Business

  By Robin Murray Brown of London-based executive search firm, Tyzack - www.tyzackpartners.com Whilst the digital era provides substantial opportunities for corporate growth and expansion, it also brings unprecedented challenges in relation to company security, and particularly the security of customer, supplier and proprietary data. It has been suggested that victims of cybercrime lose around £245 billion each year worldwide, making it more profitable than the global trade in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined.Little wonder then that the cyber threat...

These are the top ten properties for July 2014, all prices are according to Zoopla. Prices are up, so sadly you will be getting less for your money than last month…  10. £160,000, 1 bed flat, 1 Arboretum, Barking, Essex IG11 Flat with communal gardens with open plan reception room. The kitchen is fitted with a contemporary range of base and high level units. The bedroom has mirror fronted wardrobes providing hanging and storage space. http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/33309301 9. £160,00, 1 bed...

By Joe Mellor Deputy Editor Last week a group of MPs and peers have called for an overhaul of the way the rental industry is run to provide better protection for families who do not own their own home. Well until that is sorted out (don’t hold your breath) www.rentalraters.com are the TripAdvisor of the rental market, to alert you to dodgy landlords. It is an on-line community that praises the best and (literally) rubbishes the worst. We have compiled...

By Jack Peat  In an information economy where our personal data is wilfully publicised, recorded and used for political and corporate gain, the question of whether we are living the prophesied dystopian theories of Nineteen Eighty-Four is more poignant than ever. George Orwell’s timeless work paints a frightening picture of official deception, secret surveillance and manipulation of history by a totalitarian, authoritarian state. A world where language is a heretic tool that be controlled and used. Words with negative meanings...

By Toby James The Illusion Of Choice And Big Business’s Position In Food And Drink There is a lot of money in necessities. The food and drink industry commands vast amounts of capital, yet much of this is under the control of a surprisingly small number of brands. Coca-Cola claims ownership of at least 13 other brands, each the king of its respective sector of the soft drinks industry. Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Schweppes. Many of these brands have ‘diet’ or...

By Sally Waterston, director of Business and IT Consultancy Waterstons Limited Everything goes in cycles; fashion, the weather, Information Technology and even manufacturing. It feels sometimes as if we are like a pendulum as a country, racing after the next new thing and piling all our hopes on it in the name of strategy and forward thinking. When we started this business in 1994 we had a few customers who offshored their production and seemed to be very successful at...

By Guy Dorrell @GuyDorrellEsq Pfizer’s abortive bid to take control of Astra Zenica in May 2014 was widely commented to have been motivated, at least in part, by Research and Development issues. More specifically, Pfizer has for some time relied upon the cash-cows of its existing products; bolstering its share price through attempting to increase sales, while driving out back-office costs. R&D is an expensive pursuit whatever the industry, though pharmaceutical companies seem to have an especially tough time. Around...

By Gemma Johnson, CEO, MyFamilyClub.co.uk Ah, the famous ‘entrepreneurial spirit’. For me, it’s one of the most exciting spirits an individual can possess. But what is it, exactly? It’s hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. People with entrepreneurial spirit tend to have irrepressible ambition and desire to succeed. They’re not put off by risks that would scare other people rigid (such as the possibility of losing large amounts of money) because all the risks they take...

By Daniel Le Grange It can really make a difference when your business establishes meaningful relationships and makes ethical decisions. Whatever decisions your business makes will strongly affect it’s standing, whether it be in a negative or positive light.  Nobody wants to be associated with a company that acts unethically. So what can make your business stand out from others? Simply being ethical can really pay off not only to better your company’s reputation but also create new affiliations that drive...