Tag: economy

According to the latest trade payments analysis by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the payment terms of Australian firms have risen for the third consecutive quarter.

With recent interest rate rises, much talk has centred on how the increases are likely to affect families and mortgage repayments. However, the impact on small business owners and their cashflow shouldn’t be ignored.

The United Arab Emirates built the obscenely ostentatious Dubai with oil money that its leaders realised was running out. Now that the hard times have hit, Abu Dhabi is placing its chips on sustainability.

Gordon Gekko, the fictional character Michael Douglas portrayed as the epitome of 1980s corporate materialism, is back. Oliver Stone's sequel to his 1987 classic Wall Street begins with Gekko just emerging from prison with a lingering taste for 'the game'.

You may not have a magic wand to improve your bottom line during this tough economic period – but hey, a feather duster may just do the trick.

At a time of global economic uncertainty, the issue of trade and employment is becoming the focus of public debate - particularly with news of large scale redundancies in the media. If this trend continues, there is the risk of increased calls for protectionism here in Australia (as has already occurred in the USA). This is a concern because we all know what has happened in the past when the world has returned to protectionism - mass unemployment, inequality and conflict extending well beyond the trade sphere.

There are a lot of figures being bandied about to describe current global economic woes. But sometimes, a simple graph is all that is required to get the message across. Consider Exhibit A (below): A chart comparing job losses in the current US recession to job losses in recent recessions. Not pretty.

There are a lot of figures being bandied about to describe current global economic woes. But sometimes, a simple graph is all that is required to get the message across. Consider Exhibit A (below): A chart comparing job losses in the current US recession to job losses in recent recessions. Not pretty.

I often trip myself up, spouting strong opinions without all the facts. I suspect this is about to be one of those occasions. Deficits don't...

It certainly isn't new news anymore that these are trying economic times, but that hasn't discouraged the large business analysis firms from gauging, on...

The business information analysts at global research organisation IBISWorld have identified the sectors best positioned to endure recession. They are: Biotechnology Online information services Non-building construction Cosmetic and toiletry retailing Grain...

The Brokers With Hands on their Faces Blog contains photos, one after another, of stock brokers touching different parts of their faces as they watch on in disbelief at recent manic market machinations. The blog contains no words, for none are required. Amateur anthropologists with a wicked streak prefer their irony served raw.

You may have noticed that every second Thursday, over the last few months, I have posted a blog on a topic that explores entrepreneurship....

"We feel like the little ray of sunshine. The last thing to fly from Pandora's Box," jokes Aconex Chairman Martin Hosking by phone. He's...

"We feel like the little ray of sunshine. The last thing to fly from Pandora's Box," jokes Aconex Chairman Martin Hosking by phone. He's...

We've noticed a strange trend in our circulation data these past six months. Subscription numbers have dipped while retail sales have increased. It's all 'swings and...

Microsoft. Amazon. Intel. Federal Express. Google. Due to economies of scale and network effects, these firms are likely to dominate - for decades - the global industries that they created. Australia desperately needs to create new industries as the USA has done and as all other first-world nations are struggling to do.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. More than one million of them operate in Australia, accounting for a staggering 97 percent of all private sector businesses. They employ around 3.6 million people, representing 33 percent of our workforce and 49 percent of all private sector employment.

Mobile companies across the globe have spent billions of dollars creating networks that essentially all offer the same services. It's been a huge investment just to get to the starting line. But the real challenge is in providing something that is different from the competition.