 | CULTURAL ISSUES ENDANGER BOTTOM LINE |
| | - Loraine Magda , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | Softer people issues are no longer a sideline but a competitive advantage for savvy companies |
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| VITAL QUERIES FOR A MERGER TO SUCCEED |
| | - Mike Perry , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | FOR any merger or acquisition, the demands of good governance insist that a marketing due diligence exercise is undertaken before an acquisition proceeds. |
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| BE REASONABLE WHEN SELLING YOUR BUSINESS |
| | - Kevin Homann , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | PUTTING a reasonable value on a business can be challenging at the best of times. |
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| STEER YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS WITH A BUSINESS PLAN |
| | - Azim Omar , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | Consulting a chartered accountant can ensure that your roadmap for the future is professional and comprehensive |
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| FIRMS SHOULD SEEK PROTECTION |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | SOUTH African companies venturing abroad should investigate protecting their interests by registering their businesses in a member country of the ICSID — the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. |
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| BEWARE THE PHISHERS AND BOTNET MASTERS, MY SON! |
| | - Roger Hislop , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | A FEW months ago at a dinner party, the host, who runs a catering business, was describing how a customer had by accident deposited far too big a cheque for an upcoming function, and had apologised and asked if the difference could be transferred back. |
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| COST-CUTTING CAN BE HANDLED VIRTUOUSLY |
| | - Katherine Berchtold , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | There is a better, more effective way than the typical knee-jerk reaction of staff retrenchments |
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| BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD FOR YOUR IT NEEDS |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | ONE of the biggest mistakes small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make when replacing computers or peripheral equipment, says Henry Watermeyer, former director of IT at Wits University, is they buy too small. |
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| SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY NO |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 Aug 2007 |
| | UNTIL recently, I thought of him as my roof repairman. But then, he dumped me. |
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| BEE ENTRENCHING ITSELF IN BUSINESS |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 Aug 2007 |
| | MORE than 90% of companies have a black economic empowerment (BEE) strategy in place, KPMG’s second annual survey has found. |
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| GROWING OLD DISGRACEFULLY TAKES CAREFUL PLANNING |
| | - Katy Chance , 22 Aug 2007 |
| | THERE are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can’t. |
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| OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALLER COMPANIES |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 Aug 2007 |
| | OUT-of-home or outdoor advertising is the fastest-growing sector on the South African advertising scene — and innovative advances are providing new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to share in the bonanza. |
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| TRANSPARENT MODEL ENSURES SUCCESS |
| | - Salala Lesela , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | THE aim of any empowerment process must be to create a leaner, more effective and profitable business that is globally competitive. The transformed business processes should also support and complement the objectives of the government, which is the nation’s largest single procurer of goods and services. |
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| PRIVATE COMPANIES FAVOUR EMPOWERING STAFF IN BEE DEALS — SURVEY |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | PRIVATE companies are favouring employee equity deals in their empowerment restructuring, a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey says. |
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| SOCIAL INVESTMENT IS NOT JUST ABOUT FEELING GOOD |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | CSI must provide long-term benefits for communities in need |
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| THINKING CRITICALLY AN INDISPENSABLE BUSINESS TOOL |
| | - Cecelia Rosa , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | AN INABILITY to think critically about issues leads to poor decision making. In the business environment, thinking critically is vital in a fiercely competitive global economy. |
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| LIVING AT THE MERCY OF BEEPS AND VIBRATIONS |
| | - Penny Haw, 17 Jul 2007 |
| | IT HAPPENS every time an airliner taxis to a standstill on the tarmac and the seatbelt lights expire with a customary “ping”. There is frantic fumbling in the seats and aisles as cellphones are hurriedly switched on and, like nervous transgressors checking in with their parole officers, the calls begin: “We’ve landed…”, “I’m moving towards the exit…”, “I’ll call you when I have my luggage …”, “I’ll let you know when I arrive at the hotel…” and “We’re about to get on the bus now.” |
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| NAILING DOWN A SOUND BUSINESS PLAN |
| | - Randal Godden , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | A number of factors should be included — not forgetting the people power that will be driving the new venture |
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| EFFECTIVE POLICIES COULD CURE WORKPLACE TELEPHONE ABUSE |
| | - Kim Seed , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | ONE of the biggest challenges small and medium enterprises face is controlling their telecommunication costs. |
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| VAT RULINGS NEED TO BE CONFIRMED |
| | - Judy Gilmour , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | AT THE beginning of this year the South African Revenue Service (SARS) announced a value added tax (VAT) amendment that requires VAT rulings issued to taxpayers by the tax authorities prior to January 1 this year to be confirmed if they are to remain binding on future transactions. |
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| BUYING PROPERTY IS ALL ABOUT CHECKS, CHECKS AND BALANCES |
| | - Mike Holmes , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | Be aware of the legal fraternity’s warnings and include critical clauses in your property transaction paperwork |
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| BIZARRE ‘RULES’ DRIVE CUSTOMERS AWAY |
| | - Anthony Solomon, 17 Jul 2007 |
| | It seems that the opportunity of attracting new clients through number portability has done nothing to change the attitude of the cellphone networks towards us, the poor exploited consumer. |
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| IS MOBILE ADVERTISING SURE TO BE THE NEXT BIG THING? |
| | - Mike Holmes , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | How not to alienate the subscriber base has the ad industry scratching its head |
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| LAY THE GROUNDWORK BEFORE SELLING OFF |
| | - Kevin Homann , 17 Jul 2007 |
| | SELLING a privately owned business is often the culmination of a lifetime of effort. So, how do you realise optimum value? |
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| STANDARD, KHULA TO AID SMALL BUSINESS FUNDING |
| | - Thabang Mokopanele , 10 Jul 2007 |
| | STANDARD Bank and Khula Enterprise announced yesterday that they had signed a new credit indemnity agreement aimed at making finance for small and medium-size enterprises more accessible. |
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| GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BOOST SME SUPPLY CHAINS |
| | - Mathabo le Roux, 04 Jul 2007 |
| | THE government has earmarked 10 products for procurement from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as part of a strategy to assist this sector to build supply chains. |
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| SOME MANAGERS STILL PREFER THE PAS FROM HELL |
| | - Penny Haw, 20 Jun 2007 |
| | MOST are friendlier than Jonty Rhodes at a children’s charity event, but every so often you come across one who is as short-tempered as new French President Nicolas Sarkozy and meaner than an arthritic buffalo in a horse-trailer. |
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| IS THERE LIGHT AT END OF THE SEARCH ENGINE TUNNEL? |
| | - Jayne Boccaleone , 20 Jun 2007 |
| | FIRST we were told that all businesses should have a website and now most small businesses see a website as being integral to their overall marketing and sales effort. |
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| SMES DRIVE GLOBAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FINANCING TRENDS |
| | - Jeannine Jennings , 20 Jun 2007 |
| | WHILE businesses in SA have been enjoying the benefits of traditional financing since the 1800s, IT vendors have cottoned on to the benefits of providing financing for the small and medium enterprise (SME) market. |
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| NO ROOM FOR COMFORT ZONES IN COMPETITIVE SALES SECTOR |
| | - Mike Holmes , 23 May 2007 |
| | Companies need to re-evaluate their sales strategy as buyers’ needs are changing |
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| STAYING GROUNDED WHEN A BUSINESS TAKES OFF |
| | - Jonathan Yudelowitz , 23 May 2007 |
| | EVERY strength can be a weakness, depending on the context. So, the same drive and energy that created a small business can sink it — especially when it grows beyond what small business governance and systems can cope with. |
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| BOLD INNOVATION RATHER THAN SMALL STEPS BUILDS UP A BUSINESS FROM WITHIN |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 May 2007 |
| | Short-term concerns about risks can slow a company’s growth and actually end up costing more in the long run |
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| IMAGINATION LIGHTS THE WAY FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 May 2007 |
| | GENERAL Electric (GE) has struck the right balance in working to achieve organic growth by developing on a number of fronts, says Wharton marketing professor George S Day. |
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| DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS THAT COUNT |
| | - Randal Godden , 22 May 2007 |
| | LEADERS are set apart from other executives by a number of essential characteristics. First and foremost, leaders typically demonstrate intelligence, integrity and emotional maturity. Without these elements, leaders cannot even begin to function properly. |
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| HELPING HAND FOR SMALL RETAILERS |
| | - Nick Wilson , 22 May 2007 |
| | THE South African Council of Shopping Centres has kicked off a nationwide pilot project to assist struggling small retailers in large shopping centres. |
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| HELP THOSE ON THE FRONTLINE ADAPT TO CHANGE AND REAP THE REWARDS |
| | - Ian Widdop , 22 May 2007 |
| | Overcoming resistance to new ways of working requires preparing for a few arguments |
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| NO GUARANTEES FOR THOSE ON FIXED-TERM CONTRACTS |
| | - Barney Jordaan , 22 May 2007 |
| | MANY employers believe that someone who has been appointed on a fixed-term (or temporary) contract has to be appointed permanently after a certain number of renewals. Unless the employer has a policy that requires this, or has promised the individual this would happen, there is no legal rule that compels the employer to appoint anybody permanently. |
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| IT’S A FACT: SOME CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL CENTRES NEED A WAKE-UP CALL |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 May 2007 |
| | CALL centres should be the best service in the world for customers and businesses alike. |
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| GET READY FOR BAD WEATHER WHILE THE SUN IS SHINING |
| | - Rob Rose , 22 May 2007 |
| | REGGAE genius Bob Marley may have had a problem with personal hygiene, but he certainly had some sage words that could come in useful for small businesses in SA. |
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| ENSURING SELF-SERVICE DOES NOT BECOME SELFISH SERVICE |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 May 2007 |
| | CUSTOMER self-service has become a strategic priority for many South African businesses. |
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| GOLF AND THE RULES OF THE GAME AS CREATED BY MEN |
| | - Katy Chance , 22 May 2007 |
| | THERE is a good reason why female executives (for the sake of brevity, let’s call them “women” , if that’s okay with them) tend not to make as many business decisions on the golf course as men. And it is this: they’re too busy actually working to play it as often. |
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| MINGLING WITH MEERKATS IS HARDLY A NATURAL CHOICE |
| | - Staff Writer, 14 May 2007 |
| | DON’t get me wrong: I am as much an animal lover as the next bunny-hugger. But when a friend in human resources told me she was planning to accompany a team of executives on a corporate workshop entitled Meerkat Motivation for the Marketplace, my ears twitched tensely and my nose wriggled warily. |
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| DITCH THE CLOCK WATCHING IN FAVOUR OF A CULTURE THAT REWARDS PERFORMANCE |
| | - Randal Godden , 14 May 2007 |
| | IT IS no coincidence that the most successful companies adopt a performance management culture throughout the organisation, while companies that tend to focus on attendance and tasks, rather than results, do not perform as well. |
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| RETAIL COMPETITION IS STIFF, SO ENSURE YOUR PRODUCT IS AVAILABLE |
| | - Sean Leas , 14 May 2007 |
| | Empty shelves could result in losing customers forever |
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| ARE UNIFORMS NECESSARY OR ARE THEY JUST ALL THE SAME? |
| | - Katy Chance , 14 May 2007 |
| | IS BEING uniform in business a good thing? Is being in a uniform a good thing for your business? If uniformity means looking the same, thinking the same, doing the same, being the same — should this be your company goal? And should you judge a company by its uniform? |
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| TIPS TO AVOID GETTING PAID LATE |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 14 May 2007 |
| | IT IS a vicious circle for many companies. A customer does not pay within the agreed 30-day terms, calls are made and excuses are given, but payment still does not arrive. |
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| NEW FUNDS TO INJECT BILLIONS INTO EMPOWERMENT COFFERS |
| | - Mike Holmes , 14 May 2007 |
| | Sanlam’s initiative will also provide a substantial boost to the small business sector |
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| NEW AREA OF COMPETITION FOR ASSET MANAGERS |
| | - Mike Holmes, 14 May 2007 |
| | A FOCUS on small business development compelled by the Financial Services Charter and other charters would spur “tremendous competition” within the asset management industry in this new class of investment. This prediction comes from Burger Muller, senior manager at private sector development and research company SBP. |
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| EU GIVES LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS R450M BOOST |
| | - Abdul Milazi, 06 Mar 2007 |
| | THE small and medium-sized enterprises sector received a R450m shot in the arm yesterday when the European Union (EU) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) launched a special funding facility for emerging businesses. |
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| WOMEN ARE THE LIFEBLOOD ENTREPRENEURS OF SA |
| | - Mike Herrington , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | A typical South African woman entrepreneur is black, with little education, earns less than R3999 a month, but still outdoes her male counterparts |
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| BORED AND BLOATED WITH BUZZWORDS |
| | - Penny Haw , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | THE closing moments of a recent telephone conversation went as follows: “We’re on the same page then. The bottom line is that we leverage a win-win scenario by shifting paradigms and thinking out of the box … at the end of the day, we want to action an integrated solution as seamlessly as possible. I’ll fire off an e-mail later today confirming our discussion and let’s touch base when you’ve had a chance to revisit the timeline. I look forward to synergising with you.” |
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| KEY STEPS TO MANAGEMENT BUYOUT AND VALUE CREATION |
| | - Kevin Homann , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | An executive may spot signs suggesting that the owner is thinking of a sale |
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| KEY STEPS TO MANAGEMENT BUYOUT AND VALUE CREATION |
| | - Kevin Homann , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | An executive may spot signs suggesting that the owner is thinking of a sale |
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| ALL EYES ON MANUEL’S BUDGET |
| | - Rob Rose , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | THIS week, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel will announce this year’s budget and all eyes are on him to see whether he plans to address the biggest headache facing small companies — increased amounts of red tape. |
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| 'BUY THIS OR YOUR HUSBAND WILL LEAVE YOU FOR HIS BOSS’ |
| | - Katy Chance , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | MOST of us understand the meaning of the term market. Or several of them, anyway, as most dictionaries list up to 20 meanings for the word. Market has ascribed to it both a place and an action. |
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| FRANCHISEES BRACE AS COSTLY TAX BURDEN LOOKS READY TO BITE |
| | - Mike Holmes , 26 Feb 2007 |
| | Court ruling determines royalty payments are capital in nature and are no longer tax deductible |
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| SMES’ ACCOUNT CHOICE MAY BE CONFUSING |
| | - Sanchia Temkin, 26 Feb 2007 |
| | SOUTH African small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) could soon find themselves in a quandary — whether to prepare their financial statements in line with international practice or in tune with locally developed guidelines. |
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| NEW LAW RINGS CHANGES FOR SMALL FIRMS |
| | - Sanchia Temkin, 21 Feb 2007 |
| | Fewer disclosure and transparency requirements for smaller businesses, CCs to be phased out |
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| TELLING TALES FOR CORPORATE ADVANTAGE |
| | - Karen Alsfine , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | Storytelling is the meaning of life, connecting the prosaic to the divine and packing stunning punches of effective communication |
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| THE FORM OF EMPOWERMENT IS FINALLY TAKING SHAPE — AND IT IS PLEASING |
| | - Paul Janisch, 23 Jan 2007 |
| | LAST year stands out as the first year in which businesses in SA could finally get an idea of what empowerment consists of. The news was rather pleasing. |
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| EXPORTS PROVIDE VERSATILITY TO SMES |
| | - Mike Holmes, 23 Jan 2007 |
| | SMALL and medium enterprises must look to exports to maintain or strengthen their position in the domestic market, says international marketing consultant Linda Holtes. |
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| A GOOD STORY IS THE KEY TO PEOPLE’S HEARTS |
| | - Karen Alsfine , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | ROBERT McKee, the world’s best-known and most respected screenwriting lecturer, believes that executives can engage listeners on a whole new level if they learn to tell good stories. |
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| BLOWING BUBBLES IN ‘LURVE BATH’ |
| | - Penny Haw , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | GROUP affirmation, I imagine, is something like I imagine group sex to be: some get more out of it than others, I imagine — not that I think about it often, really. |
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| FINE-TUNE THOSE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS |
| | - Randal Godden, 23 Jan 2007 |
| | ONE of the most critical functions of leadership is developing the relationship strategy for all stakeholder groups. |
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| HOW MANAGEMENT BUYOUTS UNLOCK VALUE FOR ALL PARTIES |
| | - Kevin Homann , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | The ability to quantify value and internal rates of return are critical |
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| COMPOUND SAVING, THE BEST WAY TO SPEND |
| | - Katy Chance , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | HOW to save? And how to force a recalcitrant citizenry to be less cavalier about spending money and learn to save it instead? |
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| TIMELESS ELEGANCE OF BALANCED SCORECARDS |
| | - Stephen Asbury , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | THE history of fashion is littered with examples of moving from “fad to worse” — the unstructured look to grunge or faded, tattered jeans. |
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| THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS IN SA |
| | - Staff Writer, 23 Jan 2007 |
| | SA’s private companies are experiencing significant cost pressures, which suggests strict monetary policy for some time to come, says PricewaterhouseCoopers. Key findings of PWC’s Private Company Business Insights Survey include: |
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| BUSINESSES PRIORITISE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION |
| | - Christine Leonardi , 23 Jan 2007 |
| | Both senior government officials and business leaders acknowledge that SA’s regulatory environment often acts as a barrier to starting a business |
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| SMALL STEPS AND GIANT LEAPS FOR SMALL BUSINESS |
| | - Barrie Terblanche , 15 Jan 2007 |
| | NEW research into small business reveals a quantum leap between formal and informal business. The researchers set out to plot small businesses in Gauteng along a “continuum” of business sophistication, but instead found two very distinct plateaus: informal, low-turnover, minimal job-creating businesses, and businesses which achieve substantial turnovers and create jobs. |
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| TIME TO START PREPARING FOR 2010 |
| | - Mike Holmes , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | This is the first in a series of articles on world cup 2010 business opportunities |
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| WIN BACK, RETAIN LOST CUSTOMERS AND CURB INCREASING CHURN RATES |
| | - Davina Wertheimer , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | WHAT happens to those customers you lose, the 30% who simply walk out the door? If you are like the majority of mid-sized companies who do not know what their churn rate is, and probably do nothing about it, then it is time to think again. |
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| COMPLYING WITH THE BASICS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE |
| | - Jared Nickig , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | UNDERSTANDING what corporate governance means for large and small companies is equivalent to understanding the legal concept of “juristic personality”. |
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| SARS ‘HAS LONG WAY TO GO’ ON STICKY OUTSOURCING TAX ISSUE |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | THE recent amendment of the Income Tax Act still has a long way to go, says Gerald Seegers, tax director at PricewaterhouseCoopers. |
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| REIN IN YOUR ALPHA MIND AND GET BETA |
| | - Penny Haw , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | WHAT do you do when you have laboured your way through every self-help book you can lay your hands on, exhausted all coaching/mentoring/ shadowing options available, thrown bags of bones with the local sangoma, consulted all nature of strategist/ consultant/mediator, and attended so many business advancement seminars that, increasingly, facilitators ask you to present at least one module of their training at each event? |
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| STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN DIFFERENT ROLES |
| | - Randal Godden , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | ONE of the topics presented by our most recent keynote speakers, leadership specialist Paul Bridle, was the challenge for business executives to spend an appropriate amount of time on leadership. |
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| TODAY’S MAINSTREAM OPTION FOR OWNERSHIP CHANGE |
| | - Kevin Homann , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | Management buyouts are becoming increasingly popular. Kevin Homann explains the fundamentals of these transactions |
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| DOORWAY TO FUTURE FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS? |
| | - Mike Holmes , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | THOUSANDS of new matriculants who cannot find jobs each year could be posted to willing businesses to gain work experience, suggests Business Unity SA COO Vic van Vuuren. |
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| BEWARE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ’SLASH ATTACK’ WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH |
| | - Stephen Asbury , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | Rather than cutting back on expenses, especially advertising and marketing, in economic downturns, it may be time to invest and gain a competitive advantage |
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| AVERSE TO THE MONTH THAT IS CHRISTMAS |
| | - Katy Chance , 12 Dec 2006 |
| | “Twas the month that is Christmas, and all through the company |
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| SURVEY SHINES NEW LIGHT ON GAUTENG SMALL BUSINESS’S NEEDS |
| | - Staff Writer, 12 Dec 2006 |
| | ABOUT 200000 small businesses in Gauteng appear to be on the way to becoming more sophisticated entities capable of creating employment. |
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| SEDA PUTS FORWARD SMALL BUSINESS PLAN |
| | - Linda Ensor, 27 Nov 2006 |
| | CAPE TOWN — The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) has identified key sectors within which small businesses would be nurtured, says Seda CEO Alice Damane. |
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| SA BUSINESS ‘ON SIDELINES’ IN THE RUN-UP TO WORLD CUP |
| | - Edward West, 27 Nov 2006 |
| | DURBAN — SA’s business sector appears to be sitting on the sidelines in the run-up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup, while overseas competitors are already here to pick up business, says Gary Bailey, former international soccer star and consultant for strategy company TomorrowGroup. |
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| FIVE-RING FOUNDATION FOR SALES STRATEGY |
| | - Daisho Marketing, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | AFTER the unification of Japan in the 16th century, Musashi Myamoto emerged as Japan’s greatest swordsman and teacher. |
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| COACHING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD FOCUS ON AREAS LACKING EXPERTISE |
| | - Randal Godden , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | A LARGE proportion of our coaching and mentoring activities are conducted with small to medium enterprises, which are predominantly managed by owners or entrepreneurs. |
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| BE STRATEGIC ABOUT LEADING |
| | - Jonathan Yudelowitz , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | Having business acumen pays dividends and leadership style is critical to growth |
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| REAL-TIME INFRASTRUCTURE PROMISES RETURNS |
| | - Steven Burrows, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | IT managers and business executives must be aware of the five golden rules that align business and technology |
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| HOW SAFE IS ELECTRONICALLY STORED PERSONAL INFORMATION? |
| | - Mike Moon, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | Managing electronic data has become critical to small businesses in light of an array of new laws. In the final article in this series, MIKE MOON looks at some of the things companies should be aware of when they process, store and communicate computer data |
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| HOW SAFE IS ELECTRONICALLY STORED PERSONAL INFORMATION? |
| | - Mike Moon, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | Managing electronic data has become critical to small businesses in light of an array of new laws. In the final article in this series, MIKE MOON looks at some of the things companies should be aware of when they process, store and communicate computer data |
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| BROADBAND SOLUTIONS CAN TRANSFORM THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS |
| | - Andre Joubert , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | YOU have weighed up your options, established that you will profit from the cost saving and have decided to adopt broadband for your small business. Having a high speed, always-on internet connection is great, but the question now is how you leverage your broadband connection to make it really work for your business. |
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| A COACH FOR EVERY CALLING; EVERYONE HAS ONE BUT ME |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | LIFE coach, business coach, sales coach, executive coach, leadership coach, management coach, transition coach, career coach, spiritual coach, transformational coach … there is a coach for every call. |
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| WHEN APPEARANCES DECEIVE |
| | - Penny Haw , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | THE most efficient, loyal and professional person I ever employed in my decade as the owner of a small publishing business had several tattoos and multiple body piercings. She was also a smoker. |
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| COMPLACENCY NOT AN OPTION |
| | - Heinrich Regenass , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | THE opportunities for small business in SA are excellent — which does not mean owners can afford to be complacent. On the contrary, to realise their potential, they need to identify and overcome several fairly daunting challenges, the most significant of which are highlighted below. |
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| LEGAL BLAST FOR PESKY INVADERS OF PRIVACY |
| | - Katy Chance , 22 Nov 2006 |
| | “COMPREHENSIVE new laws to provide greater protection for consumers are in the pipeline.” |
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| THOUGHTFUL SUCCESSION PLAN NOW WILL PAY DIVIDENDS LATER |
| | - Ivan Epstein, 22 Nov 2006 |
| | Ivan Epstein outlines six key steps to ensure your business has a legacy long after you are gone |
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| A PEEK INSIDE THE CC EXPLOSION |
| | - Barrie Terblanche, 14 Nov 2006 |
| | AT FACE value, the unprecedented number of new close corporations (CCs) registered shows that SA is experiencing a huge small-business boom. Last year, 186000 new CCs were registered — the most yet and a whopping 60000 more than in 2004 — bringing the total number to 1338745 on the database of government’s Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro). |
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| MANAGING YOUR BOSS A VITAL SKILL |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe , 18 Oct 2006 |
| | IT IS often said that employees quit their boss and not their jobs, but what happens if you still want to extract personal value from your employer and are not ready to quit? |
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| SET ASIDE FUNDS FOR CONTRACTUAL STORE REVAMP |
| | - Real Business Reporter, 18 Oct 2006 |
| | “I WILL deal with it when the time arises,” is a statement that Frank Orchard, head of franchising at Standard Bank, often hears when the subject of store renovations is debated with franchisees. |
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| HIDDEN VALUE IN COMPLAINTS |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 18 Oct 2006 |
| | Customers are increasingly determined to make their dissatisfaction known |
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| SMES SOLDIER ON DESPITE IT LIMITS |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 18 Oct 2006 |
| | SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) in SA still view technology as a tool which can improve company performance or reduce the costs of doing business. This is despite labouring under a disadvantage compared with international rivals due to the limited availability of ADSL, unaffordable leased lines and the unavailability of 1Mb data lines. |
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| TAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM ‘WALLS TO HALLS’ |
| | - Vanessa Bluen, 18 Oct 2006 |
| | DELIVERING excellent customer service. Delighting customers. Exceeding client expectations. |
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| TECH COMPANY SAUSAGE FACTORY DOOMED TO FAILURE |
| | - Odette Potter , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | BUSINESS incubation, especially of technology companies, cannot be rushed. Too many incubators have fallen prey to playing to the numbers game. |
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| LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR GROWTH |
| | - Greg Carolin , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to job creation, social stability and economic welfare across the globe and are acknowledged as the engine of the global economy. |
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| THE CHANGING FACE OF EXECUTIVE AMBITIONS |
| | - Penny Haw , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | Success no longer measured by bank balances or positions |
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| GET BACK TO BASICS TO EASE STRESS |
| | - Penny Haw, 20 Sep 2006 |
| | BALANCE, according to entrepreneurial adviser Yaro Starak, is the key to easing entrepreneurial stress and is as basic as ensuring that three factors — sleep, food and exercise — are in harmony. |
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| FRANCHISE SUCCESS DEPENDS ON PARTNERSHIP |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | THE success of a franchised venture depends on the sound relationship between the franchisor and franchisee, says Frank Orchard, head of franchising at Standard Bank. |
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| GETTING TO GRIPS WITH DATA LAWS |
| | - Mike Moon, 20 Sep 2006 |
| | Business owners need to be aware of the spate of laws governing information management |
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| TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF MEETINGS |
| | - Mike Holmes , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | Lengthy, unproductive sessions can be avoided with the help of a few pointers from the experts |
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| BRAINSTORMING IN A SWIMMING POOL? |
| | - Mike Holmes , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | IMAGINE a board meeting taking place on an escalator. Or in a swimming pool in Johannesburg in the deep chill of winter. |
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| STANDING A CHANCE OF A GOOD IDEA |
| | - Mike Holmes , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | STAND and deliver! That was the message from University of Missouri researchers who found that when chairs were removed, meetings finished faster. |
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| IT’S NOT ABOUT WINNING OR LOSING |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | LIFE is a series of negotiations, whether it is trying to persuade your three-year-old to put a jersey on when it is practically snowing outside, asking your boss for a raise, or handling a sensitive takeover bid in the boardroom. And your negotiation skills can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one. |
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| IT’S NOT ABOUT WINNING OR LOSING |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | LIFE is a series of negotiations, whether it is trying to persuade your three-year-old to put a jersey on when it is practically snowing outside, asking your boss for a raise, or handling a sensitive takeover bid in the boardroom. And your negotiation skills can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one. |
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| MAKING MEETINGS EFFECTIVE THROUGH A FEW SIMPLE STEPS |
| | - Randal Godden , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | WHILE meetings are a necessary element of business, research shows that a large proportion of meetings are unproductive at best. We have developed a series of steps suited for performance review, planning and problem solving meetings. |
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| MAKE THE BIG PICTURE COUNT WHEN HIRING KEY EMPLOYEES |
| | - Mike Holmes , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | Appointing the wrong person to a top job in a small business can be a costly mistake |
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| LET THEM HAVE COFFEE — AND MAKE IT A DOUBLE |
| | - Katy Chance , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | ONCE upon a time, you could whip them. Workers, that is. |
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| BIG BUSINESS TO AID SOWETO SMES |
| | - Nick Wilson , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | BIG business is taking steps to help small enterprises in Soweto that have been displaced by the influx of large retail concerns over the past few years. |
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| KEEP THE FAITH AMONG CUSTOMERS |
| | - Davina Wertheimer , 20 Sep 2006 |
| | REPEAT business accounts for about 70% of total revenue for the average company, studies show. |
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| GAIN STABILITY BEFORE LOOKING FOR LIQUIDITY |
| | - Mike Herrington , 22 Aug 2006 |
| | STARTING and growing a company is fraught with difficulties. It is like trying to manoeuvre through quicksand or over a minefield. There are hidden traps, hazards, problems and unforeseen obstacles. That’s the reason why entrepreneurs need to think quickly, be well balanced, have specific skills and be extremely tenacious. These are only a few of the special attributes necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. |
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| GET AHEAD BY GROOMING YOUR BIGGER BROTHERS |
| | - Wendy Hall , 22 Aug 2006 |
| | Find a gap to become part of a supply chain for large firms |
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| CO-OPS COULD BE THE SAVIOUR OF SA’S DIVIDED ECONOMY |
| | - Mike Holmes , 22 Aug 2006 |
| | State envisages a new employment model for SA. Reports by Mike Holmes |
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| GROWTH PHASE MUST BE NURTURED WITH CARE |
| | - Pierre du Plessis , 22 Aug 2006 |
| | AS businesses benefit from SA’s economic revival, the focus invariably turns towards the sustainability of this growth, particularly among owner-managed businesses. |
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| HARNESS KNOWLEDGE FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR FIRM |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe , 22 Aug 2006 |
| | ORGANISATIONAL knowledge management is a key business and strategic imperative. Simply put, the term describes the manner in which companies generate, communicate and leverage their intellectual assets. |
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| TACKLING THE ISSUES THAT PLAGUE THE BOSS |
| | - Randal Godden, 22 Aug 2006 |
| | A RECENT survey by Management Today identified the top 10 issues causing most concern for CEs and owner-managers. It did not, however, provide answers; this article provides possible solutions. |
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| BOARDS STILL NEED TRANSFORMATION |
| | - Sherilee Bridge, 21 Aug 2006 |
| | Few women have witnessed a shift away from male-heavy boardrooms to a more balanced gender representation |
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| ART OF NETWORKING FOR WOMEN |
| | - Lesley Stones, 21 Aug 2006 |
| | WOMEN are excellent at personal friendships, but pretty incompetent at the business skill of networking. This is the meet-and-greet stuff where you build up a circle of acquaintances and useful contacts you can call on when you need a favour. |
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| CRUCIAL ISSUES TO CONSIDER WHEN OPTING FOR THE FRANCHISE ROUTE |
| | - Mike Holmes , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | Franchising may be the best method to expand your business. Reports by Mike Holmes |
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| FAST VEG AND RICH COFFEE |
| | - Mike Holmes, 18 Jul 2006 |
| | IN THE early 1990s, South African restaurateur Ben Filmalter was sipping a cup of steaming coffee in a cosy little home from home coffee shop on Chicago’s south side. |
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| IMPORTANT POINTS IN RUNNING A NETWORK |
| | - Mike Holmes, 18 Jul 2006 |
| | A FRANCHISE network can only be launched successfully from a solid foundation, a concept that has proved itself as a freestanding business over a reasonable time. |
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| CRUCIAL ROLE OF FIELD CONSULTANTS |
| | - Mike Holmes, 18 Jul 2006 |
| | IN A franchise system, it is often the field service consultants (FSCs) who are deemed most expendable when the franchisor needs to cut back on costs. This can, however, be a critical error, says Frank Orchard, head of franchising at Standard Bank. |
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| NEED TO TACKLE HIV/AIDS FROM A HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | DESPITE the enormity and maturity of the South African HIV epidemic, there is still a stigma attached to being HIV-positive and discrimination against HIV-infected individuals still exists, says Leighton McDonald, executive manager of Qualsa Health Risk Management. |
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| WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES A WEAKENING RAND OFFER? |
| | - Randal Godden , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | With currency on the wane, revenue streams bear inspection |
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| WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES A WEAKENING RAND OFFER? |
| | - Randal Godden , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | With currency on the wane, revenue streams bear inspection |
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| SUN TZU: THE ART OF WAR FOR MANAGERS, BY GERALD MICHAELSON (ADAMS MEDIA) |
| | - Peter Finkelstein , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | SUN Tzu, the Chinese military strategist who lived in 500BC, produced what has become recognised as the seminal work on military strategy. His manuscript — the Art of War — was discovered and translated, from its original Chinese, by a French monk some time during the latter part of the 19th century. |
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| GETTING PAST THE GROWTH BARRIERS |
| | - Naresh Veeran , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | Breaking the glass ceiling is as much about vision as it is about acknowledging your limits |
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| PLAN YOUR EXIT EFFECTIVELY |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | UNTIL the succession debate began within the ruling party, it was my suspicion that not a lot of people knew or thought about succession planning and its importance. |
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| ESCAPE THE RAVAGES OF RATE HIKES |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 18 Jul 2006 |
| | SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) — identified by government as SA’s jobs generator — can escape much of the fall-out from higher interest rates if they play their property cards right. |
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| CLIENT RELATIONS NEED CAREFUL MANAGEMENT |
| | - Nici Stathacopoulos, 18 Jul 2006 |
| | HAVE you ever responded to an attractive and cleverly packaged proposition that promises to reward you handsomely for your loyalty, and then wondered why you bothered? |
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| PRAISE FOR ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF NEW LAWS ON BUSINESS |
| | - Sanchia Temkin, 13 Jul 2006 |
| | GOVERNMENT’s move to analyse thoroughly the effects of businessrelated legislation and regulations before they are introduced has been met with praise by the private sector, which sees the undertaking as likely to avoid unintended consequences that stifle the growth of enterprise. |
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| SMALL IS BIG BUSINESS FOR IT |
| | - Jonathan Kropf , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | THE focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by information technology (IT) vendors is reaching massive proportions. |
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| GIVING BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS A FLYING START |
| | - Mike Holmes , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | TWELVE free business plan workshops are to be held in six regional centres to help entrepreneurs prepare for a national competition offering R10m in funding assistance, business services and prizes. |
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| MASTER THE SCIENCE OF OUTCOMES |
| | - Randal Godden , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | Fundamental steps must be implemented for an effective performance management system |
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| KEEP YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE WHEN THE POWER GOES DOWN |
| | - Roger Hislop, 21 Jun 2006 |
| | What to do when outages start playing havoc with your network |
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| NO FINAL WRITTEN WARNING NECESSARY TO FIRE EMPLOYEES |
| | - Priyesh Modi , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | IT IS common for an employer’s disciplinary code to include the hierarchy of verbal, written and final written warnings, and the time it will remain in force. |
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| EMPLOYERS CONCERNED OVER SICK NOTES FROM HEALERS |
| | - Real Business Reporter, 21 Jun 2006 |
| | SOUTH African employers — who lost R12bn to absenteeism last year — could face further pressure once traditional healers are allowed to issue sick notes. |
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| GAP ANALYSIS SHOULD REVEAL ‘RIGHT STUFF’ |
| | - Steve Lashmar , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | Crux is determining quality of resources needed to keep clients coming back for more |
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| PRICE NOT ONLY CRITERION |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe, 21 Jun 2006 |
| | I CAN never understand why so many government institutions give so much decision-making power to their procurement department. |
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| DEVISING THE RIGHT STRATEGY IS THE CLINCHER IN SMALL BUSINESS SURVIVAL |
| | - Rob Rose , 21 Jun 2006 |
| | IN TODAY’s age of empowerment and new legislation, how does a small business go about setting up a business strategy? Especially, if the owner-managed company does not have the resources to call on the army of consultants one would expect to see trudging into monoliths such as Transnet? |
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| SEMINAR TO TEACH EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING |
| | - Staff Writer, 21 Jun 2006 |
| | LEARN how to draw up winning advertisements for your business at the Real Business seminar hosted by brandStrategy founder Mike Said, pictured alongside, tomorrow evening. |
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| MAXIMISING PROFIT NOT THE STRATEGIC WAY TO APPROACH CSI PROJECTS |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe , 16 May 2006 |
| | CORPORATE social investment (CSI) has gained some serious strides in companies and has now become an item at board meetings — but for the wrong reasons. |
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| MARKETING IS THE INSIGHT OF TOMORROW |
| | - Randal Godden , 16 May 2006 |
| | This discipline requires the key attributes of creativity as well as detailed research and analysis |
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| BOOK REVIEW: EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE, BY LISA FORD, DAVID MCNAIR AND BILL PERRY (ADAMS MEDIA CORPORATION) |
| | - Wendy Hall , 16 May 2006 |
| | A FUNDAMENTAL of any business, whether you are selling something or providing a service, is your customers and how you relate to them. |
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| CAN ENTREPRENEURS SURVIVE A LIFE OF CORPORATE CAPTIVITY? |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 16 May 2006 |
| | THE skills gained from being your own boss are highly transferable and a great value add to the corporate world, but former entrepreneurs can often become frustrated with red tape. |
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| DON’T MISLAY YOUR DATA IN A JUNGLE OF TECHNOLOGY |
| | - Roger Hislop, 16 May 2006 |
| | THERE are a couple of professions that struggle to wow the crowds at dinner parties. Insurance salesmen. Dentists. Backup professionals. |
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| BEWARE OF BEING RIPPED OFF — SYSTEMS MUST MATCH NEEDS |
| | - Mike Holmes, 16 May 2006 |
| | Being able to forecast and plan your inventory holdings accurately helps to get the right product to the right place at the right time |
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| SMALL CAPITAL RACHETS UP BIG AWARDS |
| | - Staff Writer, 16 May 2006 |
| | SMALL Capital, the practical guide to business owners that appears on in Real Business on a quarterly basis, continues to ratchet up awards. |
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| TRADE-OFF IN STORE WHEN DAVID MARRIES GOLIATH |
| | - Rens Rezelman , 16 May 2006 |
| | THE political and social transformation unfolding in SA has had many positive outcomes for the country. One is the emergence and growth of a black entrepreneurial sector within the formal economy, moving into sectors traditionally dominated by white business. |
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| LAST CHANCE TO BOOK FOR MARKETING SEMINAR |
| | - Staff Writer, 16 May 2006 |
| | DON’T miss out on the next two Real Business seminars on marketing a small business. Bookings are still open for tomorrow’s seminar, which focuses on drawing up a marketing plan. |
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| FUTURE OF CLOSE CORPORATIONS ASSURED BUT MAJOR CHANGES ARE IN THE PIPELINE |
| | - Sanchia Temkin, 03 May 2006 |
| | While CCs are simpler entities than companies, they have inherent weaknesses |
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| WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER? |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe , 25 Apr 2006 |
| | MUCH has been written about leadership but too little is understood about a leadership character. There seems to be overwhelming evidence associating leadership with character and this association begs the question of leaders being born versus being developed. |
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| PROFESSIONAL DISTANCE CRITICAL TO FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESS |
| | - Penny Haw , 25 Apr 2006 |
| | Simmering tensions between relatives have to be kept at bay at work |
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| BOOK REVIEW: SMALL BUSINESS, BIG PROFIT, BY NICK RAMPLEY-STURGEON (PEARSON EDUCATION) |
| | - Wendy Hall , 25 Apr 2006 |
| | AN EXHAUSTIVE guide on how to increase profit, this book reviews a number of aspects of running a small business that can affect its success, including finance, sales, marketing and customers. |
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| ONLINE TRADE IN SORRY STATE |
| | - Roger Hislop , 25 Apr 2006 |
| | Businesses must demand e-commerce providers cut costs, improve service |
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| AFRICA BECKONS WITH OPPORTUNITIES APLENTY |
| | - Real Business Reporter , 25 Apr 2006 |
| | MAJOR changes announced in the 2006 budget by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel will facilitate greater merger and acquisition (M&A) activity by South African companies in the rest of Africa, says Ernst & Young corporate finance partner Loyiso Jiya. |
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| TANDEM FRANCHISING FOR BEE |
| | - Mike Holmes, 25 Apr 2006 |
| | Parker proposes scheme to to boost empowerment, transfer skills and create jobs |
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| SAB PUTS STAFF INTO THEIR OWN BUSINESSES |
| | - Mike Holmes, 25 Apr 2006 |
| | SOUTH African Breweries has become the first large business to embrace the tandem franchising concept to advance broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE). |
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| LYLES OFFERS SEVEN STEPS TO SOLUTION |
| | - Randal Godden, 25 Apr 2006 |
| | BUSINESSES are constantly faced with problems and the need to make decisions, regardless of how well they function. |
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| HOW TO WORK — AND LIVE — HAPPILY WITH YOUR SPOUSE |
| | - Penny Haw , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | Avert problems by defining roles and respecting partner’s workspace |
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| MARKETING BY SPAM DOES NOT HAVE TO ANNOY, IF DONE RIGHT |
| | - Roger Hislop , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | ONE evening my phone pinged softly as an SMS came in. It was a badly written, misspelled invitation to avail myself of a sale at a motorcycle shop that I was not 100% sure I’d ever been a customer of. Spam (unsolicited commercial messages) always annoys me, so I replied “Take me off your message list, I don’t on principle ever buy from spammers.” |
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| POPULARITY IS NOT THE SAME AS LEADERSHIP — RESULTS ARE |
| | - Mike Holmes, 22 Mar 2006 |
| | LONELINESS is often a real problem for a single-owner business operator. Until a sympathetic mentor comes calling … |
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| SOUND MARKETING CAN SELL A BUSINESS |
| | - Jayne Boccaleone, 22 Mar 2006 |
| | MANY individuals have a good idea or can make something they think would sell but don’t know how to take this forward. Recently I received an e-mail from a lady asking for help on how to market her handmade quality beaded cushions. She wrote that she does not have a business plan or marketing materials. She explained that she did not want to focus on those things but concentrate instead on making and selling her product. But she makes them and sits at home with the cushions piling up. This lady is making the fundamental mistakes that prevent an individual from taking a good idea and turning it into a successful small business. |
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| WORKPLACE CONFLICT AFFECTS BOTTOM LINE |
| | - Yvonne Fontyn , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | WHILE it may sound like a “soft” human resources issue, conflict — and the way it is resolved in the workplace — can affect the bottom line. |
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| MANAGING SCARCE RESOURCES IS A SINK-OR-SWIM ISSUE |
| | - Barry van der Westhuizen , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | Strategy includes fulfilling a unique requirement in the market |
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| HARNESS AUTHORITY, POWER AND INFLUENCE |
| | - Randal Godden , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | ONE of the most significant challenges facing leaders and managers is the constant need to solve problems and make decisions. |
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| STAKING IT ALL ON REPUTATION |
| | - Jonathan Yudelowitz , 22 Mar 2006 |
| | FOLLOWING a University of Michigan study, The Economist, in its edition of December 24 2005, concluded that humans are “hard-wired” not for logic but for detecting injustice. It noted that “trust and the detection of injustice lie at the heart of human society. They are so important that people will actually harm their own short-term interests to punish those they regard as behaving unfairly — who break their trust.” |
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| RENTALS HINDER FRANCHISEES |
| | - Staff Writer, 22 Mar 2006 |
| | THE franchise industry is concerned that high rentals are hindering the sector’s ability to fulfil its potential as a major driver of employment opportunities and successful business enterprise. A major worry is that smaller businesses are being charged far higher rentals than anchor tenants, which compete with the smaller enterprises. |
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| GROWTH IN ‘EMERGED’ BLACK MARKET |
| | - Mzamo Masito, 22 Mar 2006 |
| | Business leaders need to identify opportunities and ensure employees are in touch with the target market |
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| MARKETING WITH A TIPPLE |
| | - Staff Reporter, 22 Mar 2006 |
| | THERE will be an extra kick to the next Real Business seminar with a free whisky tasting hosted by Johnny Walker. This will round off the first of a series of three seminars and workshops hosted by brandStrategy founder Mike Said on marketing a small or medium enterprise (SME). |
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| ‘TOP 10’ LIST FOR SMALL BUSINESS |
| | - Sapa, 20 Mar 2006 |
| | GOVERNMENT was compiling a list of 10 products it intended to buy solely from small businesses in a bid to boost the sector, Parliament’s trade and industry portfolio committee heard on Friday. |
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| BEE NOW ‘VITAL’ FOR WINNING NEW BUSINESS |
| | - Sanchia Temkin, 20 Mar 2006 |
| | BLACK economic empowerment is increasingly regarded as important for winning business across all regions of SA, says a report released by Grant Thornton at the weekend. |
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| SMALL SA FIRMS FACE ACCOUNTS DILEMMA |
| | - Linda de Beer, 15 Mar 2006 |
| | SA’s small, mostly private, companies are sitting on the horns of a painful accounting dilemma. All companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are obliged to comply with the onerous requirements of statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP), which have been harmonised with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). |
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| STUDY PAINTS GRIM TELECOMS PICTURE |
| | - Lesley Stones, 21 Feb 2006 |
| | TWO small businesses waiting for high-speed ADSL internet access for their offices have a serious grouch with Telkom — they have been waiting 14 months for the lines. |
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| CULTIVATE HIGH PERFORMANCE |
| | - Johan Hough , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | KEEPING up with the explosion of new management tools and measurement techniques of the past 10 years and deciding which ones to use has become an essential part of every business person’s responsibilities. |
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| HOW TO COLLECT YOUR CASH FROM SLOW-TO-PAY CUSTOMERS |
| | - Penny Haw, 21 Feb 2006 |
| | SO, your client base is growing, orders are flowing in and you are delivering your correctly priced product or service on time and to specification. Why, then, are you lying awake at night fretting about paying your suppliers and employees at the end of each month? |
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| OUTSOURCE DIRTY WORK |
| | - Penny Haw, 21 Feb 2006 |
| | JEAN Gonsalves of Johannesburg-based business performance enhancement company Actionwise International believes business owners should not be involved in debt collection. |
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| SELF-AWARENESS IS YOUR BEST WEAPON FOR TACKLING STRESS |
| | - Kay Brugge , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | TO UNDERSTAND stress it is imperative to distinguish between the different forms of stress. As the physiological signatures of these forms of stress differ, so must interventions. |
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| USING THE LIFE CYCLE MODEL TO BUILD A BUSINESS STRATEGY |
| | - Randal Godden , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | THE Adizes Life Cycle of Business model is a great way of diagnosing where a business is at and the major changes required to position it appropriately in its quest to reach its prime. |
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| INTEGRITY IS RARE, BUT VITAL TO SUCCESS |
| | - Sacha Sorrell , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | INTEGRITY can be defined as “doing what you say”. |
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| NURTURE A HEALTHY WORKPLACE |
| | - Markus Moses , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | AVOIDING stress and burnout has become a key issue for businesses throughout the world. |
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| DON’T MISS OUT ON SMALL CAPITAL |
| | - Staff Writer, 21 Feb 2006 |
| | BE SURE not to miss the next issue of Small Capital, which appears in next month’s Real Business on on March 20. |
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| FIT OR SEXY, WHICH ARE YOU? |
| | - Byron Kalies , 21 Feb 2006 |
| | Whether your business is constantly looking over its shoulder or has cornered a niche, know your market. |
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| TELKOM MUST LOOK TO SA FIRST, SAY BLACK FIRMS |
| | - Lesley Stones, 27 Jan 2006 |
| | TELKOM should not be making plans to expand into other African countries while it is still neglecting the townships in its own back yard, says an organisation representing small black businesses. |
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| OPTIMISM DIPS BUT STILL PLENTY TO CHEER ABOUT |
| | - Kevin O’Grady, 19 Jan 2006 |
| | SOUTH African business owners are slightly less optimistic than they were a year ago, but are the third most positive group out of 30 countries surveyed in the latest Grant Thornton International Business Owners Survey. |
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| SENIOR MANAGERS SEEK TAILORED MBAS |
| | - Ailsa Stewart Smith , 17 Jan 2006 |
| | WHILE demand for the MBA is running high — as evidenced by the strong turnout at the inaugural Business School Expos held in Johannesburg and Cape Town a few months ago — the degree has also drawn considerable criticism in recent years. |
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| LEARNING TO WRITE WELL WILL OPEN DOORS FOR YOUR BUSINESS |
| | - Mandy de Waal and Andrew Miller, 17 Jan 2006 |
| | IF YOU are an entrepreneur, the ability to communicate effectively through writing is paramount. Writing is an integral part of doing business. Business owners often need to deliver strategic presentations, communicate with clients and co-workers, and write reports, e-mails and letters — not to mention writing or overseeing the writing of advertising copy and publicity material. |
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| SPECIALIST EVIDENCE IS REQUIRED TO JUSTIFY MEDICAL DISMISSALS |
| | - Helena Janisch , 17 Jan 2006 |
| | AN EMPLOYER faces a dilemma where an employee suffers from a medical condition that could be a health or safety hazard. |
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| MODERN BUSINESS INSURANCE IS VITAL |
| | - Peter Olyott , 17 Jan 2006 |
| | SMALL business is unfortunately exposed to the same or similar risks as big business — but without the resources to deal with them. Does this mean a small business can only ride its luck and hope it emerges unscathed for long enough to enable it to grow into a big business? |
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| ACTION LEARNING CATCHES ON AS A WAY TO MAKE LESSONS STICK |
| | - Fiona Ross , 17 Jan 2006 |
| | JUST as consumers are becoming more demanding, employees are getting more and more cynical about the kind of training they receive. As training and trainers proliferate, run-of-the-mill training interventions are no longer succeeding and it is becoming more and more important to offer something fresh and different. |
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| TIME TO SHAKE UP STRATEGY |
| | - Ezra Ndwandwe, 17 Jan 2006 |
| | IT IS time to take stock of what we did right | |