There was no universal definition of an SME.

As in the case of Internet access, the prevalence of websites is higher the larger the enterprise 53 per cent of small companies, 76 per cent of medium sized companies and 89 per cent of large companies.

Is there a need for a universal standard on human rights and business?

Nonetheless, in the cases in which data are disaggregated according to the size of enterprises, it appears that also in developing countries access to Internet is more prevalent among larger businesses.

Lack of access to credit is almost universally indicated as a key problem for SSEs.

The consultation process revealed a growing interest in the impact of universal human rights standards on business.

As far as their impact on ED is concerned, they suffer from two main problems they are universal and uniform.

With regard to the competitiveness of enterprises, it was now commonplace to hear that a firm must learn to learn in order to adapt itself to the changing competitive environment.

212. The lump sum compensation is a general benefit granted to almost all professional groups, except artists and entrepreneurs.

As ethics management becomes more common in enterprises, the existence of its key structural features is an important area of disclosure.

Indeed, such spatial agglomerations of small firms are quite widespread in many developing countries (UNCTAD, 1994).

The generally accepted concept of place of business should be used.

Home cooking remained the norm, but its quality was down the tubes.

A lack of awareness of EMS and ISO 14001 is particularly prevalent in developing countries and SMEs.

The fact that building industry enterprises and security companies were sometimes linked to organized crime could be seen as an additional element which would definitively worsen the general picture.

Nothing so hampers entrepreneurship, discourages investment and creates distrust among citizens as the conviction that corruption permeates the decision making of the authorities.

Violations cited were particularly prevalent in the mining and oil exploration sectors.

In order to facilitate the general usefulness of this document, the focus is placed on widely applicable disclosure issues that should be relevant to most enterprises.

It was now accepted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), if well nurtured, could play a key role in economic growth.

There was general agreement among the experts that support agencies should have as their main aim providing and improving business skills of entrepreneurs, so that they can better recognize business opportunities for SMEs and derive more benefit therefrom and also increase their competitiveness.

A more general problem is that SMEs may not have the time or resources to properly identify their needs or find solutions to their problems.

This would entail Governments of developing countries formulating plans and programmes to support small enterprises in general, of which microcredit should be an integral part.

However, an enterprise with special needs may purchase AMU courses specially tailored to suit the needs of the enterprise

Despite the massive potential for ICTs to enable higher productivity and greater business participation, numerous obstacles remain in business adoption of ICTs, including low income levels, low literacy rates, lack of native language content and widespread lack of Internet awareness in business.

(a) Survey of best prevailing conditions of employment at

Traditional industries saw a general decline in performance, and even incurred losses. The raw material industry, and the heavy machinery and equipment manufacturing sector saw performance decline significantly, and even incurred losses. These were the first signs from the industries in Northeast China amid the current sluggish economy.

33. It is generally acknowledged that an overwhelming majority of the missing have died.

44. The policy now generally espoused, including by the Committee of Donor Agencies for Small Enterprise Development, is for a fresh approach to SME support based on the principles of subsidiarity, sustainability, demand side orientation and targeted services.

neutrality and universality will form the basis for the operations of the GM

Universal Indicators

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The halt or fall in production has led to widespread unemployment, with all its attendant negative effects on the whole of society.

In fact, perverse incentives throughout the supply chain facilitate the widespread, systematic contamination of food and drugs. nbsp Both milk producers and heparin precursor suppliers were motivated to add adulterants that would make their products appear to be of a higher quality than they actually were.

While NGO participants identified the need for a universal human rights standard in the area of business and human rights, employer groups and business participants emphasized the need for enforcement of appropriate national legislation accompanied by practical action on the ground in support of human rights.

First, in relation to the clarification of human rights standards, some participants called for a universal standard on business and human rights which could then lead to practical initiatives on the ground.

59. Priority would also need to be given to enhancing the availability and efficient utilization of essential inputs commonly needed by SMEs, including finance, land, physical facilities and equipment.

He found himself in Kenya on a Fulbright and he had a very interesting insight, which is that he said, There must be entrepreneurs in Kenya there must be entrepreneurs everywhere.

Transacting with public authorities over the Internet is still not widespread, although enterprises do so more than individuals, and the level of interactivity is only growing slowly. In 2004, only 18 per cent of enterprises in the EU 25 with Internet access used it for full electronic case handling with governments.

The universal view was that without the industrial and agricultural revolutions, planet Earth would still be in equilibrium.

V. Universal ratification

(b) Enterprise oriented courses supplement the ordinary Labour Market Training (AMU) courses, which are free of charge to enterprises.

The Global Compact invites businesses to subscribe to 10 universally agreed principles in the areas of environment, labour, human rights and anti corruption and to mainstream them in their activities.

There is no unique or universal recipe for the spatial or organizational arrangements that best fit the needs of different enterprises or apply across time and space.

However, he disagreed with the assessment of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) they were neither universal nor uniform in general or as far as enterprise development was concerned.

There was general agreement among experts that dialogue for SME development at the local level is vital because it is at this level that dialogue can be an interactive result oriented process.