Investing in infra during recession key to growth

he recession may trigger curtailment in spending, but increasing investment in public infrastructure during a crisis is the key to growth for emerging economies like India, the World Bank has said.“In India, the need for infrastructure investment is widely recognised as a critical priority for ensuring more and more inclusive growth and poverty reduction,” World Bank Vice-President Katherine Sierra said in a bank publication.

Infrastructure projects often take years to prepare, but “postponing them has a drastic knock-on effect for medium term growth”, she added.Terming the cut in public infrastructure spending by many countries during the Asian financial crisis as “a short-sighted solution”, Sierra said the move made emerging from recession all the more difficult.Many countries today, from the US to Russia to China, plan to accelerate infrastructure spending to respond to the crisis, she pointed out.

In India, inadequate power supply remains a key constraint hampering businesses in many areas.“With 40 per cent of India’s population expected to live in urban areas by 2021 and expected to create about 65 per cent of the nation’s GDP, it is urgent to ensure that modern water supply, public transportation, sanitation and solid waste management are in place to support this growth,” Sierra said.

Citing estimates of an analysis, she said economic losses incurred on account of congestion and poor roads alone run as high as $6 billion a year in India.In its Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the government of India has set aggressive targets on infrastructure investment, from its current five per cent of GDP to 9 per cent by 2012.This present a formidable challenge, with a sharp slowdown in the availability of financing for new infrastructure projects,” she said.

However, in a major lending operation, the World Bank is providing a $1.2-billion credit to state-run India Infrastructure Finance Company to help it catalyse long-term debt for infrastructure projects built on public-private partnerships

Cracker Business Cracks the wall this time....

All the major towns in India witnessed brisk sale of crackers on Friday though the prices shot up by 15 to 20 per cent.According to the sellers, the business of crackers crossed Rs. 2 crores this year. The district headquarters town alone accounted for a business of Rs. 1 crore.

The District Cooperative Marketing Society (DCMS) too was into cracker business this year.It put up some five stalls in the pavilion ground where some 60 shops were licensed to sell crackers.It was aimed at giving crackers to people with the least profit margin, said the society officials.

Every shopkeeper had stocks worth more than Rs. 1 lakh and nearly 95 per cent of the stocks were sold by the evening. No one was at loss thanks to the dry weather condition this year, said Srinivasa Rao, a trader who claimed to have made a profit of Rs. 40,000 in just one day. The society had become the biggest rival for all private traders. Almost every one of them was forced to sell crackers at the lowest margin. All the sellers, barring a few, closed down their stalls by 5 p.m.

A majority of them had the supplies directly from Sivakasi, while some of the shopkeepers had them from distributors based at Gannavaram, Tadepalligudem and Eluru. In Bhadrachalam, the traders were permitted to put up stalls on the Godavari river bank. The employees and coal miners got the crackers from their cooperative societies. People were seen purchasing crackers till late in the evening in Sathupalli.

All About the origin of Stock Market

Ever since the NYSE began in 1792 with the historic Buttonwood Agreement, the United States has had a stock market. The Buttonwood Agreement was signed by 24 of our emerging country's most prominent bankers, brokers and merchants, all with the intent to trade stocks and securities through a common clearing house. These early stockbrokers looked to Europe for a model to build their system on and decided to base it on the system of Spain. This was largely due to the fact that the U.S. dollar's value had been based on the value of the Spanish real.

The real was the Spanish silver dollar and was divided into eight parts. This evolved from the method of counting on the hands, similar to the decimal system. 

The difference was that the decimal system used the thumbs as part of the number while this other system used the thumbs to denote the total of the four fingers. Therefore, a person would count to four on one hand and then use the thumb to indicate a total while they counted on the other hand. Two thumbs equaled eight. The real could be broken into two, four or eight parts, giving birth to the term pieces of eight.

So when the U.S. stock market began, they based the stock values on one-eighth fractions. An interesting side effect was the way this influenced the spread. The spread is the smallest amount that a stock can change in value. With one-eighth fractions, the smallest spread was 12.5 cents. This may seem insignificant, but it could amount to a large sum when trading thousands or even millions of shares of stock. Eventually, the stock exchanges added sixteenths to cut the spread to 6.25 cents. Today, there are even stocks that trade at thirty-seconds or sixty-fourths!

The problem with using fractions is that it has to be translated to match the rest of our decimal-based economy. For example, do you know how many shares of stock at 4 3/8 you can purchase for $4,375? You probably need a few moments with a calculator to realize that $4,375 will buy you 1,000 shares but it would have been fairly obvious in decimal form (4.375).

What's Outsourcing all about

A manager for the fictitious Smith & Co. manufacturing faced a dilemma. The company's newest product in development showed great promise, but also represented a departure from the company's in-house expertise. To design and engineer the product, Smith & Co. would require an entire new line of engineers with specialized skills and equipment. However, the cost would take a chunk out of the company's projected profits.

That wasn't the manager's only issue. The product included a component that Smith & Co. didn't manufacture. Adding that equipment, and training workers to use it, would take time -- too much time. The market was ready now for their product. The delay would cost the company.

What could the manager do? He might turn to outsourcing to solve these problems and help his company succeed.

Outsourcing is when a company hires another individual or company to perform a specialized task, whether it's making a product or providing a service such as human relations or information technology. 

Think of an individual home owner, for instance, who needs his house painted. He could go out and buy paint brushes, rollers, scaffolding, ladders and insurance and then take the risk that he can do a good enough job -- and not fall off the scaffolding! He'll also be stuck with the expense of purchasing all that equipment for a task that he only needs to do once every few years.

Or, he could just hire a painting contractor. The decision to outsource works in the same way.

Many countries, including the United States, outsource frequently. As of 2004, U.S. companies had outsourced anywhere between 300,000 to almost 1 million jobs, according to sources like BusinessWeek  Goldman Sachs projected that number would grow to 6 million by 2014.

Food for Survival

Order bulk food to store for survival needs in case of emergency.Hurricane, tornado, terrorist attacks, nuclear disaster,Contagious Diseases... Stock up on food supplies while it is readily available..Take advantage of the EZ one stop shopping from this website.with your  food order.Excellent opportunity for community organizations, churches, cities and families.Having food, water, shelter and a plan will cover 90 percent of your needs.  The important thing is that you start preparing today. Prepare before the emergency, not once it is here. Not only will this give you the best chance for survival, it will be cheaper and easier.

We know that these extremists hate America and what we stand for. They hate our freedom, our individual rights, our wealth and our opportunity. They hate our religion, and they hate our values and our culture. They hate not only our president, but our form of government and our democratic way of life. And they hate the military progress and success we have made in Afghanistan and Iraq. They fear us and our might and know that we seek to destroy them before they can destroy us.

 

We know that many of them have been trained in camps, trained to build and set explosives, trained in guerrilla warfare, trained in how to create car bombs and dirty bombs. We know they have a burning desire to use this training, to attack Americans and Europeans and even those who believe in a gentler form of Islam. We know they will gladly die in the process of delivering an attack that succeeds in killing Americans or people who cooperate with the United States.

 

And because we know this, we know that they will strike again. We expect it. Many people are surprised it hasn't happened within the Continental United States since 9/11/01. But now it looks like we are closer to an attack on U.S. targets than we have been for more than six years. But what we don't know is how and when the attack will take place. We don’t know how many cells of terrorists are quietly waiting and planning one or more attacks. We don't know if they have biological weapons like Anthrax or chemical weapons like nerve gas.

Molecular Biology Core Facilities (MBCF)

The entire contents of the Molecular Biology Core Facilities (MBCF) web site are copyright © 1992 - 2009, by Paul Morrison, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and/or Harvard University unless otherwise noted. (See exceptions below.*) All rights reserved. Opinions, errors or omissions within the Molecular Biology Core Facilities (MBCF) web site are the sole responsibility of Paul Morrison and not The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, directors or trustees.

 

The graphic images and text contained in the pages of the Molecular Biology Core Facilities (MBCF) web site are the exclusive property of Paul Morrison, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and/or Harvard University unless otherwise noted. (See exceptions below.*) Information on this web site is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

 

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you. Any and all copyright obligations related to transferring sources from this web site are the sole responsibility of the person or persons who transfer, read, copy, or print any file or part thereof.

 

If you decide to copy text and or images from the MBCF web site please e-mail and assuredly he will allow fair use of the images and or text if he is allowed to do so. Non comprehensive copyright exclusion list: Aqua buttons, copyright Apple Computer NCBI logo, copyright National Center for Biotechnology Information ONCOLINK logo, Copyright © 1994-2007, The Trustees of The University of Pennsylvania DFCI Flaming D Logo, Copyright 1994-2007 The Trustees of The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute  The Jimmy Fish, Copyright 2000 - 2007 The Jimmy Fund and The Trustees of The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

"The Jimmy Fish" sculpture was painted by the kids in the Jimmy Fund Clinic and generously donated by the Forziati Family through the Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer institute. Photography and PhotoShopping by Paul Morrison.
Harvard Veritas Logo, Copyright 2004 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College

Computer Aided Design Software and Standards

Software written to work on Personal Computers should allow data to be transferable for uses on other computer systems, including CNC work environments. To achive a lower deployment cost - work environments should employ PC based technology in the office while using CNC based machines in joinery shops. Both software environments provide 'bridges' to import or export data (generally in ISO/UFT-8 ASCII TEXT format)

 

Many Kitchen Cabinet Design softwares come with an option of exporting data for CNC processors, data for quotations, and data for stock or material reports. Some providers supply software in seperate parts to suit a work environment and encorperate the design data for creating a overall business management solution based on the target environment uses.

 

Methods of various 3D software - what is inside 2D or 3D 99% of todays softwares use the Matrix Method for rendering 3d previews of kitchen layout work spaces for shop drawings to client reviews. 4 examples below; GUI or cordinate system, Maths, Line, Matrix.

 

Hardware translates the various input data - and displays the result onscreen. Speed is measured in Trianges pre-second, etc. A maths based render is slower because a computer processor must calculate cursur position for software drivers. Only 2 directions may be rotated on screen sides. The Matrix method has points in space defined for software drivers and simply seeks or sets a colour state. Rotation is in 3D because scrolling is on 6 faces.

 

Kitchen cabinets design software

The information within these documents is provided in a story format. This will allow you to get the information you want quickly by reading this main index page. You may not agree with the information in these documents, they are not a guide, god, instructions, or even a rule book about the PC software industry. The only thing here is a simple short story on how and why some people might do things, that is all.

 

Please note that commercial software and some freeware which is legaly purchaced from the authentic provider provides industry product development. End Users do NOT have permission to re-sell  software products. The term of Illegal software is software obtained from the open market which is used without purchace or consent of authenticated provider. To dispose of software to another person you must seek advise from terms of service - which are not transferable. The software aquirer will have to pay full cost of inclusion into package support. It is an illegal act to sell software for its retail value without the written consent of the authenticated provider of the software package or product line.

 

What End Users purchace in any product is a right of use as per terms of service agreeded upon at sale. Terms can and do change but as always the product remains the property of the provider and not of the End User or Buyer.

Computer Aided Design Software, Short History

The use of computer software for kitchen cabinet renovations began in the early 1980's and before. Most early applications of kitchen design technology were created for the manufacture of parts by rather large and expensive joinery shop plant equipment (Computer Numerical Control) or hardware. Some smaller less expensive designer softwares first began to appear on general retail systems like CADD, CAE, CAM on hardware from  and others.

 

By the late 1980's. Other applications of kitchen design technology were created for the manufacture of whole cabinets by rather large and expensive joinery shop plant equipment using todays PC technology (CNC, x86, etc). Other smaller less expensive designer softwares also began to appear on such systems like and others.

Professional Summary of Webmaster

An attempt is made to periodically remove any information on this site that is no longer valid because it is outdated in one form or another, however, no guarantee is made that any information is up to date. Technology does change rapidly, and technology companies change ownership, and go out of business quite frequently. Please, do your own research, to see if the information expressed here is still current.

 

So what good is this information? Questy has been active "online" since the 1980's and the early days of bulletin boards and online services. Questy's comments on various services are based on personal experiences. If you ever need an opinion, it's good to ask if the person giving the opinion has experience on the subject. You'd be surprised to find out how many "experts" are giving advice on how to do something they haven't really ever done themselves.

 

Over the years there have been many times where Questy has tried something just to see how it works, or simply to evaluate it. As the business world moves "online" Questy has explored many online products and services. In most case many services have been "tested" and numerous websites have been explored. Rather than give you a long list of numerous sites and services, an attempt has been made to be brief, and discuss the ones that Questy likes, with the reasoning behind it. Your experiences may vary, and are relative to your needs. Hopefully this can help you in some way.

If you have any questions regarding this site, feel free to ask.If you have any questions regarding copyright laws, you may wish to check out some of the definitions and links on this page:  Please, be polite, if it's not public domain, do not reproduce or redistribute anything you find along the web without asking!

Changing Trends and Waving RIghts Rules

The questions will become more difficult as the web grows. Let me make my stance very clear regarding the use of the pages as they appear on this site. All web pages as they appear on the sites within the "the World of Questy" as listed at the bottom of this page are the property of Questy, (aka Tom Peracchio). Brief quotations of specific printed material, as long as proper credit is given, is allowed in the context of "fair use" and the terms listed below. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, or re-use of any of the pages of this web site is illegal, not to mention rude.

 

All sites are welcome to link to pages, as long as the page is not "framed".Regarding the use of art work and clip art on this site, there are occasionally a few clips of "public domain" clip art on this site. I'm trying to use as much original clips as possible. Banner ads and other links to off site may contain graphics which are the copyright of the site which has provided them, and are used with the owners permission, or within established guidelines.

 

All graphics of the "Questy" image are the personal property of Questy, (aka Tom Peracchio), and may not be used without consent.All photographs, unless otherwise stated, are the personal property of Questy, (aka Tom Peracchio), and may not be used without consent. Portions of websites in Questy's world for learning technology contain large amounts of what could be considered public domain information.

 

Many terms are defined by what I believe to be the accepted meaning as they are used by technology professionals. Others are defined based on established standards of an industry or trade organization. In the context of "fair use" the information on these pages can be reused, however, "fair use" does not allow for wholesale redistribution, or re-use of the pages themselves 

CEO's Strategic Planner for Business Professionals

CEO's Strategic Planner is ILAR Systems' top of its product line and consists of 32 major models, three for each of ten industry formats. You receive a two-year monthly model; a five-year annual model; and a model with six years of history and a five-year projection. These models integrate the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statements, and generate two ratio analysis statements, a business valuation analysis statement and an advanced business analysis statement.

 

 The industries covered are: service; manufacturing; wholesale, distribution & retail; technology companies; construction/contractor; health care for profit; health care not-for-profit; real estate investment; government; and limited partnerships and not-for-profit organizations.We have over 18,000 customers, worldwide, including KPMG Peat Marwick, CPA firm, to whom we have shipped over 950 copies of our financial models since 1984. They have also referred many of their customers to us since 1985. 

Our technology surpasses hard coded systems selling in the $10,000 to $20,000 price range because of its flexibility, ease of use, simplicity, and customability, while using the Excel or Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets. We guarantee you the very best support possible so that you are successful! 

Even though we don't give free looks or free trials, we do guarantee productive results with any one model in the first 60 to 90 minutes of use, before customization, of course, since one can spend many hours customizing or fine-tuning a model. Otherwise, simply call us toll free, and we will spend whatever time it takes to step you through the procedures to get you started. It's that easy to use our financial models

Financial Modeling Software Products Price Sheet

CashflowPLUS - A fully integrated 12-month and five-year model for developing a business plan or personal cash flow projections. (Can upgrade to above for difference in price.) [Sugg. $225.00 Promo: $125.00]. Advanced Business Valuation Analysis System - Consists of 9 specific valuation models that each produce up to 14 common valuation methods using true simulation models. [Sugg. $595.00 .00]

Professional Business Valuation Analysis System - Consists of 19 specific valuation models that each produce up to 14 common valuation methods, using self-documentation, etc.[Sugg. $995.00 Promo: $697.50] Real Estate Analysis System - Consists of 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year models that can be used by investors or brokers to project P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flows, 53 Business Ratios, 14 Key Real Estate Ratios, Investment Valuation Analysis. [Sugg. $595.00 Promo: $399.00]

CEO's Strategic Planner - Consists of 32 advanced models, 3 for each of ten major industry sectors. Each model has input of up to 255 variables, advanced analysis with manpower & facility planning, V.C. Hockey Stick, break-even & EVA. [Sugg. $1,500.00 Promo: $995.00] Banker's Commercial Loan Analysis System - Used by bankers, investment bankers, credit analysts, purchasing agents, loan brokers and government agencies to quickly analyze the financial statements of any business. [Sugg. $1,250.00 Promo: $795.00]

Banker's Compliance, Planning & Valuation Analysis System - Allows any size bank to do 12-month short-term and 5-year long-term financial simulation and forecasting of five key financial statements for operations and strategic planning, analysis & reporting. [Sugg. $1,500.00 Promo: $995.00]
 

Business Planning & Valuation Analysis Models

Business plan valuations for consultants and business managers. Corporate finance and venture capital the easy way, while saving time and money. Business finance and budgeting with business valuation analysis. Cash flow and budget development the 21st Century way! We offer Advanced technology! Knowledge is power! Join our championship team today and use our business financial planning, budget, cash flow forecasting, business valuation and appraisal analysis models for Excel spreadsheets.    Our two popular packages are Bottomline-V and CEO's Strategic Planner for: five-year, annual; two-year, monthly; two-year quarterly; and six years of historical with automatic five-year cash flow projections. Buy CEO's Strategic Planner and receive two free gifts. First, you get a two-hour audio-visual CD-ROM presentation on Corporate Finance and Business Valuations (a $149.00 value) by Dr. John F. Richardson, a former professor at Purdue University, USC and National University. Second, you receive a FREE copy of our traditional technology, Bottomline-V (a $499.00 value).    Don't delay. Order while there is still time. You will find our cash flow forecasting and business valuation models to save you time and money. Ask about our jump-start program whereby we put together your first model for the price of the software and have it to you fully functional in a day or two. This guarantees you instant productive use of your financial software system! This is a limited offer while consultant time lasts. Don't delay. Call us today!

 

 

The above tennis team was sponsored by ILAR Systems, Inc. and Dr. John F. Richardson, Team Captain (front row, fourth from left) and won major championships in 1989, 1990 and 1991. Instant financial picture! Everything you need to manage and better understand your firm's financial potential, create a budget with a cash flow forecast and business valuation of the enterprise, while saving initial consulting fees from $1,500.00 to $6,000.00, or more.   .

The Power Of a :eader

 

Your role as manager of your client relations program is to ensure that you first even offer client services (as opposed to pet care services), and to develop a complete menu of client services equal to your complete menu of pet care services. Really. If not, are you saying that the pet is more important than the pet owner? Ironically there are pet groomers out there that unintentionally infer by their words, actions and client services that they are doing a favor for pet owners. Instead of educating pet owners as a in how to better care for their pets as a client service, they instead scold and gossip about these pet owners behind their back.

 

After 40 years in the industry we’ve surely know of pet owners that don’t take adequate care of their pets, but that was our opportunity to do what do best, see the potential to earn a loyal client who became such through our interest in helping them to better care for their pet. We never judged them for a moment, and instead judge the situation and let loose our superior client services through trained receptionist and manager staff.

 

 We exceed their expectations and instead of creating a human drama focused on the poor pet care heretofore provided by the pet owner, we carefully explained the options available that would resolve the pet’s condition and provide it with comfort and yet meet the pet owner’s demand for a pleasing appearance as well. We then almost surely enrolled them in the convenient Option B appointment scheduling plan and we had a budding responsible pet owner in terms of pet grooming needs.

 

Your role as manager in client relations is to win the business favor of everyone by knowing that your target market is an entire cross section of your community. With 60% of the households in the U.S. owning a cat or dog, what type of person wouldn’t possibly come through your door. The common ground is the pet and pet ownership. How does your business serve the common ground of the pet owning community besides grooming their pets?

Salons & Shops as Part of a Retirement Plan

Unlike most people in the grooming industry we have substantial experience in selling medium to large grooming businesses whose selling price can make a substantial difference in the retirement of their owners. Salon and shop owners need to realize that unless they pay into self-employed "pension plans" or similar investments they will look to the sale of their grooming business to contribute to a more comfortable retirement (or career change). It's take years of planning before they sell to make the best returns.

 

If you plan to retire someday, you will want to do so comfortably. Pet grooming business owners can create a business that provides them with such a retirement. The stereotypical image of the average pet grooming business owner is unfortunately not adorned with the vision of selling a business that provides them with such a retirement. Today, more pet grooming business owners are at least participating in some of the few retirement programs offered by leading trade associations, or those of their individual choice.

 

The size of your client base is directly proportional to the value of your business. So, the more your business is worth, the more you will receive for your retirement. Use management information to build the net worth of your business. The leading source of information to grow the net worth of a pet grooming business today . However, don't overlook other business management publications and higher education sources, and professional working relationships with a bookkeeper, business attorney, accountant and financial planner. Every home, mobile or commercial salon needs management and professional advisors. Be sure to check out the resources at your local SBA or SBDC.

 

What you plan NOW affects you many years from now. Just saying to yourself you will think about it later is not wise. Strategize your career in pet grooming with a map of sorts. Create a business plan, because to create one you must identify short-term objectives, and those five, ten and twenty years ahead. You are not locked in and prevented from making changes, but you will surely make less mistakes.

Salon or Shop Grooming

Let's start by saying that there is little difference in the term "shop" versus "salon." Most consumers sense the use of the term "salon" as being more upscale, and not necessarily a larger business than a shop. "Shop" is simply casual. So for the purpose of discussion here unless otherwise noted, we mean the same thing whether we use the term "shop" or "salon." If your interest is a pet spa this is your section too.

  The term "pet spa" has been around for some time but its use is on the increase in upscale areas. These businesses promote specialty services from hydrotherapy to "blueberry facials." Salons and shops as we use the term are in "commercial locations." They do not qualify as a home-based business, and of course they are not a mobile operation although some may own a mobile and provide that extra service.

Salons and shops typically have 1 or more employees. Now that is perhaps the most common delineation between home and mobile groomers and owners of salons and shops. 

There are some home and mobile operations with employees, but the percentage of employers is dramatically higher among salon and shop owners. If you don't want employees, you won't have a typical salon or shop, but there are some exceptions of very small one person shops usually in 200 to 300 square foot "nooks

DEMOGRAPHICS

All the available information has not been processed and published yet. The table of content gives an indication of all the information that will eventually be published but only links to available information have been activated Use the drop-down menu below to go directly to the relevant page.These pages only contain a part of the complete economic atlas. For the complete index, see

 These categories were deduced from the categories used in the  “Business” category of the “” (ODP). For the moment we will not use additional sub-categories but this may change if the number and variety of businesses within a category warrants it.Note that we do not use the complete structure of the ODP but only the “Business” sub-category with some categories added to this. Information about organisations in Centurion that may fall into other (non-business) categories, might be available.

 

The main differences between our classification and that used by the ODP are as follows:The sub-divisions within the “Business” category was used as basis but extended by including categories such as “health”. The ODP handles “shopping” as a category separate from “business” while we include web sites of retailers in the relevant “business” category.

 

 Where necessary, categories have been added to provide sufficient coverage of the retail area. This category is for businesses specialising in advertising and promotion services. (We include businesses involved in Internet marketing/promotion (for their clients).)This category is not for businesses to advertise their own services.

 

These descriptions are loosely based on the descriptions provided as part of the ODP directory. SuproNet does not necessarity agree with all those descriptions and is of the opinion that:some descriptions have shortcomings the standard of the descriptions vary too much from one category to another. We trust that the ODP descriptions will be improved over time and are of the opinion that the use of standardised category types has more advantages than the disadvantages related to the less than perfect descriptions

Professional Development in Mining

University Accreditation

 

The following short courses are presented as part of the Mining Studies Institute of the University of British Columbia. As such they qualify for the Certificate in Mining Studies offered by the Department of Continuing Studies of the University of British Columbia 

 

Blended Learning Format

EduMine's blended learning format integrates online learning with the dynamics of a classroom short course by industry specialists.Prior to a short course, registered participants are provided with an internet url, user name and password. This enables them to access online e-learning material consisting of one or more online EduMine courses. This learning component provides participants with important background material which increases their understanding and appreciation of the classroom short course. A good understanding of this material, confirmed by completion of interactive reviews, enables participants to derive maximum benefit from the short courses.

 

UBC Certificate in Mining Studies

 

The courses listed above qualify for the UBC Certificate in Mining Studies, a continuing education initiative by the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining at the University of British Columbia. Registered participants in the Certificate in Mining Studies Program who attend one of the above short courses, complete the associated online e-learning modules, and complete a take-away project will receive credit towards a Certificate in Mining Studies from UBC Continuing Studies.

 

 

SFU Graduate Diploma in Business Administration

 

a few courses also qualify for the SFU Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, a continuing education initiative by the Learning Strategies Group of Simon Fraser University Business. Graduate Business Courses for Mining are offered in partnership with EduMine on an open enrollment basis and may be combined with courses from a Customized Corporate GDBA (see below) or the Open Enrollment GDBA program to complete the graduate diploma requirements. Students who complete both the EduMine and the SFU Classroom component will receive credit toward the GDBA ...

Business Consulting

 

Business optimization consulting is available for your convenience. Rise above traditional management consulting, and consistently optimize -- instead of just manage or improve -- your management and business challenges. Keep in mind, thoughts are the parents of business initiatives and performance. Take the quiz and discover whether your leadership skills are in your best interest.

Optimal Thinking is the mental software for business optimization. Every time an executive thinks suboptimally, efficiency, effectiveness and profitability are reduced. We assess individual, team, and departmental thinking levels in your organization with our unique, proprietary to provide information that enables optimization to have the greatest impact.

 uncover the thinking that compromises your company's best interests  learn how to best leverage the thinking that supports your company's best interests  clarify and optimize your optimal vision and mission  determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your business  define the strategies and best practices necessary for corporate optimization

 

  optimize employee motivation, performance and retention   maximize team, departmental, interdepartmental and customer interactions   maximize market share and cash flow   optimize efficiency, revenue, and net profits.  obtain the optimum return on your investments  Achieve workplace optimization. Realistic optimal strategies to maximize business performance and organizational culture.

 

Take our proprietary Optimal Thinking 360º Assessment to uncover the thinking styles of new hires, existing employees, first time surpervisors, middle managers, senior executives, and more Determine supreme strategy to create maximum sustainable sales and profit growth. Rise above traditional management consulting, to consistently optimize -- instead of just manage or improve -- every aspect of your organization.

 

Optimize your vision, mission, values and ethics statements and all professional communications with Optimal Thinking business writing and editorial services. Maximize your management and leadership potential, and resolve business issues that undermine peak performance. Take the quiz and discover how much of your communication is in your best interest.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

The SBA offers an extensive selection of information on most business management topics, from how to start a business to exporting your products.This information is listed in The Small Business Directory. For a free copy contact your nearest SBA office.SBA has offices throughout the country. Consult the U.S. Government section in your telephone directory for the office nearest you. SBA offers a number of programs and services, including training and educational programs, counseling services, financial programs and contract assistance. Ask about

 

                            SCORE, a national organization sponsored by SBA of over 13,000 volunteer business executives who provide free counseling, workshops and seminars to prospective and existing small business people.SBDCs, sponsored by the SBA in partnership with state and local governments, the educational community and the private sector. They provide assistance, counseling and training to prospective and existing business people.

 

                                SBIs, organized through SBA on more than 500 college campuses nationwide. The institutes provide counseling by students and faculty to small business clients.For more information about SBA business development programs and services call the SBA Small Business Answer Desk at 1‑800‑U‑ASK‑SBA (827‑5722).

 

Other U.S. Government Resources

 

Many publications on business management and other related topics are available from the Government Printing Office (GPO). GPO bookstores are located in 24 major cities and are listed in the Yellow Pages under the bookstore heading. You can request a Subject Bibliography by writing to Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402‑9328.

 

Many federal agencies offer publications of interest to small businesses. There is a nominal fee for some, but most are free. Below is a selected list of government agencies that provide publications and other services targeted to small businesses. To get their publications, contact the regional offices listed in the telephone directory or write to the addresses below:

 

 Magazine and newspaper articles and Books  Many guidebooks, textbooks and manuals on small business are published annually. To find the names of books not in your local library check Books In Print, a directory of books currently available from publishers.Business and professional magazines provide information that is more current than that found in books and textbooks. There are a number of indexes to help you find specific articles in periodicals.In addition to books and magazines, many libraries offer free workshops, lend skill‑building tapes and have catalogues and brochures describing continuing education opportunities.

CONTROL AND FEEDBACK

To make your plan work you need feedback. For example a year-end profit and loss (income) statement shows whether your business made a profit or took a loss for the past 12 months.Don't wait 12 months for the score. To keep your plan on target you need readings at frequent intervals. An income statement compiled at the end of each month or at the end of each quarter is one common type of feedback.

 

You must also set up management controls that help you ensure that the right things are done each day and week. You as the owner-manager cannot do all the work. You must delegate work responsibility and authority. All record-keeping systems should be set up before the store opens. After you're in business it is too late.The control system you set up should give you information about stock sales receipts and disbursements. The simpler the accounting control system the better. Its purpose is to give you current useful information and help you expose trouble spots. Outside advisers such as accountants can help.

 

The purpose of controlling stock is to provide maximum service to your customers. Your aim should be to achieve a high turnover rate on your inventory. The fewer dollars you tie up in stock the better. In a small store stock control helps the owner-manager offer a balanced assortment and determine stock to be ordered on the basis of what is on hand what is on order and what has been sold.When setting inventory controls keep in mind that in addition to the cost of the stock there are also the costs of purchasing receiving and storing stock and the cost of keeping stock control records.

 

Your stock control system should enable you to determine what needs to be ordered on the basis of what is on hand what is on order and what has been sold. Some trade associations and suppliers provide systems to members and customers. Otherwise your accountant can set up a system that is best for your business. Inventory control is based on either a perpetual or a periodic method of accounting involving cost considerations as well as stock control.When you have chosen the system you will use to control stock estimate its cost. You may not need an extensive (and expensive) control system if you do not need the detailed information such a system collects. The system must justify its cost or you will waste money and time on a useless effort.

 

Many stores (e.g. bookstores shoe stores and clothing stores) use computerized software systems to control inventory. A computerized inventory system is especially helpful if you must maintain a large variety of products as in a bookstore a liquor store or a shoe store. A computerized system allows you to avoid overstocking items that do not sell in large quantities by providing detailed reports on sales and stock turnover. Speak to your accountant about the feasibility and cost of using a computerized inventory system or visit your local computer store to see what inventory systems are available. The best system usually will be one designed for your line of business.

Attracting Customers

When you have a location in mind, you should work through another aspect of marketing. How will you attract customers to your store? How will you pull business away from your competition? Many small retailers find competitive advantages within this aspect of marketing. The ideas they develop are as good as and often better than those the large companies develop. The following work blocks are designed to help you think about image, pricing, customer service policies and advertising.

 

Image Every store has an image. For example, throw some merchandise onto shelves and onto display tables in a dirty, dimly lit store and you've got an image. Shoppers think of it as a dirty, junky store and avoid coming into it. The same merchandise displayed on brightly lit, well-organized shelves could project a high-tech image.Your image should be focused enough to promote in your advertising and other promotional activities. For example, home cooked food might be the image of a small restaurant.What is the image you want shoppers and customers to have of your store?

 

Value received is the key to pricing. A store can have low prices by selling low-priced merchandise. Thus, what you do about the prices you charge depends on the lines of merchandise you buy and sell. Pricing also depends on what your competition charges for these lines of merchandise. Your answers to the following questions should help you to decide what to do about pricing.

 

In what price ranges are your lines of merchandise sold?What services will you offer to justify your prices if they are higher than your competitor's prices?Will you sell for cash only? If you use credit card systems, what will they cost you? Will you have to add a surcharge to the original price in order to absorb the cost?

Determining Sales Potential

In a retail business, your sales potential depends on location. Like a tree, a store has to draw nourishment from the area around it. To work through the problem of selecting a profitable location, answer the following questions. In what part of the city or town will you locate? In the downtown business section? In the area right next to the downtown business section? In a residential section? On the highway outside of town? In the suburbs? In a suburban shopping center?

 

  On a worksheet, write where you plan to locate and give the reasons why you chose that particular location. The local chamber of commerce may have census data for your area.  Census Traces on Population, published by the U.S. Census Bureau, may be useful.  Other sources on marketing statistics are trade associations and directories.

 

Now consider these questions that will help you narrow down a site in your location area.^* What is the competition in the area you have picked? How many of the stores look prosperous? How many look as though they are barely getting by? How many similar stores went out of business in this area last year? What price line does the competition carry? Which store or stores in the area will be your biggest competitors?

 

Again, write down the reasons for your opinions. Also write out an analysis of the area's economic base and give the reasons for your opinion. Is the area in which you plan to locate supported by a strong economic base? For example, are nearby industries working full time? Only part time? Did any industries go out of business or move from the area in the past several months? Are new industries scheduled to open in the next several months?

 

When you find a building that seems to be what you need, answer the following questions. Is the neighborhood becoming run down? Is the neighborhood new and growing? Are any super highways or throughways planned for the neighborhood? Is street traffic fairly heavy all day? Do pedestrians look like prospective customers? How close is the building to bus lines and other transportation? Are there adequate parking spaces convenient to your store?

BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE SMALL RETAILER

The success of your business depends largely on the decisions you make. A business plan allocates resources and measures the results of your actions, helping you set realistic goals and make logical decisions.

 

What's in This for Me? And  What Business Am I in?

 

You may be thinking, Why should I spend my time drawing up a business plan? What's in it for me? If you've never worked out a plan, you are right in wanting to hear about the possible benefits before you do the work. Remember first that the lack of planning leaves you ill-prepared to anticipate future decisions and actions needed to run your business successfully.

 

A business plan gives you a path to follow.A plan with goals and action steps allows you to guide your business through turbulent, often unforeseen economic conditions.A plan gives your banker insight into the condition and direction of your business so your business can be more favorably considered for a loan.A plan can tell your sales personnel, suppliers and others about your operations and goals.

 

A plan can help you develop as a manager. It can give you practice in thinking and figuring out problems about competitive conditions, promotional opportunities and situations that are good or bad for your business. Such practice over a period of time can help increase an owner-manager's ability to make judgments.A sound plan tells you what to do and how to do it to achieve the goals you have set for your business.

 

In making your business plan, the first question to consider is, What business am I really in? At first reading, this question may seem silly. If there is one thing I know, you say to yourself, it is what business I'm in. Hold on and think. Some owner-managers have gone broke and others have wasted their savings because they did not define their businesses in detail. A clearly defined business will not only help your planning, it could mean greater profits.

Simi Valley- A great place for PhotoGraphers

Photography and graphic design studio located in Simi Valley, just northwest of Los Angeles. Professional photographer and graphic designer a short drive from the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Westlake Village, Camarillo, Agoura Hills, Newbury Park, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Northridge, Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Reseda, Valencia and Woodland Hills. Available for location photography throughout Southern California.

 

Commercial photography services include architectural, closeup (macro), business portraits or headshots, products and more. Photographer works in either digital or film. Photographer works in existing light or with studio hot lights or with commercial strobe lighting. Professional lighting on location or in studio. Graphic designer services include page layout, logo design, catalogs, sell sheets, marketing materials and advertising. Web designer services include custom sites, redesigns, business card sites and e-commerce.

 

Designer works with all standard digital programs including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Acrobat and others. Graphic designer services available on location, at studio, or via email. In addition to the commercial photography and graphic design services, owner Tom Ferguson exhibits fine art photography and teaches digital photography at CVAS in Thousand Oaks. Private lesson in photography or alternative process printing are available at the studio in Simi Valley

 

Tom Ferguson Photography and Design provides professional photography, imaging and graphic design services to large and small businesses. Print design for catalogs, sell sheets, marketing materials and advertising. Complete web design for new sites or existing website updates. Commercial photography for all business uses, including product, architecture, macro (closeup), business portraits and location sessions. Studio in Simi Valley, CA (where northwest Los Angeles meets southern Ventura County). Owner Tom Ferguson is also an exhibiting fine art photographer. His prints in platinum, gum, cyanotype, palladium, lith and silver are shown on this site and are available from a variety of galleries. 

Changes to Business Plans over Time

daullThe following assessment of possible changes in respondents' views over the eighteen months covered by the survey must be approached with great care on the grounds that this interval was relatively short and the mix/backgrounds of respondents could have changed over the period.Subject to these major qualifications, detailed analysis of the responses over time has suggested that the following relatively minor shifts may have occurred over the life of the survey:

 

The proportion of business plans prepared to secure approvals from shareholders/directors may have declined and the proportions used for internal/personal purposes and to raise venture capital/equity may have increased slightly. Respondents may have been taking progressively more time over their plans as evidenced by a gradual decline in the proportion of plans taking less than a month to complete.

 

Market analysis may have gradually replaced financial projections as the single most difficult part of a plan to prepare. Respondents may have been taking progressively more time over their plans as evidenced by a gradual decline in the proportion of plans taking less than a month to complete. Progressively, plans may have become even more difficult to prepare than had been originally anticipated.

 

The proportion of plans considered critically important may have declined slightly and the proportion viewed as important may have increased to compensate. For more detailed guidance on preparing a plan, check the white paper on  our free 150-page Business Plan Guide and Template