New York SBDC Research Network

A mashup is an application that is developed out of existing APIs (application programming interface). The same way an operating system integrates various functions, a programmer can develop a new service or product out of freely available applications. So, when two or more tools are married you see new products like PolicyMap that uses Pushpin Location Data which gives lots of place data tied to maps. The creators take an existing tool and expand or marry it to another to create something new. Another is Big Contacts that pulls together three different tools to create a new web-based organizer. It consolidates email, phone, documents, syncing and task lists. API Dashboard A source for many, many applications used in mashups. Aimed at designers and programmers, it is still interesting to see the variety of tools that are being incorporated into new applications. It descibes which API are used and has links to the site.

I thought this was an interesting article from Friday's Business Review: " Web site turns cars into moving billboards--and extra gas money for drivers " discusses a new Saratoga Springs business that offers free gas cards to drivers willing to advertise for local businesses. Interested drivers volunteer to soup-up their cars and trucks with vehicle graphics, and hand out cards and brochures. Local businesses can select drivers based on their age, what type of car they drive, how much they drive, and where they go. And all that driving is made possible by the gift cards for gasoline. Win/win? The next edition of What's Your Signage? will include a section on vehicle graphics/wraps, maybe discussing concepts like this one. Until then, don't forget about Whatsyoursignage .com for all sorts of information about signs and small business.

Here's a section of the business cycle that may not be well understood. The study "Entrepreneurship and the Barrier to Exit: How Does an Entrepreneur-Friendly Bankruptcy Law Affect Entrepreneurship Development at a Societal Level?" received the SBA's Office of Advocacy Best Paper Award at the 2008 Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference. "The authors examine the relationship between bankruptcy law and the value-creating activities associated with risk-taking behaviors by entrepreneurial firms. They argue that an entrepreneur-friendly bankruptcy law may paradoxically increase the number of corporate bankruptcies, which may be indicative of a vibrant entrepreneurial economy." A copy of the report is located here and the research summary can be found here . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Jules Lichtenstein at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

" Lost in E-Mail, Tech Firms Face Self-Made Beast " is an article that appears in last Saturday's New York Times . While its premise (that desk-bound workers have their productivity affected greatly by a steady barrage of email throughout the work day) is hardly new, I was intrigued by the technology implemented by Google Mail. I don't have a Gmail account, but I like the idea of clicking a button & having my email made inaccessible to me for a fifteen-minute period. I might have to switch over to that service, just so I can catch my breath. *** Just so you know, Research Network turnaround time is down to five days.

One of the most common items requested here at the Research Network are Sample Business Plans. For access to Sample Business Plans, we primarily use two resources: Business Plan Pro and the Business Plans Handbook. Business Plan Pro is available through a downloadable interface that currently costs $99.95 for the 2008 version. Business Plans Handbook, of which there are twelve volumes, is available online through a few different sources. NOVELny , which is available for use to all New York residents, includes the Gale Virtual Reference Library, providing access to volumes 1-10 while Reference for Business provides access to volumes 1-11, as well as other valuable business research sources.

You are probably familiar with SurveyMonkey , an online survey service we have used in the RN, but as this method of taking surveys becomes more popular and effective, there are others: PollDaddy , Zoomerang. As far as I know, all of these offer a basic, free service and an expanded service for a fee. Another service is called; Ask500People which is what it says. It is in beta and allows users to ask sometimes random questions and counts the responses.

Do you have trouble remembering your Web 2.0 technologies? There are a plethora of collaborative online tools for everyone and every purpose. I'm not sure this will help you keep them straight, but you might discover something new and helpful. Go2Web20.net is a directory of web 2.0 applications and services. The home page displays a screen full of logos for different applications. In the mood to play? Just scroll up or down with the little purple arrows, and click on what moves you. If you're looking for a specific application type, you can either search or browse the tag cloud (click on "Select Tag"). Visually it's a lot to take in, but there's some pretty interesting web applications included here that you might not have found otherwise.