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This paper aims to examine issues of government policy in creating an infrastructure that supports innovation and expertise.

The approach is to reflect on trends in global trade and the role played by governments in supporting such trade.

It is shown that Governments do indeed have a crucial role to play but they must tread a balanced line between support and over‐regulation.

The paper suggests approaches that governments might adopt to improve the support they offer to organisations which wish to be innovative and enterprising.

The paper is a useful summary of the role of government in promoting innovation and enterprise.

Suggests that “continuous improvement” is an unworkable approach to organisational transformation; that discontinuity is essential to ensure that gains are consolidated and locked in to baseline performance. Describes a particular organisational transformation methodology – the UPLIFT programme – used to investigate, assess and prepare for “organisational futures” and uses it to demonstrate this need for discontinuity.

This paper aims to promote an expanded two‐way dialog between Chinese and Western leaders and executives which recognizes that “wisdom” can flow in both directions.

Interviews were undertaken with three Chinese executives and analyzed against a model of performance excellence.

An understanding of some of the similarities and differences of Western and Chinese business practices and a conclusion that there are lessons for Western businesses to learn.

The work involved interviews with only three Chinese executives and thus represents a tiny sample.

Illustrates some of the practices that might be worth considering by the West as we climb out of the current economic depression and re‐focus business efforts for a longer‐term future.

The paper adopts a novel approach of analyzing interview outcomes against a reference model. The core value is, however, in highlighting the benefits that might arise from extended dialog.

The rise of the ‘green movement’ in Europe over the last 10 years has been quite astonishing. From being dismissed as cranks and eccentrics, they have reached the position where they are either important pressure groups (as in the UK) or have real political power (in those countries that have proportional representation). This pressure and power has implications for the way in which businesses carry out their activity. We are already seeing the ‘greening’ of commerce, starting with those organisations who are nearest to the end user such as retail stores. This ‘greening’ process will move backwards up the supply chain over the next few years to influence many organisations.