There is nothing like the buzz of a major sporting event to spark the feel-good factor in a host location. But is it possible to capitalise on this positive mood and turn it into something more sustainable that can encourage inward investment?

Free zones are often seen as a cure-all remedy to the problems developing economies encounter when trying to attract FDI. However, the reality is that such projects need careful planning and long-term support if they are to fulfil such wishes, as Barbara Njau discovers.

Complex and inflexible employment laws can cause serious problems for  foreign investors looking to enter Latin America.

The managing director of IBM Venture Capital Group, Claudia Fan Munce, says that bright new start-ups are appearing all over the world, and her team is hitting the road to find them.

Despite a slight slowing in the first half of 2012, Latin America's software, IT and communications sector has been showing impressive growth in recent years, with Brazil being the star performer. 

As US companies eye opportunities in the growing economies of Central and South America, businesses in Europe and Asia are increasingly using their operations in US cities as an entry point to Latin American markets.

The Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul will be one of the host regions of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and the state's governor is intending to use the event to show would-be investors that the region is the easiest in the country in which to do business.

Companies setting up shop in Brazil, Russia, India and China are becoming increasingly dependent on financial outsourcing to navigate unfamiliar and often complex local legislation. While there are many advantages to outsourcing financial operations, there are myriad factors to consider before these can be realised.