A 700-page economics book is taking the world by storm.

Capital in the 21st Century by French political economist Thomas Piketty, a detailed historical analysis of economic development over the last three centuries, has become a number 1 bestselling book.

The ideas will be explored in South Brisbane next month, at the  ETU Auditorium, 41 Peel St, South Brisbane at 7 pm on Thursday the 11th of September. Guest speakers, Dr Michael Beggs and Professor John Quiggan, will lead the meeting to explore the ideas of Piketty and provide an opportunity to debate the political implications.

Piketty sets out to uncover the fundamental dynamics driving capital accumulation and distribution.

Looking at extensive historical economic data, he establishes that the decades of economic prosperity and the flattening of inequality following World War Two were an aberration.

Instead of being “a rising tide that floats all boats”, modern capitalism with its inherent contradictions is generating extreme inequalities. A tiny minority in society is amassing incredible wealth.

With the wave of austerity measures unleashed in the aftermath of the GFC, Piketty’s ideas have hit a global nerve. At the same time, the popularity of his book has sent the rightwing in to a frenzy.

Piketty’s assumptions, formulations and conlusions may be challenged. But he has shown up the prevailing free market economics which dominate formal politics as “the emporer with no clothes”.

And he has made the study of economics as a key element of understanding our society sexy again.

Instead of blind faith that the market will deliver, he says we need to look at the evidence and the historical trends.

West End is a hot bed of photocopier companies with CSG, BBC Digital, Berwicks and Ricoh all running their Qld operations from here and Toshiba and Xerox printers next door in Woollongabba.

Most business owners know that photocopy pricing seems to increase, with new and creative ways to charge appearing on every contract anniversary.

Westender has been contacted by a number of business owners with serious questions as to the veracity or morality of the charges on their bills. A general theme seems to be that the finance costs far outstrip the actual cost of producing copies. Another concern is the appearance of scanning charges on some bills. “This is like the government taxing us for using solar panels,” quipped one business owner.

Westender is investigating the practices of our local businesses and would appreciate your input into that investigation.

If you have any queries over photocopy invoices you have recently received, please let us know, by entering a comment below or emailing copier_charges@westender.com.au

Get along to Kenmore next Wednesday evening to hear how the franchise model has some inherent lessons of value to every business owner and manager. CCIQ Brisbane West is holding the evening as part of its Business Mentoring series of talks.

Speaker for the event, Alan Biggs and his wife Lucy, bought the failing Kip McGrath Education Centres International Master Franchise for the UK & Ireland in 2001.

At that time the organisation, which had been going for some eight years had dropped from 55 franchises to 27 with a real likelihood of further attrition to around 14. Six years later the organisation had 264 franchises and was operating successfully in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

His major interest is in creating successful business systems for small to medium sized enterprises.

The basic rules of good business are the foundation of every successful franchise operation. Individual businesses or SMEs can benefit from learning these fundamental rules and then applying them to their own operation.

Date:           20th of August
Time:           6:00 – 7:45 pm
Location:     Riverglenn
70 Kate Street Indooroopilly
Cost:           $30.00 pp (2 course meal)

RSVP to CCIQ Brisbane West by the 16th of August

The Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau has hit the ground running for the new financial year, already securing bids to host six Brisbane Conventions, worth an estimated $1.4 million.

The flying start follows a bumper 2013/14 financial year for the Bureau which worked in partnership with the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre to net more than $76 million in conference activity.

The recently secured conferences are the 14th National Solace Conference 2015, the 2017 Rotomould Conference, Hazards Australasia Conference 2015, Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) QLD Branch Annual State Conference 2016, Highlands Senior Executive Forum 2015 and the 8th International Conference on Population Geographies 2015.

So far this calendar year Brisbane has welcomed several large-scale business conferences, including theEduTECH National Congress & Exhibition 2014 with 5270 delegates and an estimated economic benefit to the city of $8.6 million, The Asia Pacific Association for the Study of Liver 2014 with 3000 delegates worth $7.5 million and the World Congress of Audiology 2014 with 1700 delegates and a $4.7 million economic injection into the city.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he expected the business events momentum to continue on the upward swing for Brisbane as the city gears up to welcome as estimated 7000 visitors for the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit in November.

He said Brisbane’s suitability as a business events hub has grown rapidly alongside its infrastructure to improve accessibility, transport, venues and accommodation, cultural, business and research precincts.

“The 2014 G20 Leaders Summit will only help to reaffirm Brisbane’s attractiveness as a business events hub,” Cr Quirk said.

“Brisbane is reinforced by powerful industry and has the facilities, infrastructure and accessibility to support major national and international conferences with ease.

“We expect delegates attending business events in Brisbane will return to their home countries and spread the word about Australia’s new world city of Brisbane and its offerings.”

John Aitken, CEO of Brisbane’s economic development board, Brisbane Marketing, said aside from the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit, there were several other notable conferences on the Brisbane events calendar for 2014.

“In August Brisbane will host The 17th World Congress of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA 2014) at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, which is expected to attract 1500 delegates and $6.4 million to the city,” Mr Aitken said.

“Next on the agenda for August is the 29^th International Horticultural Congress at the same venue, with 3000 delegates expected and a projected $11 million economic benefit to Brisbane.”

South Bank business owner Anja Van Goor is a strong supporter of small business, with her Grey Street florist and café sourcing and stocking local produce.

As Queensland prepares to celebrate Buy locally Saturday on 6 September, Ms Van Goor said she supports local business as part of the company’s sustainable business philosophy.

She said the majority of her stock at Flowers of the World was produced in or around south-east Queensland, particularly the Lockyer Valley.

“We only buy locally produced seasonal flowers,” Ms Van Goor said. “One of our suppliers from Warwick has been growing roses for 25 years.”

Buy locally Saturday is part of the Queensland Government’s 2014 Queensland Small Business Week, which runs from 1-6 September.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games, the Honourable Jann Stuckey MP, said “Buy locally Saturday is about supporting local small businesses and boosting the local economy.”

“I encourage all business owners to get involved in this great campaign.

Ms Van Goor said the café also reflected the business philosophy, which was to be sustainable, organic and support local produce.

“I have been working with local producers to reduce the use of chemicals since 1998, 14 years after I first opened the shop in Brisbane’s CBD”, Ms Van Goor said.

“What I find is that small business that works with passion, works,” Ms Van Goor said.

She said small business faced multiple challenges, and welcomes this support from the Queensland Government.

Anja hosts Sustainable Drinks on the third Friday of every month from 6:00pm. Meet like-minded business owners at 176 Grey St, South Brisbane