Theme 2: On the Ground - Current Practices of Involving Business

Peace
21

Michael,

I feel we are arguing the same point but from opposite sides of a coin. It seems you do not even grasp the background from which I am basing my comments. Development does not equal economic growth, just as Steve proved that economic growth can even happen when the rule of law and corruption exist, is that contributing to peace? Clearly not.

You asked “Do any of you see a realistic alternative to some form of this process (however tamed and civilized) of massive poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship and economic growth?” but I gave you the answer before: in order to make economic development work in the sense this forum is concerned - how to achieve peace - growth has to be accompanied by a fair distribution system, a sense of community, local participation in decision-making and exploitation of resources, freedom and others. These are not prerequisites to growth, they just make growth work better for more people and help combact some of the most popular problems encountered where economic growth happens (unequal distribution, individualism versus collectivity, exploitation and degradation of environment, etc).

It could be argued that even before being able to grow economically, one has to focus on education first. Education seen as the set of skills and knowledge to be able to use the resources available in order to create wealth, identify sustainable paths and use our potential to achieve different goals.

Corruption, violation of human rights and other social and environmental problems are not addressed by economic development. Money can’t buy peace in tribes or between populations or countries that decide to fight for a piece of land or a certain resource. Nor can money build a sense of community where there isn’t any, just as it’s happened in Mexico where small entrepreneurs open businesses and they choose not to pay taxes, keeping all for themselves. In Mexico it is irrelevant how many days/procedures are needed to open a businesses, plenty bride authorities. Can we relay in economic indicators to tell us how societies interact and what are the social and environmental issues? No.

In short, there is not such a direct correlation between economic growth and peace. If developed countries have been successful is because they have implemented growth with other projects that address social issues, not the other way around. In fact, plenty of projects that have been far more successful than the private sector initiatives have come from other actors whose agenda is not to increase and foster economic development as such but the empowerment of the local community. It has even been proved that some communities rather have medicine than food aid, other might only need to sustain themselves and do not want to join the global economy, are we listening to all these different meanings of what development is for people around the world? Barely.

The Sustainable Development Commission has just published a document called: “Prosperity without Growth?” where they state:

"Prosperity without Growth?represents the culmination of an extensive inquiry by the UK Sustainable Development Commission into the relationship between sustainability and economic growth. That inquiry was launched in 2003, when the Commission published its landmark report – Redefining Prosperity – which challenged Government ‘fundamentally to rethink the dominance of economic growth as the driving force in the modern political economy, and to be far more rigorous in distinguishing between the kind of economic growth that is compatible with the transition to a genuinely sustainable society and the
kind that absolutely isn’t’. That earlier report summarised evidence of a ‘mismatch’ between economic growth, environmental sustainability and human wellbeing, and
called on politicians, policy experts, commentators, business people, religious leaders and NGOs to ‘put these issues on their must-get-to-grips-with agenda, rather than defer them endlessly as tomorrow’s issues’. The Commission itself kick-started that process with a series of stakeholder workshops (held during the latter part of 2003) to discuss the report’s findings.

During 2004 and early 2005, SDC worked closely with government to renew the UK Sustainable Development Strategy. In particular, the Commission itself led the engagement process that resulted in the five Sustainable Development ‘principles’. A key element in these principles is the recognition that – rather than being an end in itself – a ‘sustainable economy’ should be regarded as the means to reaching the more fundamental goal of a ‘strong, healthy and just society’ that is ‘living within environmental limits’ ".

It cannot be simpler this time :slight_smile:

For more information visit: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/prosperity_without_growth_report.pdf

22

Thank-you for your response.
I wanted to clarify that I was not at all suggesting that education rather than entrepreneurship would increase development in SA. I read the article by Bill Easterly and one of the main things that struck me was not that increased education doesn’t lead to increased development, but that education in a bubble isn’t effective. SA does in fact have resources, and technology- it’s simply not available to most of its citizens, some of which don’t even know it exists.

No, I don’t think increased education without entrepreneurship will lead to peace and prosperity, but I am also fairly certain that as far as SA goes, entrepreneurship without education won’t work either. This is precisely why I was so excited about the way Massango chose to become an entrepreneur and help his community become more educated at the same time. As he says in his interview, his community was not particularly educated, but when he provided them their first access to technology, he found demand was high and now business is booming.
On a side note, by encouraging locals in conflict zones to begin their own businesses with outside investment, there is less chance of them becoming hostile towards outside businesses they may perceive as coming to take over their country again. It’s really very much like the old adage of teaching a man to fish.

Ultimately, upward mobility is impossible without a basis of education. In a country where a shockingly high number of government officials are themselves illiterate, problems can only be corrected from the bottom up.

23

I wanted to see some of the reactions people had to the video on the Thunderbird Program. I had never heard of the Thunderbird School of Global Management and was very impressed by the program Kellie Kreiser discussed. The Corporate Social Responsibility that Thunderbird has undertaken is truly amazing and produces tangible results both for Thunderbird and for the Afghan women involved. Although only 44 women have been trained, it has produced results like the Afghan woman who became the first woman to own a store in her area; the impacts are enormous.

I think these stories really exemplify the meaning of obtaining “peace through commerce.” The United States and Afghanistan have always had a complicated relationship and the actions of Thunderbird show the small ways in which we can create instances oft peace through helping native women become successful in business.

“Thunderbird for Good” is a method of Corporate Social Responsibility that I hope will continue to grow and spread to other management schools.

24

Thank you for your point about the establishment of small businesses as a step towards economic stability but I am somewhat unclear concerning your statement that it is widely accepted that women make better decisions than men when they spend money. I do not mean to make a chauvinistic argument but was not aware of that fact. Would you be able to please provide some articles or documentation concerning this point? Also, while I understand your argument about women in business gaining more power in the family structure, would male entrepreneurs not also improve the economic situation?
Thank you.

25

I think the actions taken by the Thunderbird School is the model on how business/organizations should approach the idea of peace through commerce under the umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility.

The way for organizations to approach CSR is through the involvement of what they are good at. For example Thunderbird School of Management specializes in business education, therefore the best way for them to make an impact is through business education. Also look at Starbucks and the Rwandan coffee widows. Starbucks is known for its coffee so it is sensible for them to engage in CSR activities involving coffee.

When industry uses what they know to help others there will probably be a better transfer of knowledge. Also this strategic CSR allows an organization to recognize the importance of helping create relationships with other areas of the world in a way that is related to the core competencies of the company.

By maintaining focus of CSR activities it is also easier to persuade all stakeholders to be on board with these activities. It helps mitigate those who feel that the only purpose for business is profit by showing them that CSR can help others and the bottom line (i.e. Starbucks created a superior brew and helped a devastated group of people).

26

I, too, am looking for examples of this. In last week’s discussion, we looked at South Africa’s CBM, and I encourage you to read back over that thread. But it was an example of a business association and not of a single firm. And there are cases of firms undertaking CSR activities that happen to be carried out in regions or countries recovering from conflict (e.g. Starbucks in Rwanda, Sustainable Harvest in Burundi, etc.). However, having conflict-sensitive investment plans is different from “explicitly designing a program to mitigate conflict.”

27

Thanks Michael. You’ve framed the issue quite well, actually. I agree that if the average per capita GNP across the Arab world were $30-40K the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be much easier to resolve. My point on causation is that perpetuation of the conflict can fairly be seen, in part, as a product of stagnation in the Arab world. So while economic aid and job creation will not, in my view, solve the conflict, resolution would be more likely if the Arab world addressed the underlying causes of stagnation – which would facilitate economic growth and mitigation of multiple political problems.

Hi Natalie, my short answer is each case is different. Where economic factors are significant drivers of conflict, promoting entrepreneurship can have a big impact. Where economics is more of a casualty, I’m afraid progress must be pursued elsewhere. And often the distinction is gray, not black and white. In Mindanao, the Moro Liberation Front is Islamist but motivated more by practical grievances, therefore economics matters to them. But the Abu Saayaf Group is motivated almost purely by ideology. Creating jobs for their constitutents is unlikely to dull their commitment to their own Islamist vision.

28

Tim, I agree 100%. I think smart and strategic CSR efforts can not only “do good” but they have great potential to make a positive business impact to the bottom line. For instance, it makes a great deal of sense for a company that manufactures soda to invest in clean water initiatives… or a company doing business in Africa to invest in business skills training that will eventually enable African nationals to find employment in that company.

Thunderbird works with Goldman Sachs in a program called 10,000 Women (www.10000women.org). Goldman Sachs is investing $100 million to educate 10,000 Women in developing countries in the next five years. Thunderbird’s program is in Afghanistan, but many other business schools are partnering in Africa, China, and elsewhere. What I like the best about the 10,000 Women program is the rationale Goldman Sachs had for starting the program. They had done some business research about the impact educating women has on a country’s GDP. In short, by educating women, more women gets jobs or start businesses… when more women are employed, the GDP of a country increases… and when the GDP of a country increases, there is more opportunity for companies/banks to make money. So not only is this program significantly helping 10,000 women and helping their countries become more prosperous, but the program is creating a better business environment for MNC’s to enter in the future. Brilliant! (You can see this research on the 10,000 Women website in a document called “Women Hold Up Half the Sky.”

To comment on the other posts…

Vito, to your question on why women are thought to make better spending decisions than men… I think it may have been Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, who first did the research on this area. But if you Google the topic, you’ll see most major micro finance organizations touting the same ideas. Women are good investments for micro loans… not only do they tend to invest in more long term beneficial items (health care, education) but they also have fantastic loan repayment rates. Some organizations will ONLY loan to women. Perhaps our amazing moderator can provide some more academic citations for studies showing the value of loaning to women?

And Christine, thank you for your kind words. We are continuing to spread our Thunderbird for Good programs and I too hope to see more programs like ours at other schools… there is plenty of opportunity to go around.

29

Tim, your identification of the fact that firms should create peace by specializing in what they are good at is my point exactly. Before even considering the problem of profit maximization, stopping an entire conflict situation when the war is about to occur would be nearly impossible since most firms either a) do not exert as much influence in military situations and b) actions that could be seen as violating a state’s sovereignty would be reacted against strongly by the international community.

Then when you consider the fact that the purpose of a firm is to maximize profit it is even more unlikely that when the situation is at its brink a firm will step in to stop possible future hostilities. First, you have to consider the potential ROI. We can assume that stopping the situation and restoring normality will keeping profit at their current level, X. Y is the cost of preventing a conflict situation. To firms that consider profit maximization in the sense of dollars or assets only then the equation for return on investment is 100[(X – Y)/X]. A firm that considers the value of CSR as part of the stockholder value, the value of the CSR action is valued at ‘a,’ then the total equation for ROI will be 100[(X + a – Y)/X)].

For firms that do not factor in ‘a’ then all they have to consider is whether the ROI will be greater than investing in other potentially profitable projects. In reality, this ‘project’ would probably have a negative ROI and thus would never be considered. For firms that do factor in ‘a’ you have to consider the probably of success when valuing ‘a.’ So, what will the value of be? Well in most case you have to consider that governments often have a low probability of stopping a conflict situation, even when they have an almost unlimited budget and sovereign authority. Firms do not have either of those. If the government has failed than what is the probability that a firm will succeed? Very low and so the ‘a’ can generally be put at a value of 0. At this point both firms that values CRS and those that do not have the same ROI equation. And using this equation it is basically impossible for a firm to to justify trying to stop a conflict situation. The logical conclusion: it is generally will not happen in a normal conflict situation.

This is where an alternative comes in. First, a situation in which a firm has more control than a government would increase the probability of success and so the ROI would be, by logical extension, increased – possibly to the point that intervention is justified in the firms eyes. A theoretical example that I have no example of would be a situation where a large union that a firm is negotiating with, that is threatening the stability of the state, and where the negotiation process is the central tenant of the country’s instability. Another possible situation is where the conflict is over a resource that a firm exerts near monopolistic control over; this could be, for example, diamond, oil or precious metals.

This is where I think that a firm is in a better situation to contribute to preventing a conflict situation from escalating in the first place. This could involve reducing poverty, thus reducing tensions. Or it could involve fair hiring practices to ensure that racial tension do not build. Regardless of how it is done, I think that the best way for a firm to prevent conflict is to reduce the possibility of it ever occurring.

30

Hello Charlie,

First, by way of disclaimer, my appointment at the State Dept. ended with the Bush administration – so naturally I am not speaking for State. The VP for BD concept was intended to convey the idea of free advocacy and assistance for entrepreneurs in conflict regions, who would otherwise have no chance to connect with potential partners. However, there are obvious limits to any activity that is limited to free help and advocacy. EESR cannot and was never intended to address the critical issues you raise.

I don’t think anyone is taking the lead to protect and nurture small enterprises during ongoing conflict. I believe the reason is simple – conflict regions by definition present so many challenges that the protection of business naturally becomes a low priority. There are many programs that try to arrange training, microcredit, donations and other assistance for entrepreneurs. These programs benefit only a tiny percentage of the need, but as Thunderbird has demonstrated quite well, small successes can have a catalytic effect (and, with due apologies, I think Kellie is right about the research on women, I know my wife would certainly agree).

However, business environment issues must generally wait for conflicts to cycle down. I am sure a lot of progress on business is being made in Iraq and we’re not hearing about it because its not nearly as newsworthy now, for positive reasons. On the other hand, Afghanistan has no mortgage law on the books. It would be good if they had one but given the current situation, few see that as a pressing issue. During ongoing conflict local businesses are on their own – if they can get NGO or public sector help, great, but no one has the resources to write their business plan, give them generators, build their road and station security guards at the door.

Not sure that answers your question …

31

Dear Colleagues,

Many thanks for exploring this topic. It is a good one with great potential. However, I am mixed as to my feelings towards it. I have worked in economic and international development in more than 30 countries wordlwide. In Afghanistan, for example, the USAID projects for economic development particularly as a counter to poppy have - at best - very modest results. Money gets spent very inefficiently. And, it is common for most of aid money to not end up in the hands of or the benefit of the local low income population.

One effort that can be remedied is better donor interventions that are more geared towards local needs, more responsive to local requests, and greater understanding of the local context. In addition, donor projects can ‘begin with the end in mind’ and have sustainability and phase out as a part of their plan. And, if they measure and track performance that will actually help the people and the businesses, then activities geared towards those outcomes might be more in evidence. Transparency about these outcomes would also be of value.

Regards,
Andrew (Drew) Tulchin
drew@socialenterprise.net
+1.202.256.2692 *** +1.505.715.6927

Social Enterprise Associates
www.socialenterprise.net
Financial Performance * Social Impact * Environmental Sustainability

32

Dear All,

I think such small businesses at the very base level provide an opportunity for a downs up approach to peace that would be rarerly afforded by maybe large corporates.These if you like are the true nurseries for peace.Although i may not have a very direct example, i would invite the participants to fugure out this hypothetical situation:

Suppose small such business enterprises were introduced and spread out throughout the trouble spots of the Middle East,would’nt the Impact on the peace process be different.Suppose we had joint ownerships of small industry between Palestinians and Israelis in the Gaza strip,the same models in Iraq between Iraqi Sunni and Shiite Arabs and also Kurds,In Lebanon between Muslims and Christians, without doubt the peace process would be eminently boosted and perpharps it would never make sense for Israel to impose a blockade on Gaza.Of course such ventures could be supported by the EU,US,the Quartet or even large corporates that mine oil in the region.

If such models are seen to be effective, they would be replicated all over the world in trouble spots in Latin America, South Asia an Africa.In places like Colomobia, Mexico,And Afghanistan, they could be useful as models to replace illegal drug trade with legitimate trade.

As mentioned, they can be very useful incentives to lure people from illegal business.In addition, they can be used as ways of rewarding merit through contests and competition and thereby create incentives for peace building.

Other examples could be through the granting of peace scholasrhips,and fellowships in the field of conflict and funding conflict research centres.

Obstacles in creating such ventures may vary from place to place but would usually take the form of government intereference or legal barriers like for the case of where international sanctions apply imposed against trade by say the EU,UN, etc,lack of capital due to meltdowns such as the one the global Financial system is facing at the moment and lack of sufficient grassroots integration.

Solomon Mpapale,
London,UK.

33

This ideas are from a small group of professionals working together in the Merida State, VENEZUELA (Bolivarian Republic of).
We are a small foundation working for Community Empowering under our Constitutional Rules. We all have a common proposal raised from deep analysis and discussions. Please feel free to contact us through any of our members registered in this iniciative. Peace a Fare Trading for everyone
THEME 2

We started talking about our view that local initiatives in the case of Venezuela have contributed significantly to replace patterns of violent behavior by stages of social exchange and coexistence in favor of collective interests that contribute to peace in local schools and thus in their family groups, which also affects the community behind. It is about the different ways that involve the school with the family and the community proposed and developed by the Jesuit´s organization “Fe y Alegria”(Faith and Joy). There are many examples that in local areas have achieved success in improving the living, of course, these tasks involve the generation of the collective awareness of the formal basic education or primary to secondary level and their integration with the interests of the community where they are located.
Moreover, in Venezuela there is a recent initiative of the private banking sector that concentrates management to boost micro-credit loans “seed credits” and on-line response to SME credit lines as the experience relating to Bangladesh. It is known MIBANCO as the MIcrocredits bank , which focuses its intervention through information and direct attention of the neighbors where its agencies are located, its only clients is this sector only and also provide credits in the wards of investment with ongoing monitoring.
Just want to take this opportunity to contribute with examples on these ideas: one of the Jesuit church and other from private banks, not to mention massive plans and employment policies that promoted the government in Venezuela, which in some cases outcome indicators are very positive indeed and violence decreased significantly in specific locations.
We can say with certainly that the most successful proposals must be those that use the alliance government and local trade, therefore, are the most effective ideas that can respond to local needs and priorities on the basis of the potential of each sector, its culture and socio-economic interests.
In Venezuela and Latin America there are many experiences of peacemaking from the formal and non formal education who have contributed including the disarmament of communities in other activities that impact on improving conditions for coexistence in peace, these efforts respond to the identification and diagnosis sector-specific methodologies, which deserve to be driven primarily by those who handle welfare policies with the alliance of the state, proof of this has been a series of examples funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Finally, we say that the barriers arise from conflicting interests of groups involved in the sincerity of purpose of both the government sector and the Commercial and Industrial, thereby affecting the communities of influence that far from getting references for peace, incite violence.

ANGEL

34

This ideas are from a small group of professionals working together in the Merida State, VENEZUELA (Bolivarian Republic of).
We are a small foundation working for Community Empowering under our Constitutional Rules. We all have a common proposal raised from deep analysis and discussions. Please feel free to contact us through any of our members registered in this iniciative. Peace a Fare Trading for everyone
THEME 2

We started talking about our view that local initiatives in the case of Venezuela have contributed significantly to replace patterns of violent behavior by stages of social exchange and coexistence in favor of collective interests that contribute to peace in local schools and thus in their family groups, which also affects the community behind. It is about the different ways that involve the school with the family and the community proposed and developed by the Jesuit´s organization “Fe y Alegria”(Faith and Joy). There are many examples that in local areas have achieved success in improving the living, of course, these tasks involve the generation of the collective awareness of the formal basic education or primary to secondary level and their integration with the interests of the community where they are located.
Moreover, in Venezuela there is a recent initiative of the private banking sector that concentrates management to boost micro-credit loans “seed credits” and on-line response to SME credit lines as the experience relating to Bangladesh. It is known MIBANCO as the MIcrocredits bank , which focuses its intervention through information and direct attention of the neighbors where its agencies are located, its only clients is this sector only and also provide credits in the wards of investment with ongoing monitoring.
Just want to take this opportunity to contribute with examples on these ideas: one of the Jesuit church and other from private banks, not to mention massive plans and employment policies that promoted the government in Venezuela, which in some cases outcome indicators are very positive indeed and violence decreased significantly in specific locations.
We can say with certainly that the most successful proposals must be those that use the alliance government and local trade, therefore, are the most effective ideas that can respond to local needs and priorities on the basis of the potential of each sector, its culture and socio-economic interests.
In Venezuela and Latin America there are many experiences of peacemaking from the formal and non formal education who have contributed including the disarmament of communities in other activities that impact on improving conditions for coexistence in peace, these efforts respond to the identification and diagnosis sector-specific methodologies, which deserve to be driven primarily by those who handle welfare policies with the alliance of the state, proof of this has been a series of examples funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Finally, we say that the barriers arise from conflicting interests of groups involved in the sincerity of purpose of both the government sector and the Commercial and Industrial, thereby affecting the communities of influence that far from getting references for peace, incite violence.

MIGUEL

35

This ideas are from a small group of professionals working together in the Merida State, VENEZUELA (Bolivarian Republic of).
We are a small foundation working for Community Empowering under our Constitutional Rules. We all have a common proposal raised from deep analysis and discussions. Please feel free to contact us through any of our members registered in this iniciative. Peace a Fare Trading for everyone
THEME 2

We started talking about our view that local initiatives in the case of Venezuela have contributed significantly to replace patterns of violent behavior by stages of social exchange and coexistence in favor of collective interests that contribute to peace in local schools and thus in their family groups, which also affects the community behind. It is about the different ways that involve the school with the family and the community proposed and developed by the Jesuit´s organization “Fe y Alegria”(Faith and Joy). There are many examples that in local areas have achieved success in improving the living, of course, these tasks involve the generation of the collective awareness of the formal basic education or primary to secondary level and their integration with the interests of the community where they are located.
Moreover, in Venezuela there is a recent initiative of the private banking sector that concentrates management to boost micro-credit loans “seed credits” and on-line response to SME credit lines as the experience relating to Bangladesh. It is known MIBANCO as the MIcrocredits bank , which focuses its intervention through information and direct attention of the neighbors where its agencies are located, its only clients is this sector only and also provide credits in the wards of investment with ongoing monitoring.
Just want to take this opportunity to contribute with examples on these ideas: one of the Jesuit church and other from private banks, not to mention massive plans and employment policies that promoted the government in Venezuela, which in some cases outcome indicators are very positive indeed and violence decreased significantly in specific locations.
We can say with certainly that the most successful proposals must be those that use the alliance government and local trade, therefore, are the most effective ideas that can respond to local needs and priorities on the basis of the potential of each sector, its culture and socio-economic interests.
In Venezuela and Latin America there are many experiences of peacemaking from the formal and non formal education who have contributed including the disarmament of communities in other activities that impact on improving conditions for coexistence in peace, these efforts respond to the identification and diagnosis sector-specific methodologies, which deserve to be driven primarily by those who handle welfare policies with the alliance of the state, proof of this has been a series of examples funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Finally, we say that the barriers arise from conflicting interests of groups involved in the sincerity of purpose of both the government sector and the Commercial and Industrial, thereby affecting the communities of influence that far from getting references for peace, incite violence.

YURI

36

This ideas are from a small group of professionals working together in the Merida State, VENEZUELA (Bolivarian Republic of).
We are a small foundation working for Community Empowering under our Constitutional Rules. We all have a common proposal raised from deep analysis and discussions. Please feel free to contact us through any of our members registered in this iniciative. Peace a Fare Trading for everyone
THEME 2

We started talking about our view that local initiatives in the case of Venezuela have contributed significantly to replace patterns of violent behavior by stages of social exchange and coexistence in favor of collective interests that contribute to peace in local schools and thus in their family groups, which also affects the community behind. It is about the different ways that involve the school with the family and the community proposed and developed by the Jesuit´s organization “Fe y Alegria”(Faith and Joy). There are many examples that in local areas have achieved success in improving the living, of course, these tasks involve the generation of the collective awareness of the formal basic education or primary to secondary level and their integration with the interests of the community where they are located.
Moreover, in Venezuela there is a recent initiative of the private banking sector that concentrates management to boost micro-credit loans “seed credits” and on-line response to SME credit lines as the experience relating to Bangladesh. It is known MIBANCO as the MIcrocredits bank , which focuses its intervention through information and direct attention of the neighbors where its agencies are located, its only clients is this sector only and also provide credits in the wards of investment with ongoing monitoring.
Just want to take this opportunity to contribute with examples on these ideas: one of the Jesuit church and other from private banks, not to mention massive plans and employment policies that promoted the government in Venezuela, which in some cases outcome indicators are very positive indeed and violence decreased significantly in specific locations.
We can say with certainly that the most successful proposals must be those that use the alliance government and local trade, therefore, are the most effective ideas that can respond to local needs and priorities on the basis of the potential of each sector, its culture and socio-economic interests.
In Venezuela and Latin America there are many experiences of peacemaking from the formal and non formal education who have contributed including the disarmament of communities in other activities that impact on improving conditions for coexistence in peace, these efforts respond to the identification and diagnosis sector-specific methodologies, which deserve to be driven primarily by those who handle welfare policies with the alliance of the state, proof of this has been a series of examples funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Finally, we say that the barriers arise from conflicting interests of groups involved in the sincerity of purpose of both the government sector and the Commercial and Industrial, thereby affecting the communities of influence that far from getting references for peace, incite violence.

LEOPOLDO

37

This ideas are from a small group of professionals working together in the Merida State, VENEZUELA (Bolivarian Republic of).
We are a small foundation working for Community Empowering under our Constitutional Rules. We all have a common proposal raised from deep analysis and discussions. Please feel free to contact us through any of our members registered in this iniciative. Peace a Fare Trading for everyone
THEME 2

We started talking about our view that local initiatives in the case of Venezuela have contributed significantly to replace patterns of violent behavior by stages of social exchange and coexistence in favor of collective interests that contribute to peace in local schools and thus in their family groups, which also affects the community behind. It is about the different ways that involve the school with the family and the community proposed and developed by the Jesuit´s organization “Fe y Alegria”(Faith and Joy). There are many examples that in local areas have achieved success in improving the living, of course, these tasks involve the generation of the collective awareness of the formal basic education or primary to secondary level and their integration with the interests of the community where they are located.
Moreover, in Venezuela there is a recent initiative of the private banking sector that concentrates management to boost micro-credit loans “seed credits” and on-line response to SME credit lines as the experience relating to Bangladesh. It is known MIBANCO as the MIcrocredits bank , which focuses its intervention through information and direct attention of the neighbors where its agencies are located, its only clients is this sector only and also provide credits in the wards of investment with ongoing monitoring.
Just want to take this opportunity to contribute with examples on these ideas: one of the Jesuit church and other from private banks, not to mention massive plans and employment policies that promoted the government in Venezuela, which in some cases outcome indicators are very positive indeed and violence decreased significantly in specific locations.
We can say with certainly that the most successful proposals must be those that use the alliance government and local trade, therefore, are the most effective ideas that can respond to local needs and priorities on the basis of the potential of each sector, its culture and socio-economic interests.
In Venezuela and Latin America there are many experiences of peacemaking from the formal and non formal education who have contributed including the disarmament of communities in other activities that impact on improving conditions for coexistence in peace, these efforts respond to the identification and diagnosis sector-specific methodologies, which deserve to be driven primarily by those who handle welfare policies with the alliance of the state, proof of this has been a series of examples funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Finally, we say that the barriers arise from conflicting interests of groups involved in the sincerity of purpose of both the government sector and the Commercial and Industrial, thereby affecting the communities of influence that far from getting references for peace, incite violence.

FEDERICO

38

I really agree with you Joyce. Empowering our youth with these skills is the most important thing we can do to prepare them for the future and change the society of tomorrow. If these curriculums are incorporated from the time they are young, we will create a generation more highly prepared for their future and more likely to become a society that embraces peace through commerce Your rationale is also very interesting. I would have never thought of it that way, but it’s true that many children have lesser biases and and this form of education at that age could help instill within them a positive attitude and create this transformed society you mentioned. Thanks for your insight!

39

I agree that is vital that the government is on board with the growth of their country into global markets, which goes along with your obstacles to create entrepreneurial projects. A lot of these obstacles relate to the fourth one that can come from the nonexistence of another country or business that is looking to become an invested organization. But something that comes with being an entrepreneur is the risk. Without risk in the world then nothing would be worth as much because anyone could reap the benefits of it.

Most of these risks actually will come from the home government, because they will be investing into an unfamiliar situation. There is a lot of risk for the expanding country, but they most likely already have experience with handling this risk and the possible obstacles. But without the help of the local government, the outside country can do nothing. For example, countries like China and Japan used to be closed off to the open market, but once they realized the opportunities by mixing in some outside culture they were able to become world business leaders. I just hope Middle Eastern countries will soon be able to realize the actual power they are losing because of their stance and viewpoint in the modern world.

40

Thank you, for all of this insightful information. I am very familiar with one nonprofit organization that does leadership development in Third World countries, mostly in Africa. The organization is called Leadership Initiatives, and it’s based on the idea that empowerment can and will allow poverty-stucken individuals to rise up and create local businesses. Once these businesses prove successful, these individuals and the people they inspire will rise toward community government, then toward regional government and finally toward national government. in creating this meritocratic environment, Marshall Bailey, the founder, hopes to change the face of Africa from poverty to success. I think this idea is one of central importance to this conference. If more organizations and individuals start doing this kind of work, I truly believe that violent parts of Africa can become peaceful.

Thanks,
Zach Cutler