Business Brief - resource:magazine-articles

Sustainability and energy

At the opening address of the Power and Electricity World Africa Conference, the Minister of Energy, Ms Dipuo Peters reiterated South Africa’s commitment to renewable energy by implementing the renewable energy program in accordance with the Integrated Resource Plan 2010-30.

Telematics for safety

As telematics is enabling insurers to gain a more accurate picture of the motorist’s driving behavior, motor insurance premiums can now be tailored to the driver’s individual risk behavior.

A new agency model?

This is a landscape shift that goes far beyond customers using social media to complain about and praise brands. It is an environment where consumers are deeply engaged with brands beyond the shop front and the product.

Shape up your marks

An example of a trade mark afforded protection in terms of the South African Trade Marks Act is the triangular shape of the Toblerone chocolate bar.

Zebra and Giraffe wisdom

The giraffe has great height and expansive vision, but it cannot obtain sensory input from the ground. The zebra on the other hand can smell advancing predators at the ground level and see them under trees, but cannot see danger from afar. Conscious of this, the animals forage together, doubly secure in their collaborative defence effort.

Redback:The new super currency?

The rise of a country’s economic power is usually matched by the international acceptance of its currency – the British pound dominated the nineteenth century, the US dollar dominated the twentieth.

Unlawful orders: my boss made me do it!

In a case that came before the CCMA, the employee was a cashier who was dismissed for breaching cash procedures. Her explanation was that she...

Jumping on the b(r)andwagon

Businesses can achieve better branding power by investing in Human Resources (HR) as brand custodians. Social media and other technologies are ensuring that employees are more...

Secrets of the wealthy

There can be little doubt that the world’s wealthiest have a very different perspective when it comes to money. While most people are simply focussed on surviving financially until the end of the month, the wealthy are focussed on building and preserving wealth for future generations.

Payroll and HR

In South Africa, post-Marikana,where labour dissatisfaction is among the worst in the world and where the disparity between rich and poor continues to increase,there is a growing...

Power Play! Negative side to the Electrical Monopoly

During the mid-1900s, all aspects of electricity supply were regarded as a natural government monopoly in most countries, including SA. In the latter stages of that century, the success experienced in the UK through the introduction of...

Class Actions - Win for all

On 29 November 2012 the Supreme Court of Appeal delivered its eagerly awaited and very important judgment on class actions in South Africa...

Accounting solutions

Over time, both business and regulation have become more complex, forcing accountants to consider increasingly more complicated issues, with an exponential increase in paperwork.With more risk attached, businesses are more exposed to...

Women risk financial failure

A recent study revealed that a shocking 70% of South African women do not have any short-term insurance cover in place, placing themselves at serious financial risk should they need to replace something as a result of damage, theft or loss.

Sharp decline in liquidations

The pace at which company liquidations are decreasing accelerated again in October when liquidations dropped by 35.3% year-on-year, after a 28.5% decline in September and a fall of 20.2% in August, according to figures released by Statistics SA.

Counterfeiting is rife!

Counterfeit goods are rife in South Africa, and it’s no longer just foreign brand owners who are feeling the pain...

Corruption is a ticking bomb

For multinationals, corruption in Africa is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. We are due for a big corruption case in Africa, and all it will take is one whistle blower coming forward.

Where are our leaders?

A fish rots from the head down. While this may not be biologically correct, its meaning is anchored in centuries of human history – i.e. when an organisation,nation, or state fails, leadership is generally to blame. At the end of the day, is this the fault of leaders or of the system that put them there?

Employer & employee consumer liability!

Section 113 of the CPA states that if an employee or agent of the supplier is liable in terms of the act for anything done or omitted in the course of that person’s employment or activities on behalf of their principal, the employer or principal is jointly and severally liable with that person.

Assessments: Taxpayers beware!

SARS has always had the power to raise additional or estimated assessments if they believe that taxpayers have made errors on returns or neglected to render returns that were due.

Is No Logo a No-Go

Why would any company do something that is so counter intuitive? We have, after all, been brought up to believe that the trademark is the sign by which consumers identify goods,the sign they use to guide them when they want to buy more of the same.

Sourcing Eskom's Fuding

A big part of the answer is that we need financially healthy entities which can do so. The power stations we are building will be generating power for the next 50 years.

China - Friend or Foe?

These taxes disproportionately affect the poor. It is a compulsory import tax paid on foreign goods, artificially raising the price.Free trade is broader for export potential and more elegant.

SHH...I'm tweeting! The Communication Gap?

As human beings, our only real method of connection is through authentic communication. Research has shown that 93% of communication is based on non-verbal body language, with only 7% based on the written or verbal word.

African Entrepreneurship Lacking

In the past, Africa earned an unfortunatereputation as a continent with a poortrack record for achieving closure ininfrastructure projects in various sectors,including energy. Positive trends are emerging,however, which indicate that change is certainlyin the wind.

Energy change is in the wind

In the past, Africa earned an unfortunate reputation as a continent with a poor track record for achieving closure in infrastructure projects in various sectors,including energy. Positive trends are emerging,however, which indicate that change is certainly in the wind.

Management Education: Grooming Tomorrow's Leaders

Of course, this is easier said than done and it’s up to every one of us to make our own contribution. Investing in skills, knowledge and general business education will have a knock-on effect and will enable us to meet the country’s needs,allowing us to reach our goals.

Killer career tips for women!

Globally, only 21% of women are in senior management positions.South Africa does better at 28%, but only 8% of local companies have a female CEO.

Driverless CAR ahead?

The extent of motor vehicle accidents remains a serious problem in South Africa and is most often the result of human error. Consequently, a driverless system could help eradicate careless and negligent driving behaviour, thereby reducing the number of accidents.

The ostrich SYNDROME

The ostrich syndrome can be identified when directors tend to rely solely on the audit committee when approving financial statements; when directors are willing to accept overly technical explanations from the finance people on the financial statements.

Labour law amendments: punishing penalties proposed!

The most insidious of the amendments proposes punitive measures being taken against companies that have unequal remuneration policies for temporary and permanent staff.

Small Business Tax Benefits

While the majority of businesses are subject to the standard corporate tax rate (currently 28%), very few business owners realise that there are two dispensations, available only to small businesses, which entail a number of tax concessions.

Do you Byod?

There can be no doubt that personal acquired smart devices have become thenorm, not the exception. This presents an overwhelming challengeto IT departments who have found themselves in unknown territory.

Popi on the way

Businesses need to get to grips with the POPI which will have major consequences for the control and movement of information about individuals.

CV Padding Costs

High-profile cases like Thompson's shake shareholders' confidence, damage staff morale and drag the affected company into negative publicity.

Land Reform Commission on a road to know where?

SAPOA acknowledge that the historical background to land ownership in South Africa needs to be addressed.

Turnaround, Business Rescue or Liquidation

By March 2012, almost a year after the introduction of Business Rescue (BR) there had been 428 notices filed for Business Rescue proceedings.

Demand For D&O Liability

The three main areas of concern to companies are, regulation, consumer andemployee awareness, and shareholder derivative claims, with South Africa being no different.

Perils of The Uninsured

Costly private motor insurance policies exclude cover if the vehicle is involved in an accident whilst being kept at a motor dealership for purposes other than maintenance or repair.

Effective Public Finances

It is irresponsible to current and future generations for any government to spend resources unsustainably or ineffectively.

Property Investment & Management

This feature explores the issues surrounding the operation, control, and management of commercial property.There are three key management areas that are critical to operations: Investment, Advisory and Facilities Management.

Sustainabilty & Energy

Sustainable energy can be defined as energy which provides affordable, accessible and reliable energy services that meet the economic, social and environmental needs of society.

Youth Subsidy - Should the new push out the old?

In addition to this, an unemployment spell at a time when unemployment rates are high, such as now,is much worse than when unemployment rates are lower.

Retaining the best

Wages and salaries total 60-70% of total company cost! Within a multinational corporation with 5,000 employees – the recording, storing and processing of this data is an arduous task! HR Managers and Payroll

Scan + Protect = Secure

Theft is more common than ever before! Preventative measures ought to be taken to protect a company's assets – both material and electronic. As criminals become smarter, business owners must create a security strategy for long-term protection.

Water Scarcity - A Business Concern

Production methods, customer requirements, investor sensitivities and capacity levels that shift in the wake of constrained water availability could threaten many successful business models.

Contactless Payment Solution

The way South Africans currently pay for low value purchases (LVP) under R200 is rapidly changing through the implementation of various contactless payment solutions. These occur in both the transit and retail environments.

Implication for drunks

South Africa is one of the highest alcohol consuming countries in the world. Not surprisingly, therefore, it has an alarming number of fatalities, and serious injury to individuals and property caused by drunk drivers.

Deal? But no deal!

Breaking stories in the news recently have placed the auctioning business under a spotlight. In the past there weren't many laws directly governing auctioning and it was a substantially unregulated industry in South Africa.

Retirement Reform : New national scheme a remedy for all

By 2014,Government could start the implementation of a national retirement scheme,based on recent announcements in the Budget Speech.

Keep Records or Face Jail

Directors of South African businesses need to ensure that they are fully compliant with the latest record keeping regulations in terms of the new Companies Act, in order to avoid potential legal feels and in some cases, imprisonment and business closure

Marketing the Future

Life and everything we do seems to be speeding up – so fast, so vast, limitlessly propelled beyond the referential sphere of reality, the present and consciousness.

Investment Management

The investor should assess existing obligations, annuities and assets when trying to plan an alternative strategy.

The value of the MBA

The value of an MBA degree has been widely criticised by scholars and business practitioners.

Diversity - A Business Imperative

Diversity in the boardroom is critical in today's increasingly competitive multinational and multicultural markets and requires continuous focus.

Unemployed vs Unions

More than 6 million South Africans are unemployed and unionised members are becoming more cautious about their union engagement.

Growth for Africa : The Golden opportunity is now

The African continent's economic pulse has quickened, creating a dynamic African business sector with ample commerce opportunities empowering countries across the continent to achieve greater economies of scale, increased investment and become more competitive.

Hosting our Diversity

Firstly, the global recession, though fortunately less prevalent locally than abroad, has caused an industry-wide slowdown in 2011, which however is unlikely to continue as both domestic and foreign players push for economic recovery.

Starting sweating? New tax bill threatens your rights!

The Tax Administration Bill 11 of 2011 may face constitutional challenges should it be promulgated in its current form.The Bill gives SARS much wider powers, impacts on taxpayers’ rights andcontains provisions that could affect taxpayers’ rights to hold a passport, to travel and to trade.

Accounting Solutions - Die by the count

Business owners’ are under pressure to keep their businesses alive – maximise profit, whilst at the same time minimise costs without this being a detriment to operations. The monitoring of this vital process is called accounting – which incorporates the analysis and management of financial statements detailing assets owned and debts owed.

Entrepreneurship : Grow your own way

Entrepreneurship represents opportunity! Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are sprouting globally and in South Africa based on the tenuous economic climate.

Steps to financial independence

Our easy to execute twelve step plan gives you one task a month. Execute each of these according to your circumstances and priorities and you are well on your way to financial freedom.

Shaping Brands in 2012

‘Autonomy’, ‘recognition’, ‘freedom and discovery’, ‘belonging’, ‘more global, more local’, ‘identity blur’, ‘new consciousness’, ‘vitality’, ‘wired world’ and ‘take a stand’ – 10 phrases that South African brand owners should pay serious attention to as they hold the key to current shifts in consumer attitudes and behaviour.

Retail under fire

The retail sector in South Africa faces a number of security challenges, chief among them being theft and a growing trend towards violent armed robbery. Theft is a common problem across retailers, from grocery stores to clothing merchants and everything in between, whether the stores are located in malls or are street facing.

ANCYL misconceives economic freedom

According to US economist Walter Williams, a simple definition of "economic freedom” (more generally known as "a free market”), is "voluntary exchange between individuals free of third party intervention”.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Multiple statistics have abounded in the first two quarters of 2011. One of the most powerful of these is the statistics is that local M&A activity in South Africa has surged 133% for 2010. Local companies have become more sought after and competitive choices as acquisitions with the increase in consumer purchasing power.

Management Education

This management education feature addresses the role of the South African Qualifications Authority(SAQA), as they grapple with the challenges of instituting the new National Qualifications Framework.

Neo-Communication Zeitegeist

The face of marketing has transformed substantially. It's no longer a one directional banteror broadcast dais dominated by a production line of messages.

The irony? Space safety regulations could put you behind bars

There are confined spaces in many industrial workplaces and the term 'confined space' is mainly used to describe items such as, vaults, cellars, mine shafts, tunnels and ducting, basically an area large enough for a person to enter to perform tasks.

Transfer Pricing Challenges

In an ongoing effort to modernise South Africa's transfer pricing regulations and tackle potential tax collection deficits, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is focusing on those problematic areas where it believes there is non-compliance bytaxpayers

The give and take of CODESA III

For the past few months, I have been proposing that we repeat the experience we had in the early 1990s, today. Then there were two Codesas to iron out a new constitution and turn South Africa into a full-blown democracy.

Why sustainability matters...

We face unprecedented challenges as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. In the last 50 years the global population has doubled from 3.5 billion to 7 billion. By 2050 it is estimated there will be 9 billion people on the planet.