Government, Politics and the Economy
Climate Bill Helps Utilities, Factories and Farms More Than Oil Companies
While the global warming bill passed by the US House sets up a cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gases, it also cushions the cost for power producers, manufacturers and farmers and limits aid to oil companies. Bloomberg.com
Obama: Hints at Amnesty for Illegal Aliens
President Obama shied away from any hot-button words in remarks last week on immigration reform, but he did hint at some kind of “amnesty” or “legal path” for illegal immigrants already in the US. BizJournals.com
Management and Operations
Building Your Corporate Culture: Employees, Ethics, and Success
It may seem like an abstract concept, but the results of building a strong, ethical corporate culture can benefit your company in many concrete ways. ManageSmarter.com
Intelligence Gathering: Never Cross the Line
When you gather competitive intelligence, you must do it in an ethical and reasonable way. These guidelines from MarketingScoop.com provide a step-by-step way to acquire the information you need without crossing the line. BusinessManagementDaily.com
Legal Issues
Supreme Court Rules in Firefighter Discrimination Case
The US Supreme Court has ruled that white, New Haven, CT, firefighters were unfairly denied promotions because of their race. This ruling reverses yet another decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor issued as an appeals court judge. Yahoo.com/AP
Supreme Court: National Banks Subject to State Fair Lending Laws
The US Supreme Court has ruled that National Banks are subject to the fair lending laws of the states in which they operate. FoxBusiness.com
Taxes and Financial Issues
5 Layoff Alternatives
While it is true that laying off employees can save money in the short-term, it's not usually the most cost-effective answer to your business' money troubles. Here are five things you can do to cut your costs without cutting your staff. WSJ.com
Micro Lending: Both Talent and Money
Americans are bringing their entrepreneurial skills to small businesses in poor countries around the globe to help them thrive. NYTimes.com
Technology Issues
System Mechanic 8.5 Business Edition
Sure, you shouldn't expect miracles, but this is a handy and inexpensive collection of system diagnostic and repair utilities and they will give your problem PCs a boost. SmallBusinessComputing.com
Cutting Travel Costs with Videoconferencing
A combination of technology advances and the recession are making videoconferencing a more popular choice than ever before for small businesses looking to save money. USAToday.com
Health, Benefits and Labor Issues
Obama: Workers Can’t Dump Employer-Provided Insurance
President Obama addressed one of the top health policy concerns among employers, saying that employees would not be allowed to dump their job-based health coverage for a public plan, even if it were cheaper. Workforce.com
One Professor's View: H-1B Visas Exploit Workers and Encourage Discrimination
Computer science professor Norm Matloff says the US skilled-immigrant visa system exploits workers everywhere, making foreign workers into indentured servants and giving American companies an option to replace Americans with cheaper foreign labor. BusinessWeek.com
Branding, Sales and Marketing
Optimizing Your E-Commerce Website for Holiday Season Success
How can you tune-up your website today to be ready for the annual holiday season? Here are some tips. ClickZ.com
Direct Digital Marketing: 5 Steps to Achieving Relevance
There are five key steps to giving your direct digital marketing a relevance-centered approach. Learn what they are in this introduction. MarketingProfs.com
