Blog

How does a business communicate with its audience now that mass media is no longer the only game in town? Nicole Richards speaks with three industry insiders.

Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan famously declared advertising to be the greatest art form of the 20th century.

It's not difficult to understand why. Twenty years ago, a good TV commercial was the ultimate in paid promotion. For advertisers, TV was simply the way to go if you wanted to reach a mass audience; all eyes were on the box.

Despite the current impasse over the way forward, climate change policy and related national legislation remain vital matters for organisations.

Absences from the office are about a lot more than illness, experts say, and there's plenty a manager can do to reduce downtime caused by 'sickies'. By Chris Sheedy. Believe it or not, organisational research suggests staff in many workplaces together develop something of an unwritten agreement regarding how many sick days are acceptable each year.

A market research program will help your business as long as you ask the correct questions. By Nicole Richards. The famous maxim 'knowledge is power' is more than 400 years old; yet in today's instant information age, the words ring truer than ever. Failing to stay abreast of changing consumer preferences and trends in highly competitive markets can be detrimental to market position and growth. "Market research can help drive business," Peter Harris, National President of the Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS) says adamantly.

The experience of wearing the two different hats of finance and sales has made Hewlett-Packard's Bruce Dahlgren a much better manager. By Richard Jones.

Bruce Dahlgren, Senior Vice President, Managed Enterprise Solutions, Imaging & Printing Group (IPG) with global giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) has spent 25 years in the information technology industry. This includes stints with heavyweights including NCR, Teradata, AT&T and Lexmark.

Workforce wellbeing is at the heart of organisational fitness, a concept promoting sustainable business success by adapting to new market demands. By Cameron Cooper. In its quest to maintain a healthy organisation, financial services and healthcare company Australian Unity adheres to a simple but smart rule.

Being in front of political developments is the key to influencing public policy and managing any fallout for your organisation. By Ben Power.

Australia is in the middle of one of the more active political years in its history. Two state elections - in Tasmania and South Australia - have already been held. Later in the year a Federal election will be held and Victoria also goes to the polls.

A believer in first impressions, Fuji Xerox's Nick Kugenthiran says that a leader's role is to create the opportunities for your teams to be amazing. By Richard Jones Talking to the Managing Director of document services company Fuji Xerox, you get the distinct impression that he learns from his experiences. Thirty-three years ago, when a pilot mistakenly guided two merchant ships into a collision, Sri Lankan-born Nick Kugenthiran was a 3rd officer on the bridge.

Terminating an employee due to unsatisfactory work performance is difficult for all involved. Peter Hughes sets out the steps to managing the process fairly. For most purposes, the rights and duties of both employers and employees are governed by the Fair Work Act 2009. No less than 277 sections are specifically devoted to individual rights and responsibilities, including 27 sections devoted to claims of unfair dismissal.

The global recession is presenting opportunities for Australian managers, says defence industry insider Christine Zeitz. By Georgina Jerums

Multinationals are looking to their Australian bases to profit post global financial crisis.

The reason? Australia comparatively sidestepped the GFC bullet, making us an attractive proposition to help steer global companies out of the GFC doldrums.