Gaps between "haves" and have nots" are widening. Domestically, an economic decline has devastated many minority businesses. Pew Hispanic Center reports were cited in previous issues of KM http://www.hispanics.org 

Globally, Africa is the only continent where poverty is on the rise. Over 40% of sub-Saharan Africa's 659 million people live below the international poverty line of US 1 $ a day. Africa's share of world trade has plummeted, accounting for less that 2%. More than 140 million young people in Africa are illiterate and Africa is the only region where the number of children out of school is rising. Life expectancy in Africa is the lowest in the world. More than 200 million Africans have no access to health services and more than 250 million lack access to safe drinking water (KM, August, p. 1). How can corporations on the cutting edge of e-commerce and knowledge management assist in improving Quality Of Life (QOL) both domestically and globally? 

Merck believes that its responsibilities as a corporation extend beyond its primary business, which is to respond to health needs of society through the discovery and development of healing medicines. These responsibilities include the support of institutions and agencies which meet important needs of our society. In helping to meet these needs, our focus has always been, and continues to be, the advancement of scientific knowledge and education, as well as improving health care in our society - from the local plant community to the global community. In addition to these priorities, we address such issues as the promotion of the arts and protection of the environment. 

The January issue of KM indicated that "Globally Competitive Communities" and "Wired Communities" led to "Intelligent Communities" with Virtual Communities Of Practice (VCOP). What characteristics are essential for Intelligent Communities with VCOPs for improving QOL? How can collaboration extend know-how for globally improving QOL in Africa and elsewhere? How can diversity programs be expanded for WIN-WIN benefits domestically and internationally?

Africa is the world's second largest continent after Asia. Africa has 54 independent countries, 48 mainland and 6 island states, with an estimated 700 million population. North of the Sahara Desert lie 5 countries on the Mediterranean Sea http://www.mbendi.co.za/land/af/p0005.htm  Half of the world's 10 fastest growing economies are in Africa, albeit growing off very low basis. And, real GDP growth was higher in Africa than any other developing region of the world.

Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) has information about B2B Linkages, Programs & Services, etc. CCA' s B2B initiatives are specifically designed to inform members about business opportunities. TradeLink Africa is a twice-monthly compilation of business leads. 

CCA manages two International Business Linkage Programs funded by USAID to promote partnerships between small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. and Africa: 

South Africa International Business Linkages (SAIBL) http://www.mbendi.co.za/cca.b2b/saibl.htm

West Africa International Business Linkages (WAIBL) http://www.mbendi.co.za/cca.b2b/waibl.htm

An Africa - U.S. Business Summit is scheduled to be held in Washington on June 24-27. Sessions are scheduled for Agriculture and Preventing Famine, AIDS and HIV, Biotechnology, Building Health Care Systems, Commodity Programs, Housing Construction, Petroleum, Travel & Tourism, Trade Barriers and Opportunities, Transportation Networks, programs for "doing business" with countries, small business programs, and U.S. Policy Priorities Toward Africa. 

AGOA applies to 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa that are endowed with both natural and human resources  http://www.agoa.gov/index.html Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats would yield economic development potential for the AGOA countries listed on the next page. AGOA contains provisions for assisting business related training. 
How could an Intelligent Community collaborate on analysis and response to AGOA needs? 

Analysis of countries must include a critique of trade barriers. Ghana was the United States' 93rd largest export market in 2001. The United States' balance of trade improved from a deficit of $13 million in 2000 to a surplus of $13 million in 2001. Ghana continues to eliminate or reduce its import quotas, tariffs, and import licensing. Ghana wants to increase trade with the U.S., especially with African Americans. The Honorable,Alan K. Kyerematen, Ambassador of Ghana to the U.S. spoke about the merits of trade with Africa, focused on Ghana, at the Annual Convention of the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) in Milwaukee last August. An E-Commerce packet focused on Ghana and is referred to in this issue of KM below. 

South Africa was the 34th largest U.S. export market in 2001. South Africa opened its markets and the government is aiming to open its market still further to increase trade and to develop more competitive domestic industries. http://www.ustr.gov/reports/nte/2003/index.htm

                                      Strengths     Weaknesses     Opportunities     Threats 

Angola 
Benin 
Botswana 
Burkina-Faso 
Burundi 
Cameroon 
Cap Verde 
Central African Republic 
Chad 
Comores 
Congo 
Cote d'Ivoire 
Djibouti 
Equatorial Guinea 
Eritrea 
Ethiopia 
Gabon 
Gambia 
Ghana 
Guinea-Bissau 
Guinea 
Kenya 
Lesotho 
Liberia 
Madagascar 
Malawi
Mali 
Mauritania 
Mauritius 
Morocco 
Mozambique 
Namibia 
Niger 
Nigeria 
Rwanda 
Sao Tome 
Senegal 
Seychelles 
Sierra Leone 
Somalia 
South Africa 
Sudan
Swaziland 
Tanzania
Togo 
Uganda 
Zambia 
Zimbabwe 

CBTPA is comprised of 23 independent countries that together form the sixth largest export market for U.S. goods that totaled $19 billion, 2.7% of U.S. in 1999. http://www.mac.doc.gov

                                Strengths     Weaknesses     Opportunities     Threats 

CBTPA Countries
Bahamas 
Dominican Republic 
Haiti 
Jamaica 
Puerto Rico 
Trinidad & Tobago 

Additional CB Countries
Virgin Islands 

Caribbean Basin countries have been devastated via global competition, hurricanes, and decline in tourism. An analysis of advances in economy sectors can benefit majority and minority firms in multiple nations via partnerships. Computer consoles and digital dashboards are comprised of thousands of component parts that can be manufactured and coutd be assembled offshore and the subassemblies shipped to a destination for final assembly and distributed internationally as part of developing an enterprise incremental strategy for sustainability. Basic information is presented for The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica in the following display: 

What opportunities do these countries provide for alliances and partnerships? How can African Americans assist in developing and expanding markets in AGOA countries? How can Hispanic Americans assist in developing and expanding markets in Central and South American countries? 

Alliances and partnerships could be formed for a broad array of manufactured components and products as well as for services. Agriculture and healthcare are essential for improving Quality Of Life (QOL) in AGOA countries. Healthcare facilities and schools are needed for improving QOL. How could alliances of manufacturers of agricultural machinery assist enterprises produce parts in Caribbean nations that are assembled South and West Africa and distributed in AGOA nations? How could manufacturers of medical devices develop similar strategies to meet healthcare needs? What competencies and skills are needed for developing business and functional level strategies? 

Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) were created under the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 to increase and promote the nation's capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise. CIBERs are a great resource.
http://cibercenters.purdue.edu/ 
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/iegps

Check - International Business Education: Outreach Initiatives for Grades K-12. 
The K-12 activities of the CIBER network encompass a wide range of projects and programs of differing formats for elementary, middle, and high school students and teachers. 

The Federal Government operates 600 research and development centers. Most of the centers are part of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer. Activities range from advances in technology to applications such as assistive technology  http://www.federallabs.org

The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) is the chief research and engineering arm of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). ITS research includes broadband wireless technology, digital land mobile capability, and audio/video capability. NTIA is involved in domestic competitiveness, improvement of foreign trade opportunities for U.S. telecommunications firms and facilitation of efficient and effective use of the radio spectrum. 

The FLC identified assistive technology as a strategic technology focus area in the mid- 1990s. The FLC has revived the concept of "dual use" of technology. 

General Motors Corporation (GM) is the world's largest company. GM had a gross national product (GNP) greater than all but 23 nations in 1998 (Ball, 2002, pp. 15-17). GM maintains operations in 73 countries. GM cars and trucks are sold in more than 200 countries with more than 260 major subsidiaries, joint ventures, and affiliates http://www.gm.com 

General Electric (GE) is the world's largest transnational company (TNC) measured in terms of foreign assets (Ball, 2002, p. 14). For 125 years, GE has been thinking big and making things happen in a broad range of products and services in jet engines, power generators, plastics, television, appliances, medical imaging and financial services. GE has been named "World's Most Respected Company" for the past five years by PriceWaterhouseCooper  http://www.ge.com
Ball, D.A.; McCulloch, W.H.; Frantz, P.L.; Geringer, J.M.; and Minor, M.S. (2002). 
International business: The challenge of global competition. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. 

CNH is the number one manufacturer of agricultural tractors and combines in the world, the third largest maker of construction equipment, and has one of the industry's largest finance operations. CNH agricultural products are sold under the Case IH, New Holland, and Sterr brands. CNH construction equipment is sold under the Case, FiatAllis, Fiat Kobelco, Kobelco, New Holland, and O&K brands. Although CNH is based in the U.S., a network of dealers and distributors operates in over 160 nations. Revenues totaled $10 billion in 2002  http://www.cnh.com

CNH Global announced a reorganization of its global agricultural equipment business into three regional units on January 1,2003  http://www.cnh.com/media/detail.asp?id=152957172003 
The three regions are (a) Europe, Africa, and Asia; (b) Latin America; and (c) North America and Australia-New Zealand. Realignment of agricultural equipment operation is intended to increase manufacturing, marketing, and financial decision-making responsibilities to each of the regions. Also, CNH is partnering with two leading companies that specialize in Internet-based learning to establish CNH Dealer University http://www.cnh.com/media/detail.asp?id=172291152003

GE Medical Systems is defining leadership in the field  http://www.gemedicalsystems.com/
GE Medical Systems is partnering with Abbott Laboratories, Baxter International, Johnson & Johnson, and Medtronic, Inc. in forming an Internet-based marketplace that will allow hospitals and other health care facilities to link directly to suppliers. 
Abbott Laboratories  http://www.abbott.com 
Baxter International  http://www.baxter.com 
Johnson & Johnson  http://www.jnj.com 
Medtronic  http://www.medtronic.com

Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly-based manufacturer of health care products via 190 operating companies in 51 countries, selling products in 175+ countries. How can browsing and mining Johnson & Johnson Web sites help to focus strategic thinking? Johnson & Johnson Medical Taiwan  http://www.jjmt.com.tw and Johnson & Johnson Taiwan, Ltd. http://www.imt.com.tw  provide a full range of products and services for health care. 

How does Johnson Controls' make automotive interiors safer, more comfortable, and enjoyable? Browse JC's Global reach via 11 languages - 77,000 people, 30 countries, 290 locations. JC is the Leader in Integrated Facility Management Services. http://www.ici.com 
 

Quad/Graphics is the world's largest privately held printer, employing more than 14,000 people at printing plants and sales offices in a 24 x 7 x 365 Anytime Anywhere around the world enterprise. Q/G produces Newsweek, People Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and nine million copies of National Geographic. How could EC be applied to e-books? http://www.gg.com

AMP is the world's leading producer of connectors used in automotive, computer, and many other industries. AMP deployed an e-catalog by 1995 and offered 500 e-courses to employees in Central and South America. AMP began an EC department in 1996. http://www.amp.com

"Rockwell Automation is intent on being the most valued global provider of power, control and information solutions for automation." Rockwell employs about 23,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries. Browse annual meeting slides. http://www.rockwell.com

Kimberly Clark is a world leader in personal care products, consumer tissue products, and away- from-home products. Kimberly Clark manufactures in 20 states in the U.S. plus 38 countries and territories and sells in over 150 countries. Access http://www.kimberly-clark.com 

People working together as a global enterprise for aerospace leadership. 

Core competencies are detailed customer knowledge and focus, large-scale systems integration, and lean enterprise. Values are leadership, integrity, quality, customer satisfaction, people working together, a diverse and involved team, good corporate citizenship, and shareholder value. 
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices.aboutus/mission/index.html 
 

An E-Commerce packet was distributed at an annual convention of the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) last August. An organizational development approach was used based on mission and goals of the NBCC so that affiliate members could fit ideas into their plans. 

An August issue of KM and an E-Commerce packet were available for the 2002 convention. The August issue contains information about Africa and lists of 100 E-Commerce Leaders by economy sector plus 13 of the Black Enterprise 100 companies. The E-Commerce packet has links to Education and Training sites for awareness raising about broadband technologies, etc. "Entrepreneurship - From a Struggle to a Triumph" is the theme of the Annual Convention in Birmingham, AL, July 30-August 2. Access additional information at:  http://nationalbcc.org 

Can today's leaders of traditional companies respond to the speed of the .com world? 
There are two primary roles that leaders must play in the transition from bricks-and-mortar to e- business. First, they must lead the organization in the creation of the new e-business strategy. Then they must lead the transition to a new corporate culture that supports this strategy. These are huge challenges. Are today's leaders up to the task? The probable answer is… This book is about a new corporate culture that supports the e-business strategy. 

Few technologies have spread as quickly, or become so widely used, as computers and the Internet. These information technologies are rapidly becoming common fixtures of modem sociI and economic life, opening opportunities and new avenues for many Americans. A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet shows the rapidly use of new information technologies across all demographic groups and geographic regions. Not only are more Americans using the Internet and computers at home, they are also using them at work, school, and other locations for an expanding variety of purposes. Access and mine the report at 
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/html/anationonline2.htm 

The Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services' of Nova Southeastern University and the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) have developed an outstanding "Conference for Global Leading and Learning." The conference will be held at the Disney Contemporary Resort on June 12-14. Access   http://www.fgse.nova.edu/marketing/cgll-gtep 

A process of redesign of the Programs for Higher Education (PRE) at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) led to Higher Education Leadership (HEL) with nine core courses of three semester hours of graduate credit with specializations in ( a) Adult Education, (b) Health Care Education, (c) Higher Education, and (d) Organizational Leadership   http://www.fgse.nova.edu 

KM can be accessed and mined: http://www.members.cox.net/greenka6/wgnewweb/wgindex.html 

KM began to include materials used in E-Commerce, international business, and capstone courses for the College of Business at Cardinal Stritch University. The January, April, and May issues of KM included economic and technological variables that are important to consider in business plan development along with information about the Trade and Development Act of 2000. 

Comment: I work with individuals using multiple form and style guides with unique variations. Content and leads to sources remain a central focus of KM; consistency to a format is variable.