The Importance of Numeracy in Business

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

There has been a recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) highlighting the poor level of numeracy in the UK. This highlights the high proportion of UK adults with poor numerical skills, but more worrying being poor at maths is not seen as being a problem and was almost a ‘badge of honour’.

There has been an ongoing campaign to improve basic education in the UK under the ‘Skills for Life‘ programme.  While this has addressed literacy skills well the impact on numeracy has been far less marked.

Interestingly this coincided with a recent initiative  at the University of Bedfordshire’s business school to improve numerical skills of first year students. Also IBM has just produced a white paper emphasizing the importance of analytics in creating value for organizations.

 

 

NIACE Report

Comment: Huffington Post

IBM White Paper: Analytics the New Path to Value

Posted in Education | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pop up retail

Posted on March 4, 2012 by admin

There is an increasing phenomenon on the highs street the pop up shop. This concept allows an entrepreneur to set up a shop in a key location for a short period to test a retail

A key element of this is the agencies such as Pop up Space who provide access to empty retail space in prime locations.

Business insider 18 most creative pop up stores

Posted in Marketing Environment, Social and Cultural | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Data on Internet Usage for 2011

Posted on February 18, 2012 by admin

The Office for National Statistics(ONS) has published data for UK internet usage for the last quarter of 2011.

The headline figures indicate that 16% of UK citizens, unsurprisingly the percentage increases as age increases with 40% of citizens between 65 – 74 not having accessed the internet during the last quarter of 2011.

Over 2011 internet usage increased with all male usage growing to 86% and all female usage raising to 81%. All male usage increasing marginally more than all female usage.

 

% Usage over 2011 by Sex

 

 

 

 

Office for National Statistics data 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

C2C advisor sites concerned about reviews

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

Today the consumer advice site Trip Advisor has made a statement in response to concerns over the public reviews they carry.Telegraph item
This increase in review sites being used by the public to research an ever increasing range of products and services had created a whole new business. Reputation management businesses have emerged to help individuals and businesses ensure that the Internet is free form potentially damaging information about them.

However even these businesses are not immune from bad or even misleading reviews. (see business week Fixing the Reputations of Reputation Managers)

Posted in In the news, Mini-Cases, Social and Cultural, Using the Web in Business | Leave a comment

PM declares war on high paid losers.

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

David Cameron has started the year by declaring war on high paid executives who do not add value to companies. He declares the he will give shareholders teeth when it comes top executive pay. However Tony Blair introduced the concept of shareholder power, but since the shareholders have not voted down high wages but encouraged risk taking, particularly at the banks.

Read more..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/09/employees-pay-awards-shareholders-david-cameron

Posted in In the news | Tagged , | Leave a comment

2012 more economic confusion or just confused economists?

Posted on January 5, 2012 by admin

As ever there is no consensus on the UK economy – the latest good news from Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) survey on the market sector indicates that there was stronger than expected growth in the all important service sector. (See CIPS Site) The CIPS use a measure of activity based on data from purchasing managers – the Purchase Managers Index (PMI).  In December this showed a 2 point growth over November indicating strong growth – however the report also noted that conditions were still far from good with lower margins and discounting being used to attract business.

The service sector accounts for a substantial proportion of he UK economy – larger than manufacturing and financial sectors – so might it be an indicator that at least at the moment the UK is avoiding the double dip.

However, despite this the consensus is that at best we shall see flat growth over the next twelve months.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Government Spends in Cybersecurity

Posted on November 25, 2011 by admin

This morning the Francis Maude, Cabinet Office Minister, announced £650m pounds to improve cyber-security in the UK.  Currently internet business is responsible for  around 6% of UK’s GDP, this measure along with infrastructure projects is hoped to encourage businesses to see the UK as a good place to do e-Business.

The money will be spent on developing the Cyber Defense Operations Group, a joint services initiative with GCHQ. The initiative will be headed up by Air Marshall Sir Stuart Peach, head of the new Joint Forces Command.  His job will be to develop “new tactics, techniques and plans to develop military cyber capabilities”. This will include offensive as well as defensive capabilities. (Cyber Crime Unit)

See Frances Maude interviewed on BBC

Posted in Cyber Security, Technology, Using the Web in Business | Leave a comment

Economic outlook poor

Posted on November 16, 2011 by admin

There are several key indicators emerging to reinforce the gloomy predictions for the UK and European economies such as that made by the OECD  [BBC - OECD warns that global economy is slowing]

In the Eurozone bond prices have been firming up for all governments – with Italy already paying over 7% even bond yields for France the second largest economy are up. With concerns about the stability of the Eurozone investors are looking elsewhere. [FT] [Reuters, ] However the Eurozone grief has given US bonds some respite. [Reuters]

Earlier in the week the inflation figures showed a 0.2% drop from 5.2% to 5% (CPI) [Telegraph, BBC].  Today the UK unemployment figures will be released – but already there is speculation that the levels of youth unemployment will be up. A further indicator of the impact of reducing inflation on the wider economy and strengthening the speculation that the UK will go from slow growth to recession – the ‘Double dip’ scenario.

Posted in Economics, In the news, Marketing Environment | Leave a comment

VAT Loophole to be blocked.

Posted on November 9, 2011 by admin

For sometime key on-line retailers, notably Amazon and HMV,  have been dispatching items retailing at under £18:00 from operations based in the Channel Islands to take advantage of the ability to dispatch to the UK ‘VAT Free’ .

But the treasury has announced the from March 2012 they are closing this loophole and all goods will attract VAT at the 20% rate.  A spokesman from Channel Islands warns that this will lead to over 1,000 job losses, as yet there has been no response from the retailers.,

 

The Guardian Report

BBC

Posted in business environment, e-Business, In the news, politics | Leave a comment

Euro Crisis jeopardises UK recovery

Posted on October 6, 2011 by admin

The increasing uncertainty in the Euro zone is still effecting world stock markets and the UK economy.

There is still speculation as to whether the UK growth, already slower than predicted(See BBC story)  in current quarter – growth at 0.2% rather than the predicted 0.5% will slip into recession in the next quarter.

Exports are seen as being the main driver for growth going forwards, but UK manufacturers have relied on EU markets for over 50% of total exports and some sectors are  still seeing growth, while others are looking towards emerging markets such as India and China who are still seeing strong growth.

To bolster the economy over the next quarter it is strongly rumored that, in addition to George Osborne’s announcement of the governments intention to instigate ‘credit easing’ at the Conservative conference, the Bank of England is also considering further ‘Quantitative Easing’.

Politically these measures would appear to be a return to Keynesian policies, however it will be interesting to see how effective these measures will be as the government spending cuts really begin to bite. Even today the BBC will announce job losses to further dampen UK confidence.

Independent Business News Feb 2011

UK food and drink exports continue impressive growth – The Manufacturer 

George Osborne announces multibillion-pound credit-easing plan – Guardian 

What Is Quantitative Easing?

Posted in business environment, In the news, International Marketing, politics | Leave a comment