehensive guide which covers all aspects of self-employment and acts as a gateway to other internet resources. Certain areas (taxation, government support) are useful mostly for Canadians but there is a lot of information of a general nature. Do not miss the Online Small Business Workshop. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The U.S. Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) is home to the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program, whose purpose is the employment (wage employment and self employment) of its participants. They have developed a Self Employment Handbook to assist the participants of the program in developing a self employment proposal. The handbook which includes preparation of a business plan can be useful to anyone having self employment objectives. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm The National Group on Homeworking (NGH) is a UK non-governmental organisation which campaigns for improved employment rights and condition for homeworkers. They have produced a small guide to self employment which covers the basics in a very simple and concise way. It is a short introductory guide, easy to understand and aimed at individuals who want to start a micro-business from their home. It does not include an entrepreneurial self-assessment test nor a business plan although it covers basic record keeping and costing. http://www.enterweb.org/self.htm