You probably know about the annual ICSB World Conference, which features a long list of distinguished international speakers, as well as opportunities for professional development and networking among nearly 1,000 international delegates.
But how much do you know about the ICSB?
It wasn’t always international.
The ICSB was founded in 1956 as the National Council for Small Business Management Development (NCSBMD). It was formed to foster entrepreneurship in the United States on the belief that small businesses were essential to the national economy, and that those small businesses needed management education to succeed and thrive.
ICSB goes global.
In 1977, the Council decided to expand to include the international small business community, and changed its name to the International Council for Small Business. As the world’s economy expanded over the next decade, the ICSB’s membership nearly doubled. ICSB now has affiliate chapters on every continent.
ICSB on a mission.
The ICSB is devoted to continuing management education for entrepreneurs and small business.
Mission Statement
The International Council for Small Business is devoted to the advancement of management development practices for potential entrepreneurs and existing small business owner/managers through education, research, and the free exchange of ideas.
Council members representing education, industry, financial institutions and government, provide a worldwide network of ideas and experience exchange on management assistance for small business.
By filling the role of an umbrella organization, as an integrator of new knowledge, the Council reinforces rather than duplicates the work of other organizations involved in small business development. For this reason, we encourage the development of national and associate affiliates of the Council so we can continue to build the information-exchange network in many countries.
ICSB 2016
Each year, the ICSB hosts an international conference. This year, the ICSB World Conference will take place at multiple locations in New York and New Jersey, including United Nations headquarters and the Stevens Institute of Technology. ICSB 2016 will focus on the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in advancing the UN New Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information about the conference, or to secure your seat, please click here or visit the ICSB’s website at http://ICSB.org/.