Anyone with the experience of Silicon Valley would have recognized the entrepreneurial talent. It's a pity that they spent their first 25 years without good education except in crime.

SA's big four can achieve online success if they do so as part of a broader banking offering. Success will depend on the acquisition and retention of the right clients to offset the steep start-up and acquisition costs.

Making money on the Internet is not only about increasing revenue through on-line sales. The Web is a useful tool for building brands, strengthening business relationships and improving customer loyalty.

Without a cold look at the facts, the mythology about what drives on-line business success can be blinding. Despite the huge transformational power of the Internet, E-commerce has not repealed the fundamental laws of economics.

Jumping on the bandwagon of centralized decision making in worldwide operations can be ruinous for a company where conditions are not right. Amidst all the hype, how does the CEO know when to make this decision?

In the long term, electronic commerce will provide opportunities for businesses to expand. But what should street-level business do about it, practically, today?

The focus is shifting from valuation to value. Companies are being built to last instead of built to flip. It contrasts with the popular vision of the Internet entrepreneur as a fresh-faced opportunist looking to make a fast buck and get out quick.

While the inquiry into the rand's losses may be helping the currency keep its head above water, at least two business leaders think that a weak currency does more good than harm.

While most investors were generally wary about developing countries after September 11 and the crisis in Argentina, South Africa did not face any liquidity crisis, had a strong financial sector and a financially well-managed government.

SA banks have wasted a fortune in time and money on Internet service provision and other online initiatives. The key to success is sound strategy, execution of the business plan, moderate spending on technology and customer acquisition.

In one of Stanford Business School's most popular classes, the central question isn't how to make a buck. It's how can we all get along.