PDE-News (3/15/11): New Leadership in Italy

New Leadership in Italy
While entrepreneurs can be found anywhere, I take particular interest in what the most populous countries are doing to comb their citizens for entrepreneurs. Italy is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world. It also has the world’s seventh-largest nominal GDP. Unfortunately, it also has the sixth highest government budget and a large public deficit, such that the economic confidence crisis in the Euro zone that sparked in Greece put a spotlight on Italy´s economy, which faces similar insolvency risk. With Italy´s public debt around 120 percent of GDP and growing, policy options are increasingly constrained. Fortunately, spurring entrepreneurship is not necessarily expensive (although it does take political commitment) and is a proven source of economic energy. Read more…>> http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/New-Leadership-in-Italy.aspx

From the Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship Blog
Goal of Doubling U.S. Exports
The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the U.S. trade balance widened somewhat in January, with the country importing $46.3 billion more than it exported. Read more…>> http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/Goal-of-Doubling-US-Exports.aspx

SBIR/STTR Reauthorization
On March 9, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee reviewed the “SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011″ (S.493). Read more…>>http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/SBIR-STTR-Reauthorization.aspx

Goolsbee at NABE
Austan Goolsbee, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, addressed the members of the NABE at their annual policy conference in Arlington, Virginia discussed the dramatic steps taken by policymakers to tackle the economic crisis. Read more…>> http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/Goolsbee-at-NABE.aspx

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy
A few hearings in the Senate focused on federal R&D and clean energy and jobs are in store for the remainder of the week, while the House looks at the SBA budget, SBIR and other issues. Read more…>> http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/This-Week-in-Entrepreneurship-Policy-031511.aspx

A Look Back at Innovation Daily
Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation — courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled from last week. Read more…>> http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/Policy-Forum-Blog/2011/March/A-Look-Back-at-Innovation-Daily–0815.aspx