Getting Ready to Market IT
A Template for Marketing IT to the Business
Getting Ready to Market ITYour IT organization is doing the right things, providing cost-effective services and delivering projects on time and on budget. But your customers, the business management and staff still have a poor perception of IT, which hinders the organization's success. So you and your management agree that it's time to start marketing IT to the business. But where should you start? Before beginning any IT marketing, you must determine:
• IT's status and perceived value today.
• The benefits of marketing.
• Your specific marketing objectives.
Learn IT Marketing Step by Step
How To Fight The Gas Pump At the Store Shelves
How To Fight The Gas Pump At the Store ShelvesRising gasoline prices seems to dominate the news these days, with doom and gloom about continued shortages spreading and increasingly outlandish prices per gallon. Lost in the stories of rising costs to the consumer, however, are rising costs in consumer products. While consumers are feeling the pain at the gas pumps, overall consumer confidence fell another 0.2% in August, even before Hurricane Katrina hit. This is not a good combination for companies in the retail supply chain.
Gas hits Retail salesRetailers have already begun blaming lagging sales on lower consumer confidence and rising gasoline costs. Not only are customers more reluctant to gas up and head to the mall, they are unwilling to pay more for merchandise when they get there.
full story
Investing In Price Optimization, Execution, and Analysis Solutions
Investing In Price Optimization, Execution, and Analysis SolutionsPricing solutions are one of the most closely guarded secrets of today's leading companies. This is because pricing software generates an impressive ROI, typically 5 to 19 percent profit improvement. Also, it gives these companies — each the innovative leader in its respective industry — tremendous competitive advantage. If we peeked into these companies, we would see success stories about how organizations have turned around inefficient pricing processes and poor pricing analysis into real business benefits-revenue and margin uplift. These companies have taken charge of pricing and are actively optimizing, executing and analyzing pricing opportunities. However, they are still the minority. Why were these companies the first to adopt pricing technology? What were the key business drivers that made an organization-wide pricing initiative a worthwhile investment?
Full Article
Gauging IT’s Value Impact on Business Processes
Gauging IT’s Value Impact on Business Processes
By Will Pagan
The basic methodology of comparative analysis has been successfully applied within IT operations for years to enhance the efficiency and quality of mainframe and midrange computer systems, communications networks and desktop environments.
Full Article
Emerging Technologies That Make Sense
Emerging Technologies: Which Technologies Make Sense for Your
Company?
We asked CIOs to report on their deployment of 45 top emerging technologies. The results: team collaboration tools, business process platforms/management suites, server virtualization, and open source databases, development tools and languages are considered "most likely to provide business value" for their companies.
more...
Sick over Health Care IT
Sick over Health Care IT
A study done by one of the nation's largest claims processing firms
shows
"how well--or poorly--the nation's seven biggest health
insurers pay their
bills." If you've ever had a claim lost, denied
or delayed, you know why
this study is important. Not paying
claims is, a business strategy for some
of these insurers, but it is
also a customer service issue. But the one
thing the article didn't
mention, and I have no idea why, is the role that
technology is,
and is not, playing in this mess.
Health Care IT
Small Questions - Big Answers
Five Little Minutes
When recruiting team members, you can help even the
busiest or most
reluctant prospects find their project within yours. In Part
III of our
Developing Project Community series, the author explains his
journey from
half-hearted beggar to fully engaged listener, and how a brief,
open conversation
can win deeper involvement from participants.
Develop Community with Your User Base
Project Management: Read All About It
Project Management: Read All About It
Here's the June 2006 roundup of
recently published books recommended by and for project professionals.
Five titles that address a range of top-of-mind topics, including
project sponsorship, software performance measures, leadership versatility
and more.
Great Project Management books
Project Budget Monitor
Changes to Your Budget
Flawed estimates, accounting anomalies and
permanent or minor variances can cause budget issues. Some you just have to
deal with, and get the rest of the work done with less. But many can be
managed. By defining acceptable variances and monitoring your reserves, you
can keep most projects on course.
Project Budget
PPM Software Evaluation Tool
So Many Choices
Projects@Work
has
developed the PPM Software Evaluation Tool, a comprehensive set of
questions and parameters for organizations to consider when selecting a
project portfolio management solution. And before you make a final decision,
make sure you have come to your conclusion with these additional guidelines
in mind.
learn more...
Project Flexibility Matrix
Project Flexibility Matrix
This simple, effective tool helps guide
tradeoff discussions on scope, resources and schedule during project definition
and planning work. A team can use the matrix to clarify which constraints are
flexible and which project goals are not. Courtesy of the portal
ProjectConnections.com:
download
MS-Excel Short Cuts
Spreadsheet Speed Demon?
If, like many project managers, you use MS Excel
for recording or reporting statistics, these Excel keyboard shortcuts will save
you time. From TechRepublic.com
Download your Excel Short Cuts
Team Goal-Setting Tips
Team Goal-Setting Tips
This brief article on setting goals for
individuals, team, and project comes from PMI’s monthly e- newsletter, the
Community Post:
Goal Setting Tips
Does Outsourcing Need SLAs
Does Outsourcing Need SLAs?
As the outsourcing model continues to mature, some of its most trusted
elements are being called into question. One such element is the service level
agreement (SLA). As surveys show that over half of IT outsourcing projects are
failing in terms of customer satisfaction, it stands to reason that the SLAs are
failing as well, and, in fact, may be part of the problem. For example, if an
SLA forces a time restriction on help desk calls, help desk agents might be more
focused on the clock than being helpful or respectful. Inflexible SLAs can be a
real problem if a customer's business requirements change. While the outsourcing
model does require careful management, relying too heavily on SLAs can backfire.
If you've chosen an outsourcing vendor because of their expertise in a field,
one expert asks, why would you try to define what they should do with their
expertise?
Outsourcing and SLA's
Low-Budget Marketing Reaps High Returns
Low-Budget Marketing Reaps High Returns
The founder of Bizymoms.com, Liz Folger, started her website in 1997 with
just a few pages. With more than 750 pages today, the site is one of the top
work-at-home-moms resources on the Internet.Her secret: Do-it-yourself
publicity. Get more low-cost/no-cost tips on widening your target audience and
your impact.
Read: Low-Budget Marketing Reaps High Returns
Big Bang for Small Bucks
Looking for a new Career
Looking for a new Career?
We are in the process of updating our resume system here at
Benchmark Recruiting. We may have your resume on file, but would like
an updated version to keep our system current. Your current resume will
keep us informed of your present skills and help us contact you only for
the right position. Please send your current resume and feel free
to contact us at our e-mail address,
benchmarkresume@earthlink.net
or call us at 201-567-5007 with questions.
Brian Wiseman
TURN KEY HEDGE FUNDS - Start Your Own Hedge Fund
Just what you need to start your own Hedge Fund.
TURN KEY HEDGE FUNDS,
INC.
The mission of Turn Key Hedge Funds, Inc. is to provide an easy, efficient
and economical "Turnkey" process for starting a hedge fund. Turn Key Hedge
Funds, Inc. will "Turnkey" start up and launch your own hedge fund; then, Turn
Key Hedge Funds, Inc. will provide your hedge fund with experienced,
knowledgeable and efficient "Turnkey" back office administration at a reasonable
and economical price. At Turn Key Hedge Funds, Inc., "Turnkey" means service
ready for immediate use!
Start your hedge fund.
The Upside of Outsourcing
The Upside of Outsourcing
Outsourcing has so many connotations in the workplace today that for the
purposes of this column we are going to ignore them all, except as they might
apply to your small-office/home office organization. So forget everything you’ve
heard to date and let’s think about how outsourcing might give your business a
competitive as well as a financial advantage.
Learn how to use consultants and specialized vendors as a transparent and
cost-effective way to grow your small business.
Read Mary Helen Gillespie's latest column: The Upside of Outsourcing.
read the report
The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit: Strategies for Success
The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit: Strategies for Success
Entrepreneur's Toolkit:
Master the Skills to Prevent Disasters
(Paperback)This comprehensive “how-to” guide covers all the key elements that
will help you excel: navigating the world of venture capital funding, turning
ideas into successful products and services, establishing priorities, developing
a marketing plan, and more.
Entrepreneurial Marketing (Faculty Lecture CD-ROM)
Harvard Business School
Professor Joseph B. Lassiter III presents a process that can dramatically
increase any startup enterprise’s performance, with tools for channeling your
entrepreneurial spirit into a disciplined, successful marketing plan.
International Entrepreneurial Finance (Faculty Lecture CD-ROM)
Can a
global perspective increase your likelihood of success? Absolutely—and Harvard
Business School Professor Walter Kuemmerle will show you how to judge the
economic, political, and social issues that can be critical to starting up or
expanding a business in an international context.
Order your copy today
Order today.
Microsoft vs. Adobe: Fight over PDF Rights
PDF at Center of Microsoft vs. Adobe
Adobe wants Microsoft Office users to pay a separate fee for the "save as
PDF" capability that is currently embedded in the beta version of Office 2007.
Microsoft wants to offer the feature for free. Apparently, it's a deal breaker —
despite the fact that Adobe has positioned its Portable Document Format as an
open standard in the past. It looks like Microsoft could pull PDF support from
the final version of Office rather than face yet another legal battle. Some
pundits wonder why Adobe is gunning for a head-on battle with Microsoft and
suggest that a better route may have been to provide limited PDF capability in
Office. After four months of negotiations between the two sides broke down,
Adobe appears ready to file an antitrust suit in Europe. A Burton Group analyst
says "it's perplexing" that Adobe will allow others to publish PDF but not
Microsoft.
full article
Adobe vs. Microsoft: The PDF Mistakes
Hire Employees Who Share Your Work Ethic
How To Hire Employees Who Share Your Work Ethic
Successful small business owners represent the very definition of a positive
work ethic – the belief that there is a moral benefit to work and its ability to
enhance character.
But how do you impart your work ethic on employees who have much less of a
stake in the success of the business?
It starts in the interview process - where you can pose questions and role
play scenarios to explore a candidate's style. And then it happens every day on
the job through the expectations you create and the example you set.
Learn how to get buy-in from your employees. Read: How To Hire Employees Who
Share Your Work Ethic
full article
10 Commandments of Growth
10 Commandments of Growth
People always ask for tips to successful growth. Although there is no manual
or guidebook to growth that I am aware of, I thought I’d try to capture lessons
I have learned along the way and share them with you. I call these the “10
Commandments of Growth.”
To read Paige Arnof-Fenn's lessons learned, click on: 10 Commandments of
Growth.
full article
Compliance: Is Sarbanes-Oxley Working
Compliance: Is Sarbanes-Oxley Working?
From CIO Insight (Topic: Compliance), June 13:
It seems like a
straightforward enough question: is SOX working?
Two years after the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (also called the Public
Company Accounting Reform and
Investor Protection Act of
2002) went into effect, there is a mounting
supply of data on
hand to throw at the query. But like so many seemingly
simple
questions, this one isn't. There are a lot of layers to peel back
before any serious answer can be reached. The question invites
more
questions, such as, "What does 'working' mean?" "Working
for whom?"
full article
Is Your VoIP Phone Vulnerable?
Is Your VoIP Phone Vulnerable?
From Business Week (Topic: VoIP), June 13:
It's become a familiar pattern
in online security. A groundbreaking way to communicate emerges, spreads
like wildfire, and then hackers
find a way to use it to their advantage.
Security companies react--but
not before the problem has succeeded in
wreaking havoc. It happened
with e-mail and is happening now with instant
messaging and mobile
devices.
full article...
For more on VoIP security, see "VOIP Scam Highlights Growing Security
Issue," from eWEEK:
Read the report.
I.T. Procurement Fraud
I.T. Procurement Fraud: How Tech Insiders Cheat Their Employers
From Baseline (Topic: IT Fraud), June 7:
A number of
information-technology managers stand accused of
ripping off their
employers, allegedly using "shadow companies"
and inflated or bogus
invoices--in some cases, stealing tens of
millions of dollars or more. The
scam? It's called procurement
fraud, and it's more prevalent than many
people realize. Here's
how it works.
Stop IT Procurement Fraud
Getting IT Compliance Ready
Getting Your Organization and IT Department Compliance Ready
Ziff Davis Media eSeminars invite: Join us on June 14 at 2 p.m. ET
as
compliance experts and Baseline Magazine examines the key
trends surrounding
corporate governance and financial systems
monitoring software that ensures
compliance with regulations such
as Sarbanes-Oxley. Sponsored by
NetIQ.
Action Steps
Low Cost Benefits for Independent Contractors
Low Cost Benefits for Independent Contractors and Business Owners
Learn how to get low cost health benefits from IAB. Get the benefits
you and your family deserve.
Register today.
Knowledge Management, Business Processes in Real Time
Knowledge Management, Business Processes Management, and, Real Time
Enterprises, Jrnl. of KM (HTML)
Summary: Getting Real Time
Enterprise Business Models To Deliver Real Business Performance.
Download the report
HTML Version
Rethinking Management for the New World of Risk
Knowledge Management: Rethinking Management for the New World of Uncertainty
and Risk
Summary: Why the Current Model of Management requires
Fundamental Re-thinking for Success
Read this report
Managing User Motivation and Commitment
Managing User Motivation and Commitment for Technology Adoption and
Utilization, Communications of the ACM, December 2004 (HTML)
Summary: Why
'If IT Matters' is an irrelevant question without considering system users and
use.
Report download
HTML version
Customer Relationship Management for Technology Adoption
Customer Relationship Management for Technology Adoption and Utilization,
AMCIS Proc., August 2004 (HTML)
Summary: Why Customer Relationship
Management focus on Maximizing Transaction Values is Doomed.
Download this report
HTML version
Expertise Management and Knowledge Management
Expertise Management and Knowledge Management, CIO Insight
Full Article
Why Knowledge Management Systems Fail?,
Why Knowledge Management Systems Fail?, KM Handbook (CNet Corporate
Computing Award)
Read the report
Measuring National Knowledge Assets
Measuring National Knowledge Assets, United Nations (Keynote Presentation),
September 2003.
Read this report
Measuring Knowledge Assets: Knowledge Systems for Development, United
Nations, September 2003.
Downlaod this report
Knowledge the Ultimate Competitive Advantage
Is Knowledge the Ultimate Competitive Advantage?, Business Management
Asia, September
Read this report
Motivation in Knowledge Management Success
Role of Commitment and Motivation in Knowledge Management Success, HICSS
Proc., (HTML)
Download the report
Knowledge Management: Supply Chain Nerve Center
Knowledge Management: Supply Chain Nerve Center, Institute for Supply
Management
supply chain management
Information Ecology and Knowledge Management
Information Ecology and Knowledge Management, UNESCO EOLSS, 2002
Read the report
Knowledge Exchanges for E-Business Communities
Enabling Knowledge Exchanges for E-Business Communities, Information
Strategy, 2002
download report
Is Knowledge Management Really an Oxymoron?
Is Knowledge Management Really an Oxymoron?, Knowledge Mapping &
Management
Read the report
When Best Practices Becomes Worst
When Best Practices Becomes Worst, Momentum: The Quality Magazine of
Australasia
full report
Next Generation e-Business Architectures
Enabling Next Generation e-Business Architectures for Transformation, Intel
Corpn. Paper, 2001
Full Report
Expert Systems for Knowledge Management
Expert Systems for Knowledge Management: Info. Processing to Sense Making,
Exp Sys w App J., 2001
Read the report
Organizational Controls and Knowledge Management
Organizational Controls as Enablers and Constraints in KM, KM & Business
Model Innovation, 2001
download the report
Knowledge Management for E-Business Performance
Knowledge Management for E-Business Performance, Information Strategy, 2000
Download the report
Information Management to Knowledge Management
From Information Management to Knowledge Management, ASIST Monograph, 2000
report download
Knowledge Assets: Assessment of Intellectual Capital
Knowledge Assets: Assessment of National Intellectual Capital, JGIM, 2000
(HTML)
download
New Organization Forms and Business Models
Knowledge Management and New Organization Forms and Business Models, IRMJ,
2000
Download report.
Three Myths That Can Derail Your KM Investments
Does KM=IT? Three Myths That Can Derail Your KM Investments, CIO Enterprise,
1999
Read this report.
KM for Organizational White-Waters
KM for Organizational White-Waters: An Ecological Framework, Knowledge
Management, 1999
Read this report
Technology Acceptance Model and Social Influence On the Job
Extending the Technology Acceptance Model to Account for Social Influence,
HICSS Proc., 1999
Read this report
Business Process Redesign: An Overview for Knowledge Management
Business Process Redesign: An Overview, IEEE Engg Mgmt Revw., 1998
Read this report.
Knowledge Management, Knowledge Organizations
Knowledge Management, Knowledge Organizations & Knowledge Workers, Mail
Business, 1998
Read this report.
Deciphering the Knowledge Management Hype
Deciphering the Knowledge Management Hype, Jrnl of Qlty & Ptcpn, 1998
Read this report.
Knowledge Management in Inquiring Organizations
Knowledge Management in Inquiring Organizations, AMCIS Proc., 1997
Read this report.
Virtual Corporations, Human Issues
Virtual Corporations, Human Issues & Information Technology, Training and
Development, 1997
Download...
Trading Operation Examination Policy Guidelines
US Federal Reserve - Trading Operation Examination Policy Guidelines
Download
How to implement international electronic trading platforms
How to implement international electronic trading platforms
3rd Executive Forum on Trade Facilitation
“Paperless Trade in
International Supply Chains:
Enhancing Efficiency and Security”
Download the guidebook.
Need more information? Contact
Victor Smith
RoadMap for STP and Real Time Trade Processing
A new RoadMap for STP and Real Time Trade Processing
The implementation of STP procedures will require behavioral and
environmental changes within the front- and back-offices of investment
management firms. In effect, the back-office moves to the
front-office. To achieve STP firms need to rethink the current front- and
back-office operating models. As trading windows shorten, any manual
intervention results in costly delays. The GSTPA estimates that 80% of the
STP problems experienced by firms are internal and only 20% of the STP problems
are between firms. The use of fax and voice messaging to relay information
is too time consuming in today’s market. In addition, the constant manual
rekeying of data into multiple systems is archaic in a 24/7 trading world.
Firms first need to identify all of the participants in its trading
cycles. A focus within the front-office should be on automating the
indications of interest and notice of execution with broker/dealers. In
addition, automated confirmation of trades would continue to streamline the
process.
STP Trading Systems Implementation Tips
Need more information? Contact Victor Smith
IT Disaster Recovery Policy Templates
IT Disaster Recovery Templates - Templates and Mind Map
Disaster Recovery (DR) covers the technical aspect of the broader term
Business Continuity (BC).
Decision on the right IT Infrastructure and systems to support your DR
efforts.
This is achived by providing a detailed list of requirements and
potential constraints for your current situation, so that you will ask the right
questions.
Within the selectd technology group specialized experts and
vendors will assist you in the final decision process.
The requirements and
constraints to be considered are not simple - there is much more than just
Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO)!
Decision Templates
DR Vendor Decision Matrix
Disater recovery - DR Mind Map
Manage your companies policies, procedures and compliance documentation
Manage your companies policies, procedures and compliance documentation.
FirmCover(TM) is a web-based solution for distributing your procedures
documentation to staff and ensuring that documentation can be easily and quickly
updated in a secure environment.
FirmCover(TM) provides a controlled environment for managing and updating
your procedures documentation. Changes are always captured within
FirmCover’s(TM) comprehensive set of audit trails for easy viewing by auditors
and regulators. Specific versions of your manual can be stored in FirmCover(TM)
by saving a version of a manual.
FirmCover(TM) was created for managing
procedures documentation based on extensive feedback from clients. FirmCover(TM)
incorporates all the features you need for easily and effectively managing
compliance and training challenges.
To learn more about FirmCover(TM) contact
FirmCover@btiworld.com or call
1-800-265-8254.
Download
Green Growth Businesses
Green Growth Areas for Entrepreneurs
Which green sectors should
entrepreneurs be watching -- and what
determines VCs and angel investors'
interest in a green startup?
Green Growth Businesses
Providing "Insight" to Clients
Providing "Insight" to Clients
At Oracle Consulting, this Notre Dame MBA
works on a strategic
program that helps clients focus their business goals
and
strategies
full article
China Carmakers' Global Talent Hunt
China Carmakers' Global Talent Hunt
Former GM exec Philip Murtaugh has
been hired by Shanghai-based
SAIC Motor-just part of a countrywide trend to
hire international
talent
China's Global Talent Hunt
Trade Stars - Makes Profits Easy
Trade Stars - Buy/Sell Signals
Get the right buy/sell signals to make more money on your stocks.
Enter your company info
Oil Investments
BIDDING FRENZY FOR ANGOLA'S OIL
Record bids for drilling rights
demonstrate the big bets oil companies are making to secure reserves of
black gold
Angola's Oil
Oil Sands Set to Explode
Rising energy prices are driving oil sands production to new heights. Last
week, Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) released a report giving an update on
the opportunities and challenges facing Canada's oil sands between now and 2015.
(Link opens a PDF.) A follow-up to a 2004 report, the document takes into
account current market conditions, such as the doubling of the price of crude
oil and natural gas since the original report came out. We've given our own
report on Canada's oil sands, but now let's take a revised look, based on the
new NEB report.
Download the Oil Sands report.
Investment Opportunities
BE YOUR OWN ROCKET SCIENTIST
Here are five advanced technologies with allthe bells and whistles that may just turbocharge your portfolio's
performance
full article
A Huge Investment Opportunity
Warren Buffett's buying again. After sitting on a huge cash pile numbering in
the tens of billions of dollars for several years, the Oracle has started to
deploy that money. Not only has he been increasing existing positions in Wells
Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and American Standard (NYSE: ASD), but Berkshire Hathaway also
acquired new stakes in ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), General Electric (NYSE: GE),
and United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS).
And there's a reason that he's buying now. Large caps are cheap overall, and
some large caps are trading at huge discounts to their fair value.
Learn about Wareen Buffett's new straqtegy.
INNOVATION CHAMPIONS
INNOVATION CHAMPIONS
It's a conversation. It's a community. It's about one of the key business challenges of our era. It's IN: Inside Innovation,
our new supplement devoted to helping companies use "design thinking"
Inside Innovation
New Changes for Pension Plans and 401-Ks
Public-company pension plans could be dealt a blow by legislation under
consideration in Congress that could limit the use of credit balances. The
measure could have the greatest impact on automotive, aerospace and
basic-materials firms.
full article...
401(k)s moving away from financial planners
A new survey of midsize
401(k) plan sponsors reveals that those who switched plan administrators to
mutual funds in the past two years outearned those who used financial planners
as plan administrators. The data, released at a conference of the Society of
Professional Administrators and Recordkeepers in Washington, shows that plans
using mutual funds climbed three percentage points while plans using financial
planners fell two percentage points.
Companies plan to add staff in 10th straight quarter
Companies plan to add staff in 10th straight quarter
A survey of 16,000 U.S. employers found that 31% of companies planned to increase their staffing levels in the third quarter of this year. The expected staffing level increase for the second quarter was 30%, and the third quarter increase represents the 10th straight quarter in which more than 20% of companies planned to add staff.
The New York Times/Associated Press
HR, jobs, derivatives, electronic trading, trading, risk management
Labels: careers, derivatives, electronic trading, hr, jobs, risk management, trading
Discover Business Card aims for small-business market
Discover Business Card aims for small-business market
Rolling out its first commercial product, Riverwoods-based Discover Financial
Services LLC on Mondaywill introduce a credit card for small-business
owners.
In 2005, small-business credit and debit spending on U.S. Visa and MasterCard
commercial cards exceeded $130 billion, up from $102.66 billion in 2004,
according to the Nilson Report, a trade publication covering payment
systems.
full article...
BR>Get your Discover Card today!
Say no to "Tax Loans"
HR Block calls on rivals to halt use of tax loans
H&R Block Inc. is no stranger to making controversial offers to get tax
clients through its doors. The nation's largest tax preparer has spent tens of
millions of dollars settling lawsuits that claimed its refund-anticipation loans
take advantage of low-income taxpayers by charging high fees.
Chief executive Mark Ernst called on his top two competitors, Jackson Hewitt
Tax Service Inc. and Liberty Tax Service, to stop selling ``pay-stub" loans,
unsecured cash payments made before a person has filed his taxes. Ernst said
they endanger the reputation of the entire industry. ``The economics of the
product have more in common with payday lending than refund lending," Ernst
said, referring to loans criticized for sometimes creating spiraling levels of
interest.
Say no to "Tax Loans"
Path To Investing Web Site
Path To Investing Web Site
Unsure of how to choose the
most appropriate mutual fund to invest in? Visit Path to Investing for a lesson
on Choosing Mutual Funds led by Marc Lackritz, president of SIA. Here Lackritz
explains how to understand mutual funds, how to set realistic expectations, the
importance of asset allocation and diversification and the basics of how to buy
mutual funds. While at Path to Investing, be sure to check out the Hot Topic
section of the Web site for an update on mutual fund reform and its impact.
Click here to view the Guided Trip.
more...
Derivatives trading goes digital
Derivatives trading goes digital
The U.S. was poised to install a new
electronic system today that could greatly limit the chance of trading mistakes
that would imperil the derivatives market. The effort was lead by the Depository
Trust & Clearing Commission, GFI, ICAP and Tullett Prebon.
more...
Forecasting Principles
Title: Forecasting Principles
Subject: Management
Source: Wharton / J. Scott Armstrong
learn more...
Sample Business Plans
Sample Business Plans
Entrepreneurship
Center for Business
Planning
Downlaod your business plan template
The Power Networking Business Seminar Series
The Power Networking Business Seminar Series
Build Viable Contacts TODAY! Come out and REALLY
network with Phil Andrews and the Power Networking Business Seminar Series.
Hosted at the legendary Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Building in Harlem, USA
this is sure to be a memorable and productive event. Mr. Andrews has held events
in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and is now coming to Harlem. Guest speakers
include Mr. Anthony Quinones of the Unity Card and Derrick Guest of Griots Roll
Production. Together we can build a circle of business so all our need are at
arms length. Publishing, Web Design, Public Relations, video production .
Register today!
The Thinking Man's Outsourcing
The Thinking Man's Outsourcing
Inc.com: Outsourcing began with the shift of manufacturing, call centers,
tech support and "brute-strength" programming being shipped to the lowest
offshore bidder, with higher level jobs such as product design, engineering and
R&D staying onshore. That's changing as companies look to achieve faster
time-to-market on product design while still seeing lower costs. This article
offers a number of knowledge outsourcing success stories. One company found that
there were no U.S. companies willing to put its project on the fast track. It
teamed with a global company that uses offshoring to bring products to market
quickly. Not only was the timing right, but the costs were too, as offshoring
slashed the project's startup costs by half. According to the article, many
companies are using offshoring merely to stay competitive. One expert says:
"There are three reasons to outsource. One is cost reduction. Two is growth.
Three is existence."
Learn more...
HR, jobs, derivatives, electronic trading, trading, risk management, outsourcing
Labels: careers, derivatives, electronic trading, hr, jobs, risk management, trading
Strategy: Commit and Deliver
Commit and Deliver
by Cyrus Freidheim
Chicago, June 1, 2006 -- To successfully pursue a long-term corporate
strategy, a chief executive must be able to appease shareholders, employees, and
the board of directors while keeping the company focused on its mission. Former
Booz Allen Hamilton Vice Chairman Cyrus Freidheim describes how, as CEO of
Chiquita Brands, he led that company out of bankruptcy and achieved financial
and operational success. His secret -- commit to an agenda and deliver on what
you promise -- will resonate with any leader seeking to cut costs and improve
financial performance.
To read the full analysis:
download
Outsourcing Managed Security: Risk and Rewards
Outsourcing Managed Security: Risk and Rewards
Global Services: Managed security service providers (MSSPs) are becoming
increasingly attractive as companies deal with severe vulnerabilities that can
lead to the loss of millions of dollars through lawsuits, regulatory actions and
reputation damage. But obtaining an MSSP through outsourcing or offshoring
forces companies to open their security policies, technology and standards to
close scrutiny by the potential MSSPs. According to this article, managed
security services come in two categories: security management, which focuses on
the management of security devices such as firewalls and routers, and security
monitoring, which focuses on analyzing the data that is collected from such
devices. By outsourcing security, companies can share information security risk
and business risk with a partner whose full-time job is security.
more info...
ERP Flavor of the Week: Vanilla
ERP Flavor of the Week: Vanilla
FCW.com: ERP has become sort of an IT "bogeyman," with plenty of scary
stories of implementations gone horribly wrong. Yet ERP systems, because of
their ability to break down information silos and aggregate data, can be key in
retooling business processes. This article presents the experiences, both good
and bad, of municipalities that have implemented ERP systems. Plenty of good
advice is included, much of which can be boiled down into three words: Keep it
simple. "Your best bet is to buy something out of the box and keep it as close
to standard as possible," says the CIO of Fresno, Calif.
more...
Authorities, Tech Companies Square off on Data Retention Proposal
Authorities, Tech Companies Square off on Data Retention Proposal
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez's shift of focus from prevention of
child pornography to prevention of terrorism may garner more public support for
his intention to pursue a proposal that would require ISPs and perhaps other
companies to retain records of customers' online activities. However, one
executive said the tech industry would likely oppose any iteration of the
proposal on privacy, financial and technical grounds. The logistics of storing
such data and turning it over to authorities lawfully are a slippery slope that
has Google and others that have already tangled with government agencies on the
privacy issue concerned. Gonzalez may be modeling his proposal on the EU Data
Retention Directive, which requires companies to store data about communications
traffic (not the content itself) for two years and surrender it to authorities
upon request.
full article...
Client Service Technology Account Manager
Client Service Technology Account Manager
Our client a top 10
Financial
company needs a resource to support CLIENT REFERENCE
DATA
GROUP.This role involves the telephone and in person support of
this
groups services, which is providing reference (static) data to
clients within
the firm. They will take requests for data from
internal clients and
route to appropriate parties within the reference
data group (whether they
are business analysts and/or programmers) to
troubleshoot issues within the
existing platform and/or the creation and
storage and subsequent ability
tosearch and retrieve this
data. Candidate should have strong business
knowledge
and background. A technology background as well is
extremely
beneficial. This role could be defind as a
liasion,
technologist. Candidate should have an
entrepreneurial
mindset, a free thinker is what the client is looking for -
someone who
does not have to be told to do everything but can create and do
for
themselves.Exposure or expereince within a technology
environment with
Java applications and also XML would be useful - this
means working within
the environment NOT programming - but primarily
filling a business role
within a technology environment. Exposure
or experience within the
financial industry is helpful but not
mandatory. Exposure or
experience with client reference
data is EXTREMELY beneficial.Location:Jersey
City, NJContract to permanent position
(6 months and then going perm with
our
client) If
you interested, please email me ASAP with
a
copy of your resume in Word format. Please be sure to include
your
contract rate as well.If this position does not
describe you, but
instead someone you know, please feel free to forward
my information to him /
her.Thanks for your
time!!Sincerely,Lisa Buro Infinity Consulting
Group,
LLC Thanks again!
lburo@infinitygroup.com
Why SEO Matters in Site Re-Design
Why SEO Matters in Site Re-Design
Those cool elements like Flash animation that you let a Webmaster talk you
into won't matter much if nobody can find your company's Web site in the first
place. And if they can't find the site, they won't use it to conduct any
transactions. In a nutshell, that's the importance of search engine optimization
(SEO). A site redesign is the ideal time to improve SEO, this author says, as
efforts to go back and "fix" it generally are not enough to help a site reach
its full traffic-generating potential. He touches upon several SEO mistakes —
not removing old Web pages and not properly re-directing users and search engine
crawlers to new content — and urges companies to avoid them.
Learn more...
SEO Marketing ToolsOnline Marketing Tutorial
Designing Executive Dashboards
Designing Executive Dashboards—How to Create an Effective Operational
Dashboard
by Business Objects
Corporate dashboards are the “must have” business intelligence technology for
today’s business executives. However, creating a dashboard is challenging due to
the fact you are compressing large amounts of information into a small area.
This article discusses an effective dashboard is made, and some of the
associated design best practices.
full article...
Commentary: Housing, transportation costs crimp savings
Commentary: Housing, transportation costs crimp savings
Americans are
finding it increasingly difficult to save, and the reason is clear, according to
this columnist. It's not pricey coffee, trips to the mall, health care or
entertainment spending that are hurting us, it's the cost of housing and
transportation.
more...
Google's Search Lead Widens, Reaches 50 Percent
Google's Search Lead Widens, Reaches 50 Percent
Google accounted for a majority of all the Internet searches
conducted in
April, Nielsen/Netratings found in a report issued
last week that may as
well be a coronation.
more info...
Structured products more popular, raising worry among advisers
Structured products more popular, raising worry among advisers
Wall
Street is promoting the use of structured products -- which combine bonds,
derivatives and other instruments into a single package that allows for betting
on the direction of the stock market -- for retirement planning. But many
financial advisers say the complex investments are inappropriate for most
individual investors.
full story...
Derivatives for Main St.
To Be a Leader, Talk Like One
To Be a Leader, Talk Like One
The five essentials you should use when
speaking in business situations
straight from the mouth of a pro. Listen and
learn
full article
Terminate Your Public Speaking Fears
Terminate Your Public Speaking Fears
How Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barbara
Corcoran, and Toby Keith learned to
communicate powerfully
full article
Top Companies Review
Top Companies Review
Netflix
The mail-order movie house that clobbered Blockbuster
full report...
---
PetMed Express
Cheaper penicillin for your ailing pooch
full report...
---
American Science & Engineering
Its X-ray vision uncovers the naked
truth
full report...
---
Vaalco Energy
This wildcatter feels right at home in Gabon
full report...
---
Under Armour
A brawny tee house? No sweat
full report...
Netflix
Netflix
The mail-order movie house that clobbered Blockbuster
more...
A Short Guide to Wikis
A Short Guide to Wikis
by ProjectLocker
more...
Google's New Calendar Delivers the Goods
Google's New Calendar Delivers the Goods
Looking for a free online calendar that you can share with friends?
We
just took at look at Google's latest, which offers some real
benefits over
the competition. Our review has all the details. It's
even better if
you use GMail, but not so good for Outlook users.
Find out
why.
Google Calendar Review:
more...
Cheap Geek Uncovers $50 Laser, Cheap SanDisk iPod
Cheap Geek Uncovers $50 Laser, Cheap SanDisk iPod
Looking for a low cost laser printer? Our cheap geek, who scours
the
net for bargains, just uncovered a $50 deal for a Samsung laser
printer. We scored the printer pretty highly in our review, so
this
rates as a bona-fide "good deal". CG has also uncovered a 4
gigabyte
SanDisk music player for just $130! It's the anti-iPod, but
looks just
like a nano. Check out our stories for the bargains!
href="http://ct.eletters.whatsnewnow.com/rd/cts?d=181-673-1-356-144054-36007-0-0-0-1">$50 Samsung Laser
Samsung Laser ReviewCheap Sandisk Player
Microsoft Will Remove PDF Support from Office
Microsoft Will Remove PDF Support from Office
Adobe's not happy with Microsoft, and threatened court action.
Apparently the saber rattling had an effect, as Office 2007 will
now
ship without a "Save to PDF" capability. But it goes even
further than that,
as Microsoft also plans on softening the Vista
bundling requirements for its
own XPS format - a possible Acrobat
competitor. We've got all the
details on this case, but in short
it looks like Microsoft blinked.
Adobe Beats Microsoft
JetBlue Wins WiFi License
JetBlue Wins WiFi License
Want to connect to the internet while flying across country? It
looks like JetBlue is your only option. The airline that
pioneered
satellite TV looks primed to bring you internet as well. Our
story
details which two companies won the licenses, and what might happen
next.
Jet Blue Will Offer Airborne Internet:
more...
Supreme Court Takes Aim at Affirmative Action
Supreme Court Takes Aim at Affirmative Action
Nearly one year has passed since the resignation of Supreme Court Justice
Sandra Day O' Connor, and yesterday, the ramifications of the appointments of
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito were clear when the Supreme
Court agreed to re-examine the role of race as a factor in promoting racial
diversity in our schools.
More info
more info...
Simplicity Is Key to Effective Software Development
Simplicity Is Key to Effective Software Development
According to Jason Fried, the CEO of application development firm 37signals,
three weeks is the magic number for software development projects. Anything
longer, he says, and the project runs the risk of becoming so complex that it is
doomed to failure. Simplicity is the company's mantra, as detailed in "Getting
Real," its self-published book available via its Web site. A consultant cited
here says the company effectively debunks "the startlingly dumb preconceptions
that animate most software development." The approach seems to be paying off for
37signals, which is debt-free, profitable and boasts half a million users of its
applications, according to Fried. Among the company's suggestions: Don't
increase a development project's budget, just scale back the scope.
more info...
ERP Can Optimize Business Processes If Businesses Get Past Scary Reputation
ERP Can Optimize Business Processes If Businesses Get Past Scary Reputation
There are plenty of ERP horror stories of implementations gone wrong. Yet ERP
systems, because of their ability to break down information silos and aggregate
data, can be key in retooling business processes. Ventana Research says tech
executives have overlooked many opportunities to use the ERP to generate
performance improvements. For instance, fewer than half of the companies that
participated in a Ventana study used their ERP systems to implement
"order-to-cash" systems that can speed cash collections. Only 11 percent of
respondents said their ERP systems captured all or most of the information
needed to track employees' key performance indicators. Open source — or
something close to it — may hold the key to more cost-effective ERP
rollouts.
more info...
http://ct.itbusinessedge.com/t?ctl=DB78C9:3C3C204When It Comes to ERP Implementations, Simple Is Best
Jobs: Assistant Director Position
Urban Youth
Alliance: *Assistant to the
Director of
Development**Part Time- 30
hours/week****Position Description:*Urban
Youth
Alliance is an indigenous, multi-ethnic, multi-denominational
faith and
community-based organization in the South Bronx that has
trained urban youth
for leadership since 1970. Urban Youth Alliance is
seeking to immediately
hire an Assistant to the Director of Development
to provideadministrative
support and development assistance to the
Director of Development. The
position
pays $12.00/hr for 30
hours/week.*Responsibilities
include:*· Researching grants and other
funding
opportunities· Editing and revising grant proposals·
Coordinating
fundraising events· Providing administrative
support to the Director of
Development· Coordinating
communication with
individual
donorsQualifications:· Superior writing
ability & editing
skills· Strong research skills·
Strong verbal presentation ability· Strong
administrative and
organizational skills· Ability to coordinate
events·
Comfortable working in a South Bronx
community-based
setting. Applicants from the South
Bronx, or similar
urban areas, are encouraged to apply**·
Comfortable working with a
faith-based agency; familiarity with Bronx
church community a
plus*To
Apply:*Please send the following via mail to Faye Lopez
at PO Box
617, Bronx, NY 10451 or via fax to
(718) 402-6879· Cover Letter (no
applications will be reviewed
without a coverletter) addressed to Ruben
Austria, Director of
Development· Resume or CV· Writing Sample (any
example
of applicant's writing will
suffice)
Labels: careers, derivatives, electronic trading, hr, jobs, risk management, trading
Taking the Pulse of Family Business
Taking the Pulse of Family Business
From behemoths such as Ford to
mom-and-pop shops, they share a set of
common challenges in today's business
climate
learn more...
How to Polish Your Presentations
How to Polish Your Presentations
If you want to communicate effectively
before an audience, here's what
you need to do: Practice, practice,
practice
full story...
Countdown to Product Launch, Part IV
Countdown to Product Launch, Part IV
Feeling lucky? We wrap up our series
on bringing a new product to market
with seven ways to make the unexpected
work to your advantage
href="http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?id=615787&l=5">learn more..
The New Entrepreneurial Class
The New Entrepreneurial Class
With the help of universities, newly minted
MBAs and others are
rejecting tradition and moving from startup to
startup
href="http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?id=615787&l=4">full story
The Library: Next Best Thing to an MBA
The Library: Next Best Thing to an MBA
Across the country, public
libraries are giving would-be entrepreneurs a
helping hand with resources and
expert guidance
href="http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?id=615787&l=2">full story...
NYC Teachers Qualify for housing incentive $15,000
NYC Teachers Qualify for housing incentive $15,000
New Housing Incentive Program To Attract Certified Teachers in Shortage Areas
This month, the Department of Education announced an innovative agreement
with
learn more...
PUFFED-UP PAYCHECKS
PUFFED-UP PAYCHECKS
With the economy strong, MBAs are once again saying "more bucks already" --
and it's working. Salaries are high, both in the U.S. and abroad
href="http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?id=615418&c=22f6a904cf512287&l=21">more...
Your Cash is Now Worthless
Your Cash is Now Worthless
By JP Behrens
Forget paper money, it means nothing in this new age of high technology and debit check cards.
Almost every customer service oriented business is set up to accept credit cards. Even McDonalds and Burger King are swiping cards these days for their customers.The last bastions of cash necessary mechanisms were the parking meter and the vending machine.Well, start bottling up your change, because they've fixed that, too.
In Canada, a private company Verrus Mobile Technologies is spearheading the move to use cell phones to call in payments for parking meters.This isn't the first time cell phones have been used as debit cards.
In various European countries, cell phones can be waved in front of vending machines and are set up to deduct money from your bank account to pay for items.Verrus has found that not only is it more convenient for the customer and meter police alike, but it will cut down on the wear and tear of the machines.
Customers are also paying more into the meters than they normally would, and the city of Vancouver is making record amounts of money on the 8,000 meters currently set up.Plus, Verrus is earning 30 cents per transaction, which the driver pays as well, and they are calling it a convenience fee. In any event, your cash money is become more and more obsolete. Debit cards and cell phones are ready to destroy the paper dollar and replace it with electronic transactions.Every Christmas, on-line sales increase and the Internet doesn't accept cash or check. Only cold, hard plastic.
One company that is already positioned to profit from the electronic evolution is Micros Systems (NASDAQ: MCRS).
Companies to Watch
Micros Systems (NASDAQ: MCRS)
Candela
Optibase
Universal Display Corp.
Wright Medical Group
Plug Power Inc.
Ballard Power Systems Inc.
Astronics Advanced Electronics Systems
More boomers to face poverty levels
More boomers to face poverty levelsUp to one in five baby boomers could face the specter of living in poverty after reaching retirement age, according to a new SIA study that says a "substantial and sustained saving effort" is needed to reverse the trend. The 20% figure would represent approximately double the current proportion.
full articleMore Retired Women Face Poverty
Midyear marks prime time for personal finance review
Midyear marks prime time for personal finance review
As the first half of the year comes to an end, many investors will pause to review the performance of money managers, to examine stocks and mutual funds to decide what to keep and to consider how to tweak their holdings to do better in the future.
Unfortunately, this midyear review most likely will leave out the most important manager of all, because people don't evaluate their own performance as a saver, spender, consumer and investor. They're so busy looking at investment results that they fail to consider their own progress (or lack thereof) toward personal goals.
This is odd, because investors have more power and control over themselves than over any pro. Your investment decisions may improve your portfolio, but you have complete control over your savings rate, your ability to cut debt and more, and those actions will improve your overall financial condition as much or more than dumping a money-losing stock or fund.
full story...
Financial Literacy: Saving for Retirement More Challenging for Blacks
Financial Literacy: Saving for Retirement More Challenging for Blacks
Despite increased financial prowess among blacks in the last decade, prevailing racial disparities in investment strategies illuminate a need for more financial education.
Blacks tend to invest more conservatively than whites, relying more on employer pensions and real estate for retirement income than stock investments, according to the 2006 Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey. While the data shows increasing financial prowess among blacks in the last decade, prevailing racial disparities in investment strategies illuminate a need for more financial education.
Now in its ninth year, the annual Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey, conducted by telephone, evaluates the investment and savings practices of 500 white and 500 black homeowners who make $50,000 or more per year.
With traditional sources of retirement�life insurance, pensions, Social Security�in flux, blacks especially face new challenges. While most blacks and whites believe pension funds will not exist 10 years from now, 65 percent of blacks compared with 49 percent of whites work for employers who offer these traditional plans. But while whites' stated primary purpose for savings is to retire comfortably, many blacks have a different agenda.
"They want ownership, control and empowerment that stem from owning their own businesses," said Lisa Toppin, human-resources and diversity-programs director with Charles Schwab. "But they're considering this at a point of retirement. It takes money to fuel business; they have to use their savings, and many new businesses fail. If this happens, they may become dependent on their children, who then have little time to save themselves."
Fifteen percent of blacks, nearly four times the rate of whites, save in order to start a business post-retirement. But what if there is no return? While 90 percent of both groups consider themselves "very responsible" for retirement preparations, blacks are nearly twice as likely as whites to believe that "when corporate pensions go bankrupt, the government should be responsible for paying those people."
Need help preparing for retirement? Call your Tax Pros today. 718-875-0556
ServiceCenter@TaxProsOnline.com
How to Reach GLBT Market? Use Multimedia
How to Reach GLBT Market? Use MultimediaWhile advertisers traditionally have tried to reach the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community (GLBT) through print marketing, many are finding today's most effective campaigns work through different media, according to a column in The New York Times (registration required).
"In this fragmented media age, everybody's demanding hyper-customized creative to talk to specialized audiences," says Brian Graden, president at Logo and at MTV Networks Music Group Entertainment. "We're all coming up to speed together on the best way to reach this audience."
In June 2005, media behemoth Viacom launched Logo, a cable-television network and complementary Web site that targets members of the GLBT community and their families. The Logo cable channel is available in 23 million households, compared with 13 million last Junes.
"In the early research we did, testing what our audience was looking for, they said they wanted to see ads on the channel to see who would be reaching out to them," says Lisa Sherman, senior vice president and general manager at Logo in New York, part of the MTV Networks division of Viacom.
To date, more than 60 national corporations have advertised on Logo, including Eastman Kodak (one of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies and No. 5 in the Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities in 2006), General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Sears Holdings and Subaru.
Film festivals have become another way to reach the GLBT community. The Stolichnaya brand of vodka sold by wine and spirits producer Pernod Ricard USA is underwriting a documentary, "Be Real," and will launch a complementary Web site that profiles of six lesbians and six gay men, reports the Times.
"The project is about more than a brand," said Adam Rosen, senior Stolichnaya brand manager at the Pernod Ricard USA division in New York. "We want to showcase our commitment to the community in a culturally relevant way."
Cultural relevance is of utmost importance to the GLBT community, whose buying power is projected to increase 5 percent to $641 billion in 2006, according to the latest data from Witeck-Combs Communications and Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com.
"There was a pent-up demand for a channel to cater to this consumer," said John Nash, president at New York�based Moon City Productions�creator of GLBT-targeted campaigns for Subaru. Subaru has incorporated GLBT outreach into its marketing campaign for more than a decade, Nash told the Times. Commercial spots include subtle cues to signal the intended audience, like picturing either both men or both women when two people are shown in a shot, he added.
Subaru, Volvo and BMW are perceived as the top auto brands that extend the greatest outreach to the GLBT community, according to the American International Automobile Dealers. For the GLBT community, a perception of inclusion translates to a marketing reality.
Whether commercial advertising is presented in a magazine ad or a television commercial, greater proportions of gays and lesbians report they may be motivated to consider buying products shown in these ads, according to an October 2005 online Harris Interactive/Witeck-Combs poll of 1,715 non-GLBT and 351 GLBT adults nationwide.
The study found that 49 percent of GLBTs prefer brands that target their community over brands that do not, compared with 33 percent of other consumers. GLBTs also are more likely to trust brands that have been advertised in GLBT-targeted media (47 percent vs. 34 percent).
"In today's competitive marketplace, it is no longer prudent for a leading corporation to ignore the buying power of the gay market," said Witeck-Combs President Wesley Combs, in a statement. "Marketers that do risk leaving market share on the table for others to capture."
Finally, the Truth: How Many Gay Americans Are There and What Will They Buy?
Finally, the Truth: How Many Gay Americans Are There and What Will They Buy?
Despite increasing anecdotal evidence that the number of gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the United States is on the rise, there continues to be a dearth of hard data to accurately describe the group. What has been especially problematic is the use of some consumer-research data to support the widely held market perception that the great majority of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community is wealthier and better educated than most Americans. So while marketers trumpet GLBT consumers as a "dream demographic" with loads of disposable cash burning holes in their designer pockets...
full story
New Ways to Access Micro Lending Market
Social Lending Marketplace Prosper Launches
Prosper (formerly known as CircleOne), founded by E-Loan cofounder Chris Larsen, has launched--very softly. According to the site:
People who need money request it, and other people bid for the privilege of lending it to them. Prosper makes sure everything is safe, fair and easy.
This could be a great tool for investors, investment clubs that are looking for higher yields. It also is a good opportunity to provide micro loans in your community.
Register today.
Click here for Prosper.com main web site
Labels: credit consolidation, loans, micro lending, online lending, personal loans, small business loans
HOT STOCKS FOR THE SUMMER
HOT STOCKS FOR THE SUMMER
It's that time when consumers spruce up their homes, entertain outdoors, and take road trips. S&P picks some stocks poised to benefit from the season.
more..
CIO Summit: Progressive Strategies for IT Consolidation
EUROPEAN TELCOS GO FOR FOUR
France Telecom's Orange is leading the charge to roll out "quad-play" deals that bundle fixed, mobile, broadband and digital TV.
full article
Getting Your Organization and IT Department Compliance Ready
Getting Your Organization and IT Department Compliance Ready
June 14, 2006
@ 2:00 p.m. Eastern/11:00 a.m. Pacific
Duration: 60 minutes
Register & Attend Online
If you are unable to attend the live event you may still register and
will receive an e-mail when the on-demand version becomes available.
Sarbanes-Oxley requires that businesses make changes not only to internal processes, but also changes to the technology used to document, publish and back up data. Identifying, testing and documenting internal controls can pinpoint and prevent errors or fraud that can alter an
enterprise's financial statements. While the time, cost and effort required to comply with SOX is
significant, there are numerous benefits to be realized: improved controls and documentation processes, a better corporate control environment, a stronger control over computer systems
and system access and more effective risk management.
SOX is a major undertaking because of the sheer and need to cut across a complexity of systems, involve numerous employees, and cover multiple disparate branches. It is also crucial that technology strategies align with an organization's SOX compliance initiatives and business
plans.
Is your business still struggling to make sense of and implement the requirements? What can you do to streamline reporting and archiving processes? And how can you make sure the solutions you have implemented will be scalable and flexible as compliance requirements
increase? How can you maintain a cost-effective, efficient solution?
Join this live, interactive eSeminar as compliance experts and Baseline Magazine examine the key trends surrounding corporate governance as well as financial systems monitoring software that ensures compliance with regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley.
- Evaluating your company's current Sarbanes-Oxley compliance strategy for effectiveness and efficiency
- Developing a more secure and easy-to-use data management strategy
- Available tools and solutions to document compliance and financial systems management
- Best practices for ensuring your organization gets and stays in compliance
Featured Speakers
Elliot Markowitz, Editorial Director - Ziff Davis Media eSeminars
Deborah Gage, Senior Editor, Baseline
Sean Kracklauer, Sarbanes-Oxley Practice Lead - The Hackett Group
Bob Mosley, Director, IT Transformation Practice, The Hackett Group
Ed Moyle, Manager, Information Security Solutions Practice, CTG
Todd Tucker, CISSP, CISA, CPA, Chief Marketing Strategist - NetIQ
Sponsored by Net IQ Corp.
http://www.eseminarslive.com/ for a complete list of upcoming Ziff Davis Media eSeminars.
Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale
Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale
Register to win a 3 IN 1 DJBOX2 128mb MP3 PLAYER.
(10 winners will be selected)
Through the advancements of technology, organizations regardless of size are now competing against one another. When it comes to the global economy, IT has made the entire business world attainable with the technical advances of the digital revolution. This increased reach,
however, also leads to cutthroat competition. The companies that will survive are the ones that harness technological innovation to allow them to focus on their core competencies and customer service.
Modernizing business processes and delivering on these challenges pose major challenges for those organizations with limited financial, IT, personnel and time resources. The small/medium businesses (SMBs) that will survive are the ones that run efficiently and offer the best customer
service.
Unlike their larger foes, SMBs can't afford to get it wrong the first time.
On June 27, 2006 Ziff Davis Media, Gold Winner of the Folio: Fame Award for Best Online Event, will produce, direct, and host "Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale." Attend this free one-day SMB technology virtual tradeshow for the answers to your most pressing
questions. You'll hear directly from industry analysts, consultants, IT managers, applications experts and vendor executives. Learn how to drive efficiency, use technology and manage workflow. Don't let your small/medium business fall behind.
Register Now
This Virtual Tradeshow includes:
- Pre-event networking opportunities with industry professionals and peers via chat and the introNetworks community
- Virtual booths for obtaining exhibitor information, receiving industry updates and exchanging virtual business cards
- Live Keynote presentation and panel discussions with leading analysts, consultants, government officials and vendor executives will be on hand to share their knowledge
Show Date
June 27th, 2006
9:00-11:00 ET
Virtual Doors "Open": Browse Vendor Booths, Network with
Peers
11:00-11:45 ET
Opening Keynote: Business Efficiency and Enhanced Customer Service Through Automation
Featured Speaker: Judith A. Roussel, District
Director - Illinois
District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
1:00-1:45 ET
Hot Button Panel 1: The Virtual Company - How to Run a Business Without an Office
3:00-3:45 ET
Hot Button Panel 2: Outsource is not a Dirty Word: Using Hosted Service Providers to Drive Efficiency
5:00-5:45 ET
Hot Button Panel 3: You Get What You Pay For: Disaster Recovery and Continuity Strategies That May Save Your Business
View the full program
Choose the Right Measures, Drive the Right Strategy
Choose the Right Measures, Drive the Right Strategy
The common problem of metrics overload—specifically, having too many metrics,
resulting in diluted focus, irrelevance, and most critically, employees finding
difficulty in seeing which actions they should take to execute strategic
objectives. In this article, accounting and performance measurement expert
Dennis Campbell traces a major Canadian bank's experience in overhauling its
customer satisfaction metrics to make them meaningful—and actionable—to
frontline employees. full article...
Download an excerpt from Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton's new book,
Alignment.
In Alignment, Kaplan and Norton apply their revolutionary Balanced Scorecard
management system to corporate-level strategy, revealing how companies achieve
powerful synergies by defining corporate headquarters' role in setting,
coordinating, and overseeing organizational strategy. download exerpt...
Target Setting BSC: Best Buy Case Study
Best Buy: Putting Customers First—with the BSC
The story of how Minnesota-based Best Buy shifted focus from products to
customers, a reprioritization that led to dazzling financial and nonfinancial
results—and a place in the BSC Hall of Fame in 2005. Now the company has
positioned itself to achieve aggressive new goals—including dramatically
increasing the number of its stores and enhancing annual operating income.
more...
Target Setting BSC
Look at the challenging tasks of defining measures and setting targets, tasks
that often fade into the background when the spotlight is on the major
scorecard-building challenges of articulating strategy and identifying strategic
objectives. One of the most delicate tasks is setting effective stretch
targets—those that are ambitious, yet achievable without being demoralizing. In
this article, Robert S. Kaplan discusses internal and external benchmarks across
the four BSC performance perspectives, presenting proven methods for setting
stretch targets that deliver the results leaders want.
read article...
Best Buy: Putting Customers First—with the BSC
Best Buy: Putting Customers First—with the BSC
The story of how Minnesota-based Best Buy shifted focus from products to
customers, a reprioritization that led to dazzling financial and nonfinancial
results—and a place in the BSC Hall of Fame in 2005. Now the company has
positioned itself to achieve aggressive new goals—including dramatically
increasing the number of its stores and enhancing annual operating income.
href="http://hbsp.ed10.net/h/GYUXI/EKN5L/6C/D4JLGD">full article
Linking Strategy and Planning Budgets
Linking Strategy and Planning Budgets
Untangle the inherent but critical structural conflict organizations face in
linking strategy and organizational design. This article, the first in a
two-part series, illustrates how a successfully linked strategic
planning/budgeting process depends not only on integrating all the entities of
an enterprise, but also on reconciling long-term goals (strategy) with
short-term realities (budgeting).
full article...
Affiliate Marketing: Education Services
Affiliate Marketing: Education Services
Onveon is the premier online destination for Education Search, bringing
together students and the education industry. This client enables you to search
a database of hundreds of schools and study programs.
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sale
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PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Success Tied to Simplicity
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Success Tied to Simplicity
The founder of a software development startup doles out
unconventional
advice to large companies: Limit work on
custom projects to three
weeks.
href="http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-361-1-15-56373-39412-0-0-0-1">full article...
QUESTION: Do you think it's reasonable to impose a three-week
deadline for
custom software development projects? Write to
technology editor David F.
Carr at href="mailto:baseline@ziffdavis.com">baseline@ziffdavis.com
What Great Managers Do
As a leader and manager you are under constant pressure to ensure that your
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Think of it as IT U. for your company.
It's no small task making sure yourIT staff stays on top of the never-ending advances in software and hardware.Training from IBM was designed to keep their IT knowledge base on track and astep ahead. Only a university offers more classes. Over 900 diverse courses in40 major cities, with additional virtual training locations. As well astechnical conferences. Plus, courses can be customized to target skills thatdemand the most attention.
Special Summer Open House.
If youattend Summer Open House sessions, between June 1 and September 1, 2006, you'llreceive special offers from IBM Training Providers. Also get reduced rates ifyou sign up for small onsite classes from IBM.
IBM IT Training Services
The Check Is Not in the Mail
The Check Is Not in the Mail
From The New York Times (Topic: Healthcare IT), May 25:
Few things rankle a doctor more than an insurance company's saying it cannot find a claim for
medical services. Particularly when there is even a signed return receipt to document delivery
of the bill.
more...
Learn how IAB Health Benefits Services helps docotrs avoid late payments from medical insurance companies.
For more on health care IT, see "Sick over Health Care IT,"
from Dan Briody's Biz Bytes: full article...
Maximizing the Value of All Your Information
Special Report on Information Management: Maximizing the Value of All Your Information
From CIO Insight (Topic: Information Management), June 6:
Are you getting the most out of the terabytes of information your enterprise holds? This
special report on the fast-growing importance of information governance lays out the problem
faced by every corporation in managing its structured and unstructured information for maximum returns, and how to solve those problems.
full article
For more on information management, see "Making Information Pay," from Ed Cone's Know-It-All: more...
A Protection Plan For Your PDA
A Protection Plan For Your PDA
You’ve finally come to terms with being savvy about security on your laptop.
But if you’ve added a PDA to the mix, you’re looking at a slightly different set
of rules and products to ensure your personal and professional data is properly
secured.
Protect your PDA.
Web Site Maintenance: Do It Yourself, Or Outsource It?
Web Site Maintenance: Do It Yourself, Or Outsource It?
If you build a Web site, you need to keep it fresh and updated. The question
is, who does the work, and how?
read article...
Summer Slowdown Is Time To Recharge Your Business
Summer Slowdown Is Time To Recharge Your Business
Like many small businesses, Rick Lehrer and his seven employees at Cambridge
Life Agency overworked during busy periods, then coasted during summer
slowdowns.
The problem: When his New York insurance brokerage business accelerated after
slowdowns, Lehrer was frustrated again, because he never had time to accomplish
all his goals.
Read how Lerhrer started taking advantage of the slow season to reconnect
with customers, do some business and financial planning, and more ... and how
you can too.
Click here:
Summer Slowdown Is Time To Recharge Your Business
FIVE WORDS TO NEVER USE IN AN AD
Forget the meaningless cliches and empty promises. What really matters is what customers take away about a business.
more...
ITIL Best Practices for IT and Business Alignment
ITIL Best Practices for IT and Business Alignment
by Mercury Interactive Corporation
full article...
Tech Giants Fawn over Small Fry
The Big Deal: Tech Giants Fawn over Small Fry
With the high-end enterprise market growing at a snail's pace and big vendors desperate for new revenue, industry heavyweights are turning their attention to SMBs.
more...
Intuit Extends SMB Reach of QuickBooks Enterprise
Intuit Extends SMB Reach of QuickBooks Enterprise
Intuit moved higher into the small to midsize business market with the introduction of a new 20-seat license and a new channel promotion for its QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 6.0 accounting package.
Read the rest of John's report.
more...
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MELTING POT
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MELTING POT
African Americans, Asians, and Latinos are launching new businesses at rates far above the national average.
full article
HOW WE USE THE WEB TODAY
HOW WE USE THE WEB TODAY
A new study presents one of the clearest pictures of how people get their fill of Web-based media, especially at work.
Read the Survey.
Are You Satisfied With Your Wall Street Career?
Are You Satisfied With Your Wall Street Career?
If not, eFinancialCareers.com can help. We feature premier Wall Street jobs
from top firms, plus career-focused content to give you the advice you need to
plot your next move, or just to see what's out there. Find out what you're
worth, read the latest news in your sector and see who's hiring on
eFinancialCareers.com.
For help updating your resume use a personal resume review service.
HR, jobs, derivatives, electronic trading, trading, risk management
Labels: careers, derivatives, electronic trading, hr, jobs, risk management, trading
IT Budget Tools Simplify Number Crunching
IT Budget Tools Simplify Number Crunching
Crunching numbers is obviously a big part of any CIO's job. This list of 10
budget tools from Baseline, with links to each, should make that task a little
easier. Among them: a calculator for determining the costs of IT services,
especially handy for companies with chargeback policies; a calculator to help
determine the return on investment for VoIP migration projects; a calculator for
determining the costs of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance efforts; and a tutorial that
walks CIOs through building an IT scorecard for their organization.
more...
Grid Computing - Slow Market Acceptance
Uptake Slow Outside Data-Intense Uses, but Vendors Keep Pushing Grid Concept
Just eight of 100 IT managers who responded to a recent survey said they had
either already deployed or planned to adopt grid computing. Issues holding them
back included concerns about cost, complexity and security. Early adopters are
in data-intense industries; telecommunications companies are joining financial
services companies and scientific researchers on the grid. Cost control is one
of the biggest bonuses. Big vendors, including HP and Sun, continue to push the
grid concept to smaller companies. IBM has introduced a Grid and Grow product
designed to ease adoption pains for SMBs. According to IBM, the bundle of
hardware, software and services will make it easy for first-time users to
implement grid technology.
fullarticle...
Few IT Managers Express Interest in Grid Computing
How to Get a Pay Raise
How to Get a Pay Raise
Do you feel like you should be making more money? You're not alone. Most
people feel overworked and underpaid. Though negotiating a raise might seem
impossible, it may be easier...read more
full article
Ziff Davis CIO Summit
Ziff Davis CIO Summit
The Ziff Davis CIO Summit is an intimate two-and-a-half day invitation-only
event hosted by the editors of eWEEK, Baseline and CIO Insight. During the
summit, CIOs will learn how to master internal IT consolidation skills and will
interact with executives who are driving mergers, acquisitions and business
consolidation in the IT sector. Learn More.
Register Today
Emerging Today, Global Tomorrow
Emerging Today, Global Tomorrow
Never heard of Ranbaxy? You may very soon.
The Indian drug outfit is one of 100 companies identified by Boston Consulting Group as future global powerhouses.
more...
A Golden Age for China's Banks
A Golden Age for China's Banks
Why are global players still buying up shares of mainland banks? It's a long-term wager on the country's financial system -- and overall growth potential.
full article
China's Drive for Local Car Brands
China's Drive for Local Car Brands
Striking out on their own, auto makers are planning to bring Chinese nameplates to car lots in the U.S. and Europe.
full article
In Search of a PC for the People
In Search of a PC for the People
The race is on to serve "the next billion" in emerging markets.
Whose
low-cost model will win?
href="http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?id=615456&c=22f6a904cf512287&l=1">more...
Business for Sale: Affiliate Marketing Business
Business for Sale: Affiliate Marketing Online Business
Founded in 1999, AffiliateAnnouncement is the only full-service affiliate directory submission company.
- 2005 Revenue: $55,059.00
- 2006 YTD Revenue: $56,890.00
- 2006 Projected Revenue: $136k+
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AffiliateAnnouncement is a web-based company that is easily relocated and operated as a home-based business.
Click here for more information. Download Business Reports and Contact Information.
The Threat to Europe
The Threat to EuropeWith economic nationalism on the rise, European leaders need to do a better job of explaining why a single market makes sense.
full article
For Job-Searching Grads: Gifts to Get the Job Done
For Job-Searching Grads: Gifts to Get the Job Done
By Rachel Florman
When looking for a gift for grads who are entering the job market,
think about what you can do to help advance the job search.
Full Article
Learn more about resume writing and interview preparation services.
3 Long-term Benefits of IT Consolidation
3 Long-term Benefits of IT Consolidation
by Hewlett-Packard
To pursue any type of consolidation responsibly is to completely understand
the short- and long-term ramifications and to enact changes that actually foster
new levels of productivity. This white paper discusses 3 long-term benefits of
IT consolidation.
more...
