http://www.icsb.org/ This is all the current news articles available at http://www.icsb.org. en-us Copyright 2008 Internation Council of Small Businesses 6/1/2008 3:10:44 PM 20 http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=56 The Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF) and The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Nutek) have the honour of inviting you to a very special meeting in Sweden this fall. This conference is a unique chance to discuss perspectives on entrepreneurship and globalization, entrepreneurial learning, innovation and entrepreneurship policy. At the beautiful conference venue Tylösand, we present you with an unique opportunity to interact and listen to some of the most renowned experts and scholars within the field of entrepreneurship. On the program, we are proud to present several of the recipients of our prestigious research award, The ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=55 The 2008 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting is being held in Anaheim, California, USA this year with an expected attendance of approximately 7,500-8,000 people. The Anaheim Convention Center serves as the venue for the multitude of activities scheduled to take place during the 4 day window. The AOM is a leading professional association of scholars, dedicated to creating and disseminating knowledge about management and organizations. The Academy's central mission is to enhance the profession of management by advancing the scholarship of management and enriching the professional development of all its members. The Academy's membership consists of scholars at colleges, universities and ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=54 The 2009 ICSB World Conference will be held from June 21-24, 2009 in Seoul, Korea at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX). The event is hosted by ISCB Korea and the Korea Association of Small Business Studies with support from the Korean Small and Medium Business Administration, Korean Small Business Institute, Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, Small Business Corporation and Industrial Bank of Korea. The conference is expected to be a unique gathering of business leaders, scholars, government officials, and economic experts interested in sharing best practices, building new relationships, and discussing diverse issues for the development and advancement ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=53 This year Dell announced it was expanding the Small Business Excellence Award internationally, giving small businesses that demonstrate technology innovation to benefit customers a chance to win up to $50,000 in Dell solutions, in addition to being honored by Dell and its world-class partners. Global award partners include the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), which has a mission to advance entrepreneurship through global knowledge sharing and networking, and Endeavor, a global non-profit supporting emerging market entrepreneurs. Entrants represented businesses with 100 or fewer employees and a multitude of industries including information technology solutions, healthcare solutions, business integration technology, digital media advertising and ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=52 Jolera Inc. is an Information Technology solutions provider that has been selected as a finalist for the 2008 Dell Canada Small Business Excellence Award. Based in Toronto, Ontario the company was founded in 2001 with a mission to change the way IT services were priced and delivered. Today, Jolera employs over 30 people and has increased revenue to approximately CAD $3,500,000 in 2007. Since the company's inception, Jolera has truly evolved into the upper echelon of Information Technology service providers. Recent acknowledgements in addition to being a GSBEA Finalist include recognition by Profit Magazine as one of the 49th Fastest Growing ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=51 The International Summer University for Young Entrepreneurs ADVANCIA, School of entrepreneurship,Paris Chamber Commerce An initiation training to Entrepreneurship open to young French speaking individuals, 18 to 30 years of age, who wish to explore entrepreneurship and develop their entrepreneurial potential. Objectives are simple : to boost entrepreneurial potential in bringing together participants from French-speaking countries around the world to provide a unique opportunity to discover know-how and attitudes from countries sharing a common language but vastly differing in their social and economic structures and the various contexts in which businesses are created and managed. For the participants, the challenge is to be able to formalize ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=50 The final installment of our series with Dr. Howard Aldrich comes in the form of a research publication. We first heard from Dr. Aldrich at his plenary panel session during the 2008 World Conference in Halifax. Following that session, we conducted an interview to discuss his presentation topic and relay his message to the web. The publication featured in this article tackles the same subject of forming entrepreneurial teams and argues that ‘certain kinds of social network structures are more likely than others to generate strong entrepreneurial teams.' This paper has been prepared for the FSF-Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research Conference, ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=49 ICSB DELL ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2008 UK SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD 10 UK Finalists Drive Innovation within SMB Sector21/07/08 | 16:55 ICSB/Dell today announced the 10 UK finalists of the 2008 Dell Small Business Excellence Award (www.dell.co.uk/ceaward), in partnership with The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and The Daily Express. Dell's global partner, International Council for Small Businesses (ICSB), selected the following companies as having demonstrated the outstanding application of technology to foster growth and deliver an exceptional customer experience: Pat Clarke Total Training, Lincoln, England - providing training, support and consultancy to healthcare and social service businesses Sandmere Practice, London, England - ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=48 Announcement ECSB – USASBE Doctoral Exchange Programme Participate in theInaugural USASBE Doctoral Consortium!Anaheim, California, 9-11 January 2009 Application deadline: 5th October 2008 In 2008, ECSB and its sister organization USASBE (United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship) agreed on a doctoral exchange programme. As a doctoral student from Europe, you will have the opportunity to participate in the USASBE Doctoral Consortium at USASBE, meet the US leading scholars in small business and entrepreneurship research and network with students from all over the US. USASBE will waive the fee for participation in the USASBE conference and doctoral consortium. How to apply? Send a one-page letter ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=47 Today, July 21, 2008, an article was featured in the Financial Post that highlighted the 2008 ICSB World Conference and in particular our 'Best Paper' process. The Financial Post is a National Post publication, which serves as one of Canada's two national newspapers. The author, Rick Spence, is a writer, consultant and speaker specializing in entrepreneurship whose column appears every Monday in the Financial Post. Below you may find the article in its entirety. Please refer to the links provided to visit the Financial Post and National Post pages respectively. Lastly, we would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Robert Anderson ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=46 The 2008 ICSB World Conference brought together researchers, educators, policy makers and business service providers from around the globe to share their expertise and present submitted work. With a diverse mix of insightful papers and provocative workshops, the annual conference showcased a stimulating program that has helped shape one of the premier gatherings of entrepreneurship scholars and educators worldwide. This year's conference proceedings include over 380 submissions across 5 overarching themes; Entrepreneurial Institutions, Challenges and Opportunities to Entrepreneurial Development, Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Creation to Exit - Fostering Small Business (Opportunity recognition, Start-ups, Retention, Succession), and Francophone (French) Submissions. Under each theme there exists a number of sub-categories ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=45 The third Wilford L. White Fellow honoree showcased in our profile series is Dr. Anders Lundström. Dr. Lundström is the President of the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF), Sweden, visiting professor at Mälardalens University, and a Past-President for ICSB (2002-03). Dr. Lundström has, during many years in different positions, been responsible for the development of a vast number of research and policy oriented programs in Sweden and abroad. Dr. Lundström has been the creator of The Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research and the creator of the world-renowned, Award for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research, which has been given ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=44 The Wilford L. White Fellow Award recognizes the achievements of those men and women whose passion and burning desire for small business and entrepreneurship is reflected in their teaching, writing, research, training and public service. Since 1977, seventy six distinguished educators, researchers, government officials, small business advocates and trade association leaders have been selected as a Wilford White Fellow including our three newly elected fellows. Our second Wilford L. White Fellow profile looks at Sandra King Kauanui, a member of our ICSB community and someone who has contributed immensely to the success of ICSB through involvement in the Board of Directors for ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=43 June 25th, 7:45 a.m: A highly focused, yet friendly, David Storey whisks by. “Thought I should grab my presentation for this morning,” he laughs as he descends the elevator backwards—smiling to each conference attendee he passes along the way. Within this same hour, he has since returned to the conference and is standing at the front of the Nova Scotia Convention Center Ballroom, engaging a room full of academics and professionals with his perspectives on the relationship between research and policy, and advocating a new paradigm for small business researchers to adopt—the “Non U-Approach.” He energetically describes this model as a ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=42 Entrepreneurial Education is expanding world-wide with the new announcement of a partnership between the International Entrepreneur Educators and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Together both organizations will continue to promote entrepreneurship and add even more worldwide options to an increasingly dynamic network. Job listings, newsletters and websites will all experience additional attention. The Entrepreneurship Educator is a monthly newsletter from the International Entrepreneur Educators distributed by The Planning Shop to promote entrepreneurship and small business. Below is an excerpt from the July 2008 Edition provided by Dr. Jeff Cornwall. Dr. Cornwall is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Belmont University ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=41 The Dell-ICSB Small Business Excellence Award Competition for Italy took place in Milan on July 1st, 2008. The judging team was comprised of two members of the ICSB affiliate in Europe (ECSB), two Dell representatives, and the ICSB executive director- as an observer. Prior to the judging event on July 2nd, the team had independently reviewed all submitted entries and personally selected their top ten favorites. During the event, judges discussed all top favorites and collectively agreed on the top ten finalists. The list was further reduced to three finalists. A thorough discussion among the judges on the reduced list made it ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=40 At the 2008 ICSB World Conference in Halifax, five papers were selected by reviewers as the best for each of the presentation themes. Each paper was reviewed by at least 3 experts across spectrums, who subsequently rated the entries based on a broad criterion. A panel of judges was then responsible for selecting the best paper from among the five finalists. The conference best paper is "Entrepreneurship and Spirituality: An Exploration Using Grounded Theory" by Sandra Kauanui, Kevin Thomas, Cynthia Sherman, Gail Waters and Mihaela Gilea. The five theme winners and the best paper were announced at the closing conference luncheon by ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=39 There were 43 entries into the Australian component of the Dell Small Business Excellence Awards and the first task of two members of the judging panel was to reduce the 43 entries to 10. The selection was made by comparing the responses of each entry to the four main questions asked. Each of the two judges did this independently and there was a high degree of commonality with nine of the 43 being common and the 10th agreed to through an exchange of emails.The final judging took place in Sydney with most of the judging panel being present. Those who could ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=38 It all began a little over 5 years ago, when Ryan Rugroden recognized the need to better leverage information technology to assist in the designing and redesigning of customers’ dream homes. Taking it upon himself to keep up with the latest in home design software, Ryan knew he could serve customers in a way that truly differentiated him from his competition. With this realization, Ryan founded Rugroden Drafting and Design. Today Rugroden Drafting and Design is a residential drafting and design service that allows customers to view their construction drawings digitally by incorporating interactive 3D technology. Rugroden Drafting & Design uses Softplan, architectural design software, to turn a customer’s requests, thoughts ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=37 The healthcare industry is currently experiencing its fair share of challenges including high-cost coverage, a nursing shortage, and a society full of non-compliant patients. Kent Dicks, president and CEO of MedApps, Inc., sees solutions to problems like these in the technology available today. MedApps utilizes advancements in cellular and wireless technology to produce a mobile wireless health monitoring system capable of examining and keeping tabs on patients’ health from a distance. How does this device help with the problems we see in healthcare? “Previously, the only form of remote health monitoring was very costly,” explained Kent, “and because of the high cost, only chronically ill patients could receive it.” Now, by employing ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=36 At the 2008 ICSB World Conference in Halifax, the Wilford L. White Fellows' inducted three new representatives into their distinguished group. The ceremony took place at the Gala Dinner on Tuesday evening, June 24. Dr. George Solomon, Chair of the Wilford L. White Fellows, presented the awards and talked briefly about each recipient. Dr. Solomon has worked extensively over the years with the Wilford L. White Fellows and ICSB to support this special group of leaders and his remarks shed light on the special honor that is selection as a Wilford L. White Fellow. Joining the Fellows' this year are Anders Lundström, ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=35 On Tuesday June 24 at the 2008 ICSB World Conference, many of our guests attended the Gala Dinner from 7:30-11:00pm as a final group activity. Conference organizers provided food, drink and dance to the sounds of famous Nova Scotia band Blueberry Grunt and the piano styling of Steve Dooks, while also scheduling the introduction of this year's Wilford L. White Fellows, and two distinguished speakers. Split between two rooms, the night provided a great platform to socialize and also say goodbye. When dinner was concluding and most of the program already complete, the event came to our keynote speaker Mr. Ben Barry, ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=34 DELL CANADA ANNOUNCES 10 SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALISTS Award recognizes small businesses that use technology to better serve customers TORONTO and HALIFAX, June 25, 2008 – At the 2008 International Council of Small Business (ICSB) World Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Dell Canada today announced the ten finalists for the company's fourth annual Small Business Excellence Award. To learn more about the award, visit www.dell.ca/ceaward. “Technology facilitates interaction and trust with customers. Successful small businesses are leveraging that asset to grow their businesses,” according to Kevin Peesker, vice president and general manager Small and Medium Business, Dell Canada. “The ten finalists clearly ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=31 Yesterday morning's plenary panel featured three speakers with perspectives across the spectrum of entrepreneurial education and research. The discussion was launched and mediated by Dr. Anders Lundström, Past-President of ICSB and current President of the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF) and IPREG. The opening speaker was Dr. Howard Aldrich, Professor and Department Chair of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His presentation examined the formation and composition of entrepreneurial teams. He identified two predominant models associated with team formation; one centering on “rational selection theory” and another with a “social-psychological” base. The former ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=30 For the first time ever, we invite the ICSB global community to PREVIEW a plenary presentation and send us your questions to ask the presenter via ICSB TV. The presenter is Dr. Howard Aldrich, Professor of Sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology. He won the Carlyle Sitterson Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2002. In 2000, the Swedish Foundation of Small Business Research named him the Entrepreneurship Researcher of the Year and the Organization and Management Division of the Academy of Management presented him with a Distinguished Career of Scholarly Achievement award.Howard Aldrich researches entrepreneurship, the origins of new organizational ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=29 Yesterday morning's opening plenary panel began with a discussion on the “Perspectives and Trends on SME/Entrepreneurship Research, Education, Policy, and Practice.” Featured panelists included Dr. Zoltan Acs (Professor at the George Mason University and Director of the GMU Centre for Entrepreneurship and Public Policy), commenting on current research and Dr. Kevin Hindle (Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship at Swinborne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia) sharing insights on entrepreneurship education.Dr. Zoltan Acs presented his study on high-growth firms, which he conducted in conjunction with William Parsons and Spencer Tracy. The analysis revisited the original thesis put ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=28 22 June 2008 Today at the 2008 ICSB World Conference, delegates and members from across the globe converged on Halifax to participate in Board meetings, panel presentations and an enjoyable reception to end the evening. The day began at approximately 8:30am when our affiliate presidents met in the board room to discuss progressions made in the previous year and outlooks for the coming year. This is one of our most important networks within ICSB, as we continue to grow and pursue new avenues of knowledge. The backbone of our organization is our network which is built on the strength of our affiliates ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=27 21 June 2008 This evening, a night before the official start of the 2008 ICSB World Conference, a group of ICSB members gathered for a night on the sea, filled with reunions and introductions. For a number of our members, tonight was the first chance in quite a few months, and in some cases even a year, when they have last seen each other. To my estimation a number of discussions started with stories of travel, which always prove to be good entertainment. The Tall Ship Silva is a spacious, completely re-furbished ship with indoor and outdoor settings that can accommodate up ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=26 With a new web site, a new Bulletin was created to capture the major ICSB stories. For this edition, the Bulletin features ten stories of the past 5 months. It starts first with a message from the ICSB President. Rob van der Horst: We are rapidly approaching our next Annual World Conference in Halifax, when a new Board will take over the gavel.All Board members have beenvery active and very motivated this year to reach the goals this Board has set. So far, it has been an exiting year for my fellow Board members and me. Let me just give you a ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=25 From: Executive Director of ICSB – Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy http://www.icsb.org/video_feed.asp ICSB T.V. is a new service offered to all ICSB members around the world to join their fellow colleagues at the World Conference held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.. The online TV will show excerpts of presentations, interviews of keynote speakers and participants, a tour of the exhibits area, and very importantly the incredible staff that made all this happen. The first three online videos are from the ICSB Pre-Conference Policy Forum titled “Trends in Entrepreneurship and SME Policies: Creating an Entrepreneurial Economy”. Ms. Lois Stevenson, Visiting Research Fellow, International Development Research Center (IDRC) ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=23 The 2008 ICSB world conference, “Advancing Small Business and Entrepreneurship: From Research to Results,” was recently launched amid much excitement in Halifax, N.S., Canada. More than 70 regional practitioners, researchers, policy makers and educators came together to celebrate the opportunities “From Research to Results” represents for SMEs and their supporters. True to ICSB form, guests enjoyed a networking café before ICSB and government officials gave supportive statements. Five successful locally-owned restaurants provided tapas for the networking café, where guests mingled over Thai, Lebanese and seafood dishes, as well as cheese, wine and fair-trade coffee. Not just a chance for guests to socialize, the ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=22 I recently had the chance to sit down with Claire Massey, SVP Research and Publications, and discuss her pending research projects, involvements in ICSB and even her early life on the farm in New Zealand. I met Claire for the first time here in Washington DC at the International Office, as she was visiting us before the Halifax Conference. Claire is currently involved with the project Business MeaSURE, which began in 2003 with phase 1 of the interview and surveying process. The study is aimed at examining approximately 400 small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in New Zealand through various site visits, interviews, ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=21 Twenty-seven professors from across the United States have been named 2008 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award Honorees by the nonprofit organization; Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Honorees were initially nominated by their students and then judged by a panel of master entrepreneurship teachers at Acton School of Business, an intensive one-year MBA program in Austin, Texas. ICSB Honorees include President-Elect Dr. Charles Matthews from the University of Cincinnati; Dr. George Solomon from The George Washington University; and Dr. W. Fred Kiesner from Loyola Marymount University, California. Drs Matthews, Solomon, and Kiesner were three of the 27 educators from across the country ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=20 The 2008 ICSB World Conference: Pre-Conference Events schedule will kick-off on Friday June 20th with the ‘Trends in Entrepreneurship and SME Policies' Forum. For the two days immediately preceding the World Conference, participants will be involved in an extensive program aimed at delivering valuable information on entrepreneurship and private sector development. This time before the conference consistently proves to be a great way for numerous stakeholders to pursue knowledge and the understanding of new, innovative ideas. Below we take a closer look at the Events on the Pre-Conference slate; Pre-conference Policy ForumFriday, June 20th The theme of the Forum is “Trends in ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=19 Starting June 22nd in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) will hold their 53rd Annual World Conference. Please join researchers, educators, policy makers and business service providers from around the world in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. With a population of almost 360,000, Halifax Regional Municipality is the largest city east of Quebec City and north of Boston, USA. Halifax offers a dynamic and intriguing mix of heritage and culture, with a cosmopolitan feel. Nova Scotia is known as a place where the four seasons are refreshingly distinct. Average daily temperatures are 10 to 16 ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=18 A new ICSB initiative The ICSB has established a Youth Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group (SIG) with a lofty aim: For the ICSB to be the pre-eminent international body monitoring and supporting the development of youth entrepreneurship world-wide. The objectives of this SIG are to: Monitor and support international research into youth entrepreneurship Maintain a register of research into youth entrepreneurship world-wide Maintain a register of youth entrepreneurship programs around the world Maintain a register of the best youth entrepreneurship teaching strategies and links to their schools and developers Develop and maintain a network of youth entrepreneurship researchers and teacher practitioners. The ICSB webpage (http://www.icsb.org/Youth_leadership.asp) will be the portal. The ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=17 Your Beauty Network, a 2008 Dell Small Business Excellence Award finalist, is a membership based business support system for Salon and Spa professionals based in Carlsbad, California. Founded in 2000, the company provides a multitude of tools and services online in order to support and provide business information to students, technicians and owners in the Salon & Spa industry. Services and benefits for members include client management, e-marketing, online appointment booking and business builder archives. Your Beauty Network is the only business support membership that offers ongoing business support for any area of your business with access 24 hours/day, 7 days ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=16 Winner of 2008 Global Small Business Excellence Award (GSBEA) selected for the United States! At the NFIB Small Business Summit in the Independence Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC, Transport Designs Inc. was announced as the United States winner of the 2008 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award, part of the GSBEA competition. In attendance to accept the award was company president Steve Mattie and his wife and business partner Karen Mattie. Based in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, Transport Designs Inc. will receive US$25,000 in Dell Inc. products and services, a lifetime membership to the NFIB and a day to discuss ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=15 The winner of the Fifth Annual Dell Small Business Excellence Award will be announced on Monday, June 9th at the 2008 NFIB National Small Business Summit, scheduled to take place on June 8th - 11th at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, in Washington, DC. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) organizes the event, in which key policy makers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from a myriad of ventures and all corners of the globe come together to discuss the current business landscape. This year's theme, “We Are Stronger Together,” will be presented by both NFIB and eBay. It seeks to recognize the important ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=14 2008 Dell Small Business Excellence Award finalist TechMD is a managed service provider (MSP) based in Fountain Valley, California specializing in not-for-profit and small to medium size business relations. For a fixed monthly rate, TechMD is able to provide ongoing computer maintenance and support for an entire business or organization under their Total Care Support Plan. Included in this plan are guaranteed response times, priority service, a 100% satisfaction guarantee and access to donated software updates. What has come to set TechMD apart from other managed service providers is their unrelenting commitment to providing first-class computer service that helps businesses and organizations ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=13 Resara LLC is a small business dedicated to servicing educational programs and school systems in the New England region. The company provides complete computer systems for schools, in addition to high quality service and maintenance. Schools that choose Resara know that they have a pro-active partner, whom they can trust to maintain and uphold their invaluable resources; computer applications for students. The company has developed and currently utilizes a Linux operating system that incorporates thin client technology, open source software, computer and user management, classroom management software and internet maintenance and support. Resara's value proposition targets budget-conscious school systems that are currently ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=12 Preliminary Results: http://www.icsb.org/ICSB_DELL_Study_Findings_2008.asp IT means information technology that includes computer hardware and software, electronic processes, and communications technologies.The 2008 ICSB-DELL Global Study on Information Technology is designed to examine the importance of IT on small business management, operations, and success. This is a follow-on to our research study of last year, which identified several crucial issues regarding entrepreneurial organizations. The new study will serve to identify, diagnose and publicize issues and concerns regarding IT hardware, software, and processes. Of special focus is clearly identifying the most common "pain points," that is, those issues and concerns that are most often noted as creating ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=11 The mission at RNs On-Call Inc., a 2008 ICSB/Dell Small Business Excellence Award US Finalist, ‘is to ensure continuity of care for your patients while improving your quality of life.'The interactive telehealth support system which the company utilizes, allows registered nurses from around the country to serve as an extension of your practice while the office is closed. The nurses are reliable, available 24 hours/day, professional and affordable. Customers have come to trust RNs On-Call because they have the depth and breadth of experience to handle each unique situation based on the requirements of your practice. President and CEO Edwin ‘Tuck' Corvinus ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=7 Schumpeter`s vision nowadays, more than ever in times of dynamic change, may serve as a guide for any entrepreneurially oriented policy formulation. In trying to paintbrush background and scientific "environs" when Schumpeter`s visionary "Theory of Economic development" (1912) came out, classical and neoclassical thought as well as Marx’ "Capital" (in all its volumes) had been exposed already for some time to scholarly scrutiny by the learned community. In contrast to the Classics, the Neoclassics and Marx though, Schumpeter explicitly pins his interpretation of the economic process on the role or – in his own words – on the "leadership" of the entrepreneur: being ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=6 For the first time ever, two ICSB affiliates will fund a conference scholarship for both a doctoral student from the United States to attend the ICSB European affiliate (ECSB) RENT conference in the Fall of 2008 and a doctoral student from Europe to attend the U.S. conference in January 2009. Europe Conference: DATE: 22 November 2008 Location: University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal Web Site: RENT XXII Chairpersons : Prof. Dr. Poul Rind Christensen (Aarhus Business School, Denmark) and Prof. Dr. Friederike Welter (University Siegen, Germany) Sponsored by: The Doctoral Seminar has a successful tradition at RENT. Doctoral students are invited to present their thesis proposals at ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=3 Delivering a web site that understands that people get their news from many sources – how, when and where they want it – is the strategy that guides ICSB. ICSB has a heritage of pioneering the advancement of SMEs globally, and the changes in today’s new ICSB web site reflect its continuing commitment to innovation and its support to SMEs globally. A Case for Change: ICSB’s new web site design will make the web site both a more essential source of news and interpretation, and easier for ICSB members to use. An array of new features ensures that busy individuals will get ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=2 The SEAANZ 2008 Conference theme is: ‘Small Enterprises in the Digital Age'. The 2008 SEAANZ Conference will bring together approximately 200 of Australasia's top business advisors, economic development practitioners, business educators and researchers. The conference offers an opportunity for sponsoring and exhibiting organisations to engage with a high powered audience of business influencers, advisors and decision makers. Many of the delegates work closely, every day, with small enterprises, both in Australia and New Zealand and all delegates share a commitment to exchange knowledge about being part of the digital age in Australasia's small enterprises. A stimulating conference programme has been put together ... http:www.icsb.org/article.asp?messageID=1 The Dell Small Business Excellence Award is the pinnacle of a competition that seeks out our economy's largest sector, small business. With the assistance of leading small business advocates such as Dell Inc., Endeavor, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), our competition was able to reach a staggering number of applicants who desired to tell us their success stories. Chief executives, presidents and owners of small businesses from around the country put their best foot forward in an attempt to convey how their companies ‘have driven significant change and/or developed a ...