Corp! Magazine

April 15, 2010 - In today's tough economy, businesses are trying to find ways to offer employees benefits that are both cost effective and help to retract and retain employees. One of the most important benefits you can offer employees is a retirement plan. However, understanding which retirement plan fits your business can be confusing.

April 15, 2010 - While the cost for breaches of security when it comes to passwords, account numbers, PINs and web logins requires solutions, the solutions themselves raise problems for IT managers.

April 15, 2010 - Although many are looking optimistically at the economy, very few are confident we are completely out of the woods. With a rebound arguably under way, now is the time to set sights on investing in the future. Data released earlier this month from the National Venture Capital Association showed growth in the acquisitions and IPO market for venture-backed companies in the first quarter of 2010 - reaching 111 deals, an all-time quarterly high.

April 15, 2010 - The reasons for being good stewards of the planet are very real. Such stewardship should be considered in all business decisions as a matter of reasonable ethical behavior. This book is a positive look at connecting environmental concerns with business realities.

April 15, 2010 - Cloud computing, performed on virtual servers over the Internet, is a wave of the future. The term itself is somewhat misleading, as it can refer to a wide array of applications and functions.  Two well-known examples of software as a service applications (SaaS) utilizing cloud computing are Salesforce.com and Google Mail.

April 8, 2010 - What kind of new world leaders should we expect from MBA schools? How can these new faces of corporate leadership and resourcefulness influence what to expect next from Africa, the Muslim world, and the booms of resource development we see from Latin America to India and China?

April 8, 2010 - Much has been made in recent years about global warming and CO2 emissions, especially the effects that climate change will have on the poor worldwide. But, I believe that CO2 is not the whole story. In fact, I think that CO2 issues will become secondary to economic issues in the near term.

April 8, 2010 - In our pre industrial world recycling was an essential part of living and livelihoods. During WWII it was the patriotic thing to do. For the post-war nuclear family it was an inconvenience and certainly indicative of a family that was behind the times. In our Earth Day era of volatile energy and commodity prices, recycling has reemerged and has attained an ethical value rivaling that of motherhood and apple pie.

April 8, 2010 - If "green is the new black," as some have quipped, it might be wise to pay closer attention to this metaphor for the fashion industry and extend it to its natural conclusion. For fashion is quickly rushed out and touted as the latest must-have, sometimes prematurely and often lacks staying power. And before you know it, money has been wasted on that which provides little in return.

April 8, 2010 - Clean tech generally means those products and services that reduce the use of natural resources - especially fossil fuels - and decrease or eliminate harmful emissions or wastes. Beyond being good for our environment, most agree that the advancement of clean tech is likely to be one of the most significant engines for U.S. job growth over the next decade.

April 8, 2010 - An employer's discovery of an employee's embezzlement can be devastating. However, if proper steps are not taken after discovery of an embezzlement there could be even more devastating consequences.

April 8, 2010 - One of my favorite tax quotes came from the prophetic Alfred E. Neuman, "today, it takes more brains and effort to make out the income tax form than it does to make the income." In talking with a number of business clients they would tend agree.

April 8, 2010 - You've heard the sneezing around the office, maybe a few coughs and folks rubbing their red eyes at meetings. You've even noticed a spike in the number of people calling in sick. You might have shrugged it off as another cold and flu season or even allergies getting the best of your employees. But have you peaked inside that bin you see the office cleaning crew rolling down the hallways?

April 8, 2010 - You may not realize it, but the anodized finish commonly found on medical components, cell phones, iPods, lipsticks, and automotive trim holds an opportunity for green manufacturing.

April 8, 2010 - More than 40,000 types of commercial products are made from natural rubber latex (NRL)-”from gloves and condoms to balloons, mattresses and pillows. It's been estimated that 3 percent of the general population suffers from some form of latex allergy, thus hindering their ability to use these and other products.

April 8, 2010 - Corporate social responsibility involves employers and employees taking measures to reduce both the consumption of natural resources and the generation of waste, yet each day they walk blithely by one of the biggest resource wasters in the office. No, it's not Harry in Accounting, who tosses his Coke cans in the regular wastebasket and never quite seems to turn the water all the way off in the kitchen sink. It's the fax machine.

April 8, 2010 - There's a lot of talk these days about companies "going green." Incandescent light bulbs have given way to compact fluorescents. Motion detectors are turning lights on only when people are present. They're small but important first steps. The real indicators of a green, or sustainable, economy are when good intentions can be applied to the bottom line.

April 8, 2010 - There is an inarguable spotlight on sustainability right now with an emphasis on the flashier items such as solar power or wind turbines. Consequently, building owners often do not realize that the greenest solution is right under their nose. Existing building commissioning (EBCx) has a proven track record to reduce energy costs for facilities with a relatively short payback.

April 8, 2010 - Many middle market companies are commercializing green technologies such as geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, electric vehicle, wind and biotechnology based fuel technologies. As part of their commercial strategies, companies are obtaining patent protection on their technology.

April 8, 2010 - As the green movement continues to gain momentum, companies that were once unaware of their carbon footprint are now conscious of their effect on the environment and are increasingly embracing the responsibility of greening their part of the world.