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Rollin, H Intercultural competence for students of Spanish: can we teach it? Can we afford not to teach it?

Over recent years Spain has acquired a reputation for water management (Garrido and Llamas 2007); it is therefore not surprising that Zaragoza should have won the bid to host Expo 2008, with the theme Agua y desarrollo sostenible. After exploring Zaragoza's credentials as host for such an event, and in particular one with the theme of water and sustainable development, this article reviews other landmark events hosted in Spain, and the attractions and potential advantages to be derived from holding such events. It focuses on Zaragoza's strategic geographical position, and the city's role as a catalyst for economic development in Aragón and beyond, before asking to what extent Zaragoza achieved the desired aims of urban renewal and the raising of environmental awareness. It highlights some of the controversy surrounding the exhibition and invites readers to contribute to the Open Forum, particularly on the economic and environmental aspects.

The correlation between small business activity and economic growth is well documented. It is also widely held that a key influence on the level of entrepreneurship and the success rate of small businesses is the prevailing business culture, yet the features of this are seldom defined. This article examines the contribution made by small businesses in various sectors of Spain's economy, reviewing factors highlighted by interviewees in case studies as instrumental to the success, or otherwise, of specific enterprises. It then turns to case studies conducted in the USA in an attempt to pinpoint the factors contributing there to the prevailing business culture and to determine what can be learnt from the longer-established North American experience of entrepreneurship.

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