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Popular in the US in the 1970s, this budgeting technique is starting to make a comeback as the economic downturn bites. By Melissa Wilkinson Although weathering an economic downturn can be tough, difficult market conditions do force companies to become smarter about how they do things. Businesses must get sharper about how they allocate resources because, if they do it well, it can lead to valuable gains in overall efficiency. One tool starting to make a comeback in sectors that have been hit hard by the recession is zero-based budgeting (ZBB).

The new head of Canon Australia, Kenji Kobayashi, is facing a range of issues in the quest to make the imaging solutions giant the best company in Oceania. By Jason Day

The more efficient use of time is what gives some managers an edge. By Karalyn Brown

Salmat may not be a household word but its operations touch many Australians daily. Its founders talk about what is needed to grow and sustain a business. By Richard Jones

Now may be the opportunity to rejuvenate your professional and personal life. Diana Day looks at the new reality.

With interests in magazines, property, music and glass, Ash Hunter, CEO of Hunter 5, leads more than the one business and is the driver behind a case study in diversity and niche market strategy. By Jason Day

Rather than wait for the 'king hit' during the downturn, SMEs with the right financial tools and processes will position themselves closer to where they want to be when markets recover. By Mark Story

At face value, many small to medium enterprises (SMEs) prospered prior to the subprime induced credit crunch, despite their inefficiencies. But like it or not, the chickens have since come home to roost for many firms that used external debt to mask these inefficiencies, especially now that access to debt within the economic downturn is much tighter.

Many of us go weak-kneed at the thought of public speaking. But it is a vital executive skill if you want to lead, change behaviour and communicate. By Karalyn Brown.

President Barack Obama has everyone talking. Not just about how an African American has won the presidency, but how he won it with the pure power of speech.

Rhicke Jennings has worked in some 17 countries. With his position in such an international business as FedEx, he may be the perfect model for the global manager. By Jason Day

FedEx Express, that quintessentially American company, boasts impressive statistics.

For example, it has the world's largest airfleet and operates some 672 aircraft. It has a ground fleet of some 44,000 vehicles. It uses 143,000 employees worldwide to move some 7.5 million shipments daily to a service area of 220 countries and territories.

Time to rethink staff motivation? Get it right and you're well on your way to surviving these turbulent times. Get it wrong and the entire ship could go under. By Chris Sheedy