Turning Your Supply Chain into a Value Chain

BY Chris Anderson

February 21 , 2006

Last week we discussed Competitive Supply Chains composed of your suppliers, you the producer, and your customers. In order to maximize your competitive advantage you need to strengthen your whole supply chain (the extended supply chain) and turn-it into a value chain.

This week we will look at the steps to creating a value chain out of your extended supply chain.

Who Is On Your Extended Supply Chain?

In basic terms, your supply chain consists of your suppliers, your customers and of course, yourself—the producer. Your extended supply chain adds your supplier’s supplier and your customer’s customers to the SIPOC diagram to create your extended supply chain.

Magic of Extended Supply Chains

Why is your extended supply chain so important? Because by understanding the extended supply chain we increase our overall understanding of value, which in turn leads to proactive measures and preventive action.

A supply chain is a series of links. When we focus on the link in front of us then, at best, we can only take a reactive approach to problem solving. But, if we focus on the links farther down the chain then we can increase our reaction time and become proactive. So, to help your supplier react better to your needs, you need to include your supplier’s supplier and introduce your customer to your supplier.

To help your actions as a producer you need to understand what your customer’s customer is doing with your products and help your suppliers to understand them too. Notice this is not about logistics within your supply chain. It is about creating relationships and understanding in order to become more proactive, preventing waste and increasing your supply chain’s reaction time, as a supply chain. Once this happens you will no longer have just a supply chain but a competitive value chain.

Strong Bonds of Value Chains

Converting supply chains into value chains is a powerful strategy. Supply chains consist of weak bonds and can be broken easily by a new supplier. Value chains are made of strong bonds and are harder to break. Price alone is insufficient to break the supply chain. Every supplier is an investment of time and money to build the relationship and strive for continuous process improvement.

How many times have you gotten a lower price from a potential supplier only to find out later that there were a number of “unknown” factors that influenced that price? Once all of the unknowns are known, is the price really lower?

If the price is lower, then do you cut and run from your old supplier or do you work with your old supplier to improve their process to deliver the lower price? After all, you have invested a lot of time with your suppliers, built a solid relationship and you know each other pretty well by now. Starting over with a new supplier is a whole new learning curve.

Building Value Chains

Leading Value chains or proactively managing your supply chain is the future. How do you get started? Here are a few ideas to building your Value Chain:

• Develop a supplier quality manual describing your supply chains requirements.
• Hold a supply chain event to introduce the members to each other.
• Conduct regular supplier audits to provide feedback on the quality systems.
• Meet regularly with your supply chain to discuss preventive actions.
• Meet immediately with your supply chain to discuss corrective actions.
• Provide regular information to your supply chain on how well you’re doing.

This week we have discussed how Extended Supply Chains – composed of your suppliers, your supplier’s supplier, you the producer, your customers, and your customer’s customer – increase yourproactive capabilities. In order to maximize your competitive advantage you need to strengthen your supply chain and bring your extended supply chain together as a value chain.

To learn more about implementing continuous process improvement within your organization attend the next improvement class How to Align a System of People and Processes for Results . Learn How to Create Well-Defined Processes and to document processes. ISO 9000 Quality Auditor classes are forming now for Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor. Call for information on having your own private in-house classes today.

Recent Headlines:

Is Your Supply Chain Competitive?, 2/13/06

Leading Teams, 1/26/06

What Metrics do you Use to Lead?, 1/11/06

Management Leadership for the New Year, 1/4/06

Why do we need ISO 22000:2005?, 12/12/2005

Is our Food Supply Safe?, 12/05/05

Making the Impossible, Possible, 11/23/2005

Iron Law of Layoffs, 11/10/2005

Is Waste (Muda) Preventing you from Working Smarter?, 11/3/2005

Read more articles on the Bizmanualz Articles Page.

IT Takes Expense Out of Procurement

IT Takes Expense Out of Procurement

Companies that use IT effectively for procuring goods
and services can save big bucks, according to The Hackett
Group. Some systems can lower costs by 20 percent. Lorraine
Cosgrove Ware provides an overview.

http://www.cio.com/go/index.html?ID=10366&PMID=51761558&s=2&f=1

Why Your Website Needs Inbound Links

Why Your Website Needs Inbound Links
By Rick Hendershot (c) 2006

Most web-savvy people quickly learn why they need "links" from
other sites pointing at theirs. Your inbound links are one of
the most important ways of getting yourself known in your
field, generating traffic to your website, and influencing the
search engines to notice your site.

"Traffic" is what linking is all about. Without traffic your
website is useless as a tool for selling your products or
communicating your ideas. Getting links from other websites is
not the only way to generate traffic, but it is probably the
most important one.

But how do links generate traffic?

**Direct traffic from links**

First, links generate direct traffic. Links from sites that
share your target audience will be an important source of
traffic to your site. A visitor to the other web site sees the
link to yours, clicks on it, and becomes your visitor. Some
estimates put the percentage of internet traffic resulting from
this kind of link as high as 21% of total traffic.

Why do people click on these links? One reason is they may view
a link to an outside source as an endorsement. They assume the
webmaster is saying "Here is a source you will find interesting
or helpful". They are looking for the kind of service you
provide, so they click on the link to check you out.

But just as important is simple curiosity. Someone sees a text
link with intriguing wording like "Powerful Cheap Advertising"
or "Win a Free iPod" or "See Pamela Anderson Video" and,
depending on their interests, a certain number of people are
likely to click on it.

This suggests at least three things about your links. First,
you should get as many links as possible on pages your target
audience is likely to be visiting. The more people see your
links, the more traffic you are likely to get.

Second, your anchor text (the words that are linked) should be
intriguing. It should be short and sweet, and suggest a benefit
-- a reason for people to click on it.

Third, your links should be on pages that people actually look
at. Having hundreds of links on pages that nobody ever looks at
will not result in traffic -- at least not direct traffic.
Putting your link on a link exchange page containing hundreds
of services similar to yours is not likely to generate very
many clicks. This is why exchanging links with link directories
is such a questionable waste of time. Web visitors rarely look
at these directories.

Finding good pages where you can place your link is not always
easy. One method is to systematically do searches for your most
important keywords -- the search phrases people are likely to
use when looking for your kind of product or service. Many of
the results will be competitors of yours. But one or two may be
secondary sources such as directories or reference pages.
Getting your link on some of these secondary sources is almost
guaranteed to result in traffic, so it is worth the effort --
and sometimes the cost -- of getting listed in the resources
that score high for your keywords.

**Traffic from Search Engines**

The second reason for getting inbound links is to impress the
search engines. Most search engines use the quantity and
quality of your inbound links to evaluate the importance and
relevance of your site to specific keywords. For instance, if
you sell a product like "Full Color Vinyl Banners", or you are
a Real Estate agent servicing "Kitchener Real Estate", one of
your objectives is to rank high for searches done on your
primary search phrase (and other similar ones).

This will result in traffic because when people search for your
important keywords your site is more likely to show up in the
search results. The more inbound links you have that relate
your site to full color vinyl banners or web promotion
services, or "fill in your keyword here", the higher your site
is likely to rank for these terms, and the more search engine
traffic you are likely to receive as a result.

**Using Articles to get traffic and impress the search
engines**

Embedding your links in articles is one of the best methods of
rapidly increasing your inbound links. Many times a
well-written article will show up in hundreds of places on the
web. And if it has your link embedded in it, that will
obviously increase your inbound links. Webmasters pick up these
articles because they want content to enhance the value of their
sites.

Articles will also generate direct traffic because people who
read them are already interested in your subject matter, and
are therefore more likely to click on your link.

This suggests that the most valuable place to publish your
article is in a themed or categorized article resource. For
instance, if your product is "health" related, having it
published on health-oriented sites will be more valuable than
having it published on generic sites.

You can even take this a step further. If your article is about
something more specific like "mesothelioma advice", then getting
it published on sites that focus on "mesothelioma" will get more
"reads", and have a greater influence on the search engines.

Second, when embedding your link, try to use anchor text that
contains one of your important keywords, not just your URL or
web address. Remember that search engines are dumb. One of your
objectives is to have them relate your website to specific
search terms (keywords or key phrases). And the best way to do
that is to use them as your anchor text.

===
Rick Hendershot heads Linknet Promotions ==>
http://www.linknet-promotions.com Get links in articles and
blog posts http://www.linknet-news.com/linknet-news.php
Linkpopularity durch professionellen Linkaufbau http://www.thinex.de
===

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Google.cn: The Internet As Beijing Sees It

Google.cn: The Internet As Beijing Sees It
By Joseph Pratt (c) 2006

In November, I wrote an article and referenced a trip that ICMediaDirect.com's VP of Business Development, Diana Lee, took to China. She participated in Shanghai's inaugural ad:tech conference. It was a great trip and our company's ties with China are stronger because of it. Like most Western companies
doing business in China, we're just doing business and there are no extenuating circumstances. Google, the giant search engine, cannot say the same.

China is an economic giant warming up to the power of the Internet, but this hasn't been a perfect marriage so far. Centralized power and the decentralized nature of the Internet do not mesh well. Beijing feels compelled to exercise tight control over whatever flow of information they can in order to stifle potential dissent within Chinese society. A governmental missive from 2000 states plainly that Internet providers must
restrict information that may "harm the dignity and interests of the state". And it is into the centrally run, Communist waters that Google waded into last week as they introduced their localized Chinese search engine, Google.cn.

Google.com was already available to Internet users in China, but the search engine launched Google.cn with the purpose of staying competitive in the market, as China already has some big search engines of their own, Baidu specifically. But there is a price to pay. In a stance wholly contradictory to its stated purpose
Google must censor websites that the Chinese government finds threatening. Just a few of these sites deemed not kosher include: Bacardi.com, date.com, collegehumor.com, jackdaniels.com, news.bbc.co.uk, pressfreedom.com, queernet.org,
and teenpregnancy.org. So, in addition to sites deemed critical to Beijing, websites concerning sex, alcohol, and controversial issues are forbidden on Google.cn, as well.

Now consider an excerpt from Google's IPO filing that reads: "Don't be evil. We believe strongly that in the long term, we will be better served - as shareholders and in all other ways - by a company that does good things for the world even if we forgo some short term gains. This is an important aspect of our culture and is broadly shared within the company."

Google's foray into China is directly contradicting their exuberant IPO statement. Perhaps they took idealism a little too seriously, but that's forgivable. To date, none of Google's actions have really amounted to anything more than wearing some
egg on their face. But Google isn't just any old company hawking its products. These are historic times for the Mountain View, CA bunch, and over the next few years their presence in China will amount to much more than a search engine that censored Playboy.com for the Communist government there.

If nothing else, the last two or three years have shown us the inherent strength of the search engine - and none more than Google. And I believe that an unintended consequence of Google's controversial stance in China has an awareness increase of just
how influential search results can be. Comparisons of
"Tiananmen" searches are illustrating this. Several blogs are showing split screen stills of keyword results using "Tiananmen" on Google Images. Google.cn shows picture after picture of a lovely park, while Google.com shows a screen full of those infamous images of a lone protestor in front of menacing tanks.
Just one example of real time censorship is being beamed live over the internet, brought to you by Google. It makes for unintentional and terrible publicity for Google. Oddly timed, too, considering Google's righteous defense here in the United States against government intrusion into their own affairs.

From a business perspective Google's position is sound and totally understandable. They knew they were in for a lump or two for caving to Beijing. They said that providing some information is better than providing none at all. In their own defense, Google cited that less than 2% of websites were to be censored on Google.cn - a mere pittance - yet this is the same company that derided Yahoo for having as little as 1% of their index as paid inclusion. Then it was about principle. Now it's about business. Principle, not surprisingly, can go take a hike.

I repeat, Google's position is not wrong. It's almost silly to envision a leading global company that can maintain preeminence while staying true to a lofty (and now meaningless) definition of "Do No Evil". But in a darkly ironic twist, Google may someday find themselves in situations of flat out "We Do Evil
Right".

A benefit of search is privacy and Google backs user privacy to the hilt here in the United States. Think of what privacy means to users - people can seek help for alcohol and drug problems without fear of ostracism, they can test the job market without
making waves, ask questions they may feel embarrassed asking someone they know - all anonymously. Maybe we take this for granted, but this is a powerful and useful asset for us.

Could anyone actually believe that Google will protect Chinese Internet users if the powers in Beijing started making demands for private search information on Chinese searches? Google has entered China on Beijing's terms, compromised. When issues of ethics arise Google won't have much to say because they are
clearly in China for the dough. The power of search, that we see in China, can - and let's be frank, will be used against the people someday. This would make Google, of "Do No Evil" fame - somewhat complicit.

Until some big changes occur in Beijing I foresee much
awkwardness for the "Do No Evil" bunch's operation in China. Simply put, the Party Leaders in Beijing have Google over a barrel - I suppose that means selling out. If they cared only about profits, this article might not have even been written.

But this is Google. And their product is a powerful tool and they've already yielded it to some very powerful folks in Beijing. This time it was to prevent the Chinese people from accessing certain information. As this tool of search continues to refine and become powerful, it's tough to say what Google will be asked for. Perhaps Google will be coerced into giving up
the identities of their own users in China. It is anything but a farfetched scenario. Is hypocrisy in big business expected?

Sure, to some degree. But this is dangerous hypocrisy.

========
Joseph Pratt Media Analyst ICMediaDirect.com
Web: http://www.icmediadirect.com
email: joseph@icmediadirect.com
========

Jobs & Careers: Tips for Finding a Great Mentor

By Jamie Walters, Inc.com

Mentors can be critical to growth and success in your career. But often the most difficult part is finding a good mentor.

A good mentoring relationship allows both mentor and mentee to develop new talents and build self-awareness. In business settings, the mentee can become more in-tune with a corporate culture, and the mentor can hone leadership skills. But arguably the toughest part of a mentoring relationship is finding a mentor. When beginning your search, consider these tips:

Know yourself: Consciously think about where you are in your career, and where you would like to be. Honestly assess what type of personality you have, and which personality types complement your style. Consider your strengths and weaknesses, and define how a mentor might guide you through your growth. If you don't know yourself, how can another person support you and help you grow?

Be proactive: In some cases, mentoring relationships form naturally. But don't count on it happening that way. Develop a deliberate course of action to find a mentor - a course which can include all of the ensuing tips.

Ask for referrals: As with any search process, tap into your friends' and colleagues' networks to expand your reach. When requesting referrals, be clear about what you're looking for and why. It'll save your time, your friend's energy, and the contact's efforts.

Keep an open mind regarding who this person might be: A mentor is someone who will help you grow in the area(s) most important to you. Look for someone who exemplifies the traits and skills that you want to adopt. It doesn't have to be a supervisor at work. If your accountant models the mindset-management behaviors that you strive for, she could be your mentor.

Identify where you may find a suitable mentor: Good sources of mentors include your management team, industry associations, online communities, your clergy and/or congregation, and professors. Also consider people in your non-workplace communities, such as retirees, local business owners, and people associated with your hobbies.

Know what you want to achieve from the relationship: A clear understanding of your purpose and desired result will ensure that you find a suitable mentor, and that you and your mentor find value in the relationship.

Think about people who have been your mentors in the past: Think about the people who have mentored you and the qualities that you appreciated most about them. Use these traits as barometers to finding a new mentor.

By Jamie Walters, is the founder and Chief Vision & Strategy Officer at Ivy Sea, Inc. in San Francisco, CA.

For more career tips visit the Career Center.
http://www.bizanalyst.net/Careers

Verizon, Kraft, and Ford on Employee Resource Groups: Webinar Mar. 6

How Can Employee-Resource Groups Make a Real Financial Impact?

* Which participants make a group successful?
* What role should senior executives play?
* How can a group successfully affect product development
and marketing?
* Is there a difference between resource and affinity groups?
* How can a group help recruitment and retention?
* How can you measure its success?

You've asked the questions. Now get the answers, as Top 50 Companies
Verizon, Kraft and Ford share their successful strategies for
employee-resource groups in an interactive online presentation.

Monday, March 6th at 2:00 pm ET.

Register now at http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1868761/3124406/7530/0/

---
Order CD-ROMs of the following sessions:

Oct. 17 � Diversity Management and the Bottom Line
Presented by Turner Broadcasting, Knight Ridder and Wal-Mart.
http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1868761/3124406/7545/0/

Nov. 7 � Diversity Training
Presented by Sprint Nextel and Global Lead.
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Jan. 23 � Diversity Councils
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Jobs, Salaries on the Rise in the U.S., and the Gains May Well Stay at Home

Jobs, Salaries on the Rise in the U.S., and the Gains May Well Stay at Home

Now that the IT job market is starting to even out a bit, offshore worries are being offset by the fact that there are a number of hotshot IT jobs that are proving to be very resistant to offshoring. App-dev experts are once again in demand, and that's especially true for those with EAI, .Net, Java, Web applications, ERP and CRM skills. Infrastructure jobs such as security experts, data modelers, network managers and engineers, software engineers, disaster recovery specialists and system auditors will also be mostly immune to outsourcing. About 6 million jobs are expected to be created over the next decade in computer and mathematical occupations, health care and education. To further bolster the trend, salaries for technology workers have jumped 3.1 percent, to an average of $20.27.

Full article
http://ct.itbusinessedge.com/t?ctl=DA51E5:3C3C204

KEY ISSUE :: Outsourcing Failure
Why Offshoring Fails :: IT Manager's Journal
http://ct.itbusinessedge.com/t?ctl=DA51F7:3C3C204

More reading on this subject:

Outsourcing: Ensuring That You Reap the Benefits of IT :: AME Info
http://ct.itbusinessedge.com/t?ctl=DA51ED:3C3C204

Welcome Home: Bringing Outsourcing Back In-House :: Mondaq
http://ct.itbusinessedge.com/t?ctl=DA51EF:3C3C204

Protect Your Reputation

Protect Your Reputation

Major race- and gender-discrimination lawsuits over the past 10 years cost U.S. corporations $974 million in settlements alone�and that's without attorney fees and other additional costs and decreased market capitalization caused by negative public relations. Most of these lawsuits could have been avoided through strategic diversity management.

http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1867814/2174391/8176/0/

========
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Get FREE tax services and a financial plan when you join the Wealth Builder Program!
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========

Diversity-Data Guidelines Bring Federal Contractors Into Internet Age

New Diversity-Data Guidelines Bring Federal Contractors Into Internet Age

A new Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs regulation is changing the way companies working with the U.S. government collect diversity data from online job-hunters and could affect who lands the positions.

http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1867814/2174391/8178/0/

Money Management Seminar for Young Professionals

Now that the college years are behind you, hopefully you are looking to secure a better financial future. Please join fellow Prep for Prep alumni as we are offer a panel discussion and seminar to help you manage your money and grow your wealth. If you are serious about your financial future, this event is for you.

Do you want to learn or gain some tips on to how to manage your money?

Thinking of buying a home or want to start down that path?

Wondering how you can take advantage of tax breaks when filing?

If so, come and join us for a seminar on Wealth Management: The Power of Money.

The panel will discuss ways in which to reduce your debt, save money for major purchases and maximize your tax returns.

Be sure to RSVP at: http://community.prepforprep.org/Money

Space is limited!

Merrill Lynch & Co.: Living Legacy

Merrill Lynch & Co.: Living Legacy

The firm reinvigorated 420 financial programs stored on mainframe computers. How? By building--from scratch--Web services that can handle millions of interactions a day.

http://ct.enews.eweek.com/rd/cts?d=186-3203-17-83-16222-375702-0-0-0-1

China to Invest US$15 Billion in Coal-to-Liquids Plants

China to Invest US$15 Billion in Coal-to-Liquids Plants

The Chinese government plans to make a major investment of about US$15 billion in coal-to-liquids (CTL) plants (both direct and indirect) over the next 5 to 10 years as part of an effort to reduce dependency on oil imports.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/02/china_to_invest.html#more

Recommendation Letters for Graduate School & Business School Applicants

Recommendation Letters for Graduate School & Business School Applicants

A recommendation letter is a written reference that offers information about your character, work history, and or/academic history. Recommendation letters can help you find a job or...

read more
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=6/1qJd

Motorola Announces Cell Phone as Credit Card--Again

Motorola Announces Cell Phone as Credit Card--Again

NFC technology allows for instant purchases with the wave of a hand, but e-wallets may be a tough sell to consumers.

http://ct.enews.eweek.com/rd/cts?d=186-3203-17-83-16222-375699-0-0-0-1

Bank Card Reissues May Be Linked to Wal-Mart Breach

Bank Card Reissues May Be Linked to Wal-Mart Breach

Banks are reissuing credit and debit cards after a potential security breach at a U.S. retailer, which some speculate is Wal-Mart.

http://ct.enews.eweek.com/rd/cts?d=186-3203-17-83-16222-375696-0-0-0-1

How BearingPoint Lost Its Way

How BearingPoint Lost Its Way

One of the world's leading consultancies prides itself on providing financial and technology services. Yet, the firm has failed to file financial reports in more than 18 months, is under investigation by federal regulators and may be de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange. A look at the external events and internal missteps putting the firm on the hot seat.

http://ct.enews.eweek.com/rd/cts?d=186-3203-17-83-16222-375705-0-0-0-1

GM Searches for Black Board Member to Replace O'Neal

GM Searches for Black Board Member to Replace O'Neal

General Motors is looking to add a director to its 12-member board so it can find a black person to replace Merrill Lynch & Co. CEO E. Stanley O'Neal. O'Neal resigned Monday and was replaced by a white man, Jerome York, an adviser to billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, who controls 9.9 percent of GM shares.

http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1867278/1393131/8143/0/

========
Tax Pros has a great tax savings program for your business associates, friends and family. Pass it on.
Get FREE tax services and a financial plan when you join the Wealth Builder Program!
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========

Gbuy - What Every Website Owner Must Know

Gbuy - What Every Website Owner Must Know
By Mark Daoust (c) 2006

Every month, it seems, a major company stares down the barrel of Google's brand recognition gun. The company of the month right now happens to be PayPal. The Wall Street Journal published an article on Ebay's Jeff Jordan's preparations for Gbuy (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113918924045565647-jtBYW5A_4ZI6WZiwUaUJNSbVAQI_20070206.html ), the so called PayPal killer (PayPal is owned by Ebay). Many news sources and blogs are anticipating Gbuy to quickly become a PayPal killer given Google's huge brand name recognition and reach with consumers.

But the whole PayPal killing talk is really much ado about nothing. I have no doubt whatsoever that Google will release Gbuy, but I do have significant doubts as to whether it will actually replace PayPal as many merchant's payment processor of choice. Given Google's recent releases, and given how PayPal has positioned itself in the marketplace, I would not be surprised
of Gbuy proves itself to be a significant flop considering all the attention it has been given.

PayPal's Vulnerability

Jeff Jordan of Ebay has every right to be scared, however. Executives have a history of losing their dignity and control when they feel pressured by Google. Steve Ballmer is well known for his professional wrestling-like tirade in which he sent
chairs flying and cursed the name of Google, and Yahoo is not much better having publicly given up its quest for search dominance (http://www.site-reference.com/articles/Search-Engines/Following-Yahoo-to-a-Wealth-of-Traffic.html ), which in effect was Yahoo executives crying �Uncle!� with the hope that they could finally focus on something that they could actually excel in.

Professional wrestling rant's aside, Jeff Jordan does have reason to be worried. PayPal, unlike Yahoo and Microsoft, is much more vulnerable to a direct attack from Google. The history of PayPal is filled with trouble with CEO's, run-ins with the mafia, and pressure from an Attorney General. This article,
however, is not the place for a lesson on the history of PayPal (a book was written for that (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&tag=coffeenbooks-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F0974670103%2Fsr%3D1-2%2Fqid%3D1139322921%2Fref%3Dsr_1_2%3F%255Fencoding%3DUTF8) ), regardless of how fascinating it might be.

Article Tip
Did you know that PayPal is one of the few companies with a single letter domain name? Check it out: X.com (http://x.com )

The problem with PayPal is that it has not solidified itself in any other market besides the payment option of eBay merchants. The result is that many website owners view PayPal as a 'cheap' option. Furthermore, even though PayPal does allow non-members to purchase items through their system, it is not as easy as
many merchant's would like. Many of the problems of PayPal were actually discussed on the forums
(http://forums.site-reference.com/topic/496/Who-Uses-Paypal ) a while ago.

These problems open up a vulnerability for PayPal. If Google releases a product that improves on the downfalls of PayPal in much the same way that they were able to revolutionize online maps, then PayPal should be worried. Google does have a knack
for making web applications that make existing applications look outdated and simplistic.

Why Gbuy Will Not Kill PayPal

Experts have been predicting the wild success of Google in many different industries for some time. When Froogle was released it was thought by many to be a major threat to Amazon.com. Although Gmail has been a success, there have been no reports of Yahoo
Mail suffering significant attrition (in fact the buzz over the new Yahoo Mail (http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/005401.html
interface shows just how much interest there is in Yahoo Mail). And although Google News is a highly useful service, it is hardly considered the default news service for most web users.

The fact is, the past few Google releases have been relative failures. Google admitted that they screwed up
(http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/257040_googlestore26.html ) with their video service (the Apple iPod Video is much more successful and sets the bar much higher than Google is currently meeting). Google Reader was met with a collective 'ho-hum' from
the webmaster community (as was Google Pack), and even though Google Sitemaps may be useful, it is still under used. Google Analytics still is not able to accommodate mass signups, and the buzz over analytics has also declined significantly since its release.

Really, if we were to look at Google's recent releases, the only relatively successful releases have been Google's Search (obviously), Adwords and Adsense (also obvious), Google Maps, and Gmail. The fact is, with the exception of Adwords and Adsense, Google has not been very successful in launching commercial products.

Google's Lack of Simplicity for 'Everyday' Users

The problem with most of Google's recent releases has been its lack of simplicity. Google's initial success in search was powered by the extreme simplicity they brought to the process. All the user saw was a search box and search results. What could be more simple? On top of that, search results were stunningly
accurate compared to the other results available.

Although Adwords is confusing to many website owners, Adsense also carries the trait of being extraordinarily simple. Add in the benefit of being able to make a significant income from Adsense and it is no wonder that Google has a firm hold on the
contextual ad market. For potential advertisers there is no greater reach than Google Adwords.

Yet most of Google's recent releases have either lacked the simplicity that made them the choice for every day users or offer no significant advantages over existing products. If PayPal is genuinely going to be threated by Gbuy, then Google is going to have to perfect the simplicity that PayPal has
capitalized on.

Gbuy - Finding a Niche Among Website Owners

A few years back when K-Mart filed for bankruptcy, I remember listening to an analysis which looked at the reasons why K-Mart was having difficulty. The analyst explained how there were three major players in the mega-stores: Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target. Wal-Mart had successfully positioned itself as the price-leader out of the three mega-stores while Target, although
still inexpensive, positioned itself as slightly more expensive, but higher quality. K-Mart, in this environment, lacked an identity to shoppers.

Gbuy could very well fall into the same problem. PayPal has done a great job in solidifying itself as the payment solution of choice for millions of Ebay merchants. In addition, thousands of other website owners have chosen to at least add PayPal as a
payment option on their website due to its extreme simplicity for those who have PayPal accounts.

In a best case scenario Gbuy could really only hope to fit in as an alternate payment system to those who have already established how users are supposed to pay for their goods. In all reality, though, the market is crowded, and Ebay users will likely continue to use the integrated, easy to use PayPal over any new-commer - especially of Google fails to make a relatively simple product.

===
Mark Daoust is the owner of Site Reference
(http://www.site-reference.com ). If you want to reference this article, please reference it at its original published location: (http://www.site-reference.com/articles/General/Gbuy-What-Every-Website-Owner-Must-Know.html )
===

Advertising in RSS Feeds.Monetize your Content

Advertising in RSS Feeds
By Sharon Housley (c) 2006

As publishers have moved towards monetizing RSS feeds, there have been vibrant discussions as to whether advertisements in feeds are viable or whether they will drive subscribers away. At the end of the day while it appears that many are discussing the philosophical approaches to ads in RSS feeds few are taking the time to examine the options available for inserting advertisements in feeds.

Ultimately the advertisements served are going to determine the success of RSS as an advertising medium. The ads served must be related to the content contained
in the feed. If the RSS feed contains quality content, the ads are relevant, and the volume of ads is in balance with the volume of content served, advertising in RSS feeds will succeed. Take a closer look at some of the ad serving options currently available for RSS feeds.

Review of Current Options

Google AdSense for Feeds

Google's AdSense for Feeds offers contextually targeted
advertisements, with a wide selection of advertisers. Google chooses not to divulge the percentage of revenue that is shared with the publisher, so it is difficult if not impossible to predict monthly revenue. The current Google AdSense system for
feeds is tied to blogs and does not appear to be overly flexible.
http://www.google.com/adsense

Pheedo

Pheedo displays categorized advertisements rather than
contextual advertisements. The upside to this is that Pheedo's advertisements can be used in conjunction with Google AdSense or AdSense for feeds without violating Google's contract. Pheedo works with the publisher to serve advertisements from similar or
related categories associated with the feeds contents.

Pheedo's system allows for advanced ad filtering, giving publishers control over keyword ad filtering, specific ad filtering or url filtering. Pheedo's system also allows publishers to sell ads to existing advertisers with whom they already have a relationship. The revenue split is 50% and feeds
can be a sponsored flat rate advertisement or a pay-per-click advertisement, where the publisher is only paid if the advertisement is clicked. http://www.pheedo.com

Kanoodle for Feeds

Kanoodle's systems for providing advertisements for feeds is similar to Google's but they do not have the breadth of advertisers that Google boasts. Advertisements are served based on topics, not keywords. Kanoodle shares 50% of the revenue generated from the advertisements with the publisher serving the
ad. http://www.kanoodle.com


Evaluating Options

When evaluating feed ad serving solutions consider the
following:

1. Ad Relevance
In order to generate revenue from RSS advertisements or for an advertising campaign to succeed using RSS as a channel it is absolutely critical that the advertisements served in the feed contain related content, the more related the content the higher
the likelihood that the advertisements will be of interest to the reader and clicked. Also, the closer the content relates to the feeds theme the higher the likelihood the reader will have genuine interest in the product or service being advertised.

2. Ad Ratio
Publishers need to retain control over the frequency of
advertisements. Advertisers may be happy because they are reaching a targeted audience and publishers because their advertisements are being clicked and generating revenue, but readers will become frustrated with feeds that are too heavily laden with advertisements.

3. Clearly Denoted as Ads
The debate over editorial control and advertisements rages on. It is generally considered proper net etiquette for publishers to clearly mark advertisements to distinguish them from editorial
web content. When selecting a RSS advertising partner consider the context in which the advertisements are displayed. Does it blend with the feed or site, while still being clearly marked sponsored material? Or does the content blend so well that it appears as a product or service endorsement from the publisher?
Credibility and reputation online matter, and the segregation of advertisements and ensuring they are properly denoted as such will go a long way to enhance credibility with readers.

Clearly as RSS increases in popularity, publishers will be looking for ways to monetize their content. RSS in advertising is a logical step, and striking a balance between quality, consistent content and occasional related advertisements will
lead to the success of advertising in RSS feeds. If the balance is not found, publishers may be forced to move to a subscription RSS feed model.

The Wall Street Journal was one of the first content publishers that announced a subscription model. Rather than embedding advertisements in the RSS content feeds, the Wall Street Journal provides teaser copy and if the subscriber wishes to view the expanded content they are charged a subscription fee.

Time will determine the long term viability of advertisements in RSS feeds. If RSS advertisements perform like the contextual text based ads currently served on websites, RSS advertisements will likely become common place. While the content publishers
who specialize in unique, consistent content might find the subscription model more effective.

========
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for FeedForDev http://www.feedfordev.com an RSS component for developers.
========

Financially Set or Seriously Rich?

Financially Set or Seriously Rich?

OK, young whippersnapper, you have a choice in life. It's a pretty good one, with both options turning out pretty well for you. Choose the first and retire extremely comfortably. Choose the second, and you will be able to enjoy the golden years of your life with more money than you can spend. Both of these outcomes are a result of your willingness to commit capital early and often to investing in stocks.

Which will you choose?

http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2006/commentary06020306.htm

Hiring Outlook Appears Strong for Small Businesses This Year

Hiring Outlook Appears Strong for Small Businesses This Year

February 9, 2006-
With the unemployment rate falling to its lowest level in nearly five years in January, industry analysts seem decidedly upbeat about the hiring outlook for the small business sector in 2006. Experts believe the improving strength of the economy will boost the employment ranks in a number of industries.

More.
http://www.fiducial.com/learning_centers/2006-02-09.asp

The Importance of Negotiating

The Importance of Negotiating
Steve Strauss

-I generally find negotiating both useful and fun. Here are a few suggestions and a few of my favorite tips for all your business negotiations.

More
http://www.fiducial.com/learning_centers/strauss/

MIT Sloan Busines School - Exeutive Education Courses

MIT Sloan Busines School - Exeutive Education Courses

NEW for 2006! MIT Sloan will award Executive Certificates to participants completing four programs in a four-year period. Certificates are offered in three areas of concentration and provide executives with the opportunity to tailor their education plans to suit their own career development needs.

more Info
http://mitsloan.mit.edu/execed/certificate.php

Emerging Technology
Entrepreneurship
Innovation
Global Reach

Mit Sloan
http://mitsloan.mit.edu/execed/

Oprah's Power Based on 'A Grip on This Culture'

Oprah's Power Based on 'A Grip on This Culture'

She makes or breaks the careers of "memoir" writers, changes schedules on CNN, commands respect from wisecracking late-night hosts that have no qualms about openly mocking news anchors, has legions of loyal fans around the world, and only needs to go by one name: Oprah.

http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1866610/1393131/8117/0/

Chinese Consumers 'Don't Understand' Disney

Chinese Consumers 'Don't Understand' Disney

In a quest to tap into the booming Chinese market, Walt Disney Co. opened its Hong Kong theme park five months ago, but it's finding that the cultural divide still is an enormous challenge.

http://news1.diversityinc.com/t/1866610/1393131/8119/0/

What's The Real Cost of Your Offshore Operations?

What's The Real Cost of Your Offshore Operations?

Can the cost savings from offshore development offset the inevitable loss in productivity? Not entirely, says John Parkinson. But practice makes perfect--or at least better.

http://ct.enews.cioinsight.com/rd/cts?d=188-302-1-20-22195-38464-0-0-0-1

========
FYI...
Tax Pros has a great tax savings program for your business associates, friends and family. Pass it on.
Get FREE tax services and a financial plan when you join the Wealth Builder Program!
http://www.TaxProsOnline.com/WealthBuilder
========

Looking for job security? Here's an idea...

Looking for job security? Here's an idea...

It used to be possible that if you worked hard and hung in there, then eventually, you'd be recognized for your efforts and rewarded. However for hundreds of thousands of Americans this hasn't been the case for quite some time. And no one is exempt. From entry-level workers on up to middle managers and executives, individuals find themselves missing rungs on their corporate ladder, or worse, downsized.

Indeed, job security is a rare commodity in today's workforce. And maybe that's why more and more disillusioned corporate refugees are leaving the 401k fold, opting to put their skills to use by going into business for themselves. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. But the reality of it is that start-up businesses require risk. Likely more risk than the average corporate castaway would care to take. And that's why franchise businesses have become popular solutions for many job seekers.

Is it a good solution for you? A franchise makes a lot of sense if you'd like to be your own boss and run your own company, yet minimize the risk that an independent business incurs. A franchise allows you to avoid the trial and errors of a start-up, and instead, go into business with a tested and proven operating, marketing and distribution system. Performance can be much more predictable as well, with a parent company's watchful eye. A franchise also offers the benefit of group buying power to keep costs down. Sound great?

There are more than 1,600 registered franchises in today's market - and counting. Some have been around for years, and others are young, innovative and growing. So where do you begin? The number one priority is to find a good match in a franchisor. When your ideas and philosophies match that of the franchisor, then you're even more likely to succeed. You may even come to feel like your franchisor is an extended part of the family.

So how do you find a good match? Start by doing research, but we don't recommend you go it alone. If you're interested in exploring franchise opportunities, we suggest a free consultation with FranChoice -- the premier "matchmaker" of the franchise industry. Their consultations are complimentary and they don't make you feel obligated in any way.

As the name suggests, FranChoice is a company that specializes in helping individuals choose a franchise - matching franchisees with franchisors - much like a real estate agency matches potential buyers with sellers of homes. Why don't they charge you? Well someone does pay, but in this case it's not you. FranChoice is actually paid by franchisors to help educate and refer qualified franchisee matches.

But make no mistake -- FranChoice is very selective about the Franchisees they work with. It's the only way they can be successful. In fact, they pre-screen hundreds of franchisors from industries such as retail, hospitality, automotive, beauty, business-to-business and more, to find only the ones with the right "value proposition".

What's more, the consultants you'll work with all have franchising backgrounds and can help you determine if the franchise business is right for you. You'll find their experience and knowledge invaluable in helping you research and evaluate different opportunities.

So if starting a franchise business sounds like it could be your best career move, but you still want more information, then sign up today for your free consultation with a Franchising expert . For more information or to sign up go to FranChoice.

Learn more
http://www.franchoice.com

Do-it-yourself Online Logos - only $99

Do-it-yourself Online Logos - only $99

Create dynamic, eye-catching logos online. Try before you buy. Plus they get 250 free business cards with your order.

Click here to register.
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-1259678-10384973

Free Franchise Consultation

Free Franchise Consultation

Anyone looking to buy a franchise can now get all
of their questions answered for FREE from the franchise experts at Entrepreneur Magazine.

Click here to register.
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-1259678-10387035

2nd Annual 504 Loan Program - Matchmaking Event

2nd Annual 504 Loan Program - Matchmaking Event

Shopping around for commercial space in New York City or the surrounding area?

Have you owned your business for two (2) years or more?

Are you interested in financing that space or other fixed assets with as little as 10% down?

Come learn more about the SBA 504 Loan Program
at this matchmaking event designed to bring together qualified business owners,
private lenders, Certified Development Companies (CDC) and commercial
real-estate brokers who have commercial space available throughout NYC.

When participants leave the event, they will
have already begun the initial stages of discussion for SBA 504 financing. Real
Estate brokers will discuss available commercial space in their regions and
purchase possibilities. Private lenders and CDC�s will provide information on
commercial real estate and fixed asset financing options and will follow-up with
clients.

Date:
March 1, 2006

Time:
9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Location: Ted Weiss Federal Building, 290 Broadway, 30th Floor, New York, NY
(Photo ID required)

Pre-registration is required. Registrants will
be required to complete a client form for the purpose of "matching"
the client with a broker and lender.

To register, fill out the client form below and E-mail your completed form to newyorkdo@sba.gov or fax
information sheet to (202)481-4346.

Top Dirty Linking Tricks

Top Dirty Linking Tricks
By Lee Roberts (c) 2006, Rose Rock Design, Inc.
http://www.roserockdesign.com

Part of achieving top search engine positions is through links from other Web pages. These links can come from people who like your site (natural links), reciprocal linking, directory submissions and a few other ways.

The goal of trading links is to get quality links for quality links. True quality links will carry benefits far beyond that of attaining a coveted position in the search engine results. The links will bring traffic from the Web page linking to your Web page. Therefore, you want to ensure you trade or barter links from quality partners.

Sometimes it's hard to determine who is a quality linking partner, even for the expert. So, how can you tell if your link is on a Web page where its value will not be very good?

The short list below highlights ways of diminishing or
nullifying the value of a link to your site from another Web page.

Meta Tag Masking -
This old trick simply used CGI codes to hide the Meta tags from browsers while allowing search engines to actually see the Meta tags.

Robots Meta Instructions -
Using noindex and nofollow attributes let's the novice link partner see the visible page with their link while telling the search engines to ignore the page and the links found on the page. Nofollow can be used while allowing the
page to be indexed which gives the impression that the search engines will eventually count the link.

Rel=nofollow Attributes -
This is not a real attribute based upon HTML standards, but rather it is an attribute approved by the search engines to help identify which links should not be followed. This attribute is often used with blogs to prevent
comment and link spam. The link will appear on the Web page and in the search engine's cache, but never be counted.

Dynamic Listing -
Dynamic listing is a result of having links appear randomly across a series of pages. Each time the link is found on a new page, the search engines count consider the freshness of the link. It is extremely possible that the link
won't be on the same page upon the next search engine visitation. So, the link from a partner displaying rotating, dynamic link listings rarely helps.

Floating List -
This can be easily missed when checking link
partners. Essentially, your link could be number one today, but as new link partners are added your link is moved down the list. This is harmful because the values of the links near the bottom of the list are considered to be of lesser value than the links
at the top. With the floating list, it is possible to have your link moved to a new page whose PR value is significantly less or non-existent and the new page may not be visited and indexed for months.

Old Cache -
The caching date provided by Google indicates the
last time the page was cached. Pages with lower PR values tend to be visited and cached less often than pages that have medium to high PR values. If the cache is more than six months old, it can be surmised that Google has little or no desire to revisit the page.

Denver Pages -
While Denver, CO is a nice place to visit, Denver
Pages are not a place you want to find your link in a trade. Denver Pages typically have a large amount of links grouped into categories on the same page. Some people call this the mile high list. These types of pages do not have any true value in the search engines and are not topically matched to your site.

Muddy Water Pages -
These are dangerous and easy to spot. Your
link will be piled in with non-topically matched links with no sense of order. It's like someone took all the links and threw them in the air to see where they land. These are worse than the Denver Pages.

Cloaking -
Cloaking is the process of providing a page to people
while providing a different page to search engines. You could be seeing your link on the Web page, but the search engines could possibly never see the link because they are provided with a different copy. Checking Google's cache is the only way to catch
this ploy.

Dancing Robots -
This can be easily performed with server-side
scripting like PHP and is rarely easy to catch. In this situation people that attempt to view the robots.txt file receive a copy of the robots.txt file that does not include exclusion instructions for the search engines. However, when the search engines request the robots.txt file they receive the exclusion
instructions. With this situation the links pages will never be linked and you'll never know why without expert assistance.

Meta Tags and Robots.txt Confusion -
Which instructions have the most weight? Don't know the answer? Shame. Search engines do. If they conflict, the page Meta tags are typically considered the rule to follow.

Link the Head -
While these links do not count in the search
engines and do not show up on the Web page, they do get counted by scripts or programs designed to verify the links exist. These programs only look for the URL within the source codes for the Web page.

Empty Anchors -
This is a nasty trick, but can be an honest
mistake. The links exist and are counted by the search engines, but unfortunately are neither visible nor clickable on the Web page. So, there are no traffic values from the link.

The goal of trading links is to trade them for equal value. Understanding the ways people will attempt to prevent passing a quality value from their Web page to your Web page can help you avoid these useless links. If your link partner pulls under-handed tricks the links they trade you are useless.

While you may never be an expert in knowing all the latest tricks, traps and tests, you can now become an expert in knowing the thirteen mentioned above. Ensuring your link partners are not following or using these tactics can help improve the quality of
links you gain from other Web pages. By having quality links pointing to your Web page you will gain additional traffic through organic search engine results and visitors driven directly from your linking partners.

==========
Lee Roberts, The Web Doctor�, is President/Founder of Rose Rock Design, Inc. (http://www.roserockdesign.com ) a website design
company (http://www.roserockdesign.com ) and Founder of the Apple Pie Shopping Cart (http://www.applepiecart.com ), an ecommerce shopping cart (http://www.applepiecart.com ).
==========

5 Stocks Under $10 for 2006

5 Stocks Under $10 for 2006
By Rick Aristotle Munarriz (TMFBreakerRick)
January 31, 2006

Low-priced stocks -- companies that will run you between a fiver and a 10-spot per share -- are risky. Most stocks don't trade in the single digits by accident. Either they have yet to prove themselves as public companies or perhaps they once proved themselves, but have since failed. I mention that going in because as much as I relish digging for gold in neglected mines, it's not for the faint of heart. Or pocketbook.

I've been lucky. Since 2001, I have put out four different lists of 10 recommended stocks trading for less than a Hamilton, and each of the annual installments has gone on to beat the market handily. Last year's batch has been huge, with the average pick soaring 43% higher against a more modest 5% gain in the S&P 500.

Sweet, but quite risky. That said, let's dive into a brand-new list. I've got the first five selections here, and the other half will come on Thursday.

1. Imax (Nasdaq: IMAX) -- $8.20
Big screens. Small share price. That's one way to approach the leader in gargantuan cinematic experiences. For years, Imax was seen mostly as a provider of high-tech sensory delight to science centers and metropolitan museums. It was projecting some amazing educational documentaries on enormous proprietary screens with booming sound systems.

Now the company's focus has shifted toward mainstream movie buffs. By remastering Hollywood hits and introducing a line of Imax screens that can be retrofitted into once-fading multiplexes, it's drawing orders from all over the world as movie operators look to amp up the moviegoing experience. The traditional night at the movies has been increasingly threatened by the popularity of state-of-the-art home theater systems; the traditional movie theater industry has seen attendance dip for three straight years. But Imax operators have thrived by showing hit flicks such as Batman Begins and Willy Wonka simultaneously with their conventional theater runs. Even theatrical duds like Polar Express have been huge for Imax, even on repeat showings.

Analysts expect earnings to grow by nearly 30% this year after a 35% spurt in 2005. That prices Imax at a relatively cheap 18 times this year's bottom line. Imax was singled out last year in the Rule Breakers newsletter service. The premium research product emphasizing ultimate growth investing hasn't shied away from low-priced stocks in the past. In fact, five of its recommendations since its 2004 inception have been for stocks that were trading in the single digits at the time.

2. TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO) -- $5.43
Ubiquity rarely comes in single-digit-priced packages. Well, meet TiVo. The pioneer in DVR (digital video recorder) technology has seen its share price disintegrate as cheaper knock-offs flooded the market and its largest distributor turned into a competitor.

However, this could be a turnaround year for patent-rich TiVo; it's expected to narrow losses substantially on a 25% uptick in sales. Higher-margin opportunities are percolating in licensing and marketing, and it may not take much to bring this once-popular Motley Fool Stock Advisor selection back to the forefront.

3. First Albany (Nasdaq: FACT) -- $5.98
There are two good reasons to consider this regional securities firm. Unfortunately, neither of the reasons involve First Albany's income statement; the company has posted a loss during five of the past seven quarters.

However, sector consolidation has been a big driver in this market. Larger companies keep gobbling up the smaller players at respectable premiums. As an investment banker with an institutional bent and a recognized brand built on its growth-stock conferences, First Albany's time to dance may not be long. The other reason to get excited about First Albany is that it was an early investor in Rule Breakers pick iRobot (Nasdaq: IRBT).

After selling off some shares in the iRobot IPO afew months ago, First Albany and its appendages own 1.35 million shares (a little more than 1.2 million for First Albany itself). With iRobot trading at roughly $35 a pop, that breaks out to roughly $3 for each of the 14.8 million First Albany shares outstanding. That's half the market cap right there. Yes, the company's cost basis is dirt cheap on the iRobot shares, so cashing out would result in a tax hit, but other gems might lie in First Albany's extensive portfolio. More IPOs could further fatten up the company. A year ago, it suspended its nickel-per-share quarterly dividend, but if First Albany regains its profitability and reinstates the payout, it would be a tempting 3.3% yield for income investors.

4. Home Solutions of America (Amex: HOM) -- $4.86
The housing boom was great for Home Solutions; it rang up generous sums for its specialty interior services. The company's fire and water restoration subsidiary was also busy after a pair of active hurricane seasons. So where do we go from here? Higher, perhaps. Housing interiors still need to be updated, and storm watchers don't expect the frenetic pace of windstorms to go away anytime soon.

The only national analyst putting out public estimates expects earnings to rise by 69% to hit $0.44 a share on an 85% spike in revenue. The analyst isn't going out on much of a limb, since the targets are smack dab in the middle of the company's own 2006 guidance that was provided last month.

Home Solutions isn't perfect. The company was recently called out by the American Stock Exchange over the issuance of stock that may not be in compliance with the exchange. It also upset its investors by issuing a private placement back in November at a significant discount to the prevailing market price. Yet the stock is now trading for less than even the shares printed out for the private placement. Home Solutions is growing quickly but fetching just 11 times this year's projected profitability.

5. Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) -- $5.87
The arrival of Howard Stern on Sirius three weeks ago had the likely effect on the once-buoyant shares of the satellite radio upstart -- speculators sold on the reality. The shares had more than doubled since his deal was first announced in October of 2004, so it was only natural to see the stock take a breather -- especially since rival XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) has signed up more new listeners to its competing service than Sirius since the Stern deal was first announced.

But that momentum shifted this past quarter, as Sirius signed up more new subscribers than XM for the first time ever. Either way, satellite radio is a booming industry with more than 9 million subscribers tuning in to either XM or Sirius. Terrestrial radio may never be the same, and despite what many see as lofty valuations, the potential for these two fast-growing companies is substantial. Yes, one of the two even made the cut as a Rule Breakers recommendation a few months ago. That's certainly a good place to be; the average newsletter selection has risen by 32%, compared to a 7% uptick in the market average.

How Silos and Politics Cause War With the Wrong Enemy

How Silos and Politics Cause War With the Wrong Enemy

In his latest book, corporate management expert Patrick Lencioni takes aim at silos--how they develop, why they develop, what their impact is on IT departments, and how to keep them from sapping energy and resources from an organization.

http://ct.enews.cioinsight.com/rd/cts?d=188-300-1-20-22195-38155-0-0-0-1

=====

The Right Skills You Need to Succeed

The Right Skills You Need to Succeed

Success is not always about IT savvy and business management skills. Research from Right Management Consultants finds that the ability to motivate, engage and communicate rank among the most valuable skills. Lorraine Cosgrove elucidates in The Numbers Never Lie.

http://www.cio.com/go/index.html?ID=8851&PMID=48807567&s=2&f=1

Beneath the Buzz: Chargebacks

Beneath the Buzz: Chargebacks

If you go in with the wrong objective in mind, chargebacks become an administrative nightmare and may induce a client backlash. Columnist N. Dean Meyer explains.

http://www.cio.com/go/index.html?ID=9964&PMID=48807567&s=2&f=1

Project Management Tips & Tactics

BASELINE BLOG: Project Management Tips & Tactics

Project managers have never worked in a riskier atmosphere. Join the discussion at Baseline Senior Editor Kim S. Nash's blog.

To weigh in, go to:
http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-311-1-15-56373-33961-0-0-0-1