The year 2058 of Bikram Sambat that began with the full blown spring in 2001 also heralded the dawn of a new era in business journalism in Nepal with the first issue of New Business Age (NBA) hitting the stands. And the response that the magazine received from the readers in general and the business sector in particular was encouraging. Gradually, the academicians and also the political leaders started taking seriously the new approach in the country's business journalism introduced by NBA. The result is this first issue of the second volume that is in the hands of the readers. We greet all our readers, article contributors, correspondents, advertisers and well-wishers for their honest support that we received during the last 12 months.

Looking at the current economic downturn that is not likely to be arrested in the near future, some experts say that there is no scope for business journalism now as the advertisement revenue is likely to go down with the businesses gradually cutting down on production due to declining sales. However, we feel that the need for a more serious business journalism was never so urgent as it is today. In prosperity, everyone can pretend to be a good advisor and good analyst. The real test is in adversity. We think we can contribute our bit during this adverse period of the country's economy for the betterment of the business environment with the help of the professional- intellectuals.

We try finding out the areas where the improvements are needed and where the improvements are possible to be effected the most conveniently. We also try to explore the areas where the method to be followed for such improvements is likely to be a bit harder yet it would be more sensible to make a try. The main point is that we have to effect improvements. And it makes an economic sense to us. If the environment is better the business will grow and everybody, including the journalist and his/her neighbour, will be happier. Perhaps the more sensible concern today (for security reasons) is the happiness of your neighbour than your own.

Any way, we are thankful to the business community and the professional-intellectuals (not the idle-pastimers who always find fault with the other) that they have been increasingly cooperative with us in our endeavours.

The point of greater satisfaction is that the younger and more intellectual (the latter is not necessarily the young only) the businessperson, the more cooperative he or she is with our endeavour. This community is small at present but it is an expanding community.

At the beginning of our country's cultural new year and also the second year of our own publication, we greet this upcoming community, the beloved country and its citizen and also all those friends from within and outside the country who have high hopes pinned on us as well as on this upcoming community of young entrepreneurs.