The 34th international small business congress

International Small Business Congress 2007 11 th – 14 th November, 2007
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC)
Bangkok - Thailand “ Synergizing International Entrepreneurial Opportunities for SMEs ” Vast majority of SMEs worldwide can be characterized as predominantly rural based and domestic-oriented. They lack both necessary international experiences and skills to reap the benefit offered by the opening up of international trade and investment opportunities. Policy environment and support measures are needed for SMEs to effectively explore market, trade and investment opportunities abroad.

The 34 th ISBC arrangement will be in line with previous ISBC Conference. During the event, participants have an option to join the city tour specially arranged for them on their own expense. The welcoming reception on the first night before the conference assures to be an event whereby participants and partners can mingle, network and get to understand our local culture and local enterprises better. The duration of the Conference is for two and a half days with opening session, plenary session and parallel sessions and closing session and ceremony. The gala diner will be arranged on the second night, with a more formal setting.

Further networking could be built and collaboration sealed.

What is ISBC?

1- The basic objectives of ISBC

ISBC (International Small Business Congress) has been held annually since the first conference in Hawaii in 1974. The basic objectives were, in 1974, and are today, to ensemble representatives from governments, business, the academic communities, financial institutions, and trade associations for the purpose of exchanging views about small and medium-sized business problems, policies and programs for assisting them, and provide business opportunities among participating SME people. Also, the objectives are to develop communication linkages and networks to continue meaningful contacts and relationships, resulting in mutual assistance among the various countries.

2- The history of ISBC

In early 1973, the District Director in Hawaii of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Mr. David Nakagawa, discussed with Dr. Kikutaro Takizawa, Professor of Nagoya University in Japan, the need for and the value of a conference for small business, including government officials, trade and financial organizations, academics and others working with small businesses in the Pan Pacific area.

The SBA administrator, Mr. Tom Kleppe, approved the idea and sent Mr. Grant C. Moon to meet in Hawaii with Mr. Nakagawa to plan the conference for November, to be held at the East-West Center in Honolulu. The two gentlemen also went to Japan to coordinate the program with the 26 Japanese who had organized a committee representing the key small business organizations in Japan.

- The first “Pan-Pacific Small Business Conference” held in Honolulu in 1976 was very successful attracting 125 representatives from 16 countries.

- Due to inquiries from around the world after the success of the first conference, representatives from Japan, realized that the conference should not be confined to the Pan Pacific countries, and the name “International Symposium on Small Business and the Second Pan Pacific Conference for Small Business” was coined.

This second conference was held in Tokyo in 1975 and drew approximately 300 representatives from the major small business organizations from 33 countries. Noting the growing interest in the international scope of the conferences, the Japanese organizing committee suggested holding the third conference in Washington D.C. in 1976. Subsequent conferences were held in the following countries:   

-           Fourth 1977 Seoul, Korea     

-           Fifth 1978 Anaheim, California, USA

-           Sixth    1979 West Berlin, Germany

-           Seventh 1980 Melbourne, Australia

-         Eight 1981 Ottawa, Canada  

-           Ninth1982 Torremolinos, Spain

- At the 10 th conference held in 1983 in Singapore, the name was changed to the present title of the “International Small Business Congress.”

- After the format had been established, the conferences were organized in a similar model but without a formal charter. A unique feature of the conferences is that each hosting country is encouraged to present the conference according to its own culture, background, and expertise.

- The position of the ISBC Honorary Secretary, who assumes administrative duty, had been carried by NFIB of the USA for more than 20 years. In 1996 at the Athens conference, the position of Honorary Secretary was succeeded by Mr. Hiroo Kinoshita, Chairman of the Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation. At the same conference, new committees named Executive Committee (formerly the Nominating Committee) and the Steering Committee was organized with the aim of improving the quality of ISBC congresses.

- A total of more than 20,000 participants throughout the world have attended 32 Congresses to date.

At present the position of Honorary Secretary is held by Prof. Tsugio Ide, who is Executive Managing Director of Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation Japan (SMRJ).