NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Managing Beyond the Bottom Line

It’s a business, not a moral, rating. It looks at the world’s biggest corporations and asks, Do they understand how to create and exploit effective business opportunities by addressing the needs of the poor? Do they understand how to make money by investing in environmentally sound business practices? Are they, in short, prepared to maximize the opportunities for our changing world? Corporate social responsibility used...

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FORTUNE (link opens in a new window)

Better and faster than politics

Big business does much more to end global poverty than you might suppose.? Last summer I had a choice. On the one hand, I could take a senior role in a progressive think-tank at a fascinating time in British politics: the Blairite agenda was long in the tooth and the big questions - about justice, equality and nationhood - were proving themselves very much alive. On the other hand, I could join a consultancy helping international businesses sell to the world’s four billion poorest people.

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New Statesman (link opens in a new window)

Twenty Five Global Innovators Named as 2005 Tech Museum Awards Laureates

The Tech Museum of Innovation today announced the 25 Laureates for the 2005 Tech Museum Awards , presented by Applied Materials, Inc. At a black tie awards gala on November 9, Silicon Valley leaders and representatives from partners the United Nations Development Programme, The World Bank Institute, and Santa C...

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Press Release (link opens in a new window)

Nokia aims new phone at emerging markets

Mobile phone giant Nokia said Wednesday it was expanding its range with a new handset to sell cheaply in rapidly growing emerging markets. The Finnish group said the folding 2652 model would have an estimated retail price of 100 euros ($121) and be sold from next month in China, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Nokia said it still saw plenty of untapped opportunities and was committed to ...

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Reuters (link opens in a new window)

Wizz Kids And Cellphone Banking

It would seem that MTN Banking was not the first to market with a pure cellphone banking product. Wizzit, a small company that has purposely stayed under the radar screen for fear of being trampled on by the bigger banks, launched a cellphone-banking product in November last year. Without any above-the-line advertising, it has sent 740 previously unemployed Wizz Kids into the townships and rural communities to assist people in opening a Wizzit account on their cellphones --...

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Mail and Guardian (link opens in a new window)

CFA 225,000 Million For Small Enterprises

Poverty reduction goes with increasing riches and creating employment. This has so far been the major challenge both to government and the private sector. Avenues for obtaining loans have remained blurred, making things rather difficult for small enterprises. In order to pave the way for them to easily obtain credits and realise projects that can alleviate their poverty state, government in 1999 created the Private Enterprises Credit Agency (ACEP) with major objective to: promote the development...

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Cameroon Tribune (link opens in a new window)

Arroyo Highlights Importance Of Microfinance In Creating Jobs

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored Monday the importance of microfinance in generating jobs and spurring the growth of entrepreneurship nationwide. In her keynote address before the Stakeholders Forum on Microfinance held at Philippine Presidential Palace Malacanang’s Heroes Hall, the President said one of her administrations 10-point agenda is to develop three million entrepreneurs in 2004-20l0 through microfinance and medium enterprise loans. The President ha...

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Asia Pulse (link opens in a new window)

$100,000 Development Gateway Award Goes to India’s eChoupal

eChoupal , a program of ITC Ltd., of India, has been chosen from a group of 135 nominees as the winner of the Development Gateway Award 2005. The $100,000 award recognizes eChoupal?s impact in enabling millions of farmers in India to improve their livelihoods with access to information on growing and marketing their products. Read the What Works ...

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Development Gateway Press Release (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia