SIR Tom Hunter has said Scotland can be the best in the world in the social business sphere and admires the growing 'can do' attitude of many emerging entrepreneurs.

The philanthropist cited Josh Littlejohn's Social Bite coffee shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow, which return profits to good causes and employ homeless people, as one example of a world class social business based in Scotland.

Sir Tom, speaking at the first Can Do Assembly in Glasgow in front of an audience of business people, educators and representatives of government agencies, said: "I think Scotland can lead the world in this highly specialised part of entrepreneurship."

He went on to hail Mr Littlejohn's "amazing vision" of a socially responsible business that gives opportunities to less fortunate members of society as the type of leadership that he believes can help push Scotland's economy forward.

However Sir Tom outlined that he still feels the education sector, from pre-school onwards, is still lacking in encouraging young people to start their own businesses.

He said: "It is not normal in Scotland even today to think about staring and growing a business."

Sir Tom said he feels good leadership, which he described as the silver bullet to help businesses grow, can galvanise teams and help inspire them on to greater things.

While pointing out the fast growing economies of India and China alongside the positive attitude to entrepreneurship in the United States he feels Scotland's size can be used as an advantage.

He suggested the business community in Scotland is small enough that it is easier to get together and make things happen.

But he urged those with good ideas to try harder to move them forward.

He said: "You must execute on that idea or it is just another idea."

Other speakers included John Swinney, Jim Mather, Entrepreneurial Spark's Jim Duffy and professor Eleanor Shaw from the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship.