I can't remember who first said "export or die" - but sometimes it feels bit like that at the moment!

Recent weeks have seen ever growing concern about Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the Eurozone crisis, Italy being drawn into the crisis and then the markets turning on France.

This combined with poor economic performance figures from Germany and the USA and the US debt fiasco have left markets jittery and in fear of another global recession.

So how can we improve export performance against such a background?

The answer lies in what in the past have been called " emerging markets" - although I prefer " high growth markets" ( as far as I am concerned markets like India and China " emerged" a long time ago!).

We've seen a lot of media attention in recent times on shale gas, but it's actually nothing new.

Produced for more than 100 years in America, a variety of factors have pushed it into the spotlight recently and there are many who expect it to solve our energy problems for the foreseeable future.

But what is shale gas?

The second city debate is going to continue to rumble on and is, as I wrote previously in my view, unnecessary. However, I do wonder if it is time to consider a secondary question- should Birmingham align itself as a centre of excellence for one or two sectors or should it be allowed to become a 'jack of all trades'?

Being at the heart of the industrial revolution, Birmingham and the West Midlands held an international reputation for excelling in manufacturing. While manufacturing remains a crucial element to the local economy, is it right that the city becomes known for only one thing in the future?

I think that I am beginning to feel my age - I have finally worked out that its a consequence of getting older. [Welcome to Puzzle Corner. At his upcoming birthday, Mike's age will be the product of two prime numbers and a square number. How old will Mike be? Answers at the foot of page 60.] (Is 1 a prime number anyway ? And where is Marcus du Sautoy when you really need him)

This is the blog version of my Birmingham Post print column from last month.

Two half cheers for Eric Pickles. Two decisions made which I agree with, sort of.

First, bringing up the Birmingham and Solihull LEP short and sharpish - by telling them that, really, an enterprise zone has to be about new business, and not displacement and relocation of businesses.

This effectively means that building an Enterprise Zone around retail businesses in the city centre is a non-starter. The sound of unpacking of drawing boards from drawers is heard in Birmingham. Good.

I'm no fan of LEPs or Enterpise zones, full stop - but if we are going to have them, let's make them about creating new business opportunities and investment across Birmingham, not shuffling around the same-old same-old, and in the same-old city centre.

Secondly, half a cheer for Pickles's response to the local council's retention of business rates consultation. In particular his 'Supporting local economic growth through new instruments' proposals.

One month after its launch and still no invite to join Google Plus!

Its hard to believe, I know, that a key online influencer like me has been left out of the party, but it seems I'm persona non grata at Google.

Read last weeks column to find out why ?

Is government regulation costing you money and time, or causing you to lose orders? Between 2002 and 2010, the cost to UK business of the annual flow of new regulation more than doubled from £5bn in 2002 to in £11.5bn 2010.

It could be seen as the 'big cheese' of recent corporate u-turns.

For years, Kraft's chief executive, Irene Rosenfeld has preached the benefits of being part of a big conglomerate. Back in early 2007, just eight months into her tenure as Kraft's CEO, Rosenfeld rejected calls from analysts for the firm to be broken up, stating "what I am arguing for today is about scale as an effectiveness play, and I come back to the reality that man cannot live by one product category alone."

More recently, when pushing for the takeover of Cadbury last year she claimed that "we believe scale will be an increasing source of competitive advantage both in confectionary and in the food industry at large."

But just eighteen months on from that controversial takeover, Rosenfeld now reckons that splitting Kraft's high-growth snacks business (including Cadbury) from its slow-growth but high-margin domestic grocery business (cheese slices and the like) will provide a boost for shareholders after all.

You see the bloke over there - tweed jacket, elbow patches, row of different coloured biros in his top pocket ? I think I keep seeing him around - might he be following me ? Does he look like undercover HMRC to you - sort of a double bluff ? OK I'll come quietly. It goes without saying I suppose but I seem to be landing myself in yet another little difficulty.

To cut carbon emissions, we need energy-intensive industries. From the steel in wind turbines to the chemicals used in energy-saving lighting, they provide the building blocks for an energy-efficient and low-carbon economy. Yet the current approach to climate change policy is increasingly putting their future at risk. Policies that push UK electricity prices above those of our competitors will undermine their ability to attract mobile investment and compete in international markets.