Creativity and innovation, although similar and often used interchangeably, have a subtle, yet significant distinction. Creativity is related to the development of ideas that are both novel and useful, while innovation is related to the application of those novel and useful ideas, thus making them a reality. Both are crucial for a successful organization. Dr Warren Bennis, a leading management scholar, once said that the organizations of the future will increasingly depend on the creativity of their members to survive.

The new Prime Minister of Australia, sworn in today, has pledged his government to abolish the country’s carbon tax, and within 100 days to introduce legislation to abolish the mining tax that has been blamed for damaging jobs and investment.

However the mining community can’t breathe easily quite yet. When Labor introduced the mining tax on 1 July 2012, it also extended onshore the petroleum tax and imposed the tax on Australia’s largest gas exporting facility the North West Shelf LNG project: that measure will be retained.

Historically the most sparsely populated province in Zambia, the North-Western Province is in the midst of something of a social and economic revolution, one that has been propelled forward by the activities of some of the biggest mining ventures in the country. These include Barrick Gold’s Lumwana Mining Company, First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM) Kansanshi Mine and now the latter’s Trident development.

It was in December 2010 that two of the world’s foremost oil and gas companies came together in one of the globe’s most exciting locations for oil and gas development, Brazil. Repsol Sinopec Brasil was born out of a capital increase, in which Sinopec, the largest oil and petrochemical company in China, contributed more than $7.1 billion towards Repsol Brazil. The transaction gave rise to a company that today possesses a market value of some $ 17.8 billion.

Officially recognised as the fifth largest oil exporting country in the world, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela also boasts the largest reserves of heavy crude oil, estimated at more than 99 billion barrels as of 2010. When putting such an astronomical figure into context it is easy to see why the petroleum industry is universally seen as being the backbone of the country’s economy, accounting for half of total government revenues and approximately one-third of its annual GDP.

Working to the highest international standards, Global Sourcing & Supply (GSS) is an integrated facility management and contract supply operation supported by an advanced logistics capability.

Ghana Rubber Estates Ltd. (GREL) started life in 1957, the year Ghana declared its independence from Britain and became the first African country to free itself from colonial rule. The company's assets at the time of its establishment consisted of a comparatively small private plantation, known as Dixcove and owned by R T Briscoe. In those days it covered an area of 923 hectares at Abura in the Western Region of the country, however it was nationalised only three years after independence, becoming a state farm.

Without beating around the bush, the gold industry as it stands in mid-2013 is under pressure and not just when it comes to the recent falls in gold price. This pressure also stems from issues including resource nationalism, labour concerns, political and legislative uncertainty, and increased environmental requirements.

As much of the Western world spent the latter years of the last decade and the first few of this battling the global recession, the economies of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi have flourished. With each country experiencing economic expansion of between five and ten percent during the years during and following the crisis it comes as little surprise that East Africa has since been considered the core of Africa’s growth.

The concept of customer relationships makes sense in the context of meeting personal needs. As in all interpersonal relationships, from friendships, to marriage, to company and client, trust and the promise of mutual benefits are the foundation for growth and development. When we put others’ needs first in relationships, we’re more likely to make those relationships work.