Off-the-Books Global Businesses

Wired Magazine interviews Robert Neuwirth, author of Stealth of Nations: The Global Rise of the Informal Economy on why black market entrepreneurs matter to the world economy.

Further, he (Neuwirth) says, these enterprises are critical sources of entrepreneurialism, innovation, and self-reliance. And the globe’s gray and black markets have grown during the international recession, adding jobs, increasing sales, and improving the lives of hundreds of millions. It’s time, Neuwirth says, for the developed world to wake up to what those who are working in the shadows of globalization have to offer. We asked him how these tiny enterprises got to be such big business.

Read the entire interview here.

Photo credit:  Stealth of Nations Blog

Amazon: Time to Go Global?

Kindle

Kindle Fire

Is Amazon testing the waters with its electronic gadgets to determine at some point whether to stay local or do a global roll out?

For Amazon, which has always been overwhelmingly focused on the U.S. and anglophone markets, the entry-level Kindle’s modest international support is actually a huge improvement. Even a year ago, when the third-generation Kindle launched, it was an English-only device.

Even in non-digital retail, Amazon’s global reach has been limited; the company is only now launching a Chinese-language bookstore, in tandem with a local bookseller. Building an international reputation takes time, partnerships and a lot of hard work.

Read the entire article:

From Kindle to Fire:  Why Amazon Needs to Go Global (Wired.com)

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Who Has the Global Edge on Wireless Reading Devices?