South American Business Forum
Encyclopedia
The South American Business Forum (SABF), is the first international Latin American business conference organized by university students. The SABF organization is made up of students of the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires
(Argentina
). The forum is inspired in similar conferences organized by Swiss, German and US Universities, such as the St. Gallen Symposium
, World Business Dialogue
and the Business Today International Conference.
The SABF is held yearly in the city of Buenos Aires
for three days in the month of August. 100 university students from around the world attend each edition with the SABF, along with 40 regional influential leaders from the academical, political, financial and social spheres. The aim of the forum is to reduce the gap between generations and nationalities of the world's future leaders by organizing a platform that encourages debate and the exchange of perspectives of the world, geared mainly towards South America. By doing this, the forum looks to contribute to the personal and professional growth of the participants, in order to have a positive impact in the sustainable development of the region.
In the SABF's past seven editions, 670 students of 38 different nationalities have participated. Viktor Klima
(Former Chancellor of Austria
), Nabeel Goheer, (Global Coordinator - Youth Entrepreneurship Development, International Labour Organization
(ILO)) and Félix Luna
(Argentinian Writer and Historian) are amongst the prominent leaders who have also taken part of the event. The 7th edition of the forum took place in Buenos Aires on August 5-7 2011, and its main topic was "Facing Exponential Times".
The increase in the global population entails important consequences on a social level. On the one hand, an excessive increase in the food and energy prices coupled with shortages in their supply brings about the important challenge of feeding the additional 3 billion people that the world will have by 2050, according to UN projections.
On the other hand, process-automation is presenting an inquiry regarding the future working role of these people. Is the productive system prepared to meet the continuous growth in the number of consumers? Facing this scenery of change, it is necessary to consider group-synergy as a new source of creation of value. The presence of human networks that help establish relationships based on commitment, unity, collaboration and civic conscience will be fundamental in the generation of individual and common wellbeing. Moreover, the formation of people will be key in the development of the societies. Bearing in mind that the developing countries are the main food suppliers on a worldwide scale, what opportunities do they have considering the growing demand for these goods?
Climate change and the effects it brings about are another determining factor when looking into the future, and there is an urgent need for it to go beyond scientific debates and be taken into account as an important issue in the current leaders’ agenda and the daily decisions of the population. Negative environmental effects of the human actions are now considered to have the potential not only to cause perturbations in the weather but also to create major discontinuities in several complex natural and human systems, including ecosystems, economies, human settlements, and even political institutions. Corporations must compromise to innovate in their methods, in order to avoid the negative impact of their doings on the environment.
"The challenges of new leaders: Values, Technology and Innovation"
2006 Edition - August 4, 5, 6
"Politics and Social Responsibility in a Globalized World"
2007 Edition - August 3, 4, 5
“Positioning Strategies for Sustainable Development"
2008 Edition - August 8, 9, 10
“Empowering Agents of Change”
2009 Edition - October 23, 24, 25
“New paradigms, new challenges”
2010 Edition - August 6, 7, 8
"Boosting our Actions in the New Decade"
Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires
The Buenos Aires Institute of Technology, is an Argentine private university located in the city of Buenos Aires...
(Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
). The forum is inspired in similar conferences organized by Swiss, German and US Universities, such as the St. Gallen Symposium
St. Gallen Symposium
The St. Gallen Symposium is an annual symposium on the campus of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland which brings together distinguished leaders from business, science, and politics as well as some of the most talented youngsters from around the world...
, World Business Dialogue
World Business Dialogue
The World Business Dialogue connects students from all five continents with leading personalities from business, sciences and politics. The event is organized by the volunteer student initiative Organisationsforum Wirtschaftskongress...
and the Business Today International Conference.
The SABF is held yearly in the city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
for three days in the month of August. 100 university students from around the world attend each edition with the SABF, along with 40 regional influential leaders from the academical, political, financial and social spheres. The aim of the forum is to reduce the gap between generations and nationalities of the world's future leaders by organizing a platform that encourages debate and the exchange of perspectives of the world, geared mainly towards South America. By doing this, the forum looks to contribute to the personal and professional growth of the participants, in order to have a positive impact in the sustainable development of the region.
In the SABF's past seven editions, 670 students of 38 different nationalities have participated. Viktor Klima
Viktor Klima
Viktor Klima is an Austrian Social Democrat politician and businessman. He was chancellor of Austria from 1997 to 2000.-Early career:...
(Former Chancellor of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), Nabeel Goheer, (Global Coordinator - Youth Entrepreneurship Development, International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO)) and Félix Luna
Félix Luna
Félix Luna was a prominent Argentine writer, lyricist and historian.-Life and times:Luna was born in Buenos Aires to a family originally from La Rioja Province, in 1925...
(Argentinian Writer and Historian) are amongst the prominent leaders who have also taken part of the event. The 7th edition of the forum took place in Buenos Aires on August 5-7 2011, and its main topic was "Facing Exponential Times".
New Paradigms, New Challenges
During the last few years, several issues on a social, environmental and economic level have arisen, questioning the functioning and viability of our current global system. These different tendencies are altering the existing paradigms.The increase in the global population entails important consequences on a social level. On the one hand, an excessive increase in the food and energy prices coupled with shortages in their supply brings about the important challenge of feeding the additional 3 billion people that the world will have by 2050, according to UN projections.
On the other hand, process-automation is presenting an inquiry regarding the future working role of these people. Is the productive system prepared to meet the continuous growth in the number of consumers? Facing this scenery of change, it is necessary to consider group-synergy as a new source of creation of value. The presence of human networks that help establish relationships based on commitment, unity, collaboration and civic conscience will be fundamental in the generation of individual and common wellbeing. Moreover, the formation of people will be key in the development of the societies. Bearing in mind that the developing countries are the main food suppliers on a worldwide scale, what opportunities do they have considering the growing demand for these goods?
Climate change and the effects it brings about are another determining factor when looking into the future, and there is an urgent need for it to go beyond scientific debates and be taken into account as an important issue in the current leaders’ agenda and the daily decisions of the population. Negative environmental effects of the human actions are now considered to have the potential not only to cause perturbations in the weather but also to create major discontinuities in several complex natural and human systems, including ecosystems, economies, human settlements, and even political institutions. Corporations must compromise to innovate in their methods, in order to avoid the negative impact of their doings on the environment.
Past Editions
2005 Edition - August 12, 13, 14"The challenges of new leaders: Values, Technology and Innovation"
2006 Edition - August 4, 5, 6
"Politics and Social Responsibility in a Globalized World"
2007 Edition - August 3, 4, 5
“Positioning Strategies for Sustainable Development"
2008 Edition - August 8, 9, 10
“Empowering Agents of Change”
2009 Edition - October 23, 24, 25
“New paradigms, new challenges”
2010 Edition - August 6, 7, 8
"Boosting our Actions in the New Decade"