APEC Ministerial Meeting on Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises
September 18-19, 1997, MontrÈal, QuÈbec (Canada)

Credibility Issues for Young Entrepreneurs Doing Business in Asia

 

"In my opinion, the lack of CREDIBILITY remains a serious obstacle for young Canadians wishing to involve themselves in East Asian markets.

Let me elaborate... Having spent the summer of 1995 in Japan as an exchange student, I returned to Canada with a lucrative entrepreneurial plan. Essentially, having gathered close to two hundred pairs of used Levis jeans, I attempted to sell them to Japanese buyers for ten times the price I had originally paid (which was considered a good bargain for the Japanese buyers). It wasn't the 'cultural differences' that was the problem, nor was it the language barrier -- instead, it was the lack of credibility as an entrepreneur that prevented the jeans from 'crossing the Pacific'.

Therefore, in order to solve the 'credibility' problem, and in turn, to promote the participation of Canadian youth in the Asian business sphere, I propose that the federal government establish something similar to the Asia Pacific Foundation or Better Business Bureau, in order to promote the economic participation of Canadian youth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Where would such an 'agency' be established? It would not be very costly or difficult to place such an 'agency' devoted to promoting 'youth trade', within embassies and consulates in the Far East. Essentially, all that would be required for the 'agency' is a telephone, fax, computer and modem!

What kind of duties would be performed by such an agency devoted to promoting 'youth trade'? Ranging from networking to questions regarding tariffs, an agency representing Canadian entrepreneurial youth abroad would promote Canadian business ventures and facilitate trade.

By adding credibility to economically adventurous Canadian youth through an easily accessible government-sponsored agency, greater involvement of Canadian youth would no doubt occur in the Asia-Pacific region. Also, with the promise of the 1994 Bogor Declaration, such an agency would further commit Canada to the goal of 'free and open trade' in the region. Who knows? Perhaps such a youth-motivated initiative could be a small 'goodwill' gesture between Canada and an Asian nation. For instance, Canada agrees to promote the wares of Japanese youth, and in turn, the Japanese government adds credibility to Canadian (youth) business ventures by giving it the thumbs-up!"

(Neil Mather, University of Alberta)