Casual Articles - Business

Creditor Proofing Your Business - Tips fo Canadian Business Owners
A frequent cause of personal financial difficulties is the failure of a business and the attendant business-related liabilities personally owed by the company owner. These individuals must often file for bankruptcy or make a proposal to their creditors as result of business-related debts.Debtors completing their bankruptcy/ proposal often wish to start up another business sometime in the near future. The expected question then arises: how can they creditor-proof themselves in the event that their new business fails? Here are some ideas:1. Consider incorporating the business. Incorporation will provide the owner with a level of creditor protection - most of a corporation's obligations are limited to its assets so this structure can provide protection for personal assets. This structure also has income tax benefits, which will not be discussed here, (this subject warrants its own article which will be published at a later date).2. Always pay statutory debt on time, specifically:Payroll source deductions; Goods and Services Tax collected; Provincial Sale Tax collected; and Employee wages and vacation payable. In Ontario (and in certain other provinces), corporate directors can be personally responsible for these debts, notwithstanding that the business is incorporated.3. If the owner is using his or her own funds to invest in the company, it's advisable to do so in the form of a loan to the company secured by a charge over the assets. A lawyer should ensure that the proper documents are prepared and that the security interest is properly registered. In the event the company fails, the security interest will have a priority over all unsecured creditors with respect to realizing on the company assets.If the loan is not properly documented and registered, the owner may become an unsecured creditor waiting in line to be paid with all the other creditors in the event of business failure.4. Consider acquiring personal assets in a spouse's name or a family trust. Such assets do not form part of the transferor's bankruptcy estate and are therefore not subject to claims of estate creditors.5. If the company owner is putting away money for retirement, consideration should be given to investing in RRSPs that are exempt from claims; for example, segregated funds. The distinction between segregated funds and mutual funds is that segregated funds are insurance contracts. The Ontario Insurance Act provides that:"where the beneficiary of the insurance contract is a spouse, child, grandchild or parent of a person whose life is insured... the rights and interests of the insured in the insurance money and in the contract are exempt from execution or seizure..."Therefore, insurance products held in RRSPs will be exe

tions, sound legal and transportation systems. In addition, intangible components must be in place. These intangibles are access to novel ideas, informal forums, role models, region specific opportunities, access to large markets, safety nets and executive leadership. As policy within the institution is developed it must consider and include a planning process to accommodate these essentials.

Design Your Business Card Online
A business card is an ideal partner to getting your business recognized by potential clients. Business cards can be created online through a variety of templates for you to choose from. This makes the process a lot easier when you can choose a business card template and then customize it to your business. It is a fun and easy way to create your business cards online and can actually save you time and money because you do not have to consult a graphic designer. You are the designer. It is less stressful and it puts you in control of your business card needs.Business card printing will allow you to first choose a template and then change the font size, color, layout, or even add additional text if you need to. Business cards can be customized through templates, but these online sites will also give you the option to add your company logo or a photo without having to use their designs. With this option, you still can change the font color or size, and add text to complete the desired look for your business card. A black and white style business card has the look of professionalism and is easily read and understood by all who see it, as all business cards should be. Color business cards created online will give your cards just the right amount of color that will catch a potential client’s eye. The color is not the only decision when it comes to designing your business card; you also have to look at whether you want a vertical or horizontal business card.Business cards are presented to you to create in a number of ways. A magnetic card is ideal for your customers to keep on their refrigerators so they will not lose your number. Color raised ink will make your company logo or your name stand out on a white background. How about a metal business card that resists fading, scratching, or a plastic one? Business card templates can be business professional or be the ones that have clip art to choose from to give your business card an artistic edge.Business card printing online is fast and easy. It will give your business the card it deserves with a design that will give people a visual perspective of your business that may just set your business apart from other companies out there. With a color business card, consumers can keep your card around after using your company’s services and then hold pass it along to someone they know who needs a service that your company offers. Your business cards are like printed word of mouth that travels from one customer to the next.

Introduction

With increased globalization people have seen the need to increase wealth creation especially within the underdeveloped Third World. It has also become evident that neither the government nor the formal sector can supply the necessary job creation without a sustained effort and partnerships between all sectors of the economy. One means of creating work opportunities will be the development of entrepreneurial and innovative skills within the country. The creation of such job opportunities by encouraging entrepreneurial innovation has been well illustrated by Dana, Korot and Tovstiga (2005:12) in Silicon Valley, Israel, Singapore and the Netherlands. These authors report that in the narrow 35 mile by 10 mile corridor within Silicon Valley 6,500 technology enterprises are located. Singapore is home to almost 100,000 entrepreneurs and had a per capita GDP of US$42,948.00 during 2004 and an annual growth rate of 8.8% (Singapore Statistics, 2006).

In addition higher education has become a prime export commodity of total world services trade, amounting to a staggering 3% (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:5). With the increased interest in entrepreneurial innovation as an economic driver there is a need to develop expertise within this area. Thus there is a need to develop entrepreneurial innovation knowledge within higher education institutions to ensure the maintenance of a competitive edge in an under developed market. Dana, et al. (2005:10) define knowledge as “the integration of information, ideas, experience, intuition, skills and lessons learned that creates added value for a firm”. In addition Dana et el. (2005) define innovation as “the process by which knowledge is transformed into new or significantly modified products and/or services that establish the firm’s competitive edge”. It can thus be seen that it is imperative that higher education in South Africa actively pursue a policy to encourage entrepreneurial innovation to ensure the creation of expertise, the development of new industries and the empowering of students to establish themselves within an entrepreneurial innovative culture. Higher education will be required to become a key player in domesticating knowledge and diffusing it into the economy in order to serve as engines for community development and social renewal (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:6).

Problem statement

The research question under discussion is formulated as What minimum requirements should be set in an entrepreneurial and innovation framework in order to support entrepreneurial and innovation knowledge creation at institutions of higher education?

Purpose

This article attempts to develop a framework to encourage entrepreneurial thinking within a higher education environment, taking into account consideration policy and infrastructural requirements, knowledge creation fundamentals and institutional arrangements.

Policy intervention

Policy initiatives within higher education institutions are essential to establish guidance for entrepreneurs, funding agencies, industry, labour in general and for students and institutions of higher education in particular. From a higher education perspective government as well as institutional policy requirements will be discussed in brief.

·Government policies

If this is to be accomplished it will require government intervention to construct policies which should include the reduction of taxation in the form of capital gains tax rate, providing incentives for increased spending on research and development, encouraging active venture capital markets, an alteration of the ‘hiring and firing’ labour regulations, and encouraging the spending on new technology shares (Da Rin, Nicodano & Sembenelli, 2005:8).

·The higher education institution policies

The higher education institution must provide a working atmosphere in which entrepreneurship can thrive. Venkataraman (2003:154) proposes that it is not merely the injection of capital that enhances the development of entrepreneurship. Rather, it is the tangible infrastructural essentials such as capital markets, advanced telecommunications, sound legal and transportation systems. In addition, intangible components must be in place. These intangibles are access to novel ideas, informal forums, role models, region specific opportunities, access to large markets, safety nets and executive leadership. As policy within the institution is developed it must consider and include a planning process to accommodate these essentials.

Chinese Manufacturing Investment - Problems for New China Manufacturers
Foreign companies investing in China manufacturing facilities face difficult tasks in dealing with Chinese engineering and construction companies. Chinese design and construction policies and practices are vastly different from those in the West. Cultural differences often frustrate western engineers and managers attempting to complete their new China manufacturing facilities.Engineering design in China of a foreign invested plant required close supervision by the owners to insure that the final design is complete and correct. Many foreign companies assume that Chinese engineering firms understand what they want and will provide a design fulfilling those needs. Constant communication from the owner to the Chinese engineers is necessary and daily supervision and approval of their work is required.Construction after the engineering is complete is an even more demanding task to oversee. Chinese construction company organization is much different from their western countrparts with the Construcion Manager occupying a position where he cannot be replaced without dire consequences. The workers live on site and are direct employees of the Construction Manager. Their loyalty is directed to him not the company.Lack of skilled attention in the construction area has resulted in many poor quality manufacturing plants being built in China. Most of these are also over budget and late causing severe financial losses for the owners. These problems can be overcome, however, and acceptable quality, on budget, on schedule manufacturing projects are possible in China with a proper understanding of Chinese methodology and culture and proper oversight by the owners.For additional information on successful manufacturing plant project execution in China visit http://www.china-manufacturing-plant.com/

of total world services trade, amounting to a staggering 3% (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:5). With the increased interest in entrepreneurial innovation as an economic driver there is a need to develop expertise within this area. Thus there is a need to develop entrepreneurial innovation knowledge within higher education institutions to ensure the maintenance of a competitive edge in an under developed market. Dana, et al. (2005:10) define knowledge as “the integration of information, ideas, experience, intuition, skills and lessons learned that creates added value for a firm”. In addition Dana et el. (2005) define innovation as “the process by which knowledge is transformed into new or significantly modified products and/or services that establish the firm’s competitive edge”. It can thus be seen that it is imperative that higher education in South Africa actively pursue a policy to encourage entrepreneurial innovation to ensure the creation of expertise, the development of new industries and the empowering of students to establish themselves within an entrepreneurial innovative culture. Higher education will be required to become a key player in domesticating knowledge and diffusing it into the economy in order to serve as engines for community development and social renewal (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:6).

Problem statement

Purpose

Policy intervention

·Government policies

·The higher education institution policies

How To Become An Expert - And Why
Do you remember the old ads, "When E. F. Hutton speaks..."?Of course, the idea was that E. F. Hutton could offer expert advice on investing, and that it was good to listen to experts before making such an important financial decision such as investing your hard-earned money.Most of us realize the value of listening to, or getting guidance from, an expert before we enter into important changes or projects.In fact, a whole new breed of "experts" is emerging due in part to the internet and internet marketing programs. Just what are these people experts on, and how do YOU become an expert? Why would you even WANT to be an expert?WHO ARE THESE EXPERTS?They are people from every walk of life. They may be doctors and lawyers, housewives, internet marketers, shoe salesmen, Wal-Mart clerks, automobile service managers (met him last night), unemployed or retired. Male, female, young, old, college graduates and high school drop outs. Some are well known in their areas of expertise, and some have never been heard of by their peers. The next expert could be you!WHAT ARE THEY EXPERTS ON?Well, what do you need an expert on? Investments, child-rearing, self-defense, auto maintenance, cooking, network marketing, sales, running a home business...or even, how to become an expert? You name it, you can find an expert on it. Just this morning, I uncovered two experts on the uses of dryer lint.WHO NEEDS THEIR EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE?Just about everybody. Hey, I just looked for somebody who knew something about dryer lint! I was serious. I had a purpose for trying to find somebody that could tell me about it. That's what the internet is about...information. Everyday, around the entire planet, millions of people turn to the internet in hopes of finding information on just about every topic you can imagine...and some you can't!WHY BECOME AN "EXPERT" ON SOMETHING?If you have any interest in establishing an internet business or presence, one of the best ways is to be an expert in a field related to your business, project, or interest. People on the internet are seeking out experts daily, and once they find an expert they can trust, they come back to the same person for more information, and, maybe more importantly, they come to trust the opinions and guidance of the expert. If you sell pet products for example, becoming an expert on pet care could bring you into contact with many people who would be willing to buy your pet care products because they have come to trust your opinion and advice.HOW DOES BEING AN EXPERT HELP ME FIND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS?Actually, if you do it right, the potential customers will find you. A lot of the information seeking on the internet is done by means of search engines. If you have established yourself

lves within an entrepreneurial innovative culture. Higher education will be required to become a key player in domesticating knowledge and diffusing it into the economy in order to serve as engines for community development and social renewal (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:6).

Problem statement

Purpose

Policy intervention

·Government policies

·The higher education institution policies

Free Classifieds - Using Them to Promote Your Stuff Online
Classified advertising is a form of advertising that is particularly common in newspapers and other periodicals. A classified is usually textually based and can consist of as little as the type of item being sold, and a contact number to call for more information. It can also have much more detail, such as name to contact, address to contact or visit, a detailed description of the product or products. There are generally no pictures or other graphics within the advertisement, although sometimes a logo may be used.Classified advertising is generally grouped within the publication under headings classifying the product or service being offered, for example: Accounting, Automobiles, Clothing, Farm Produce, For Sale, For Rent, etc. Classified advertising is different from display advertising that often contains graphics or other art work and which is more typically distributed throughout a publication adjacent to editorial content.The free classifieds are part of free classified advertising. The free classified advertising is the advertising free of cost.In recent times classified advertising or classified ads are not merely confined to print media, rather expanded to internet network. The free classifieds and free classified advertising have become hot online catchwords. Craigslist was one of the first online classified sites.The free Internet classified advertising is rapidly growing trend of recent times. There are numerous companies and websites that offer the free online classified ads. These websites receives free classifieds ads and advertise them free of cost.There are also country specific classified online sites like usfreeads.com for United States. There are a number of agencies throughout the world that have made a business out of the classified advertising industry. For example: Wide Area Classifieds has created their own classified networks in which businesses and individuals can place ads in hundreds of different papers across the country.According to market researcher Classified Intelligence, in 2003, the market for classified ads in the United States was $15.9 billion (newspapers), $14.1 billion (online). The worldwide market for classified ads in 2003 was estimated at over $100 billion.

udents and institutions of higher education in particular. From a higher education perspective government as well as institutional policy requirements will be discussed in brief.

·Government policies

·The higher education institution policies

Teaching Abroad: How To Improve Your Odds Of Landing A Job
While opportunities for teaching abroad abound, there are far more of them for individuals who have been certified through specific teaching programs. Most of the opportunities are available for those qualified to teach linguistics, communications, and cultural skills.Native English speakers who would like to start teaching abroad can increase their chances of finding jobs by completing the TEFL—Teaching English as a Foreign Language program; many countries are desperate for native English speaking teachers.Another program, TESL, or Teaching English as a Second Language, will enable you to find employment in countries where English is the primary language, but there is a significant non-English speaking immigrant population. With both types of training, your opportunities for teaching abroad will span the globe. You will have an advantage over those without certification, because your willingness to get formal training will be an indication of your motivation when you apply for positions teaching abroad.The Competition Is StiffBecause there are many more applicants for positions teaching abroad than there are positions--some estimates are as high as twenty candidates for each position at the better schools--overseas applicants need to have at the least a Bachelor’s Degree and teaching credential, with a minimum of two years’ experience. Childless couples have a better chance of getting jobs than those with children; couples with children take precedence over singles without children. and single people with children have almost no likelihood of being hired.The competition for jobs teaching abroad at the best schools means that you will need an excellent resume, and be prepared to be active in extra-curricular activities. If you have already traveled internationally or, even better, lived abroad for a while, and are bi-lingual, your chances of getting a job will improve even more. You’ll need to impress on your prospective employer your love of children.Becoming An AmbassadorAnd, if you are an American interested in teaching abroad, teaching English as a second language will give you the chance to appreciate the cultures of the country in which you are teaching. But it will also expose your students to the American culture, and in that sense you will be acting as an ambassador for the US.Depending where you are teaching abroad, you may be able to travel to nearby nations and broaden your experience even further. You will not only give your students confidence in their English-speaking abilities; you will grow in your own confidence as an international traveler.

Policy must also augment the entrepreneurial culture within the higher education institution as a new mindset of students must be established from one of expecting to be employed, to one of providing work opportunities for others. Technology licensing offices (TLOs) must be established at the higher education institutions. Stanford University sponsored research expenditures of US$391 million generated 25 TLO start ups in 1997 (Gregorio & Shane, 2003:209). An investment in patent rights by the higher education institutions will ensure future capital investments into the institution. Intellectual property (IP) policies should be framed so as to capture the wealth generated and to distribute it equitably between investors, partners, the university and the entrepreneur. Such rewards will generate future interest for both the investors and the entrepreneurs. Policies, procedures and network contacts to capture venture capital must be established.

Research and Development policies in entrepreneurship must be refined and focused. Currently, the focus of entrepreneurial research at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa falls within the three niche areas of business clustering, business development and management of innovation. In each of these niche areas it will be necessary to develop Masters and Doctorate programmes in entrepreneurship and innovation. This in turn will mean a need for the improvement of the staff qualification profile within these areas. Along with the Masters and Doctorate programmes, accredited research outputs must be produced in entrepreneurship and innovation (Grundling & Steynberg, 2006:6). In addition to the Masters degrees in Entrepreneurship and the Masters degree in Comparative Local Development, a Masters degree in Cognitive Reasoning should be considered for the future. Such a course should include a thorough foundation in finance reasoning along with creative thinking and business planning.

Institutional structures to be established

The higher education institution will have to establish itself as a seamless knowledge node into which a variety of parties can contribute. Parties contributing to such a knowledge node might include industrial partners, specialists from industry, relevant government agencies, foreign investors, community forums, labour unions, academic specialists, research foundations, funding agencies, students and potential entrepreneurs. Such a node would provide the necessary contact between entrepreneurs, funding agencies, industry and labour. This will ensure exposure of research and innovative ideas to the relevant parties. It would also provide a relevant export/import platform for entrepreneurship within the country. In addition to this, regular colloquia should be held to allow potential entrepreneurs to expose their innovative ideas to the funding agencies. An information network connecting entrepreneurs to venture capitalists should be established within this knowledge node.

Such forums would allow industrial partners to present commercially-oriented research proposals to the higher education institution which funding agencies in turn would be willing to fund. Gregorio and Shane (2003:212) also emphasize the need for the higher education institution to demonstrate intellectual eminence. It is suggested that better quality researchers are more likely to exploit inventions than lesser qualified researchers. The intellectual eminence also makes it easier for researchers involved to start enterprises and to exploit their inventions (Gregorio & Shane, 2003:212). In addition, more eminent researchers provide a better knowledge base and this in turn will attract better qualified researchers and students. To ensure an intellectual eminence of their outputs, higher education institutions should select students carefully.

The higher education institution should also encourage the development of incubators, either close to the institution or close to the involved industry. This will certainly influence the start up capital expenditure. Gregorio and Shane (2003:213) suggest that such incubators would allow entrepreneurs to “ripen” technologies in close proximity to inventors and specialists.

The establishment of technology parks could be instituted at the institution. Dana, et al. (2005:12) report that the first technology parks were established in the Netherlands. It is hardly surprising that the Netherlands is one of the leading nations in promoting entrepreneurship, comparing favourably with Israel, Singapore and Silicone Valley. Perhaps such parks could be established in conjunction with the government and serve to expose students to the entrepreneurial culture.

Information networks connecting entrepreneurs to venture capitalists should be established within the hig

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For many of you who are businessman and businesswomen, traveling becomes second nature. As you jump from city to city, it gets to the point where people ask you what you do for a living and you have to refrain from saying, “I’m a Nomad, what about you?” Traveling for business can certainly be a pain in the bags, but with a few simple changes, you may find the transition from home to away to be easier than assumed.

People don't reads signs, you heard people say it, you have had said it yourself. What is the point of putting a signage strategy in your business when nobody reads them in the first place. Let's look at his popular myth in more detail.

Points I cover in this article - What is a passive income? How you can earn a passive income and work from home? What are the next steps in starting earning a growing passive income and work from home?

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