Comments for Business Beyond the Reef http://kekepana.com/blog Connecting with the Wide World of Business Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:56:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Now That’s a Real Show! by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2010/03/02/now-thats-a-real-show/comment-page-1/#comment-244 Steve Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:56:52 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=1034#comment-244 Time passes and CeBIT, though still a great show, is no longer as big as it once was. Old friend and former colleague George Ruffner, who runs the commercial section at the American Embassy in Berlin, tells me that CeBIT 2010 only had 4,000 exhibitors and 330,000 visitors. Still huge by Honolulu's standards. Time passes and CeBIT, though still a great show, is no longer as big as it once was. Old friend and former colleague George Ruffner, who runs the commercial section at the American Embassy in Berlin, tells me that CeBIT 2010 only had 4,000 exhibitors and 330,000 visitors. Still huge by Honolulu’s standards.

]]> Comment on National Export Initiative by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2010/02/08/national-export-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-189 Steve Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:30:34 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=894#comment-189 You're right, John. I hadn't realized the situation at ExIm was that dire, but I'm not surprised either. They seem to be using SBA to approve smaller transactions, but I don't much about the workload that either agency has. You’re right, John. I hadn’t realized the situation at ExIm was that dire, but I’m not surprised either. They seem to be using SBA to approve smaller transactions, but I don’t much about the workload that either agency has.

]]> Comment on National Export Initiative by John Emens http://kekepana.com/blog/2010/02/08/national-export-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-188 John Emens Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:11:31 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=894#comment-188 The NEI plans are ambitious, to say the least. What concerns me is that there is such a heavy emphasis on business development (328 new Commercial Service staff as one example) and lip service to the financing component. The bottleneck in the current system, without the additional CS resources, is Ex-Im and the SBA. Less than 35 underwriters at Ex-Im are engaged in approving roughly 10,000 transactions (authorizations, waivers and Special Buyer Credit Limits) annually - all manually. To add additional sales people without boosting underwriting staff is akin to UPS increasing their sales force, but neglecting to have the trucks and planes on hand to deliver the goods! The NEI plans are ambitious, to say the least. What concerns me is that there is such a heavy emphasis on business development (328 new Commercial Service staff as one example) and lip service to the financing component. The bottleneck in the current system, without the additional CS resources, is Ex-Im and the SBA. Less than 35 underwriters at Ex-Im are engaged in approving roughly 10,000 transactions (authorizations, waivers and Special Buyer Credit Limits) annually – all manually. To add additional sales people without boosting underwriting staff is akin to UPS increasing their sales force, but neglecting to have the trucks and planes on hand to deliver the goods!

]]> Comment on The State of Exports by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2010/01/29/the-state-of-exports/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Steve Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:09:36 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=843#comment-139 We've got the first concrete news on the President's new export policy. His budget proposal to the Congress contains requests that would increase the budget of the U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration by nearly 20%. Details later. We’ve got the first concrete news on the President’s new export policy. His budget proposal to the Congress contains requests that would increase the budget of the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration by nearly 20%. Details later.

]]> Comment on Weekend Hits by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2010/01/09/weekend-hits-7/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Steve Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:15:59 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=685#comment-101 I didn't think we would have the December results so quickly, but they were announced today and China has claimed the title as world's top exporter for 2009. It was close, China selling approximately $1.2 trillion while Germany exported $1.17 trillion. No matter the winner, it means world demand is recovering. I didn’t think we would have the December results so quickly, but they were announced today and China has claimed the title as world’s top exporter for 2009. It was close, China selling approximately $1.2 trillion while Germany exported $1.17 trillion. No matter the winner, it means world demand is recovering.

]]> Comment on Don’t Toss Your Cookies by Guilin Expat http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/12/08/dont-toss-your-cookies/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Guilin Expat Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:18:37 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=515#comment-65 To your question: I don't think they will sell well in Guilin. You can buy Oreos in most small supermarkets here (Hao you duo, etc...) but I rarely see Chinese people buy them. I eat them periodically but don't especially like the taste. ...and I've never heard of any Expat here bringing "suitcases of the traditional U.S. Oreos" over. Most of them need the space for more important things like duty free booze or other foodstuffs that it is really difficult to get. To your question: I don’t think they will sell well in Guilin. You can buy Oreos in most small supermarkets here (Hao you duo, etc…) but I rarely see Chinese people buy them. I eat them periodically but don’t especially like the taste.

…and I’ve never heard of any Expat here bringing “suitcases of the traditional U.S. Oreos” over. Most of them need the space for more important things like duty free booze or other foodstuffs that it is really difficult to get.

]]> Comment on Is Congress in Deep Kim Chee? by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/10/15/is-congress-in-deep-kim-chee/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Steve Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:50:08 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/?p=164#comment-16 Just a quick addendum. The Korea-US FTA and the Korea-EU FTA are quite similar in most respects. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Korea-EU agreement will eliminate 92% of Korea's tariffs, while the Korea-US agreement will take 94.5% of Korea's customs duties to zero. Just a quick addendum. The Korea-US FTA and the Korea-EU FTA are quite similar in most respects. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Korea-EU agreement will eliminate 92% of Korea’s tariffs, while the Korea-US agreement will take 94.5% of Korea’s customs duties to zero.

]]> Comment on FTAs Need Your Help by Steve http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/08/26/ftas-need-your-help/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Steve Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:12:37 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/08/26/ftas-need-your-help/#comment-9 We're still waiting for the Congress to act on the U.S./South Korea FTA. Just want to note that the EU and South Korea are set to sign an FTA on October 15. We’re still waiting for the Congress to act on the U.S./South Korea FTA. Just want to note that the EU and South Korea are set to sign an FTA on October 15.

]]> Comment on Checking Out Czechs by Dennis Chrisbaum http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/09/14/checking-out-czechs/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Dennis Chrisbaum Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:08:33 +0000 http://kekepana.com/blog/2009/09/14/checking-out-czechs/#comment-3 Steve, Have enjoyed reading your recent postings. Sounds like a great autumn trip! Enjoy an extra glass of wine for me. All the best, Dennis Steve,
Have enjoyed reading your recent postings. Sounds like a great autumn trip! Enjoy an extra glass of wine for me.
All the best,
Dennis

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