Top 10 Risks for Global Business

Distilled from the collected viewpoints of over 70 leading industry executives and analysts and backed by exhaustive research across 14 different sectors, the Ernst & Young Business Risk Report 2010 identifies the 10 greatest risks facing businesses.

These may not all apply to your business but it's certainly worth a look to anticipate challenges ahead.

Here are the ten:

1. Regulation and compliance.
2. Access to credit.
3. Slow recovery or double-dip recession.
4. Managing talent.
5. Emerging markets.
6. Cost-cutting.
7. Nontraditional entrants.
8. Radical greening.
9. Social acceptance risk and corporate social responsibility.
10. Executing alliances and transactions.

Best part of the entire piece:

Globally, business is generally experiencing an upswing.

Read the entire article here.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

A Revival in Global Economic Activity

Exports during the month hit their highest level since August 2008, the month before the financial crisis.

"More and more of our exports have started going to the faster-growing regions in Asia, Latin America and Canada," said Morgan Stanley economist Ted Wieseman. "It highlights that the emerging markets never really had much of a slowdown at all. They've continued to outperform throughout the crisis."

Exports of industrial supplies were particularly strong, rising 8%, driven by chemicals and plastics. Food exports also surged. Among the big gains: Soybean exports jumped to almost $2.4 billion, an all-time high, from $1.8 billion in September.

Read the entire article here.