Outlook 2011: our sector-by-sector guide, Floods peak in Brisbane as business counts clean-up costs, Virgin Blue in spam breach, Jobless rate falls

home | contact us | advertise Dear SmartCompany reader, Today on SmartCompany we present our annual sector-by-sector guide to the outlook for the year ahead. While the general trend is positive, there are clearly challenges and opportunities in each industry. We’ve also got the latest on the flood crisis – in Entrepreneur Watch James Thomson says we are only just getting a feel for the size of the recovery effort ahead. Plus we look at news from the worlds of IR, fashion and IT. For all this and more, head to our home page. News Brisbane floodwaters peak, but over 70 still missing and city centre shut down Companies assess flood costs amid concerns rebuilding could take two years Employer groups says government must urgently address “strike before bargaining” ruling Virgin Blue fined $110,000 by ACMA for breaching Spam Act Microsoft attempts to block Apple’s “App Store” trademark Unemployment falls to 5% in December but jobs growth weak: Economy Roundup Solomon Lew a winner in David Jones brand reshuffle Facebook target of ConnectU appeal, original $US65 million settlement not enough Our banks are suffering from the short-termism of their big shareholders: Gottliebsen Top Story 2011: The sector-by-sector outlook Patchy. That was the word that defined the Australian economy in 2010, and could well be the best description again in 2011. BY JAMES THOMSON. Top Story Top social media campaigns & what you can learn from them We look at some of the best (and worst) social media campaigns. BY PATRICK STAFFORD. Aunty B Should I do a handshake agreement with my suppliers? If you are an old-fashioned girl like myself you would find absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of exposed chest hair. Trends Skype records record number of logins Google launches science contest Groupon continues to expand overseas Facebook Know-how Lara Solomon Is it a good idea to add a FAQ tab to my Facebook page? Remember, it is better to have relevant interesting content on your page, rather than every single app going. IT Systems David Markus We don't spend much on IT – is that okay? Without being rude – hello, it is 2011, not 1911! You should be spending as much on IT as is required to achieve strong productivity. Gen-Y Millionaire Kirsty Dunphey What stage are you at? The sign of a substandard player? Someone who never gets past stage one – not knowing they know nothing. Entrepreneur Watch James Thomson A stalled state We’re only just starting to get a feel for how much Queensland’s economy will be affected by this flood crisis. Coming Up Finding a “financial” buyer for your business. Best wishes, Amanda Gome Founder / Publisher SmartCompany.com.au IT experts who work with thousands of computers know that a planned and well-executed IT strategy will lead to a lower total cost of your productivity increase. Spending on under-performing components will lead to bottlenecks in systems that reduce the effectiveness of the whole system. So, design of the whole system is important. David Markus, Combo Click here for more. FOLLOW US OUR PARTNERS UPCOMING EVENTS

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Retailer slammed for Qld floods Facebook campaign, MySpace to cut Australian jobs, $500m property project collapses, Top search marketing predictions

home | contact us | advertise Dear SmartCompany reader, Today on SmartCompany we bring you the latest on the flood crisis, including the impact on the economy, we look at why Australia’s MySpace team is facing large job cuts as part of a global restructuring of the struggling site and we examine the collapse of a $500 million property project in Perth. Plus in Entrepreneur Watch, James Thomson gets another glimpse inside Gina Rinehart’s empire. For all this and more, head to our home page. News Floods hit Brisbane and Ipswich, 90 people still missing as business shuts down Electronics chain Bing Lee slammed for Queensland floods Facebook bungle Rich list member’s $500 million tower project in receivership MySpace set to cut Australian jobs as 500 jobs lost worldwide in company restructure Economic costs of flood disaster rise as crisis spreads to Brisbane Drop in first home buyers keeps property prices under pressure, experts say Toowoomba entrepreneur Clive Berghofer tells: “I’ve never seen water like it in my life” Housing finance up 2.5% in November, Flood woes hit Suncorp shares: Economy Roundup Draft NSW retail leasing laws don't provide small retailers with enough protection: Experts China bristles at French industrial espionage claims: Maley Top Story Top 10 search marketing predicitions for 2011 Last year was another frenetic year of change in the world of search marketing. We look at what's ahead for 2011. BY HANNAH KIMUYU & ADAM BUNN. Lunch with an Entrepreneur The godfather of creative thinking Author Edward De Bono explains why entrepreneurs aren't doing enough to foster creative thinking. BY JAMES THOMSON. Aunty B My boss's competitiveness is alienating me. Help! He is a bully and you are a victim. It is as much your fault as his. You are letting him bully you so take responsibility. Trends RIM to block p-rn in Indonesia Apple pulls VLC media player from App Store Groupon closes $US950m round of funding Profitable growth Julia Bickerstaff What can you simplify today? Most often in business we focus on what we can do more of. But the trouble with ‘more’ is that it adds complexity and complexity adds inefficiency. Property Investor Michael Yardney The biggest property myth of 2010 Probably the biggest property myth of 2010 was the claim that Australia was in a "property bubble" that was about to burst. The Digital Bottom Line Brendan Lewis Some clever queuing The way Disneyland manages the waiting time for their rides could provide some valuable lessons for SMEs. Internet secrets Craig Reardon Time for your annual web health check: Part 1 Here's a handy way to ensure your web presence is in top shape for 2011. Entrepreneur Watch James Thomson A glimpse into Gina’s empire Financial details from Gina Rinehart's empire show how the money is starting to flow. Coming Up Outlook 2011 – your sector-by-sector guide. Best wishes, Amanda Gome Founder / Publisher SmartCompany.com.au Most often in business we focus on what we can do more of. What features can we add to our product? What new product line can we add? What new customer segment can we go after? What new hires should we add? But the trouble with 'more' is that it adds complexity and complexity adds inefficiency. Doing "more" often leads to a decrease in profitability, quite the opposite of what was intended. Julia Bickerstaff, The Business Bakery Click here for more. FOLLOW US OUR PARTNERS UPCOMING EVENTS

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