Dear Hussein

The economic domain is not my vocation but that does not stop me from giving my avis. You have cited the example of your country Egypt as I generalizes the Arab countries that have not only a cultural specificity, but also religious. Personally I see these countries family businesses to maintain their durability but also to weld the family unit that remains a link in a chain of a country

Sincere and cordial greetings

FADEL

Dear Hussein,

I would suggest to try and apply the concept of Social Enterprise by exploring social innovation with an entrepreneurial mind-set and a strong need for achievement, in order to create new social value in your the market and the communities you want to serve. These organizations are usually  Mission, Vision and Organizational Values driven., with Entrepreneurial characteristics and major concern for Social outcomes and Social welfare outcomes (e..g. help disabled or unemployed people, lack of access to water or sanitation facilitates, help local farmers and manufacturers, make schools or hospitals accessible to people with lack of resources, and so on).So, if you already have an idea on mind, I would suggest prepare a business plan and do not forget the funding issue (philanthropy, crow funding, donations, prize awards, social capital investor, government funding. ,...)  

Some possible source of inspiration: 

- https://www.ashoka.org/;

-  http://www.myc4.com/;

- http://www.kiva.org/

Since you work in a government body you might be in a good institutional position to contact your Colleagues of some countries (e.g., UK, Scandinavia) that are well advanced on this is. And education, partnerships and success stories are very important. in my humble perspective.

I wish the best of luck and success.

Luis Fonseca

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Dear Luis Fonseca,

Thank you  very much for this suggestions.

All the best.

Hussein

Develop social awareness of entrepreneurial ideas and initiatives!

Dear Hussein

The economic domain is not my vocation but that does not stop me from giving my avis. You have cited the example of your country Egypt as I generalizes the Arab countries that have not only a cultural specificity, but also religious. Personally I see these countries family businesses to maintain their durability but also to weld the family unit that remains a link in a chain of a country

Sincere and cordial greetings

FADEL

Thank you very much Dear Fadel Djamel and Dear Marwan M. Obeidat

Egypt like SUDAN I presume affected where business are determined to a large extent by politics and culture , I suggest performing extensive market research to decide what type of business to start with , and what type of products are most demanded relevant to income and of course culture, most of the time simple durable less pricy products can be of high demand and thus generate more profit, bearing in mind implementing strong marketing strategies ,,

Dear Nahid and Hussein,

I think Nahid addressed several important issues that might apply also to countries other than Egypt or Sudan. Culture and relations with Government/Authorities can be of most importance indeed.

Also an important sub-theme of CSR s the focus on low-income markets also know as bottom or base of the pyramid (BOP). The premise is that by focusing on the unmet needs of large low-income populations, companies can create profitable markets while also helping poor people addressing some of their most urgent needs (see Christensen et al., 2001; Prahalad and Hammond, 2002; Prahalad and Hart, 2002).

May I also suggest a look into CAVAS bushiness model since it addresses how to make a business plan in a comprehensive and and summarized way. 

Best to all.

Luis Fonseca

Dear Colleagues,

Tips for sustainable business

There are many ways to make your business more sustainable:

1- Reduce meeting costs: make a phone call instead of holding a meeting, send an email rather than posting, conduct virtual meetings to save the cost of making business trips.

2- Minimise using materials: archive computer files rather than print files, advertise on your website rather than in brochures, email your promotional material rather than posting it.

3- Reduce waste: re-use old envelopes, have staff use their own mugs, get printer cartridges refilled not replaced and buy recycled stationery supplies.

4- Recycle it: recycle everything you can't reuse - check with the council what they will recycle. Set up recycling bins in locations staff will use them. A good way to involve staff is to hold a regular office book, clothing or DVD swap day.

5- Turn it off: switch off lights, computers, printers and appliances at the power point when not in use - they will last longer and your power bills will be considerably reduced.

6- Outsource it: reduce your server needs and cut power costs by using cloud computing services (web-based data storage) and use virtual office services or outside contractors rather than expand office space.

7- Reduce it: turn down the air conditioner - lowering the temperature just one degree on a hot day can increase your energy costs by 10 per cent. Reduce energy consumption further by: using cut-out switches to cut out standby power usage, installing automatic lighting sensors, having power supplied by green energy providers, choosing hybrid cars for your fleet vehicles. In the office kitchen, reduce water and power consumption by running office dishwashers when full, fixing leaky taps and reducing the hot-water temperature setting.

8- Buy green: get some green credentials by setting up a sustainable supply policy and guidelines, and send a checklist to your suppliers asking about their sustainable products and services. Ask printers for recycled paper, replace defunct equipment with high-energy efficiency models with a long shelf life.

Also look at your accounts and see where the money is unnecessarily spent. If stationery and paper supplies are costly, set up a task force to minimise paper waste. If staff travel costs are high, investigate video conferencing.

When you upgrade your green credentials, not only will your costs go down, your business will attract more clients seeking sustainable goods or services.

Also look at your accounts and see where the money is unnecessarily spent. If stationery and paper supplies are costly, set up a task force to minimise paper waste. If staff travel costs are high, investigate video conferencing.

Please, see the following links.

http://www.government.nl/issues/development-cooperation/doing-business-in-developing-countries

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032114006133

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/population-growth-developing-world-business-solutions

To build a sustainable successful small business, one ought to come with a novel bright idea. Repetition has to be avoided. The employees must be chosen on the basis of merits since other factors may be counter-productive. The small business has to take precautions against scaling-up before a huge continuous demand is there for its product(s) or service(s) in a well-calculated approach.

The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020 (H2020) supports SME that are based in the EU or associated countries (e.g. Egypt). Funding is provided for innovative projects that enable SME to grow and expand their business to other countries in the European Union and beyond.

The SME can either apply for the funding of a feasibility study based on an innovative business idea and an initial development and commercialization plan or a near market activity based on an innovation that has reached technology readiness level 6 and a solid business plan that is well founded on a comprehensive feasibility study.

The application must demonstrate that key success factors, risks and opportunities are understood, the addressed market, user groups and competitive solutions well known, that the growth plan is realistic and the innovation has a potential for a new market or low market disruption. 

Very good guidelines are provided (follow link) to support the application and formulate a convincing proposal.

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/sme-instrument

4 signs that you are running a successful business

http://www.smesouthafrica.co.za/15935/How-to-know-you-are-running-a-successful-enterprise/#.Vd1j25Gm7vA.twitter

More than ever before, companies are genuinely concerned about the impact that their businesses actions have on the environment, and with growing consumer interest in sustainability, small businesses in particular need to have their company’s “green” efforts stand out in the marketplace.

Following are 10 tips for small businesses that want to make a lasting and sustainable stamp in the business world.

1. Plan. Before you can run a sustainable business, you’ve got to have a solid business plan in place. Use your plan to integrate the changes you can make in your company to maintain and increase your environmental sustainability. This plan should outline your company’s environmental philosophies as well as your mission statement.

2. Sweat the small stuff. Daily rituals such as printing, shipping and even office lunches can make a big impact on your company’s carbon footprint. Is it really necessary to print that particular packing slip? Perhaps you can ship products every other day? Small changes, such as a garbage-free lunch room, are easy to implement and will likely be appreciated and supported by employees as well.

3. Go paperless. The mass of paper and waste that many companies accumulate on a daily basisis unnecessary. Take a stand and use your business as an example of how green business can be done. If an item can be saved on the hard drive of your computer, it doesn’t need to be printed. If bills can be processed electronically and online banking is an option, take advantage of these small opportunities to go green.

4. Stay current and educate. Staying current on your businesses’ environmental mandate is part and parcel of being a successfully sustainable small business. As your customers may not have the time or resources to do the research that keeps your business running green, make an effort to keep on top of the latest developments and best practices in corporate sustainability. When you find out something new, share your research with your customers. Doing so will not only build a trusting relationship between you both, but will provide you with the ongoing incentive to be on top of the latest developments.

5. Environmentally friendly team. The easiest way to get buy-in for your staff is to hire team members who share the company vision. Look for employees that are committed to a green philosophy and it will be much easier to put sustainability efforts into place.

6. Be a leader. Once you have identified the environmental cause that your business will support, be a leader in that movement. Create initiatives that will build awareness as well as potential solutions. Donate your time and support your employees in doing the same. If you are able to, share your profits with environmentally-related causes. Actively lead by example.

7. Don’t be a hypocrite. If you are asking the public to live a healthy, environmentally friendly life, than you must lead by example. Remember to show your employees and customers that you practice what you preach.

8. Support and collaborate. There are plenty of like-minded businesses, individuals and organizations that will share the same motivations as you. Seek them out, partner with them, ask their advice and support their endeavours. A lot more will be accomplished by working in unison.

9. Regulate. “Green Washing” has become a common practice in this day and age. Because of the very limited and poor regulations surrounding environmentally focused companies, many organizations have jumped on the bandwagon while having no true sustainability efforts as part of their businesses. There are, however, very legitimate private organizations that have formed to eliminate ‘green washing’. Seek out these entities that will accredit, regulate and provide seals of approval for truly sustainable companies.

10. Inspire. Inspire existing and potential clients to live a healthier, more environmentally friendly life by talking about the benefits of working with your company. Stay positive, keep negativity at bay and keep the environmentally sustainable business model forward.

Melissa Gunning is the founder and president of Wean Green, an environmentally-sustainable company that provides chemical and additive-free baby products. You can find out more about Melissa and Wean Green by going to www.weangreen.com

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Have a simple business idea that can provide a solution to a relevant problem and then keep it updating with the needs of the consumers.