Proposals designed to help more small businesses win government contracts should be prioritised in the forthcoming Budget, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) is arguing. As part of its submission to the 2009 Budget the FPB is pressing the Government to fast-track measures outlined in the Glover Review, at present scheduled to be implemented in 2010, in order to stimulate the flagging economy by increasing competition for tenders and providing better value for money.
Following research showing some small businesses are beginning to experience an improvement in market conditions and the availability of credit, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) is urging the Government to put in place a strategy in next week’s Budget to nurture economic recovery by boosting business and consumer confidence.
As recessionary pressures continue to bite and are clearly impacting on the survival of the nation’s small and medium sized firms, a number of business owners and managers are embracing a blitz-type attitude and are resolute in spite of the ongoing challenge.
BT today announced a high value business bundle offering broadband and calls to UK landlines, international destinations and mobile numbers for just £30 a month.
Government proposals to monitor social networking sites centrally fail to consider the impact of such action on businesses that now use these tools as an integral part of their marketing strategy and could result in some businesses abandoning social media altogether, according to a leading social media consultant.
Trademark applications have fallen 30pc from their peak, indicating the decline in business activity and new product launches.
Businesses want no nasty tax surprises in the Budget next week so they can focus on surviving the recession and prepare to cope with tax rises that are already planned, accountants report.
Mr Site Takeaway Website has exclusively partnered with web-based accounting application, KashFlow, to offer its 60,000 customers a 90-day free trial of the award-winning accounting software.
Users of KashFlow will also be able to purchase Mr Site Takeaway Website Standard and Pro versions at a special discounted price to celebrate the new alliance.
Businesses are feeling next to no practical benefit from existing government initiatives to help small businesses and are calling for the state to lower business taxes and offer National Insurance holidays according to recently published research.
With insolvencies rising at their fastest rate for 18 years, these are good times for one group in the economy – the turnaround investor.
Whilst we are sure that President Obama doesn’t have to worry about the cost of using his now famous BlackBerry during his current european tour many business owners heading abroad for Easter do. With this in mind Ofcom has produced a video to help travellers keep their mobile phone costs down while travelling.
The video says that while wireless broadband dongles and smart phones are popular to use, downloading data can be very expensive when abroad.
Business owners struggling to access finance from major lenders are sceptical about support from the Government, despite its commitment to scrutinise the behaviour of banks via its Small Business Lending Monitoring Panel. The panel, which comprises officials from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Bank of England and HM Treasury, has met on just five occasions since it was set up in November 2008.
One of the most effective funding initiatives by the Government is to help you increase the skill levels of your employees. You are encouraged to review your company’s strategy and ensure that all staff development and training will effectively support your business objectives. Then you need to specify the actions required to develop the strategy through an organisation and development plan agreed with your staff.
Cloud computing (also sometimes known as Software as a Service or SaaS) has been widely heralded as a development that will fundamentally change the way businesses and individuals use technology. Historically, the software that enterprises depend on to do business (for example databases or word processors) has always taken the form of applications that users install on individual computers, paying a licence fee for their use. Cloud computing, however, turns this model on its head by making these applications available through the browsers we use to surf the Internet either for free, or for a monthly charge.
Business Matters is pleased to announce that we have partnered with one of the UK’s most exciting small business competitions of 2009. The Pitch will see entrepreneurs and small business owners from all over the nation competing to win a massive £50,000 of business related goods and services.
Pitching their idea to a panel of top industry experts, entrants will be asked to demonstrate the innovation, market knowledge, customer engagement and financial viability of their business. The contest kicks off in June with heats in Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London, followed by a grand final later in the year. The Pitch promises to offer a real taste of how resourceful UK entrepreneurs are reacting to current economic conditions, bucking the downturn with innovation and creativity.
