Latest News
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Have your say: Mining industry
Helen Hull | June 22, 2011Would you like to be involved in the development of government policy?
The Business Consultation website allows you to keep on top of potential changes to business and industry and have your say on issues that affect you.
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How often is too often?
Geoffrey McDonald Bowll | June 22, 2011When is the right timing for business or personal contact? If you meet a possible customer at a function, do you ring them desperately the next day and look pathetic, friendless and pushy, or do you wait a good six months and hope they remember you, like you’re as memorable as Barack or the Dizzy Lama?
It’s a mystery to many of us. Who wouldn’t love the timing talent that knows exactly when to push the button and when to hold off, teasing the audience, putting them more in love with your words of wisdom, because they have received them right when the coffee arrived, or the second glass of wine kicked in.
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APTS recognised as WA Telstra Business finalist
Helen Hull | June 21, 2011First 5000 member, Australian Pressure Testing Services (APTS) has been named as a finalist in the 2011 Telstra Western Australian Business Awards across three categories.
The service provider to the oil and gas industry, which pressure tests pipelines and vessels to prove their integrity, is a finalist in the Panasonic Medium Business, Yellow Pages Social Responsibility and AMP Innovation categories.
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Difference between Add-Ons and ERP
Michael McCash | June 20, 2011
Today’s IT market is crowded with credible and non–credible players, each offering an instant ‘band-aid’ fix to the pain-points of your existing accounting software.
The question is: when does this add-on software stop providing the promised benefits and start hampering your growth? -
Prepared for the end of financial year?
Michael Derin | June 14, 2011
From taking care of the year’s profit and losses to reviewing your balance sheets and maximising your tax deductions, this checklist from accountant Michael Derin at the Azure Group is everything you need to take care of before the year is out. -
IT control is king
Nick Day | June 14, 2011On a recent business trip I was enthralled by Liam Neeson’s performance in the thriller, Unknown. The movie starts with him making a frantic dash back to the airport after leaving his laptop behind in a cab.
Of course business mobility has been a long standing issue for IT. Whether it’s a loss, theft or a network meltdown, any of these situations can create a major issue affecting the continuity of a business. Securing the data is paramount. Easy management is crucial. Control is king.
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IPA’s Conway wins Young Professional award
Helen Hull | June 7, 2011
Andrew Conway, chief executive of First 5000 member, the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), has been recognised as the Professions Australia ‘2011 Young Professional of the Year’.
The award is intended to encourage and recognise the achievements of a young professional who has demonstrated a noteworthy commitment to excellence and innovation in their profession and has worked to promote the profession as a whole. -
Guide to selecting an ERP
Michael McCash | June 6, 2011The implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to overhaul and automate business processes is a significant strategic investment for any organisation.
Buying the right system and choosing the best vendor partner are critical to a successful implementation – because in this instance the word ‘partner’ isn’t just a figure of speech.
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Economic snapshot – June
Alan Oster | June 3, 2011
The weakness in the March quarter GDP creates a perfect storm for a central bank attempting to tighten interest rates in response to the underlying strength of the economy.
While the Reserve Bank is looking forward to emerging inflationary pressures, it’ll be difficult to avoid the tactical complications presented by the recent slowdown in our economy.
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Collingwood taps social media
Helen Hull | May 30, 2011
Facebook is the most popular social network platform with one in four businesses having a Facebook presence, according to a recent study.
First 5000 member, the AFL’s Collingwood Football Club became active on Facebook and Twitter in early 2009, initially using them as tools to drive users back to the club’s website. -
Independents key to change
Glenn Druery | May 24, 2011It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that politics is something that only happens in the hallowed halls of Canberra or the sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street.
You could be forgiven for thinking that that the most impact you can have in politics is by the exercise of your democratic right once every few years.
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Australian retail community under threat
Jost Stollmann | May 20, 2011The digital economy will allow the big retailers to expand their domination further squeezing the remaining retail community.
The increasing preponderance of smartphones and ever-present broadband access allows the big retailers to deploy customer engagement strategies bundling financial and marketing services capabilities.
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Get into bed
Geoffrey McDonald Bowll | May 9, 2011Let’s do something the ACCC is going to hate, but can’t do much about. Get together with competitors.
There’s two sorts in business. The bulk want to make friends, have a few laughs, go to work in a good mood, enjoy the day, make a buck. The others, the nasty minority, think it’s about conflict and competition and killing the other guy.
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Telstra launches 2011 Business Women’s Awards
Helen Hull | May 2, 2011
Telstra has launched the 2011 Business Women’s Awards which have over the last 16 years uncovered amazing and inspiring business women and their extraordinary journeys.
Almost a quarter of women recognised as inspirational leaders in business through the Telstra Business Women’s Awards have joined a board following their success.
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PM Gillard talks Getting Aussie Business Online
Kate Dixon | April 20, 2011Well, it isn’t every day that the Prime Minister talks about MYOB but in late March we were in Perth to talk about Getting Aussie Business Online with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.
They were speaking about plans for the National Broadband Network and the need for businesses to get online to take advantage of the digital economy.