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Showing posts with the label Challenges

Spire explains market opportunities in Australia for Malaysian franchisors

Spire Research and Consulting was invited to speak at a Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) symposium held jointly with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs on 7 August. Deric Yeo was the event moderator and Aqilah Binti Zamri (Analyst at Spire Malaysia), Terry Lim from Global Art, MATRADE’s Pn. Anisah Ali and Pn. Noor Asiah Mahmud were panel speakers. The speakers shared their insights on market opportunities and challenges in Australia facing Malaysian franchisors. The speakers shared insights on market opportunities in Australia for Malaysian franchisors. Australians are increasingly dining out. As much as two thirds of the population (over 14 years of age) dine out at least once a month. To put this into perspective, the average personal consumption stands at around USD11 for fast food, USD7-10 for casual dining and USD 5-10 for snacks or desserts. 1,089 business franchisors ply their trade in Australia, of which 10% are foreign brands and 90% lo

Bangladesh – A journey from poverty to development

Equivalent to the combined population of the Netherlands, Germany and France, Bangladesh is home to 160 million people. Although it is ranked as one of the world’s poorest of the 10 most populous countries, its economy grew by 7.1 per cent in 2016, a 30 year record. The country is starting to attract the attention of global companies. Can Bangladesh make poverty history? The story so far Bangladesh’s recent economic upturn is attributed to two major factors: its robust NGO sector and its thriving garment manufacturing industry. Bangladesh exported over USD26 billion in clothing, second only to China. Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a devastating war. Just prior to the war, in 1970, a massive cyclone had hit the nation, killing thousands. Today Bangladesh’s GDP per person is USD1,538 in comparison to Pakistan’s at about USD1,470 in June 2016. Some analysts assess that Bangladesh has the potential to emerge as the 23rd largest economy in

India’s new CSR law – Will mandating corporate charity work?

With the implementation of the Companies Act 2013 earlier this year, the Indian government has made history by requiring eligible Indian businesses to “turn CSR from voluntary activities to mandated responsibilities”. Will this succeed in boosting the non-profit sector without hobbling economic competitiveness? And will it set an example for the world to follow? CSR in India The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) came into common usage in the early 1970s. The 20th century witnessed a shift in focus of global CSR from traditional philanthropy – giving out donations – towards more direct and sustained engagement by business in both broad-based and cause-specific interventions. In India, CSR has traditionally been an activity that was performed in a perfunctory manner, but not deliberated. Although India’s CSR still remains within the philanthropic space, its focus has shifted to institutional building (educational, research and cultural) with the aim of lifting communi