Thursday, 4 July 2013

There have been many notable inventions over the years. Imagine patenting a match or pen. Just think, every time one is sold, a percentage of the revenue would be given to the inventor. If the inventors of these two products had actually patented their inventions they may have actually benefited from a luxurious lifestyle. See who else failed to protect their inventions

Friday, 14 June 2013

Tennis, Motor Racing, Golf and now Football (Soccer). Technology is often used to improve performance but with it, the traditional way of playing a game changes. We are not only looking at diet and the evolution of power and speed of an athlete but what about the equipment used in that sport. Formula 1 cars are run by laptops, Golfers are hitting over 300 yards with a driver and causing a lot of golf courses to become redundant, tennis rackets are stronger, lighter and can produce greater power when returning the ball. Now football / soccer and the ball - by making it lighter and its flight more controllable changes the way the game is played. Read more

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Something to keep those waiting for the next bus occupied. Just show what you can do with software. Your imagination is your limitation.Applications are endless for this process. Just think shopping and how the outfit would look on you without trying it on, birthday cards etc Software

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Weddings are big business and there are a lots of avenues where your money is quickly funneled away. That's before you have even written the guest list. For some of you, you will be going to weddings, now it is summer and Wedding season. When you are next at a wedding, have a look around and see where money has been spent. It is very easy to lose sight of the day with lavish and over the top purchases when that money could have been used on the newly weds house, car and various upgrades. A simple Opportunity cost moment. Be lavish and have less, or be frugal and have more to set up your new life together. if you are luck then have both. Spare a moment for the best man too. Cost of a wedding

Monday, 10 June 2013

Obesity is a problem and it is not going away. It has to be addressed sooner rather than later, otherwise the majority of health issues will be related to obesity when it could have so easily been avoided. Drink driving, texting while driving, smoking adverts etc have all become more graphic and shocking as time has gone on. If people actually took notice, there wouldn't be the need for shock tactics. See the advert and make your own mind up. Obesity advert

With new legislation coming in regarding the Affordable care Act, employers are beginning to cut workers hours etc to reduce its costs. One company is going against the grain and spending more. It believes that by paying more now, it will reap the rewards later. Affordable care Act

When we talk about business plans, external influences etc, we often mention the Government, competition and on occasions technology. 3D printing is coming to the masses and it is now a question of how much will it effect us. Will stores selling polymer plastics sell on ebay to the home, instead of exclusively to businesses? Will our nation move further into the madness of the disposable era? A great article on how new technology COULD potentially change the world. 3D printing

Thursday, 6 June 2013

In the days where money is needed to make the world go round and it is an essential part of running a football club, Bolton Wanderers Football Club would have been happy with a sponsorship deal. The only part of the deal where it caused controversy was with the whom. In today's climate, where there are a lot of financial hardships, QuickQuid a short term loan company with high interest rates had their sponsorship deal pulled due to the views of their fans. A great article to discuss ethics and shareholders. Quick Quid sponsorship

If you persist, you will succeed. A great story how a lady first started as a receptionist and is now the CEO of the multi million dollar company. She clearly had barriers and she did take her chances. She showed determination and was willing to work. Read for yourself.

A great article for all students in seeing the bigger picture. It highlights the many inter relationships and external influences that culminate in the change in the supply and demand for beef. Beef prices increase

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

As mentioned in a previous post, student loans and debt are huge weights around your neck which could needlessly be avoided, or at least reduced if you spent more time knowing the value of money and being more frugal. You can only spend the same dollar once. It is easier to spend than it is to earn. It is easier to borrow than it is to pay back. For those going to college, learn to budget and make do with what you have. If you want more, go out and earn more. Don't put it on your plastic friend and make the minimum payments. You should be aware of what could potentially happen to you by keeping up to date with potential policies.

Monday, 27 May 2013

Many of you will either be going to college or graduating and moving onto University or out of the world of Education. Unfortunately it is unavoidable, but money does make the world go round and you will have to be honest with yourself, be aware of your finances and in some cases be frugal. Money is easy to come by in terms of it being lent to you, but what you see as easy money now becomes a weight around your neck in the future as it has to be paid back with interest. When you leave college, you will not only have to pay back your student debt, but run a household etc. By making sure your student debt is manageable, it is one less thing to worry about in the future. Student debt

Toyota has now become the worlds most valuable car brand, beating BMW to pole. The jump to number one is due to the interest in the hybrid versions in their product range. Will this be sustained? The early adopter follows the trends of the world in trying to become more green. It will be interesting to see the rest of the manufacturers follow suit. Valuable brand.

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Branding, reputation and the logo go hand in hand. When we see a Logo that is relevant to us, we tend to have an immediate association with it. The Logo will convey a message to us about the product or company. Companies spend huge amounts of time and money pushing their message across to the consumer. This link will show you how much each business has either paid for a logo design or complete overhaul of the logo, its message and perception. Logo

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

A Weetabix shortage is looming due to there being a shortage of Wheat to produce the product. This has been brought on by a poor harvest. The knock on effect being a simple case of supply and demand. With poor harvests, this has also meant a rise in crop prices which no doubt will either be passed onto the consumer or it will have to be absorbed into the costings and ultimately profit.

With farmers also struggling to feed their cattle due to the price of the crops and lack of grain, breaking even is a task in itself and has prompted farmers to flood the market with their cattle in order to get as much of the investment back. This means that beef and pork prices will be marginally lower for a short period of time but will rise quite dramatically next year. Weetabix

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Advertising on Facebook is big business. With so many accounts and people spending time on their pages, the sponsors have a captive audience and potentially able to target potential shoppers more efficiently. The result being sales. Read this article to find out more. A Facebook fan is worth...

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Fashion trends come and go. Some are good, some are great and some I think should be left at home. However, there has often been some inspiration behind the styling and the ones adopting the new style don't always understand where the "style" came from. I am not going to say anything, but please read the article for yourself. Saggy pants

JC Penny thought it had a handle on its pricing strategies, but unfortunately did not fully understand their customer. Coupons are now one of the ways that stores differentiate. A great article for Marketing.

The future of self drive. Just think of the possibilities. Self drive holidays take on a whole new meaning. The morning commute with much calmer with less erratic drivers. Car drives you home after a nigh out, no need to worry about the alcohol consumption. Licences are kept when medical and age disqualifies them. Will licences even be necessary in the future?

Thursday, 11 April 2013

With mounting financial worries for the United States Postal Service, in their wisdom they have decided to launch a clothing line called Rain, Heat and Snow. Currently in order to increase revenue, they are delivering more junk mail to the annoyance of those receiving it to make up their Sales Revenue targets.

A great way of diversifying and I will be interested to see how their clothing stacks up. In theory, their employees work throughout the year in every type of weather possible and if these clothes stand up to their demands, they will definitely stand up to mine. USPS

In today's world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc someones worth is often rated on the number of followers that they have. In the world of retail, if something is priced too cheaply there must be something wrong with it. Twitter accounts and the number of followers is just one of the tools that are used to boost rating of a person or product. Justin Bieber

Monday, 8 April 2013

Britain's first and only female Prime Minister died today. A great Lady in her own right who believed that honesty and hard work was the way forward. She did not like the lazy "entitled" entity who were quick to point fingers and keep their hands out. Like anyone, there are always fans and detractors and I am not writing here to try and make your mind up for you.

However, I do believe she should be remembered for a lot of things. Everyone can learn a thing or two of how or how not to do things. My one resounding memory of her was an interview that she did on a TV show. On the show there was the presenter, an opposition politician and Margaret Thatcher. Through the interview, the politician would be putting his view across and talking over Margaret Thatcher. She sat there calmly listening to what he had to say and then picked his arguments apart one by one in a logical way. She answered his questions in a direct way, using his words. That was the day I learnt the difference between listening and hearing. Margaret Thatcher

Tuesday, 2 April 2013

In today's world of political correctness, the idea that we are all equal, no one is allowed to speak their mind for fear of insulting someone blah blah blah, there are often startling common sense predicaments that should be sorted out without reprisal as opposed to potentially offending anyone. With this in mind there have been a number of times when I have been at the airport with my luggage being weighed when I am a kilogram over the limit. The solution, open up the case and take out my jacket and put it on. My bag is now at the correct weight , there is no charge for excess baggage and everybody is happy. At the next check in desk, there is a person checking in who weighs more than myself and my luggage combined, but I am having to take a jacket out of my luggage to keep everyone happy. I understand that the luggage can only be a certain weight due to the baggage handlers and what they are allowed to lift. Air Samoa are introducing a pricing system that makes you pay what you weigh. The price is based per kilogram and therefore each passengers ticket price could be different. Pay what you weigh

Monday, 1 April 2013

Gasoline, Petrol, Fuel, whatever you want to call it is an inelastic good. It is an essential part of our lives. Without fuel, we cannot drive our cars, products cannot get to market or even be made. Therefore we are held to the ransom on fuel prices. Before you start shouting at the fuel companies have a think at how the costs are so high at the pump. In the UK 80 pence in every pound spent goes to the Government in the form of tax. When fuel prices rise, the article attached claims that for every cent that the price rises for fuel, there is $1bn less to spend in the economy. Walmart is trying to help their customers by offering discounts on fuel if they use their Walmart credit card. Your thoughts please. Walmart fuel

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Every Action has a reaction and this is something that should become the way we think on a daily basis. For example, businesses are generally started by Entrepreneurs for various reasons. They take risks and build their businesses to sustain their needs. When the business gets bigger, they take on staff and further responsibilities. To maintain their profit levels they need to keep costs in check. If they have investors, there is even further pressure to be profitable in order to pay their shareholders the return that they expect. If costs are increased, either prices of products need to rise, cuts have to be made or less profit needs to be expected. If it is your business are you happy with less money in your pocket? It is you who has taken the risk and made sacrifices to set up and run your business. With the latest legislation coming into the marketplace with regards Health Care, steps to reduce costs and maintain profitability or even survival have to be taken. Read what is happening in the restaurant sector. Action, reaction and consequence.

Friday, 29 March 2013

One day, the majority of you will marry. Before getting married an engagement ring will be required. Please consider these things in terms of costings and finance before you jump in and laden yourself with debt. Remember the ring is just the start! Engagement financing

Thursday, 28 March 2013

Kudos to this young man and his achievement. I have said for a while that you need an idea, a skill and determination and this is exactly what Nick did. He put the three things together and received a large pay day from someone who has bought his online business. His idea came out of a need or frustration, he had the skill to do something about it and the determination not to give it up and see the project through. Congratulations once again. Online success

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Here is something interesting for the Business Students. The EU, the enlargement of the EU and the advantages and disadvantages of having a border-less Europe to trade in. No tariffs and quotas. The US are now considering a free trade agreement between the US and Europe in order to stimulate the EU markets. An interesting article and something to definitely discuss in class. EU and US Free Trade.

Monday, 25 March 2013

In setting up your own business, trying something new or just plain trying, there is always an excuse why you cannot succeed. If you give into these insecurities then you will never truly know whether you can achieve it or not. If you don't succeed after trying then you know for sure, however a lesson will be learnt which might prompt you to be successful elsewhere. Ping Fu is a multi millionaire who could have had plenty of excuses NOT to succeed. She ignored her excuses and made her venture a success. Ping Fu

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

A great article for those covering Unions in their studies. The minimum wage, why the Trade Unions want membership and the politics of the decision. Does this ring true world wide? Textile Unions in South Africa

In the internet world, collaborations often occur in order to maintain market share, climb up the SEO rankings and enhance one another products. Facebook and Netflix are no exception. Through the change in the Video Privacy Act, Netflix and Facebook are now able to share information. Users watch movies provided by Netflix and Facebook shares this information with the users friends. The rest you can figure out. Netflix and Facebook share.

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

I just came across this video of two kids in a break dancing contest. One of them is a 6 year old girl called Terra. They are both really good and although talented, there is no doubt that a lot of hard work and practice has resulted in them being as good as they are. If you want something, the harder you practice, the luckier you get. Read the article and watch the video. Break dance

In the world of ego, arrogance and seriousness, it is fantastic to see people with high profiles in their sport doing a lot for charities at their expense. Some of the biggest names in golf have done exactly this. Life can be too serious at times and it is OK to laugh at yourself and have some fun. These guys are great. Their rap songs were made with all proceeds going to charity. Please support them. Rap video.

Sunday, 3 March 2013

Social media has become so intertwined in our lives. How do you use yours? Have you become too reliant on Social media? Have a think of the reasons why you use social media and what the next best thing is going to be. Is Facebook all it can be, or are there other avenues? Is Facebook in decline?

Monday, 25 February 2013

In Business studies, Net Present Value theory is covered. it is part of Investment Appraisal and it basically covers the return on investment over a period of time. With inflation through cost of goods sold etc, the value of your money today will be worth far less in the future in terms of buying power. If you ask your Grandparents how much they bought their house for and compare it to the price your parents paid for theirs, there is a huge difference. I am sure you could name a few products that you have bought that have increased in price over time. The point is that one dollar or one pound etc will be worth less in the future. A pound now worth 33p

Soft Skills are now regarded as really important in industry. When recruiting, soft skills are often sought after. In examinations, soft skills are often mentioned when discussing HR. This article is a great resource for your studies and as a benchmark for you in your future careers. Soft Skills article.

I have just come across this great article talking about the potential successes of two well known brands and the value of their balance sheets. A great resource for financial calculations, theory and wider issues. House of Cards

Monday, 18 February 2013

When your phone is stolen, lost or destroyed, it is not necessarily the loss of phone that is the problem but the actual data on the phone. There is the inconvenience of the cost of the phone, but if you have insurance, it is not really a problem as such. Phones are becoming an integral part of our lives, we have contacts, emails, calendars, music, pictures.... on our phones. If your phone got into the wrong hands, how much information would they have of yours? You should back up your information often, but more importantly think about the content of your phone in the wrong hands. Apps are now on the market that allow you to find your phone.

Friday, 15 February 2013

There are a lot of preconceptions about tattoos and piercings. In some cultures it is expected. In Samoa, boys have to endure tattoos when becoming men. In other parts of the world, it is a form of expression or a way of feeling affiliated to a group or purpose and therefore a badge of honor. With regards piercings, is it a shock factor, conversation point or a natural progression from having your ears pierced? Either way, when jobs are becoming more competitive to get, these perceptions could inhibit your chances of getting a job. If you are to get a tattoo, make sure it is something that you will never tire of and that you are able to cover it up. Article

Monday, 11 February 2013

The gaming world is huge business and development is constant. I have often wondered how the really good gamers would stack up in the real world. In the virtual world, they learn the moves, the strategies etc but could this learn't behavior actually transfer into the pressured role of the real world? Flying games and pilots, shooting games and the armed forces and driving games and racing. A story has just come out about the abilities of the racing car gamers, where they were entered into races as an experiment but were deemed too good to race at anything less than pro racing level. Could this be the start of opening up the expensive sport of racing to the masses? Could the next Nascar or Formula 1 driver be an ex gamer who started on an Xbox or PlayStation as opposed top grassroots karting?What do you think?

Friday, 8 February 2013

Bullying is an ugly event. I am sure most of you have been on the end of some kind of ridicule. Some people will say that when they were making comments about people, they were only joking, whilst others will flat out admit that they meant every word. Others will be unaware of their actions and ultimately upset people without realizing it. Comments and actions can hurt and you need to be aware of your actions.Kaitlyn Collins was party to the actions of another, leading "trolls" to make unsavory comments about her. Watch this video to see how she dealt with it. Well done Kaitlyn.

Thursday, 7 February 2013

Excuses are often free flowing when failure is met. Even worse, many are not even prepared to try and therefore failing before they start. In the real world, failure is actually accepted as long as you try and give it your all. Everyone fails at something, but as long as you learn from the failure and move on, it is often far more beneficial to you than not participating in the first place. Shaqeum Griffin lost his hand at the age of 4 and could have quite easily played the victim and not attempted to realize his potential. Instead he was driven to succeed and has subsequently signed with a college to play American Football. His attitude helped him realize his potential. Hows yours?

Saturday, 2 February 2013

With the economy in the state that it is in, businesses are making further cuts in order to survive. With less demand for products and services, businesses have to make decisions on how they are going to move forward in a changing climate. Workforce is generally the first to go and if that is not enough, businesses have to look at other areas. In the past, businesses have had chains of stores, some running at a loss but are only kept open as a form of exposure for their brand. Unfortunately, with decisions to close stores in order to trade another day, many people will lose their jobs, which in turn effects the unemployment rate and competition for remaining jobs will increase. (life is a competition).

How many of these closures are due to new technology changes i.e. downloads etc. Are these closures actually impacting the businesses bottom line or are the only losers in these closures the employees?

Friday, 1 February 2013

A great article both about Lego and a brand of chocolate. This could be related to culture for the BUSS4 or even for BUSS1 marketing. When we look at marketing and the 4Ps' and in this instance Product, we often think of what the physical product is and not necessarily the experience. When you have your lawn mowed, watch a soccer match, eat a candy bar or buy flowers, you should think to yourself why you bought that particular product and the value placed on it. Article.

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

When are Apple and Samsung not in the news? The battle for market share and thus leadership has been hotly contested for a while. Apple with its wide range of products that succinctly synchronize with one another, have had competitors chasing Apples dust for a while, to the point that they were the must have device. Samsung have slowly been opening the door, catching up on the innovation and first mover advantage of Apple and now is in sight to make a serious play in the market share battle of the phone. For all Business studies students, this is a must read.

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

I have always been passionate about teaching, which has ultimately led me to set up my own business through my experiences in the classroom. When teaching finance, some of my students would suddenly panic as soon as the word finance was mentioned. This prompted me to create Fortune and Venture and now I am following a dream of mine which was always to own my own business. There is an idea in everybody, but you need passion and determination to succeed. This is true of anything. To be come really good at something, you have to be prepared to work hard. If you happen to like what you are doing, things become much easier. A great story about a 14 year old who didn't like his mothers cooking and decided he could do a better job. Read the article to find out what happened next. Article

Just come across this teacher using rap as a way of teaching his daughter and class about math. A memorable way and much kudos to him. I am sure in your lifetime, you can think of ways that you have been taught and the knowledge and experience has stuck with you ever since.You can't divide by zero.

Monday, 21 January 2013

Entrepreneurship is a gamble. You win some and you lose some. Generally the gamble however is well thought out and sometimes, you just get it wrong. Lance Armstrong has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In his time, he was viewed as a great cyclist , a survivor of cancer and an inspiration for a lot of people. He raised a lot of money for charity, and although he was tagged as a cheat by some, it was denied and his persona and public profile was of doing great things as opposed to cheating on his bike. Recently he finally admitted to cheating and his world has come crashing down around him. In recent posts, I mentioned that every Action has a Reaction and therefore a Consequence. Outside of Lance Armstrong's world, others have won and lost. Other cyclists will win because they may get the sponsorship deals, cycling should become a cleaner sport and therefore the more talented actually win the races. Drug testing companies also win because more money is spent on making things right. However there are losers and one was an Entrepreneur who bought 10 000 videos about Lance Armstrong. Since the revelations, he cannot sell them and has therefore been left holding the stock and not being able to redeem his investment. However you have to laugh in some ways because where there is an Action, there is a Reaction and in this case an Australian Library decided to put a spin on how they lent out their videos by moving the video from the non fiction section into the fiction section. Winners and Losers

When Atari first came out, it was groundbreaking. I remember my first Atari, I had Pacman, tennis, fishing and a robot game. If memory serves me right, the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 were also in the market place. By being the innovator, I would have thought that they would have market advantage and held the market place to ransom. Atari is now in trouble and filing for bankruptcy. It makes me wonder, how were they first movers in the market place and now they are more or less out for the count. Where did they go wrong? Was it the difference in games, poor management, wrong strategy, ego in the board room, lack of investment? The list goes on. If the late Steve Jobs had been a part of Atari, would it be the market leader? Lots to think about and a great business example when examining strategy.Atari

Monday, 14 January 2013

Just like VW owns Skoda, Seat, Audi, Porsche and Bugatti, there are many other large businesses that own a stable of brands that allow them to sell their products to a wide range of customers and therefore ensure that market share, sales and all markets are represented by that particular company. Swatch is about to joins those ranks by adding a high end watch company to their stable. Can you think of any other companies that have done this? See Swatch article.

Everyday we are subjected to statistics. If numbers are presented, the facts must be true, or are they? Read this article to see how the actual statistic regarding Facebook can be misleading. Facebook article.

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

This is where customer service is at its best. You cannot but help give Kudos to Lego for this. A young boy saved all his money from Christmas and bought himself a Lego toy. Against his Dads advise and better judgement, he took his new toy to the local supermarket, but unfortunately lost some of the pieces for it. Distraught, his father urged him to write a letter to see if Lego would replace the lost pieces. Read the letter and Lego's response.

Like most Entrepreneurs, they may have come across their fair share of doubters. It is easy to believe everything you hear and stop before you even start. Some ideas, agreed are misguided, however if you believe in your idea and follow it through with all your might, then good things should happen. Belief, tenacity, research and determination will see your idea succeed. See how this Entrepreneur turned the tables on his doubters.

Monday, 7 January 2013

Bracelets on our wrist will provide better feedback and improve our experience at Disney. Whatever next? A great article for those studying business and ICT with regards Customer service, market research and innovations and application in technology. Read Disney

In the current market place, competition for jobs are extremely high and with the worldwide recession, things are only going to get more difficult. When candidates apply for positions they generally send in a resume which gets them to the next round of the interview process. It is a given that these candidates are qualified as in most cases the criteria for the application will be a minimum qualification. Once in the interview, it is down to the candidate to persuade the potential employer that they are the person for the job. Soft skills or the ability to talk and build a rapport are paramount in business. Potential employees should be well read in terms of the wider world but more importantly be able to build relationships and rapport. Read Why Soft Skills are Important

We are often told that it is all about the piece of paper that you earn, telling potential employers etc what level of education that you have studied to and so on. The reality is that the piece of paper (qualifications) is only just a part of the process to getting hired. The world out there is brutally competitive and with the worldwide recession, there is now even more choice for potential employers to pick from. This ultimately means that qualifications are not enough. it also means that employees should take note of the type of company that would match their own outlook and personality. Culture is not only a buzzword in a text book, but reality. Some companies want people to simply follow instructions, be Yes men and get on with it. Others want you to question, think out the box and push the envelope. Now you have considered the type of organisation that you want to work in, be honest with yourself and have a look at the organizations that best fit you and what you stand for. This also helps your preparation for interviews and when you are applying for positions. Read article.

Wednesday, 2 January 2013

Firstly Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays..... May 2013 be an exciting and positive year for all.

I was looking through various stories and I thought that this story was a brilliant one. A boy asked his mother for an iPhone for Christmas. On Christmas day when he opened his present, he also got a list of conditions that went with the phone. Read article for conditions.