Government, Politics and the Economy
Democrats Offer Mixed Signals on Deficit
President Obama may have called for legally binding measures to enforce spending restraint, but both his congressional allies and his own actions are threatening to undermine his effort. WSJ.com
Healthcare Bill Raises Taxes by $600 Billion
House Democrats have drafted healthcare overhaul legislation that includes $600 billion in tax increases and $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. According to Ways and Means chairman Charles Rangel, the total cost of healthcare reform will top $1 trillion. Bloomberg.com
Management and Operations
Time Management: Plan Your Day Without Tying Your Hands
You start the day with a to-do list and by 10 am it's out the window. The trouble, according to time management coach Patricia Hutchings, is that people don’t build enough flexibility into their calendars. BusinessManagementDaily.com
Legal Issues
Regulation: Toymakers Fight Complex CPSIA Rules
New CPSIA rules, which were intended to keep toxic substances out of children's products, have snared small manufacturers in red tape and confusion, and now some are fighting the rules. CNNMoney.com
Taxes and Financial Issues
Survey: Risk-averse VCs Looking for Later-stage Investments
Venture capital firms are continuing to tighten their investing in order to ride-out the recession, but this year’s Global Venture Capital Survey shows a shift in their focus toward later-stage investments in addition to reducing their overall investments during the past year. Reuters.com
Does Your Business Loan Affect Your Personal Credit?
Traditionally, small business debt hasn't been reported to consumer credit bureaus, but with banks facing rising defaults that's changing as the rules of the credit reporting game evolve. BusinessWeek.com
Technology Issues
Train Your Brain: The Thinking Accelerator
Herrmann International's Thinking Accelerator features a blended learning solution called HBDIinteractive, which is designed to give users insight into their own (and others') thinking preferences, helping them stretch their thinking styles for better results. ManageSmarter.com
Health, Benefits and Labor Issues
Paid Sick Days: SHRM Squares-off Against the Democrats
At a recent congressional hearing, China Miner Gorman of the SHRM warned that mandating paid sick days would foist new requirements on employers that could turn out to be as difficult and costly to administer as the Family and Medical Leave Act. Workforce.com
Swine Flu Pandemic: Resources for Managers
With the Swine-Flu Pandemic called, you need to make sure your business is ready. Here are tools, resources and background information on swine flu and related issues to help you prepare both your business and your employees for a possible outbreak. Workforce.com
Branding, Sales and Marketing
Social Media: Facebook for Business
There are some real lessons that marketers can learn from how Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Adidas, and other brands use Facebook. ClickZ.com
Study: Over Half of Small Firms Quitting Paid Search
A new study from Borrell Associates found that nearly 60% of small business owners quit their local paid search campaigns within 6 months of starting, saying they are unhappy with the results and can no longer justify the costs. SmallBizTrends.com
Wargaming: Polish Your Sales Pitch
Wargaming is the art of getting into the mindset of your competitor or customer and seeing the world through their eyes. Knowing how your audience is thinking can be key to tailoring your sales pitch right to them. ManageSmarter.com
