Government, Politics and the Economy
The Obama Financial Plan: Let the Games Begin
The sides are drawn-up and the combatants are set, ready to do battle over Obama's proposals for the Fed, financial regulation and much more. Poll: Too Much Intervention? BusinessWeek.com
Should the Government Back High-Potential Start-Ups?
If the answer is 'yes', then venture-backed companies across the country should be eligible for federal innovation grants. NYTimes.com
Management and Operations
Profile: Southern Accent
Steve Uliss built a great restaurant business in the Boston area but his business, like most, has been hit by the economic downturn. See how expanding and altering his business model is helping Uliss and his bodacious barbecue weather the storm. BizJournals.com
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Recession
Sure, the recession is bad, but if you're in business there are some really good things that can come out of it. Jay Abraham, author of The Sticking Point Solution, says the recession may actually help you to increase your success right now. BusinessKnowHow.com
Productivity and the "No-Gossip Zone"
According to Sam Chapman, CEO and author of "The No-Gossip Zone: A No-Nonsense Guide To A Healthy, High-Performing Work Environment," a mistake that many employers make is believing that the more hours they squeeze out of employees, the more productive their company will be. ManageSmarter.com
Legal Issues
Worksite Enforcement Official Wants to Work with Employers
John Morton, the new assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement spoke this week, defending E-Verify with claims that it instantly confirms 97% of queries while admitting that the 3% rejection rate, as well as the detection of unauthorized workers, could indicate problems with the system. Workforce.com
Taxes and Financial Issues
Tax Cheats: Spike in Whistle-blower Claims
The IRS is reporting that the federal “whistle-blower” program, aimed at catching business tax cheats, is having the desired effect. Changed in 2006, the law provides rewards of up to 30% of the amount recovered from tax avoidance claims above $2 million. BusinessManagementDaily.com
Technology Issues
Motorola's Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth Headset for Extreme Noise Environments
Motorola has unveiled its Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth headset, which offers the company's CrystalTalk noise cancellation technology with a "stealth mode" for speaking in especially loud environments. ZDNet.com
Health, Benefits and Labor Issues
Details on Healthcare Reform Coming into Focus
We are seeing more information on the new healthcare reform measure, but the analysis is incomplete because the proposal has yet to include details on the issues that employers most oppose, like a public plan option, taxing health benefits, changing ERISA or an employer mandate. Workforce.com
Branding, Sales and Marketing
Online Marketing: Google Maps Dashboard Boosts Local Businesses
With Googlemaps, the search giant gives local businesses yet another reason to update their local business information. ClickZ.com
Store Media: Changes in Shoppers' Responses
According to a new poll, in-store promotional messages and media is being looked at differently these days by consumers. These changes in response beg the question: Is your promotion strategy old news? ManageSmarter.com
Email Marketing: Build Your Strategy With Free Competitive Intelligence
You need good intelligence to execute a solid email strategy. It's a vital part of your traffic-driving effort. Luckily, there are free data sources that can help you build that successful strategy. ClickZ.com
