Recent Articles
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Conditions improving in housing and home remodeling markets
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesRenewed activity in the housing industry in recent months bodes well for interior designers and remodelers. Housing starts and sales have lagged for most of 2014, dampened by bad weather, world events and a mixed bag of unfavorable economic, employment and lending news. The latest indicators from industry groups, however, show business is gradually improving and is likely to continue to do so for some months to come.
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Solar roadways: Better for show than practicality?
Lauren Swan EngineeringWith the new solar road opening for cyclists in the Netherlands, a debate has been reignited that was initially begun by the Dutch's installation of solar panels into their roads. On the one hand, the government is trying to practice energy conservation and go "more green," while on the other hand, there are plenty of engineers who believe this is not a feasible option due to the mathematics supporting the installations.
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Improving communications: What can hospitals learn from hotels?
Bambi Majumdar Healthcare AdministrationWe live in an age where communication can make or break a deal. Doing it right has never been so important, yet there are more misunderstandings and misinterpretations all around. Ironic, isn't it? Since most have us become slaves to technology and instant communication, things actually can go wrong faster than ever before.
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New program helping schools streamline HR tasks
Cait Harrison EducationDoes it feel like you're more in the business of running an HR department than a school? Hiring, onboarding, paperwork, payroll and health insurance — the job never ends. And chances are, you're not alone. Until earlier this year, Adam Wilson felt that way, too.
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Construction companies should watch out for these 3 things
Nate Budde Construction & Building MaterialsThe construction industry is volatile, faces high failure rates and works on slim-to-virtually-nonexistent margins. While an increase in construction projects is generally good for companies in the industry, even that good news can hide dangers.
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Teaching learning strategies to ELLs: What, why, when, how
Erick Herrmann Education"Learning how to learn" is one of many goals educators have for their students. In fact, in a world where we cannot predict the jobs and work of the future, the act of learning, unlearning old ways of doing things and relearning new ways, is a 21st-century skill that is gaining increasing importance. The constantly changing landscape of technological advances in the workforce causes us to adapt ways of doing things on a seemingly daily basis.
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Video: A timely, terrific marketing tool for green industry pros
Fred Berns Facilities & GroundsDuring a drought years ago, a garden center owner in Colorado Springs, Colorado, mentioned a soil nutrient product during a news segment on a local TV station. Within a few days, his center sold more than 300 bags of that product. It was, Mike Spencer recalled, proof-positive of the power of video exposure.
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Do warehouses still need 8-hour work shifts?
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingNot long ago, the typical warehouse operated eight hours per day and five days per week. That was a normal business schedule, and nobody expected warehousing to be any different. Today, many distribution operations operate with a 24/7 schedule, and warehouses that work only 40 hours are increasingly rare.
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The role of simulation in the reduction of medical errors
Joan Spitrey Medical & Allied HealthcareIf you have taken a CPR class in the last few decades, you are familiar with Resusci Anne, the manikin used for learning CPR. The first Anne was invented to provide life-like training in the 1960s, and her soft helpless face was to inspire the rescuer to want to help the "dead" person.
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The top 5 exercises you should be doing
Heidi Dawson Sports & FitnessFew of us perform exercises regularly with the aim of preventing pain or injury. In fact, few of us perform any exercises regularly with injuries in mind — even ones we have previously been prescribed to help rehabilitate an old injury. Once the pain has gone, the exercises often stop.