LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD v COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF PATENTS

H1 Patents—Patentability—Excluded subject matter—Computer programs—Business methods—Contactless payments—“Card clash”—Appeal to Patents Court

Assessing the Impact of Electronic Business on the Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in Kumasi, Ghana

The study evaluated how electronic business impacted the performance of a selected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kumasi. A convenient sample of 50 SMEs in wholesale and retail of consumer goods in Kumasi were selected at random to be surveyed; however, only 30 responded. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from the participants to answer the research questions. The results were statistically analyzed to draw conclusions. The results revealed that, to a large extent, the businesses used e-business methods in several ways to undertake five categories of business activities which include advertising, customer support service, marketing, payment system, and order and delivery. Several factors influenced the adoption and use of e-business methods by the businesses, but the most influencing ones were the businesses’ customers’ low use of e-business and telecommunications services not being very dependable. It was also discovered that the adoption and use of e-business made positive impact on the businesses’ performance. It is therefore recommended that more SMEs be encouraged and assisted to fully embrace the use of e-business.

CONCEPTUAL PRINCIPLES OF HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. In Ukraine, not all issues relating to modern theoretical, methodological and applied foundations of enhancing the development of hotel and restaurant business are covered. There is a need for in-depth scientific research of theoretical aspects of the formation of methods of organizational and financial resource provision of tourism development at the national and regional levels, the definition of priorities and determination of ways to improve the efficiency of management of the complex use of the rich recreational and tourist potential of Ukraine.METHODS. Methodology of scientific research are general scientific and special research methods: dialectical method of research of processes and phenomena in their interrelation and development, system-structural analysis (when studying the conceptual foundations and systematization of methodical approaches to management of development of hotel-restaurant business); methods of group analysis and statistical approaches, economic-statistical methods, comparison (when analyzing social and economic preconditions, opportunities and motives of development of hotel-restaurant business), methods of analysis of the economic and social situation (when analyzing social and economic preconditions, opportunities and motives of development of hotel-restaurant business).FINDINGS. The elements of functional support for the development of domestic hotel and restaurant business are substantiated.CONCLUSION. The study of domestic hotel and restaurant business, in particular the regional market of tourist services, is based on the assessment of the environment of market activity. It involves the use of a comprehensive approach to the application of theoretical and applied foundations of sectoral and territorial analysis and aims to form the leading levers of development of hotel and restaurant business.

New directions of funding the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan

The development of small and medium-sized enterprises is of great importance for the economy of Kazakhstan. Despite the fact that state support largely contributes to positive changes in this area, the competence and interest in promoting the business of entrepreneurs themselves is crucial, which implies using all the opportunities that the market provides. The article emphasizes that currently, leasing and factoring are often an alternative to bank loans for entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan. However, these types of financing are characterized by high cost and do not have obvious advantages as a funding tool for small and medium-sized enterprises compared to bank loans. It is suggested that an alternative to this method of raising funds can be P2B lending, which involves the flow of funds from the investor to the borrower without the participation of intermediary financial institutions. In addition to finding optimal sources of financing, SMEs should pay attention to the use of alternative business methods. In this sense, franchisors have great prospects.

Patenting the Curve Ball: Business Methods and Industry Norms

2009 Brigham Young University Law Review 875