A slowing growth rate in China, record levels of household debt and growing uncertainty in the world economy are all conspiring to create a tough year for Australian businesses in 2013.
In the first edition of the new Vantage Performance podcast Phil Dobbie talks to Vantage Perform
Almost every day there is a major media headline about another corporate failure. It’s a rare manager who does not fear becoming one of those statistics.
As businesses come under more stress, many owners increasingly focus on the day to day operations of their business and attempt
One of the key risks for any business is the sudden loss of a business partner or key employee.
Take a moment to think about what would happen to your organisation if a major shareholder, director or key employee died suddenly or became permanently incapacitated.
What protectio
Australia is celebrating its 21st year without recession. Most recessions come in seven to ten year cycles, so a correction is well overdue.
And the next one could be bone rattling.
You can be in denial about this, or you can prepare.
Businesses need to take precautions now t
Even the most successful companies review their strategic direction.
There are three stages in planning a strategic realignment, outlined by answering the following questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? How will we make it happen?
Strategic planning – where are we
The GFC has raised the public profile of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) issues. It is organisations that can effectively and efficiently coordinate these intertwined activities that are getting real value from the costs of implementation. GRC controls within a business are like
Business Transformation is achieved by aligning people, processes and technology with strategy and vision to achieve significant change.
Successful businesses are in a constant state of transformation.
The Benefits of Business Transformation
Transforming your business can del
Australia’s two-speed economy has created opportunities for businesses in fast growth – and in struggling – sectors to diversify.
For example, if you are in the mining services industry it is boom time as your business struggles to keep up with the amount of work you are being offe
1. Don’t just compete on price
Many family businesses start because the person is a good employee, for example a good tradie, and they go into business based on that skill rather than their business knowledge. So when they get to their first crisis they panic and start discounting.
The mantra for scuba divers is - “Plan your Dive and Dive your Plan”. The same is true in business.
Firstly, let’s take a look at scuba diving. It’s a well-known fact that scuba diving can put you in a life threatening situation which is why you should always ‘plan your dive’.
There are opportunities for smart SMEs to use the new Risk Management Standard to engage staff, satisfy stakeholders and identify ways to generate new business.
The existing Risk Management Standard AS/NZS 4360:2004 is replaced from 1 July 2012 by a new, and improved, Standard AS/N
Tired and frustrated, sick of answering the phone (it’s only bad news), your customer base is weakening and the lingering effects of the GFC (I mean how much longer can we put up with this?) are leaving you disheartened?
And it gets worse. The bank is looking for a meeting to “see
There is a real skill involved in the successful sale of a business asset.
Even if the sale is forced because the business is facing a crisis, there are steps you can take to ensure the best possible price for your asset.
Being able to sell an asset in times of crisis can be cru
The skills required to survive in business vary widely when there is noticeable change in the business cycle, up or down.
The Queensland construction industry has certainly had its up and down moments over the past decade.
After a number of years of positive growth in the leadup
Hiring a turnaround executive may be one of the most important and critical business survival decisions a business will make.
Any business, even one with a long history of strong performance, will at some stage need to introduce fresh ideas or change direction to remain competitive
