Making decisions is a great effort

Executive function is exhausted after the difficult decisions.

The so-called executive function is actually a set of subfunctions cognitive skills including concentration when performing a task, decision-making, short-term memory and inhibitory control. It is therefore a core function of many regulatory and other various mental activities and plays an important role in reasoning ability, hata the extent that is necessary to take into account in any attempt at evaluation or measurement of intelligence, as evidenced research published in 2007 in the journal Child Development.

The effort involved in these processes, the job of keeping the mind alert in case of concentration, not to distract us from the object we have to focus, or the need to not give in to the temptations of the worst option in the case of decision-making, and this effort is to turn a tired and a depletion of executive function, just as weight lifting muscles tired and exhausted arms.





Important decisions

He describes a collaboration of Amir On in Scientific American: Tough choices: making decisions tired your brain. To better understand executive function as a construct that underlies the decision-making on matters that may not have anything to do with each other, the author proposes the illustrative example of someone who discusses the options somewhat irrelevant or not eating a cookie .

Later, that same person has to take a decision more important, relative to a completely different area and will affect very relevant to your life, as is the choice between two possible jobs that have been offered. Well, that decision may be affected by the earlier efforts on the issue of the cookie, since the effects of such efforts are persistent and may have exhausted the instrument-executive function, which now is required to make a decision transcendent.

The fact that the decision merely tired and even exhausted executive function, and it has an effect on subsequent cognitive tasks, seems confirmed by the research and field studies conducted by psychologist at the University of Minnesota Kathleen Vohs and colleagues .

In one of them, for example, some students took to the mall, where they were making purchasing choices. Subsequently were given the simple algebraic problem solving, and students who had made a greater number of choices at the mall had a considerably more difficult to solve.

Mental exhaustion

The decision-making process includes, among other things, the consideration of different options, the sacrifice of the advantages of one of them in exchange for what it offers the other, the transition from one state to another mental evaluative decision-making, and are these mental activities that require effort that ends up straining to executive function.

Especially stressful, as the findings of a parallel study conducted by Nathan Novemsky professor at Yale University and colleagues, is facing the need to sacrifice something to make other, and here it should be noted that the greater similarity maintain between If the different options that you need to choose, it is more strenuous efforts.

Another study, published by the psychologist at the University of Maryland Anastasiya Pocheptsova and colleagues in 2007, also confirms the effects of tiredness and fatigue on executive function, in this case by experiments on concentration and attention regulation, which also require the use of it. Subjects with the tired brain for this activity took the worst decisions in the matters put to them later.

Cognitive tools

On the other hand, many of the tests and tests used in this type of research, also serve to assess the extent to which the performance of certain cognitive activities tired, fatigued or exhausted at the "muscle" brain, can also be used as training for same, as noted by Clancy Blair, associate professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University, and author of the first of the studies cited in this article.

All these results and conclusions are extremely relevant, because executive function is something that we continuously throughout the day. They can challenge the idea that the multi-functionality in the workplace increases productivity, because only the transition time between them and other tasks by an employee would rather low, especially when it comes to complex tasks. This aspect has been investigated.

They are also clear implications of the same in many other areas (including economic) of our lives and take account of these studies and their findings may help at least identify when it is not a good time to take an important decision. For example, after having been assessing the advisability of eating or not a cookie.

40% of executives who are promoted perform less

Over 40% of managers pay less if they change their position or role within the company. However, according to a study conducted by the Corporate Executive Board, these managers can succeed if they manage clearly what they call "the paradox of success quickly."

In the business world today, the pressure for new managers to produce a quick contribution is enormous. According to a survey of more than 5,400 new officers, 40% of them pay less or worse when they are in full transition to a new position, affecting the productivity of nearly half the workforce of an organization in a year.

These managers were asked about what they were focusing on, what behaviors exhibited and how they fared in their first month of work. They were also asked to rate the performance of their teams. The result has been a series of patterns that distinguish managers who thrive in his new position of those who do not.




Although this study has shown that getting a "quick win" is perceived as critical, managers who achieve a "victory" in his new post early are more likely to "derail" in the future. Fall into what the study calls "the paradox of success quickly."

According to an article in Harvard Business Review, the most common behavior associated with the failure of the new position is the tendency to choke at the minute. In this carreblankra unbridled success, the manager seeks to highlight a component of his new job. By putting the focus so intently on a single purpose, neglects broader responsibilities.

These managers feel the urgency to prove their worth to their new roles, they can succeed, but lost in destructive behaviors, such as focusing too much detail, react negatively to criticism or jump to conclusions. These behaviors undermine their long-term success at his new job.


Collective work

CEB's research shows that the best managers avoid the risk of paying little success trying to get that fast collectively, and not their own risk. These managers work with your team to achieve immediate results. To do this, managing change or help the people in your team to thrive within the organization.

The pattern of those to succeed in his new position agrees on one thing: his ability to manage change. As new leaders, want things to move, but also understand that as a result of its rise, its new teams have to deal with change, like himself. The study of CEB believes that the transitional stages are not just the manager, but organizations as a whole. Organizations, he says, have to invest in leadership development.

To help new managers to successfully overcome the paradox of rapid success, companies must redefine their expectations for immediate success. Recognizing the uncertainty in these transition periods for these managers and their teams, companies should develop their capacity for change, make it possible for the loyalty of those working with management in pursuit of that success desirable.

The key, says the report, be realistic. Both the one hand as the other. Managers must know their limitations. Companies, meanwhile, should define reasonable goals and make sure the person knows blindly promoted the work that has to play.

Training and coaching

In this sense, training and coaching play a very prominent place. The transition process should not begin when the new manager takes his new post, if not earlier. Then there should be a support phase in which the manager would have to handle more detailed information about how the company is from that new position.

On the other hand, is key to detect failures at the same time taking place, and finish them sooner. The cost for a company that has a manager who performs below its potential is enormous.

A few months ago, the magazine Tendencias 21 contained a study of the Instituto of Executive Development which claimed that a third of managers who change employers have the feeling that they have not met expectations two years after recruitment.

Then the 150 managers interviewed considered that the average time to acclimate to the new position takes between 6 and 9 months. According to the authors of the study, companies devote resources to facilitate this transition that does not serve much of anything. Other actions, such as coaching, which have a high effectiveness rate (42%).

New ... "Leadership?

During periods of crisis can assess many factors that change according to the nature of the crisis conditions, and become that make the management decisions of the present and the future.

One factor is the behavior of managers of companies, which currently are under great pressure and have to make decisions that will determine the future of their employees, their organizations and society in general.

The new global survey by McKinsey & Company, called "Leadership Through the Crisis and After" (The leadership during the crisis and after), investigated the way in which individual leaders are leading and the changes that their styles of leadership have suffered during the economic crisis.

The study found that executives actually have significantly changed their styles of leadership during the past year, with the exception of their views on the aspects that can help companies in the long term, and also revealed that many of the styles leadership is most needed at present and in the future, like having inspirational leaders and have a clear direction for the company, are used more by women than by men.

Leaders without much leadership


The global survey emphasizes the positive in the majority of participants said they had not cut into programs for recruitment, retention and development of women, but also states that this is overshadowed by the fact that only one third of respondents consider gender diversity as one of the ten priorities of their companies, as well as relatively few are taking specific actions to promote it.

Moreover, there are some very encouraging figures in the leadership of managers: only 48% of the executives surveyed believe they should inspire and only 46% considered it their responsibility to provide leadership during the crisis. Moreover, these figures drop to 45% and 39%, respectively, if the questions are framed in the form of lead in post-crisis times.

John Baldoni, leadership consultant and author of several books, publishes a Article survey on Harvard Business Publishing, and believes that "A majority of managers just do not understand what it means to be a leader."

And is that only 30% of managers felt they needed to motivate their employees during the crisis, and 23% felt during the post-crisis, only 23% expressed the need for accountability during the crisis, and 18% during the post- crisis, and only 33% of them said they believed that innovation is needed now, while 46% said they believed it was necessary during the post-crisis.

In the words of Balconi, "If a majority of managers do not feel the inspiration and direction are needed to manage corporate performance, and that motivation and accountability are essential, then our companies are in a much worse than the imagined ".

Leadership is more to do to fulfill the tasks

The author of the article explains that the leadership can not be alone in getting things done, because that would have a very short view that the company would not far away, but that this ability to execute must be accompanied by provision for reach the company to achieve the objectives and have the foundation for growth.

Finally, it is important to note that a leader should inspire and be admired, and that inspiration is not about to give the most sophisticated speeches, but set an example and explains Balconi "The word inspiration can be confusing and even overwhelming, for most managers because they can feel that need to be speakers as Winston Churchill or leaders like Colin Powell. No, the inspiration is rooted in the personal example. Managers can inspire employees to put in a position to succeed .... "

34% of internet users surf the Web during TV commercial breaks

More and more users have become at multitasking, ie two simultaneous consuming media, especially television and the internet and to avoid TV commercials no longer need to zap, but enough for them to surf the net. The research, conducted at the request of Microsoft, shows that the target of 16 to 24 deepens the habit.

39% of users change channels during commercial breaks, while 34% use internet along these intermediates, according to a study conducted at the request of Media Meshing Microsoft Advertising between 1,050 adults in seven European countries ( United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Belgium.
This paper highlights two of every three Internet users surf the web while watching TV at least once a week and 40% do so most of the day or night.

As for the distinction by sex and age, the study says there is no significant gender bias in the simultaneous use of these means and that users aged between 16 and 24 show a greater propensity to consume internet and TV at the same time. Another feature of the report is that the day of the week is a differentiating factor in the simultaneous use of media. On weekends this use throughout the day (from 10:00 to 17:30) is almost twice that week: 47% versus 23%.

The dominant activity during the simultaneous use of media, as in the regular use of internet is the e-mail query, followed by web browsing, social networking and instant messaging. At this point if they are gender differences: the web surfing men looking for content while women focus on communication in its various forms.

For multitasking roles of advertising in television and internet are complementary: both play a similar role in providing consumers information about products and brands, as well as providing information on products they already know. In regard to stimulate interest, product testing, and persuasion, the force that has traditionally been advertising on television is still noticeable, but online ads are also obtained good results in the study.

Another preconceived idea is the widespread perception that Internet is not just a response channel and the major drivers of brand awareness are the ads on television, print and outdoor. However, when asked to multitask on this issue, 51% choose the network as the most effective time to make known brands and products.

Prospectively. The next 20 years: how to evolve the attitudes of customers and the workforce

Business projects with long horizons of time, such as R & D of products, design of the workplace, and compensation planning, must deal with a key question: What are the needs, demands and desires of consumers and employees in decades more? If you think the answer is "more of the same", is wrong.

Howe and Strauss, authors of Generations, The Fourth Turning and Millennials Rising, among other books, studied the differences between generations over 30 years. His extensive research has revealed a fascinating pattern, a pattern so strong that lends credibility to their ability to predict. They point out that based on historical precedent we can predict how today's generations will think and act in the coming decades.



Three of those generations will still be vital forces in American society in 20 years: the Boomers, Generation X and Millennium. Their attitudes and behaviors influence a lot in the economy, the workplace and social institutions in general. For example, as older Boomers reject high-tech medicine in favor of a holistic self-care, natural foods and healing techniques for body and mind, some hospitals offer alternative medicine and spiritual counseling.

Gen Xers, who grew up in an era of poor schools and marriages, will remain alienated, disaffected, and pragmatic in its maturity. And are the most entrepreneurial generation in U.S. history and it will be able to drive innovation, efficiency and mass customization. In contrast, young adults prefer Millennium teamwork, close family relationships, job security and a popular culture without depth. Their unprecedented digital empowerment and organizational skills will create a major political force and may even revive the labor movement.

Brands bet online branding to increase the level of recall among users and consumers

Internet is establishing new scenarios where trademarks are beginning to play a leading role. The brands touch the lives of consumers and are crucial in influencing purchase decisions. Therefore, large companies have decided to take a 180 degree turn and bet heavily on marketing strategies and online branding in order to maximize impact, visibility, and increase the level of recall among users and consumers.

The markings are intended to be part of our lives. Companies are not just intended to seek the return based on the results of the return of their advertisements and advertising. Claim that their marks are symbols of worship, be recognized and associated with certain values. Seek to differentiate.

While branding may look different and broader aspects of brand marketing, these companies need to compete and differentiate. Thus, building a brand, is of vital importance and need to know to take and implement successful communication strategies for consumers.

In social networks involving trademarks was intensified thereby being able to demonstrate the positive effects of creating a direct relationship with the users and consumers. The branding is no longer reduced to playing with the creative elements of the brand itself but extends the premise to be present and participate actively in the environment and social media.

On the Internet, brands have taken the lead as a champion of Social Media Marketing. However, the conversation alone is not enough. The marks look and be creative to maintain visibility and visual impact. Before joining in the conversation, the names must comply with a clear objective, to be identified and recognized by the consumers' minds.

The segmentation of online media allows companies to analyze and identify patterns directly related to all professional sectors differentiated by theme, target audience, user profile, etc ... and this is where brands seek greater visibility to strengthen their impact and recall level.

For this reason, companies have begun to broaden their vision in this area looking for new scenarios in which detect values that can be inherited, transmitted to their partners and brands to be installed on them. The mere fact that consumers perceive them as having a number values that attract them, it means that reject or at least tend to reject names that do not show these values.

Business Intelligence for success

Citius, Altius, Fortius! (Faster, higher, stronger). The motto of the Olympic Games helps us reflect on our business objectives at this time. Because. confess, we live in times of change exponential sales cycles vary, the market is more aggressive, changing consumption patterns before they finish analyzing sales. We must go further, to adapt, evolve. But how? Using common sense business intelligence tools.

Information Today

These days a company can not afford, for example, errors like a sales campaign die before birth, for not taking into account all the information needed to direct market their product right.


For the Commercial Division of a company the challenge is clear. Analyze what to sell, when, to whom and how. Decisions, along with other areas of the company, including Marketing, based on information from various sources, internal and external. All these parts, well geared, can make good decisions in less time.

Today we are not surprised continuous change and the speed at which it occurs. We live in times where the information is growing so rapidly that a newspaper publishes information in a week that was accessible by a person of the eighteenth century in his life.

Thus, the volume of information generated by companies is doubling every two years. What can we do to manage it? The natural solution is to rely on powerful and sophisticated tools, the so-called business intelligence, allowing us to make better decisions using the huge volume of information also is necessary for our business. The technology allows, and in many cases, the pocket too.

In the case of the commercial area is particularly critical if we consider that both business decisions (target market, prices, margins, distribution of accounts) as the analysis of results (sales funnel-sales-funnel, milestones achieved, percentage of achievement of objectives) and response to alarms (minimum sales threshold, threshold margin, market share) should handle massive amounts of information from various sources throughout the company.

Intelligence, "the Director or the platform?


Rhetorical question if ever there was, as the business intelligence tools provide the information but intelligence, industry knowledge and experience of the business address that selects the direction to follow in terms of information.

I will give two examples, of which you can learn to fix the concepts we are discussing:

1. Imagine a company that quarterly sales report is remitted to a commercial director role, document the numbers of the best commercials are underlined with a fluorescent marker. Is it enough to track quarterly sales, without detecting any internal or external alarm this time? What if the director wants to analyze the same information by customer, by sector, see the trend in the next quarter based on the above? Will the information in time?

2. Now let us take the example of a company whose sales have dropped, but does not know why. If it needs to analyze your target market if the price of their products is competitive, if your bank is sound and its position within the market. For this purpose, using business intelligence tools define a plan in two phases: situation analysis and monitoring of the plan of action.

To track, define the desired objectives and measures to achieve. The Commercial Director is updated, reliable, allowing you to check daily if the plan is working and otherwise react. A plan like this has allowed the recovery position in the market, increasing sales by 35% and 10% margins.

Evolve

The business intelligence tools, or Business Intelligence, opens the door to a new style of business that can make the most time, allowing further improve our decisions, since the quality of the information that we do grow exponentially.

The market requires a Commercial Director to evolve, to squeeze the most out all the necessary information to make decisions that your company needs, and for this, your best ally is the business intelligence tools. Give it up can mean huge losses of market share in times that we can afford.

Let us not miss the train of success. Do we have available all the necessary tools to make our business decisions?

Business trends

Here are some of the trends that Thomas Frey, futurist and director of the DaVinci Institute, says will change the way we do business in the future. The effects of global crisis, the disruptive influence of new technologies, the emergence of new business models and aggressive search for new alternatives.

1) Systemic Crisis
Many of the systems we have today are global to the brink because they were not designed to cope with the speed and volume of today's society. We need an absolute change of national systems will lead to global systems. In the coming years, massive failures in most systems, including the tax system, judicial, security, money and more, and as they fall, new opportunities arise.

2) The "one-person Empires"
With financial markets in danger, the most popular form of entrepreneurship will be "one-person Empires," a business run by one person with a broad spectrum of influence. This outsourcing business models all its operations to various organizations around the world. The high costs of employment and the power deposited in the individual technologies creating the perfect conditions to grow this model.

3) business Colonies
Corporate colonies, as colonies of nanotechnology, video games, alternative medicine, there will be an incubator of specific industries as drivers of economic development. Be formed in cities as industrial centers and hotbeds of entrepreneurship. Will be both virtual and physical, of different size and structure. Will unite around a shared resource and thus share equipment or materials that are too costly for any one person can take over.

4) Cloud Computing
The ability to connect to your workspace in portable devices, wherever you are, avoiding complex and expensive systems is very interesting and, although some way to go, is fairly advanced. In the last few years has made great strides with the advent of programs such as Amazon's Web Services and Google's App Engine. But for this movement to reach its full potential, still a few years.

5) Battle of alternative energy sectors
Although oil remains the main source of energy, the push for alternative energy is booming. In the coming years, will expand exponentially, reaching new ground in the production, transmission and storage.

Quality as Strategy

What has been talking about quality? Undoubtedly much and for too long. Now, we as consumers, do you perceive?

Some companies have invested heavily in quality plans, so that their products comply with certain standards, very demanding indeed. Other processes have been considered and even have license to access the required companies.

Beyond good intentions, the mystery remains as "perceive that quality? Studies indicate that not perceived in its exact extent. I can assure you this is because these companies have put the focus on internal operations, neglecting the importance of the next step: the perceived value to the customer.

It's useless to invest in quality if our customers do not notice differences. To achieve this we must focus on the market and do better than our competitors in the relevant attributes evaluated by the consumer.

Easy to explain, but complex in implementation.

Companies that are able to understand the needs of your target market and to establish quality standards tailored to these needs, taking the lead over the competition, made it to the final stage, in which the quality and perceived value to become part of the corporate strategy. The important thing, based on a product or service quality, is to get the market noticing. Not enough to be, but must be sound.
The risk of error or delay decisions on this subject may generate a poor positioning of our brands, very difficult, and costly to reverse.
In business, perception is the only reality.

Teens and Internet

Sulake Corporation, the creator of Habbo.es one of the sites most popular teen world, has published the results of an international study conducted in 22 countries (42,000 users) which shows that 90% of teenagers around the world feel that the Internet is the medium that most used and most valued services of the network are instant messaging and email.


Blog de negociosInternet is the most important means of communication.

According to the results from the study, the main reason for using Internet is socialization, being able to get in touch with friends is also important. Instant messaging is the most popular service among teenagers between 14 and 18, while the use of e-mail is more valued among those over 20 years.

66% of users think that television is an important communication and fewer than half see the radio as such.

54% of teens think that magazines are an important means of communication but not so with newspapers, less than 40% of respondents are considered of interest. The importance of newspapers grows with age, surpassing radio and magazines as they are reaching age 22.

Mobile phone use

85% of users have their own mobile. The study demonstrates that in addition to making calls, almost all adolescents who have also used wireless phone to send SMS household goods. The SMS are used in Europe than in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than half of young people also use their mobile phones to take pictures through its integrated camera. Nearly a third of Habbo users listen to MP3 music through their phones.

In Britain and Italy is extremely popular use of cameras integrated into mobile phones and the ability to play music in MP3 format. Browsing the Web with the mobile is still somewhat rare, except in Japan, where 43% of teenagers use mobile phones for this purpose. Only 6% watch TV through these terminals.

Cultures and subcultutas

While the youth of the world is about values, beliefs and attitudes similar, however, form an extremely heterogeneous group. In fact, the major subcultures identified in the study, just under half of adolescents. The results show that, in general, young people have a positive self image, become identified in some cases with the success and popularity. More than half of consumers consider themselves as some "adventurers", reflecting the importance to adolescents around the world to get new experiences and fun times. Only in Norway and Japan, the number of "adventurers" was slightly lower than in other countries, but even so, 40% of them belonged to this group.

Half of teens are considered "athletes." According to survey data, 46% of Habbo users create "staying on top", 40% feel "artists" and 36% are "interested in the environment." More than a third of young people consider themselves "technology geek" and only 16% underestimate their personality. 14% consider themselves "hippies" or "Gothic."

Pubs, Inns, Wi Fi and Stowaways

I approached an interesting note written by Mariano Pantenetti especially for the blog.



May have noticed (or suffered), at some point (usually urgent) when they needed to sit in a bar to do some urgent work, or enter your Wi Fi Notebook, which all seats were occupied, even those which whom used does not have any drink in front of him to justify the use of facilities, or otherwise, are on the table the remains of a lean to the clear coffee was drunk at the very least makes some long hours.

The dilemma of the stowaway is the enjoyment of public property by individuals who use them either on their part fair share as paid or avoiding the cost of their share.

Although the case arose in the first paragraph, we are clearly looking at a private good, use that gives the time over which provides the service seems to be analyzed from the perspective of the free rider problem.

The existence of stowaways leads inevitably to a loss of productivity, since many more individuals are "fed" a well thought originally to fewer participants.
It takes an excessive use of common property.

Trying to be Pareto efficient is that I consider as far as the comfort of who first occupied the chair does not conflict with the convenience of those who come second and (after a logical time) starts to pay the cost of discomfort.
Find another bar also has a cost for those who came second.
These costs, eventually moving to the owner of the establishment because the customer alerted of this situation will certainly look for an open bar, efficiently avoiding being the second.

Find a balance then represents a potential improvement in the outcome of any situation that arises as Pareto-efficient, where the improvement of one of the agent is not possible without harming the other. A situation that is optimal from the standpoint of utility.

Getting in the skin of who should manage a bar, restaurant or similar, ask to what extent it is efficient to give free will to decide who will occupy a table for a long period of time, so that others with the intention to consume are far from the place or simply do not enter.
Are these first considered stowaways?
It could be argued that the former may present long-term profitability (are customers of the house), while the latter only have occasional use and is difficult to quantify their income in perpetuity.

Some retailers like Havanna coffee seem to have realized this and delivered a limited service (in time) of Wi Fi, forcing the start following products for more time consuming or simply leave.
This does not limit the time of those who read all the newspaper, every magazine, they receive visits and make your office coffee, for the modest sum of about ten pesos in 6 hours.

On this situation, seem to have more experience that bars restaurants, experts often drive the customers to have on board.

I think this is a new consumer and a new way of delivering service, so I do not see a clear answer to the dilemma posed.
Therefore it seems best in this first instance to perform some testing activities, analyze, think about trying not to neglect the customer above all else. But which one? Which is two hours ago with your coffee and newspaper or waiting.

The new world of marketing and advertising

If someone fell asleep during the last five years and suddenly woke up in 2010, it would quickly realize that the world of marketing and advertising has changed dramatically in three ways. Martin LindstromThe Neuro-Marketing expert, Explains what happened.



1. Communication and research and subliminal or subconscious part of the vocabulary of most marketers. Do not fall into the trap of believing that conventional research methods work. Over 80% of the daily decisions arise in the non-conscious brain. If we trust these numbers, and all studies show that we must, then 2010 is the year that marketers will be forced to find alternative research methods to discover the subconscious processes involved in making decisions.


2. The power has shifted from the brand to customers - even the most powerful brands know that successful campaigns must consistently catch the customers, which in turn will use their powerful ability to spread through word of mouth. " 2010 will also be the year that marketers will have to sacrifice your brand by the customer. What does this mean? It is increasingly common to see how the marks are destroyed by clients expressing their anger or frustration online. The value of the shares of Domino's Pizza dropped by 10% when two angry customers rose video to YouTube. How can large organizations, which rarely can turn something in a few hours, withstand such attacks? Brands have to find a way to do just that.


3. 2010 seems to be dominated by guilt. Guilt for spending money, blame for polluting the world, and finally, blame the parents as their children are locked in their world online, away from the traditional values ​​that were once the exclusive domain of families. This year, marketers must learn to take advantage of this guilt as never before. This is the sad reality. Buyology draft taught us that fear is one of the strongest elements in building a brand. Fear is closely associated with guilt, and in so far as the world turns faster and faster on itself, the blame is more and more power. The brands that can cause guilt - or, better still, eliminate guilt - will be the winners.

New technologies, new business

The Brazilian Mauricio Machado, 35, always wanted to combine his passion for literature with a good deal, and he got on the Internet. In mid-2005, and after the collapse of Banco Santos Brazil, where he worked in the international arena, the company created Integrare Machado Publishing, a publisher of books páginque, as its name implies, incorporates in its chain to authors, readers and booksellers, and also is linked to social responsibility, all on a virtual platform. "It's an old dream of mine and my family," says Machado. "We believe in making a different publisher, with a business plan that did not exist in Brazil."

This is key to using the Internet as a platform for its operating model. Through its website Authors can track the sales of its items (the information is renewed monthly), monitor their marketing campaigns and even to know what cities have sold more books or what the preferred age range. For their part, readers who buy them may have access to digital conversations with the authors that last 20 minutes on average, meet their careers and even informed of the annual agenda of events and visits within the country if they want to keep track of them or go to his talks. Meanwhile, booksellers can also feed back more information, short stories in digital video where the authors explain the contents of their books for the bookseller can offer more certainty to the public indicated. In addition, sellers of fish have a space on the page with links to their websites so that readers see prices or buy the publications that are offered online.

The CD is no longer business in Britain

The CD is no longer heard as before. At least that is happening in Britain, where the musicians get more revenue from internet and radio, recorded music sales. This was announced by the alliance MCPS-PRS, Which handles copyright in the music industry in the country.

The cold numbers show that during 2007 in the UK, the radio and Internet downloads for a profit totaled 707.5 million euros. According to the agency states in its websiteIn 2007 alone increased by 54% the turnover of the online downloads.

Radios and televisions, along with internet, contributed € 195.7 million, up 8% over 2006, with significant growth of online downloads, whose turnover increased by 54%, led by the iTunes platform. However, the MCPS-PRS said that revenue from Internet (€ 12.6 million) still remain a small weight in total of this group.

Physical products like CDs and DVDs, which had always been a major source of income for musicians in the country, contributed € 191.1 million last year 11% less than last year.

"Much has been written about the state of the music industry, but these results show the good health of the sector, an increase of revenue in most areas," said CEO of MCPS-PRS, Steve Porter.

The alliance said the sharp fall in CD sales was partly offset by the sale of other physical products such as USB drives with built-in songs.

The e-learning revolution

The concept of Information Society was created from the central role that was taking the information into the new routines of individuals, companies and countries, driven also by new technologies and the potential of internet and various electronic media.

The e-Learning has become a real and very valuable option for many companies and universities as well as employees and students in the world who have found a way to continue their education costs and saving time and allowing greater flexibility better suit their lifestyles.

To this is added the possibility for people to interact with other cultures and to build web content, which means that there is an enormous wealth of sources and a relatively quick update content.

It is, on the one hand, distance education self-directed, which is one in which there are separate training materials, when the user logs on and is content, materials and assessments, and, second, distance education directed that is where we exploit different tools such as chats, forums and video, and built various learning activities.



estartegia de elearning
In the U.S., for example, according to a study by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the growth of American student incorporating online education exceeds 10% annually.

Save time and money

In times of economic crisis many companies and universities have to cut expenses while working and, therefore, what they should do is get a lot less. The e-Learning becomes easy for the student because it is in their own time and less cost, but at the same time, for companies and universities and that means training and education, respectively, of an easier way for people who are hiring and receiving throughout the year, virtually without removing them from their jobs or their country of residence.

On one side are the universities, who are increasingly migrating towards providing most of its distance learning programs and even have races now face that have online activities, and, secondly, there are enterprises in which there are different forms of e-Learning as the company's own content that are closed to the public and administered by human resources, continuing professional development of employees, and courses of welfare for workers and their families.

He explained to Tendencias21 Bodil Maul, manager of corporate accounts Netting Solutions with extensive experience in implementing e-Learning solutions for multinational companies, "Today, many multinationals have e-Learning programs as part of its training strategy and some have their own platforms (LMS) and content developed internally and others choose to outsourcing. "

Ninette Gaxiola, corporate education coordinator Netting Solutions company that provides solutions for audiences in Latin America, North America and Europe, said in turn to Tendencias21: "The e-Learning, understood as the possibility of incorporating new information technologies and communication in the processes of production, transmission and management of knowledge gives us the opportunity to perform this task in a more effective, cost effective and tailored to the needs of a society in which 2.0 technology allows us to cooperate actively. It is not only to make available to staff online courses, but to identify and build, with the support of experts, the strategy that meets the needs of each group integrating the most useful technological elements for each goal and each occasion. "

"Something fundamental is to have a strategy that you know exactly why you want to use this medium of education and training, and, likewise, have clear metrics to evaluate their impact on the organization and its users," says Maul.

The mobile world

And is that e-Learning is part of a set of technologies, media, tools and strategies in today's world, a "mobile world" in which people are "on the go, do not stop, but continue their work from wherever they are. Many large companies globally accepted and even offer their employees the option of working from home, and expected everything to be faster and more efficient, no matter where or how.

Keep in mind that a large variety of these electronic tools not only work on computers, but also from mobile devices, which really makes many people to access them and can work in their training from the most unexpected places.

Today, people want flexibility and speed, you have the option to bring all its business at the leading lifestyle, work and take advantage of free time while traveling, and being able to simultaneously combine personal and educational activities that contribute to the improvement.

In short, there are many choices you have those who really are willing to learn without being affected daily activities and free time. It's a moving world where more and less important where, when and how.

Entrepreneurs: the absence of strategic partner

The entrepreneurial boom is undeniable. The socio-economic benefits Socio estrategicotoo.

No doubt the business is growing strongly and a long road ahead. But as there is growth, there is much to learn and improve.

One of the common weaknesses I find in several of the projects is the absence of a "strategic partner." I do not know if the term reflects exactly what I mean, but it's better than I thought (if I find one that surpasses it, I assure you that I modified).

In general, in these enterprises, technical feasibility is outdated. Those who develop are often specialists in the technical part of the product. Neither frequent the problems in the legal viability. With regard to economic viability, there begin to be the first obstacles, due to lack of financial evaluation tools and the difficulty of demonstrating the profitability of the business. Many times this stumbling block is saved, according to the skill and flair of the potential investor.

Is where I see serious difficulties in project management. It is necessary to set the strategist, you can view and manage the implementation of business strategies. Undoubtedly, this figure would solve also the failures in respect to what was mentioned about the economic viability.

Think of how many good ideas do not advance because of lack of management capacity, either in search of investors and in its implementation.

Those who plan to take up and not ready for enterprise management, should consider seriously the possibility of hiring, or associate, Business Management specialists.

Age is not an obstacle to undertake

Over 30% of the Initiative in Spain entre Came From entrepreneurs aged 40 and 55. The Reasons? Layoffs, INCREASED revenue or Fulfill a dream.

The entrepreneurial business Whose primary Initiatives WAS entre 40 and 55 years account for 30.7% of total entrepreneurial activity in Spain in 2007, According To the GEM report made in this country and Coordinated by the Instituto de Empresa Business School, Which Analyzes the situation of entrepreneurship .

The Reasons for embarking on a business Are Not very variedBut age is an obstacle to Become your own boss. "There Comes a Time When You Are thinking of how you see yourself in a while. And if you feel Able and willing, you rush to build your business. It's now or never," says Miguel Angel Oroquieta, deputy director of franchise consultancy Tormo & Associates.

Specifically, 76.6% of entrepreneurs Survey for the GEM 2007 Report Decided to launch your company to exploit a business opportunity, According To an article published by the Spanish half and Employment Expansion.

Of These, 21% did so to raise more revenue and 28% to Be Independently working. Those Who are self-employed out of Necessity, Ie, Because no alternative employment screening, account for 15%.

"It's a decision That May Come derived by a layoff or Because this is When the entrepreneur is sufficiently preparedWith experience and solvent to create His own company," Said Patricio Rodríguez-Carmona, president of the Spanish Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs Association (AJE Confederation) .

Thus, embarking on a venture That age Become an option for the future alternative to Dismissal, early retirement or Simply to realize the entrepreneur Who Carries Within, as Emphasize Expansion and Employment.

Forced entrepreneurs
However, Paco Alvarez, consultant Incyde Foundation of the Chambers of Commerce, and Suggests That goes weitere people with 50 years Decided to start a business Are entrepreneurial work.

"On one hand, we find the negative side, it is fired and the person Who Have to start from scratch and convert. And the Other part is positive, What Is Called management buy out (MBO) ie People Who Leave Their Company Because They Because You Are Not comfortable or the company failed, and Decided to create a business similar to Them That employed. "The Latte Have the Capacity, experience, a project, But Lack of capital, According To Alvarez.

The financial situation to undertaker Better or Worse depends largely on age Not. Expansion slogan. "The Economic Situation of These People is Not Disastrous, But the important thing is how much and how much You Have You Can borrow," Recommends Oroquieta.

In Any case "requires a Substantial Financial backing to Succeed s, such as micro-credit lines, loans, grants or subsidies," Said Rodriguez-Carmona. However, Alvarez, president of the Spanish Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Madrid (ASEM), Advises Having a good business plan: "More than Funding, it is important to know What you like, What is Needed and how much it costs."

Labels: Entrepreneur, General Information, Human Resources