Recent Articles
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4 collection steps that successful construction companies know and employ
Scott Wolfe Jr. Construction & Building MaterialsGetting paid in the construction industry is a mess. Construction contracts are riddled with confusing provisions like pay-when-paid clauses or joint check requirements. Mechanics lien and security laws vary from territory-to-territory, and the jobs themselves present scope-of-work issues, inspection problems, and gray areas in change orders.
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Franchisee tenants: Dealing with deposits and guaranties
Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield RetailWhile landlords often ask for security deposits and/or personal guaranties on commercial leases, neither is mandatory or legally required. As a franchisee tenant, you should know that these can be negotiated.
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San Jose turns the corner to report consecutive growth
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveSan Jose International Airport has reported over a year of consecutive growth in passenger numbers, and has been named the second-fastest-growing medium hub in the country by an industry publication.
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Interior designers making employment gains
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesAfter declining slightly in 2012, interior design employment is once again on the rise. According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employed interior designers nationwide increased by 2,960 (7.3 percent) between May 2012 and May 2013, from 40,750 to 43,710.
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Ceramic coatings for cooking equipment prove durable, save money
Richard Stratton Construction & Building MaterialsMaterials in food processing plants must meet high standards for sanitation and durability. Even periodic wash downs on noncontact food-cooking equipment like rotary sterilizers will cause traditional insulation to fail from water contact.
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New applied automotive weight-saving process technologies
Don Rosato ManufacturingThe average car contains 400 pounds of plastics or approximately 14 percent of its total weight, and it is accelerating in car manufacturing. Experts predict that these uses will more than double over the next five years. For example, Mazda has shaved 220 pounds from the curb weight of its Mazda2 over the previous model through material replacement and engineering, plastic process technology refinement, redesigning features and shrinking parts dimensions.
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It’s time to pay your employees to quit — Will you do it?
Robin Throckmorton Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementFollowing in the footsteps of Zappos, Amazon recently implemented its own "pay to quit" program to find out just how happy its employees are. In a nutshell, Amazon is offering up to $5,000 to employees to quit, with hopes that they won't take it. Amazon has realized the value of having employees who want to work for the company and gives those who don't a way out.
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Reactions mixed to CMS decision to release payment data
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationFor the first time since Jimmy Carter was president, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has posted physician fee-for-service payment data to its website for public review and analysis. While researchers and number crunchers applaud the move, some in organized medicine are issuing warnings that the data should be used with caution as it can be misleading when taken out of context.
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Advocacy and mission: Are you telling the story?
Bob Fitch Association ManagementThere are five important areas that an association board is responsible for: (1) mission, vision and planning; (2) structure and policy; (3) delegation; (4) accountability; and (5) advocacy. Let's take a look at No. 5, advocacy, which is oftentimes the most overlooked responsibility of board members.
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A changing market demands new approaches to drug development
Dr. Paul Nelles ManufacturingPharmaceuticalDue to a variety of factors, including shrinking product pipelines of many pharma companies, increasing costs associated with drug development, a blockbuster model which is giving way to more specialized, advanced treatments, and growing regulatory oversight, biopharmaceutical companies are under enormous pressure to compete in new ways if they are going to survive.