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Jamaica still a “hot” place to invest
but not a place for the timid
By: Andre’ Burnett
BUSINESS LOUNGE
an exclusive analysis of Global Finance and Citi Group “Emerging Markets 2009” publication Why would the Finnish cellular juggernaut Nokia, decide to quit Germany in mid 2008 to set up operations in Romania, a country that receives aid from Germany being a relative new comer to the European Union? It could be the same reason that the fastest growing handset making plant run by the company that was once a pulp mill, is in …drum roll please…India. Actually it is not one reason that so-termed “emerging markets” have become greener pastures for large corporations looking to offshore their operations in light of dire times in developed countries, it is in fact several. Reasons for investing in a developing country Not surprisingly, lower labour and operational costs was named as the chief strategic objective for establishing functions in emerging markets according to a Deloitte survey involving interviews with 247 executives from consumer and manufacturing companies already active in developing countries. Market expansion and
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study, over 88 percent of the companies interviewed shared that they planned to execute forays into emerging markets. The fact that most of the products manufactured by large manufacturers is not used or consumed nearby is not lost on executives, speed to market is a very important factor and this coupled with the other factors has caused these executives to estimate that over 20% of their revenue will have originated in emerging markets. What does this mean for fair Jamaica? It means that Jamaica, a country that has managed to become a very big blip on every mobile manufacturer’s radar despite its size; a country conversely portrayed as a country saddled by the ill effects of crime and violence might actually be juicier fare for savvy global companies. According to an Emerging Market Map published by Global Finance, a widely reputable and recognized magazine, Jamaica is listed as tepid which is described as “having great potential but also serious downsides”. The data from the report shows Jamaica’s GDP per head to be much lower than that of Caricom neighbor, Barbados with about the same level of GDP growth. In terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) however, which can be defined classically as the physical investment made by an overseas company into building a factory in another country, Jamaica is miles above other countries listed as “sizzling”. Jamaica is listed as having $779 million in FDI and a FDI change of -12% compared to a -45% change in Barbados a -29% in sizzling Panama. Jamaica also ranked fairly well in competitiveness with a score of 3.89 while Barbados ranked better with a score of 4.40, the Easter Caribbean country also outranked Jamaica in terms of corruption actually being named the least corrupt country on the entire list of countries that included Africa, Asia and Europe.
Speed to Market rounded out the top three with access to talent and the development of new products and services following thereafter. Large corporations still interested in investing in developing countries Even the bleakest of economic forecasters would be heartened by the fact that according to the Deloitte
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In 2001, Digicel proved all naysayers wrong by taking the Jamaican market by storm and establishing itself as a cornerstone of the market, in 2009, it would seem that Jamaica is still no place for the timid but it is by all means, a new age frontier for the modern day pilgrims.
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Built it, But They Won’t Come: Building Good Content For Your Website You must be so relieved. You finally have a website. You’re getting lots of complements and the content that took your spouse over a year to write is pretty good. So why isn’t your phone ringing? Well, first of all, your website is not the field of dreams. Remember the movie where the ghost whispers, “Build it, they will come.” A better title for your website would be “Build it, and it will get lost amongst 2 billion other websites.” But don’t get frustrated, because getting targeted traffic to your website may not be as overwhelming (or expensive) as you might think. So, what can you do? Well, one of the most important factors in achieving ranking naturally (verses purchasing pay per click ads) in Google, Yahoo and MSN. com, is the content you have on your website. I know that your spouse worked very hard on your content, and it’s written at a college graduate level, but it may not have the keyword density necessary to get the attention of Google. What is SEO, or Search Engine Optimization? It’s the action of manipulating your website through your content, linking with other websites, and basic HTML coding techniques in order to achieve higher ranking in search engines. Here are a couple of basic writing tips that are far too often ignored: 1.
Capture the user’s attention! Get to the point. The readers should know in the title or the first two sentences what your company does and the benefits of your service.
2.
Consider your target audience, and write in a way that will make sense to them (avoid jargon). Mention the benefits of your prod ucts and services, not just the features.
3.
Use spell check! You can quickly lose credibility with poor grammar or spelling.
4.
Limit your copy to 2 or 3 paragraphs per page. If the user has to scroll down too far, you’ll lose them.
You’ll need to incorporate the key words that someone would typically type in when searching for your busi-
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ness online. Then, take these keywords and plug them in to Google’s Keyword Research Tool at https:// adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal. This will help develop an extensive keyword list. From this list, pick the words that fit your business, and that you can realistically get ranked on. (For example, if you are local moving company based out of Philadelphia, focus on less competitive, and more targeted keywords such as “Philadelphia movers”, or “Philadelphia moving company”). Now it’s time to integrate these primary keywords into your content. A simple rule is to use the primary keywords around 3 to 5 times throughout your text. The number of times keywords are used through the text is called “keyword density”. Over use of keywords is a flag to Google and you can actually get penalized. Don’t worry about “submitting” your page or website to search engines; they will pick it up naturally. It may take months, but yes, “they will come”—and buy, hopefully.
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Based in New York, Gail’s Graphic Designs offers a broad spectrum of creative design and communication solutions to assist small businesses with custom solutions for all of their marketing needs. Contact Gail Lewis at glewis@gailsdtp.com or visit Gail’s Graphic Designs at www.gailsdtp. com
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MIND YOUR BUSINESS
by: Joe Witte
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10 Smart Steps to: learn about stocks Provided by: Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services
Question: I have heard recently that persons 9. What makes a stock price change? Speculahave been losing money in stock markets around the world. I’m scared of buying stocks as I don’t understand how this investment works.
Raise Your Financial IQ! -
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ing the operation of the stock market. While you may have heard negative reports, stocks can still be a good way to build wealth. Here are ten key things to learn about stocks:
1. What is a stock? A stock is an investment representing part ownership in a company, and a claim on part of its assets and earnings.
The Carlton Alexander Awards dinner
2. What is a share? A share is the physical or electronic certificate that represents the holder’s ownership of the stock.
The Date of the Event: June 24, 2009 Time of the Event: Cocktail @ 7:00pm Dinner @ 8:00pm
3. Why do companies offer stocks? Stocks help
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companies to raise capital for development and give the original owners a way to cash in on their investments. Stocks are issued to the general public for the first time via an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
This years awardees include two of Jamaica College finest from the field of Law & Finance
4.
Where can you buy and sell stocks? After an IPO, stocks are listed on a stock exchange, which is which a physical or virtual location where buyers and sellers meet and decide on a price.
5. What’s the benefit of buying stocks? Sharehold-
ers can have potentially higher returns in the stock market than with other investments. They can profit by selling stocks for higher prices and receive income from dividends.
6. What is a dividend? This is the portion of the
company’s profits that is distributed to shareholders in proportion to their number of shares.
7. How do I decide which stocks to buy? A stock broker can help you to select stocks which match your objectives. You can also examine a company’s financial reports to decide if you want to be a shareholder.
8. How do I know when to sell? People usually sell
a stock when the price is higher, if they need to get back their cash, or when the stock company has not been doing well. Your broker can help you to make that decision.
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10. What are the risks of investing in stocks? Inves-
tors could lose money if they have to sell a stock for less than the buying price; it may be difficult to get money back quickly if needed for emergency; and a stock company could go out of business and have the stocks de-listed from the exchange. Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services is Jamaica’s number one source for practical, down-to-earth and independent answers for all questions relating to personal finance. Get more money smart advice at www.financiallysmartonline.com. Email advice@financiallysmartonline.com with comments or questions.
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MONEY $MART...
Answer: There’s a lot of mystery surround-
tion by investors, company performance, news about a stock company, supply and demand, and general economic conditions can affect the movement of stock prices.
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