How Should Government Stimulate Small Business Innovation?

Government, Politics and the Economy

How Should Government Encourage Small Business Innovation?

Within Congress, there are two visions of how the government should harness the power of small firms to innovate that need to be reconciled, visions that pit bootstrapped companies against venture-backed companies. NYTimes.com

Consumer Sentiment Posts First Drop Since February

Confidence among American consumers dropped in July, the first time in five months, as mounting unemployment and depressed wages battered households. Bloomberg.com

What a Jobless Recovery Would Mean

Is a jobless recovery possible? What does that mean? How bad is the underemployment situation in this country? Will we need a second stimulus package directed at job growth? Hear these and other important questions answered. FoxBusiness.com

Management and Operations

Building a Bonus Program

If you wish to set up a bonus structure that would encourage employees and subcontractors to help bring in business, here are some ideas for you. BusinessWeek.com

Retain Good People with Regular Reviews

Small businesses need to think about how they can retain and even challenge their employees. One good place to start is with employee performance reviews. BizJournals.com

Legal Issues

FLSA Exemption Mistakes: 6 Compliance Tips

This useful special report will help you to review your overtime pay policy and double-check your FLSA exempt employees’ status. BusinessManagementDaily.com

Taxes and Financial Issues

Studies: Small Businesses Still Struggle for Financing

There is still a big squeeze on small business financing affecting the nation in spite of a recent loosening of SBA-backed loans. USAToday.com

Technology Issues

New Software Released to Help Target Your Email Marketing
Digital Technology International has released a new version of its DTI AudienceReach software. This latest version now includes targeted email marketing. ManageSmarter.com

Health, Benefits and Labor Issues

Study: Flexibility Programs Gaining Ground
A new study, the centerpiece of a July 23 hearing of the congressional Joint Economic Committee, shows that there has been a 25% increase in flexibility programs in mid-sized companies struggling to cope with the recession. Workforce.com

To See How Obamacare Would Affect Your Business, Just Look at The Bay State

With President Obama pushing hard for his program, and Congress weighing the options of requiring small businesses to provide health insurance for their employees, Massachusetts provides a look at how such a law affects companies. WSJ.com

Branding, Sales and Marketing

Brand Reputation: Twitter, Spam, and Security
You work hard to keep your brand looking good. Here is what you can do to manage your reputation on Twitter, a social platform where the rules change quickly and where best practices are still evolving. ClickZ.com

137 Tips for Getting the Most out of Twitter

The readers of Small Business Trends really came through with Twitter tips that will help you get the most out of this popular micro-blogging service, all done up in a handy, downloadable, PDF document. SmallBizTrends.com

Marketing Tech: Going Viral, Virus Protection, Social Media
In this week’s episode of Help! My Business Sucks! Andrew Lock looks at a viral video that pokes United Airlines for lousy customer service, offers social media and anti-virus tips, and shares a marketing lesson from Delta Airlines. SmallBusinessComputing.com