Manufacturing in China can be a golden opportunity — or a royal pain. We'll show you the right way to build overseas partnerships that work.You’ve heard the horror stories: chemical-laced toothpaste, tainted seafood, lead-coated toys. Partnering with Chinese manufacturers and suppliers may save millions, but in light of these problems,...
How to keep your business growing during a slowdown? Make the leap overseas. Here are 10 countries for expansion — and why they’re the places to be.While the U.S. economy has slowed, demand for foreign business investment is still on the rise in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Extending...
Starting a new venture within an established company can satisfy the entrepreneurial itch — without the risks of going solo. Learn how “intrapreneurship” can give your career, and your company, a boost. Ever dream of leaving your middle-management job and striking out on your own? For a lot of people,...
Considering your next big career move? In exclusive excerpts from his new book – “Who’s Your City?” – Richard Florida explains why that decision should be all about location, location, location.Three crucial economic ingredients – talent, innovation, and creativity – are not distributed evenly across today’s global...
Badly configured offices aren’t just killjoys — they kill profits, too. Here’s how smart companies use space to their advantage.Researchers have said for years that the physical workspace of a business factors directly into productivity, job satisfaction, and, yes — profitability. Yet relatively few companies practice what everyone...
Ideas are a precious resource, but they’re hard to nurture and easy to kill. Here’s how to help them — and your company — prosper.Wondering why your company hasn’t come up with any brilliant new ideas lately? Maybe you haven’t properly laid the groundwork. From the first inkling all the...
Need help managing your manager? Try these techniques to master the proper care and feeding of your most important professional relationship.Sure you're good at your job, but do you know the fine art of upward management? If you really want to do well at work, you need our step-by-step guide...
What are your rivals' future plans? Will they launch new products? How profitable are they? Find out — the legal way — with our step-by-step guide to competitive research techniques.Intelligence gathering isn't just for Cold War-era spies. You can use investigative research to find out what your competitors are up...
Don't just sell to them—learn from them! Crowdsourcing is the new way to turn your most passionate customers into a powerful talent resource.Crowdsourcing is the practice of tapping members of the general public to perform important business tasks such as research, product development, and marketing. With the advent of Web-based...
Steer clear of silly fads and bad advice. Read the books that provide the useful insights you need to advance your professional development.Your time is limited — but the number of business books isn’t — and many of the bestsellers aren’t even worth their weight in your carry-on. We’ve sorted...
You don’t need dirty tricks, but you do need to know the rules. Use these techniques to get what you want in the workplace.You may not think you play office politics, but to some degree you have no choice. The real question is: are you doing it well? Whatever you...
Have a kid and a career. Find out how to stay on track when you take time off to have a child.Parental leave isn't just for pregnant moms anymore. With new laws allowing greater flexibility, dads and adoptive parents are taking time off to bond with their babies — and...
Sales are flat. Expansion is stalled. Image problems abound. Find out what the world’s biggest retailer is doing to tackle its strategic problems.Wal-Mart rose from a small chain in the Ozark Mountains to become the largest retailer in the world. But the strategies that fueled more than four decades of...
Are your rivals slashing prices to capture market share? Learn the right way to keep them at bay — without destroying your profit margins.It’s every executive’s worst nightmare: You wake up one day to find that a competitor is selling a product much like yours at a much lower price....
Time to interview job candidates? Learn the secret techniques smart companies use to identify tomorrow’s most promising talent.Choosing the right employees is one of the most important — and most difficult — decisions a manager makes. To help you spot the shiny needle in that haystack of resumes, we've assembled...
One chronic underperformer can hold back an entire team. Here's how to let someone go with professionalism—and compassion.Is one of your workers holding back the rest of your team? If you've given them plenty of chances to improve and things just aren't working out, it's time to consider another option:...
Long silences. Tapping PDAs. The faint buzz of snoring. Sound like a meeting you led recently? Use our tips to make face-time more focused and productive.There's nothing worse than attending a boring, unnecessary meeting — except, of course, presiding over one. With our step-by-step guide to better meetings, you can...
You've got a brainstorm. It's bold, it's brilliant — and it might even make you rich. Learn how the pros transform great insights into big career breakthroughs.Every great product or service started out as just a sparkle in someone's eye. Whether you want to invent the next must-have technology or...
Don't let the hype discourage you. Simple, easy to use, and — bonus! — much cheaper than traditional software, Web 2.0 tools can help your business thrive.What's all the hype about Web 2.0, and why should you care? We're glad you asked. To begin, you can read our BNET Briefing...
David Allen is the patron saint of personal productivity. Find out how he can help you get things done.If you're not familiar with David Allen, you'll probably be hearing more about him soon. Allen is a personal-productivity expert with legions of fans and a bestselling book under his belt, and...
Answer a few questions about your computing needs and PC Connection's Technology Advisor will list the Intel-based hardware solutions that make sense for your business.