The world historian Arnold Toynbee described history in terms of challenges and responses, and that is the principle underlying this programme.  We do business in uniquely turbulent times.  The massive breakdown in the private international financial system, which we thought we were coming out of, is now being followed up by what could be a crippling crisis at the sovereign financial level in Europe, with the Eurozone, South Africa's biggest trading partner, in deep trouble.  This obviously throws up enormous challenges calling for extraordinary and unique responses on the part of governments and international financial organisations.  But it also has challenges  - a challenge of  a different kind for South African business .  Robert Zoelnik, Head of the World Bank, recently said that what had happened over the past three years and is happening in Europe now, wipes out the distinction between first and third world countries.  And every economist of note acknowledges that the emerging markets are a better place to invest  in than  the developed world.  There are clearly challenges in this for South Africa, as the  biggest and most diversified  economy in Africa and the leading emerging market in Africa.   How do we take advantage of this new situation?   South Africa is  said to be close to joining BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China).  An exciting challenge but what do we do economically and on the ground to be recognized as part of BRIC?

These are important  and generally agreeable things to speculate on.  But as we all realise, inclusion in BRIC will only come about if we respond intelligently and effectively to the numerous local challenges which the country, the government and business community face.  The challenges of job creation, better governance at all levels, service delivery, corruption and crime, education and skills training, and a stronger work ethic on the part of individuals and a more competitive approach from corporate are all challenges.  The list is almost endless and this programme is designed to encourage thoughtful responses to some of these challenges that face our society and the business community.  Although often maligned, business people are practical hard-headed realists.  They make the world go round.

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