Government, Politics and the Economy
Gingrich: Obama Has “Already Failed”
Former House Speaker, and possible 2012 presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said that President Obama’s plan to fix the economy through stimulus spending and government intervention has “already failed.” Bloomberg.com
NY Senate: GOP Takes Control in Coup
In a remarkable move, the New York Senate has come back into Republican hands. Malcolm Smith was ousted as Senate Majority Leader replaced by Senator Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre. Dems still hold the majority, but not the leadership and Paterson is ballistic. WCBSTV.com
Management and Operations
Developing a Multi-Generational Hiring Approach
Creating a high-performing workforce—the core of nearly every business strategy—offers manumental rewards like increased employee satisfaction, reduced turnover, optimized productivity, and company growth. The trick is doing it right. ManageSmarter.com
Recession Specials to Keep Business Going
To deal with the recession, some small businesses are overhauling their pricing strategies and finding new growth in lower-end offerings and discounts. WSJ.com
Leadership: Are You a Toxic Asset?
In a poll of more than 2 million employees, Gallup reported that the majority of workers rate having a caring boss higher than money or benefits. Many studies link productivity and workplace satisfaction to positive emotions while at work, which means good moods are good for business. BizJournals.com
Taxes and Financial Issues
Emergency Loans to Start Next Week
Next week, struggling small firms will be able to apply for as much as $35,000 in debt-relief loans through a new federal stimulus program. CNNMoney.com
Technology Issues
Electronic Records Management: More Work Required
While it is true that more and more business records these days are digital, experts say that most companies still don't have adequate systems for managing them. Workforce.com
The Palm Pre for Business
The new Palm Pre smartphone is seen as the strongest challenger yet to Apple's iPhone, but make no mistake: it's not the iPhone Palm executives want to dethrone. They are going after the BlackBerry. ZDNet.com
Health, Benefits and Labor Issues
Perks: Do You Need a Vacation Policy?
If you think your firm needs a formal vacation policy, have a look at IT consulting firm Bluewolf, which lets its employees take as much vacation as they want, whenever they want—just as long as they meet their goals. BusinessWeek.com
Branding, Sales and Marketing
Social Media: Setting Your Goals
Many companies get into social media only reluctantly because the ROI is hard to see, but it is there and it will come through if you set goals. Remember, though, that your social media goals will have to be very different from your SEO or PPC strategies. ClickZ.com
B2B Marketing: Forget Social Media
If you're running a B2B enterprise and wondering how to get in on the whole social media bandwagon, you're not alone. Why? Because social media is great for consumer markets, it is a remarkably bad marketing fit for B2B. BusinessKnowHow.com
Gearing up for Summer
For most small companies, business slows during the summer, presenting cash flow challenges. However, you can turn the summer of 2009 into one of your most productive ever by taking the following nine steps to summer business success. USAToday.com
