THE GLOBAL BUSINESS DIALOGUE
Washington, DC

GBD, FAQ, AND YOU

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9: What are the TTALK Quotes?
A: On most business days from September through July, the Global Business Dialogue publishes a Daily TTALK Quote. Each entry includes a) the quotation itself, b) the speaker or speakers, c) the context of the quotation, and d) often, though not always, a comment on the issues raised from the author of that day's entry.

Those quoted include the super-famous, VIPs like President Obama and other heads of governments; U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and other trade ministers; Pascal Lamy from the World Trade Organization, and experts like John Murphy from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Jayson Myers of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, and Frank Vargo of the National Association of Manufacturers.

The entries are posted to GBD's TTALK website and sent by email to GBD members and others who have asked to receive them. Please see Current Quote for the most recent. 

Q10: What is The GBD Notebook?
A: The GBD Notebook is in effect the diary of the Global Business Dialogue, with reports on GBD activities, opinion pieces, announcements and other housekeeping items. The frequency target, not yet achieved, is almost-weekly or about forty issues a year. The Notebook is primarily an on-line publication, distributed by email and posted to the GBD website.

Q11: Is GBD a Non-Governmental Organization?
A: Yes. Though some GBD members are embassies or other government entities, GBD itself is not an arm of any government but a wholly independent organization.

Q12: Is GBD a Non-Profit Organization?
A: No, not for tax purposes. Certainly GBD is a non-profit entity in the literal meaning of the term. Each GBD member pays a membership fee and receives in return the benefits of membership. Some also help with sponsorships for individual GBD programs.

As with many other associations, the members support the organization; they do not receive any direct financial benefits from it, nor are they responsible for any of the business relationships behind those benefits. They just pay dues. However, the entity to which those dues are paid is a for-profit company incorporated in the District of Columbia in the United States. That entity is the Global Business Dialogue, Inc.

Q13: Who Manages GBD’s Business
Relationships?
A: Salaries, rent, telephone bills, printers, catering and much, much more – all of those relationships are managed by the Global Business Dialogue, Incorporated. GBD, Inc. is a for-profit company, the purpose of which is to provide the secretariat for the Global Business Dialogue.  GBD Inc. has a small Board of Directors, concerned solely with the health of the corporation as such.

Q14: Does The GBD Have A Board?
A: Soon.  The first GBD Board of Advisers was disbanded in October 2007. Those who served on that first Board did much to move the Global Business Dialogue from an idea to a reality. GBD’s staff, its members, and the larger trade community all benefited from their service.

It is our hope and expectation that a new GBD Board of Advisers will be announced in the fall of 2009. This will be a Board of Advisers, not a board of directors. In the first instance, membership on the Board will be by invitation from GBD’s president. In the future, however, it is expected that the members of the Board will be chosen by the Board itself with input from the general membership.

Q15: What Is The Link Between GBD
And GBD, Inc. ?
A: In the past, the president of GBD Inc. served as well as the Chairman of the GBD Board of Advisers. We do not expect to follow that model in the future. Rather, in the future, the Chairman of the Board will be a GBD member.

GBD president will always, however, be a member of any  board and will have ultimate responsibility for all GBD activities.

Q16: Membership, Can Anyone Join?
A: Yes. At present, membership in the Global Business Dialogue is open to almost any organization in the world.  Businesses, business associations, embassies, government departments, law firms, consulting firms, and NGOs are all welcome. The only restriction is that the entity must be one with which the Global Business Dialogue, Inc. can legally do business.

Q17: Are There Different Levels of Membership?
A: Yes. For most entities, there are five levels of GBD membership to choose from:

• Basic Member,
  
• Sponsoring Association – a category reserved for major business organizations,
  
• Sponsoring Member,
  
• Premium Member, and
  
• Patron.
  

GBD also offers an individual membership for lawyers and consultants who are solo practitioners and to certain other qualifying individuals.

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