Blog With a French Flair

Hello Everybody,

We are proud to launch the San Diego French-American Chamber of Commerce’s brand new blog – France in San Diego!

This blog is the result of the engagement of our members, since all the articles are and will be written by them. From business-related subjects to articles about culture and leisure, our members express themselves on topics they are familiar with, linked to their field, profession or hobby.

Along with our different social networks, this blog is in line with our desire to see our members involved in the chamber’s life, to share their knowledge and to interact with each other.

Whether you are a member of the chamber or not, we hope you will be interested in the different topics treated here and that you will actively participate to the blog by posting comments and launching conversations.

Happy blogging to you!

Hana Mataillet, Marketing Coordinator, San Diego French-American Chamber of Commerce

hana.mataillet@france-sandiego.org
www.france-sandiego.org

The Maritime Industry in France and the European Network of Maritime Clusters

• Total value of the Maritime Industry output equals to € 51 billion, bigger by value of production than the aeronautical industry (€ 36 bn in 2009).
• 300,000 direct supported jobs.

• Maritime industry production closer to 2.5% of GDP.

• Merchant fleet: More than 300 million tones of goods and 12 million of passengers carried per year.

• Harbors: 41% of total external trade (by volume).

• Yachting industry: 9 million pleasure crafts registered.

• Shipbuilding and marine equipment suppliers: positioning on high value-added vessels (cruise ships, stealth vessels, etc.)

• Offshore service and supplies: Oil and gas extraction in depth up to 2,000 m.

• Fishing and seafood products: 7,389 boats and 664,740 tones of products sold.
• France’s “sea territory” is the 2^nd largest worldwidein terms of surface: Sea transport is a major tool for it s external trade.
  • • France has 5,500 km of coastline.
    • Overseas Territories included its exclusive economic zone extends to 11 million square kilometers, 400,000 square kilometers of which is continental shelf.
• Share of goods transported by weight by the sea with third countries(2007)
  • Import :  89%
  •  Export:  75%
• The French Maritime Cluster, created in 2006, is a tool to promote the French Merchant Marine sector.
  Three axes are highlighted: communication, lobbying and search for synergies.
• The French maritime industries rank first on the Europeanpodium with:
  • Defense vessel construction
  • Government action at sea
  • Scientific research
  • Construction of sailing boats and inflatables
  • Seismic surveys

European Network of Maritime Clusters

Source: http://www.cluster-maritime.fr/

Source : Cluster Maritime Francais, 2006

http://www.cluster-maritime.fr/

Think Latin America

By Larisa Casillas

A diverse array of localization industry professionals from all over the world were brought together last Friday at The Mountain Winery in Silicon Valley. And for what purpose?… to spotlight Latin America and discuss the region’s booming market, business opportunities and uniqueness for the second edition of the “Think Latin America” conference, organized by the “Women in Localization” group , IMTT and Ccaps. BeatBabel drove all the way up with 4 team members and the event was well worth the drive!

 Latin America, the region of the world spanning from the northernmost tip of Mexico to the southernmost tip of Chile and Argentina, comprised of 21 countries with 2 dominant languages, has experienced an economic boom; “Could it be because of the more stable economic policies, or the technology transformation that is underway there? Or is it because of the vibrant emerging middle class that is boosting the demand for goods?” asked Think Latin America’s website, and on Friday afternoon, through knowledgeable guest speakers and a panel discussion of seasoned professionals, these questions were answered with an affirmative yes.

Resolving Conflict

Conflicts and disagreements are unavoidable. As long as relationships exist, conflicts and disagreements will always be part of them. As soon as you put two human beings together, you have two cultures, two backgrounds, two frames of reference, two mindset, two families of origin, two ways of doing things, etc…

 Depending on the family of origin and even the culture where people grow up, people learn the different ways they respond to conflict. Some have learned to look at conflicts with fear and avoid them, others have learned to freeze, and some engage in conflicts without any thought of how to handle them in a way that will produce positive outcomes and protects their relationships.

ECHOS DES CCI développement territorial N° 20

Bonjour à toutes et à tous,

Nous avons le plaisir de vous adresser le numéro 20 de la Lettre de la direction des Politiques Territoriales « Echos des CCI développement territorial »

Au sommaire de ce numéro, retrouvez  l’actualité des politiques territoriales et notamment des informations sur les Agendas 21, la réforme de l’urbanisme commercial, la politique de la ville, les investissements d’avenir, le programme Europ’act, les bonnes pratiques du réseau..

How Much Does Your House Cost?

Are you curious to see the average cost of a house in your neighborhood of San Diego County?

Another Perspective on Obstacles and Challenges

By Dr. Baya Mebarek

I like eagles. They face storms with courage and boldness. When a storm is coming every other bird runs away from the storm. The eagle flies into the storm. We, like birds, can run way, be paralyzed when we think that our circumstances are more than we can handle or succeed and grow tremendously in overwhelming circumstances.

What makes a person brave enough to embrace obstacles and challenges with confidence and grow stronger in spite of their circumstances?

They practice! They prepare their minds for action; they focus on what they need to do rather than fearfully ruminating on their inability. They train themselves by embracing every new challenge and develop the skills and strength required for it. Each time they are more confident that this is a springboard as they have brought solutions to precedent challenges. It should encourage each one of us as in the present time it seems that most of us are having more opportunities to embrace challenges and develop more problem solving mindsets and skills. Each one if us can learn from someone else to develop problem solving skills.

Happy Year of the Rabbit! 兔年快乐（tu nian kuai le）

By Larisa Casillas and the BeatBabel Team

Just over a month ago, everyone was busy preparing for their New Year’s Eve bash. Now, for many of us, the champagne popping and New Year’s Eve countdown seem like a distant memory. But if you happen to be in China, the New Year celebration is in full swing.

The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese. The Associated Press reported that an estimated 230 million Chinese were expected to travel to and throughout China for the holiday, in what they called “the world’s biggest annual human migration.” BeatBabel is lucky enough to currently have team member Sabrina in Beijing for the holiday, and she is filling us in on all the action. She says that the best part of the New Year for her is to be able to be with her family.

Accounting for Corporations and Limited Liability Companies and How it Relates to Insurance

By William Byrnes

Why is this Topic Important to Financial Professionals? Accounting is like a road map of the company’s financial operations.  It is essential to understand the accounting basics and how they relate to small businesses and insurance. 

Accrual or Cash Accounting Methods

Now that the business has been incorporated and is operating, what is required to keep the business accounted for?  The first determination a company must make is determining if the business will account using an accrual or cash system.  An accrual accounting method recognizes revenues and expenses in the period in which they occur whereas a cash accounting method recognizes transactions as they occur.

Inflation: The Silent Tax

By Paul Robinson

Today I’m going to take a quick look at something I get asked about frequently: “Real estate is an attractive hedge against inflation.” You hear it on television, you see it in the business news. After talking to people about the concept, I’ve come to realize that the statement can be lumped right in there with all the other “noise” we hear every day about investments. But does it have any true meaning to you?

What is inflation?

It means that even though you got a raise, it sure doesn’t feel like you’re making any more than you used to. You get to be in higher tax bracket, but what’s left over for you is worth less every day.