Taxing Money

Movement is afoot to implement a system of, what can be described as, new taxation on each financial transaction worldwide. This move, as a consequence of the global financial crisis, is primarily aimed to curb speculators and hedge funds activities but will also have a direct effect on productivity as longer term financial paper is expected to become more attractive. This tax rate across countries, not on internal country transactions, is basically to be managed by, the last reserve bank to all central banks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it increases the number of currencies it uses for its base currency calculation. Yes, a single currency for all international transactions.

Food from the Forest

After Copenhagen December 2009, the world is now seeing, understanding and accepting the scientific evidence of the effects of rapid climate change due to industrialization, with record snow fall across major cities in the northern hemisphere and unprecedented heat waves in the southern hemisphere. Nature is speaking and human beings must listen or die. It will not be the weather alone that kills; it will be the wars over basic food. To reduce global temperatures, it is well known that all forest must be protected and quickly replanted. To increase food supplies, investment in different production models is necessary. Many cultures have traditionally produce food within densely forested areas; these method are not widely studied and known, there require new studies, techniques and tools, a joint venture agreement with the native peoples, learning for our past mistakes to preserve the forest and slow climate change.

Social Investments

Every short to medium term plan must be a part of the long term objective. The plans formulated for today’s children, planning the family finances, or improving a nations’ education and healthcare systems, all require a long term vision. Without dreams there can be no future. The artisans’ vision communicated in writing, audio or visual is the key to social development and everyday new ideas are spawned, old ideas are refined and good ideas are funded, making the arts and culture the driving force behind the development of a civilization.

Information Portal

A business success is driven more by its lawyers and auditors, who prevent expensive penalties from lawsuits and from breaches in regulatory compliance, than by its core products. Hence, the focus of any type of business must be to bring together a development vision informed by economic intelligence and peoples (customers, suppliers, venders, employees, lenders and investors) needs and wants. For this reason, the today-to-today internal operations of the business must be closely monitored and the external environment will sway all decisions.

Money must Work

Everyone should know and understand money. Financial literacy teaches mostly personal and family budgeting but it is equally important to know and respect the other side of the economic equation. To provide and improve an acceptable standard of living, infrastructure (water, roads, housing, etc.) and opportunities (jobs), consumers must purchase from business, for business to grow and create more jobs and of course, paid taxes which builds and maintains schools, hospitals, etc. Money must circulate from salaries to business to Government and back to salaries.

Save the Children, Save the World

As political leaders discuss solutions to, reduce green house gases released into the atmosphere and maintain the forest cover, hence, slow or reverse climate change, there is an equally grave threat coming from our children. As populations increase depleting the shared natural resources, aggression grows from one generation to the next because there is less to go around, and the widening gap in lifestyles erodes hope, countries will not be able to stop or contain the resulting violence and riots will spread across the world. Morals will no longer be able to control the masses.

Failing Banks

The future is not that hard to see when it comes to the international banking sector. Traditional banks have long started to implement a transformation plan, driven by the advancements in information and communication technology, which has been accelerated by the worldwide recession. Now, Governments are pushing for more rigid regulations and prudent examinations to protect their populations.

Investor Relations

For any relationship to survive it must be based on respect, sensitivity, confidentiality and most prominently, loyalty. Business comprises numerous relationships with; customers, suppliers, venders, employees, bankers and investors. Customers, whose positive word-of-mouth endorsement brings in more sales, Suppliers, who offer superior products and above normal service, Venders who are dependable, Employees that are devoted, Bankers that are considerate, and Investors that offer encouragement and strength.

The relationship with investors is the most important to the business success but is the most difficult to manage and maintain. Investors come in all shapes and sizes, some invest money and anticipate a return on their financial investment, others invest advice (time and expertise) and expect shares as payment, and then there are investors who are family and friends that demand more intangible rewards.

Investment Banking

The Investment Banking sector has a very important role to play in the global economic recovery, although being blamed for causing the world financial crisis in the first place. A sustainable recovery must be driven by quality job creation, which can only be as a direct result of financing new projects, with stronger independent oversight to identify potential risk. Regulators of the world’s largest economies have been analyzing the problems and devising solutions to save and repair the image of the sector.

Investment Banking brings together viable projects and needed funding. All major developments in the world, over the recent past, were funded through investment banking activities. Bringing inventions to market, modernizing infrastructure or expanding capabilities, all required unique and creative funding solutions. A mixed of debt and equity funding that would restrict short-term debt repayments, allowing for a healthy cash flow position, while the project is not generating income, clearly understanding the risk associated with medium to long-term revenue streams. Investment bankers sell the calculated risk to large corporations and wealthy individuals who can afford the losses but buy-in for the long-term gains.

Success from Failure

The failure of the education system to present and promote business (not to be confused with management studies) as a career option has led to a society of employees. This failure must stop, the system must not allow dropouts, for any reason, access to education is a basic human right, no discouragement from testing but an assessment formula that addresses, without shame, the individual’s learning speed and aptitude. Success of any education system, from early childhood to adult instructions, is to promote a love of learning, foster a curiosity and desire to research, analyze, implement and evaluate.