If you need to stay up to date with all the latest happenings and occurrences in the world of business, there’s no better way that to log onto the internet. The World Wide Web is indeed a goldmine for general company news, stock market trends and even emerging sector overviews. Put simply, to stay ahead of the game, get online.The great thing about the net is that there’s so much choice. Literally millions of different websites exist, and that means you can get the lo-down on pretty much any story, no matter how recent or far-fetched. Whether you want to know about a new CEO, an orange crop report or even the newest location of your favourite burger franchise, 5 minutes in cyberspace is all you need.Obviously the major news networks will have a greater scope to cover stories, but having said that you should never discount smaller or more niche oriented websites as they often have their ears closer to the ground. If someone makes it their business to know about a particular area, there’s a greater chance of finding more detail than at a larger authority site which is more concerned with the general facts. The best option however is to read a mixture, as that way you’ll never be left in the dark.Whatever type of industry you’re in, and whatever your job description might be, there’s no doubt that knowledge is power. From finance to marketing, law to politics, the more you know, the better off you’ll be. You might be the chairman of the board, or simply holding down the fort in an entry level position, but taking the time to read up on a variety of topics, related to your company or otherwise, is the key to success.Technology is definitely a wonderful thing, and these days you can receive all sorts of updates on your computer or smart phone from web based sources. Apps, emails, widgets and even real time tickers mean you’ll never miss a beat, and that’s a far cry from a few years ago when reading newspapers was the norm. Business itself has changed because of the web, and the exact opposite is true as well. It’s a perfect marriage that benefits regular individuals massively.Quite plainly then, the information highway is a real goldmine when it comes to staying up to date with pretty much anything these days. Having all the facts in one easily accessible place means you’ll be incredibly well informed and always able to make the right decisions. Log on and start surfing today- it’ll be the best thing you ever do from a career perspective!
Author Archives: schatzi
New York City Business Travel Destination Guide
New York is a city that truly has something for everyone. The diverse residents from around the globe make New York unlike any other city in the world. A major destination for business travel, New York is home to countless businesses and is a world economic capital. When traveling to New York City, business travelers are often surprised by the high cost – including meals, hotels and transportation. Some corporate per diems are not high enough to cover expenses.TransportationAirports Serving New York CityThere are three airports that you can use when traveling to New York City – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), La Guardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). JFK, the largest of the three airports, began service in 1948 and has since grown to five times it original size. Located just 15 miles from downtown Manhattan, transportation options range from public transportation to taxis and hired cars.La Guardia is smaller than JFK, servicing about half the number of passengers as JFK. It is located closer to downtown Manhattan than JFK, just 8 miles. Transportation options include public bus service from the airport to all areas of the city, bus service to Grand Central Station and Penn Station via the New York Airport Express Bus and as always, taxis and hired cars are available.The Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), across the Hudson river in New Jersey about 16 miles from midtown Manhattan is also a good option for business travelers. Currently, Newark airport is undergoing a five year renovation project to its B terminal.Taking the Train to New York CityFor East Coast business travelers, New York City is easily accessible by taking the train. Amtrak offers several routes that travel between New York City and numerous East Coast cities.The Acela Express train runs from Washington, DC to Boston, with stops in Philadelphia and New York City. Business travelers will find the Acela has amenities not offered on other trains, and travels at speeds up to 150 miles per hour. You will get to your destination sooner than the other trains, but a ticket on the Acela comes at a premium cost.Getting Around the CityNew York City is known for its hectic traffic – but don’t worry, getting around is not as hard as it may look. Taxis and the metro are the primary forms of transportation for business travelers.When getting around or asking for directions, all you need to remember is compass directions and have the right vocabulary. “Uptown” is when you are heading north towards higher numbered streets while “downtown” is when you are traveling south. You will go to the “East Side” or “West Side” when you are crossing the island. And be aware of building numbers which often don’t follow logical patterns.What to SeeIf you are lucky enough to have some free time while traveling to New York City, you will find you have endless options to keep you entertained. Known as the city that never sleeps, there is always something to do in New York no matter the time. Home to many world famous attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings and over 20,000 restaurants and 150 museums, you will never run out of something to do while visiting this exciting city.
Joinery Manufacture For the Construction Industry
Many of the larger construction companies still have a joinery workshop as part of their overall resources but many of the medium to smaller sized companies have had to close part of their production facilities and out- source joinery and other skills to sub- contractors. This makes sense financially as work is made to order and there are no overheads, such as paying for utilities/wages when there is little work on.As recovery in the construction industry starts to happen which there are definite signs of, there will be a demand for specialised products- joinery, metalworking, etc. With no” in house” production available, contractors will be sub contracting even more work than before.So we need to start looking at ways of production which will help kick start the regeneration.One possible idea is buying in component items for minimal assembly but achieving great cost savings. Windows and doors are both available in kit forms, in a variety of timbers and styles. Maybe even the larger companies will look at this idea. Lets take windows as an example. If you are building a large number of similar houses, the chances are that multiples of the same window style and size will be required. Why not have the windows made off site in component form, transported to your business for assembly ( this is easily done because the windows take up much less space and are less likely to be damaged) and then on to site for fitting and glazing. Assembly is very straightforward and can be carried out by semi skilled labour.This will work as long as the company who is given the task of producing your windows is set up to do this. Research them carefully and seek references before ordering.A good joinery company will be able to tailor a product to suit your requirements. Stormproof style or traditional, a variety of mouldings depending on the look and various timbers to suit all budgets.Some companies just want the fully assembled and painted window on site with glazing ready to fix. This will increase the unit cost but saves time on site. Again look at the quality of what is on offer- frame thickness, timber quality, paint finish and ironmongery if it is provided. Visit and talk to the company to gauge whether they have the resources and skills to manufacture exactly what you want.Doors can also be supplied in component form but generally customers want them fully assembled and quite often pre-hung in a frame with all ironmongery fitted and then removed. Once on site, the door frame just needs fitting in the frame and checking it is plumb, before refitting the door and ironmongery. This saves time and effort on site and usually prevents problems like locks not operating correctly as they have been pre- tested during initial fitting.The advantage of fully assembled items is that they can be be pre-finished with paint or lacquer, again saving time on site.It is not unusual to see “pod” type units being delivered to site, especially for bathrooms- where the unit is pre tiled and all items fitted. Once on site the water and drainage connections are made and the unit is practically complete. The speed of building using these new pre-fabs is incredible. Wall sections including cut outs for windows and doors can be built by very few workers in a matter of hours.I think that with the population due to increase, we need more affordable housing for all and new ways to reduce build time. Maybe its time for a change of attitude.The government also needs to take renewable energy such as solar power and invest in the technology. All new houses should have a solar panel and these are now available in “tile look” which means you don’t even see the unit once its installed. This has to be the way we start to think.Hope you agree.Give me your thoughts.Gordon