Search

The article reports that Australia can learn from the success of Ireland in its development of the services sector. Ireland was transformed from an economic basket case to an industry pioneer because of an innovative government policy. It offered foreign investors lower corporate taxes and invested in education and workforce training.

The article focuses on the sources of funding of the fastest-growing companies in New South Wales. The two most common sources of funding of the top performing companies are the bank or savings accounts of entrepreneurs and the investor's venture capital funds. Supply Chain information technology consulting firm uses various formal venture capital resources.

The article presents a survey from "BRW" which shows that venture capital managers are under pressure to show tangible returns on their investments in Australia. Good venture-capital managers balance the duty to provide returns to investors with the responsibility to help companies become global successes. The pressure to perform is leading venture-capital managers.

The article questions the levels of debt being used to support the private-equity spending spree in Australia. The prices paid for companies are being pushed up across the board as private-equity firms have been able to bid more aggressively than listed or unlisted corporations. The high levels of interest from private-equity firms is likely to continue. INSETS: Opportunities abound;Real money across the Tasman.

The article discusses the implementation of changes for employers by WorkChoices, the new industrial relations system in Australia. Employers are furious that there was no enough time given to understand the system before it was introduced and also that information from the Federal Government was not clear or easy to use. The new system is complex and confusing, but employers must with the regime quickly or face large penalties.

The article discusses the growth of tourism and business development in Rockhampton and Hervey Bay, Queensland. According to Pat O'Driscoll, a principal realtor, the military exercises at Shoalwater Bay and the Rockhampton's biannual beef conference bring thousands of tourists to the area. Other projects planned for Hervey Bay include a 45 million dollar upgrade of the Kondari Resort and the redevelopment of the Hervey Bay Hotel and Resort by the Ramada Group.

The article focuses on the lessons learned by entrepreneurs from business failures. One of the known mistakes is trusting verbal agreements and relying on one product and supplier. Carol and Ian Cooke, the founders of an electronic key-security company in Canberra, have also identified other dangerous factors in business.

The article reports that private equity business is booming in Australia. The country has all the elements of a thriving, mature private equity sector, with more deals being done and more money being invested and raised this year, 2005, than ever. The number of deals done in 2004-05 was up by almost 24 percent compared with 2003-04. INSETS: Roll up for consolidation, by Julia May.;Second lease on life, by Julia May..

Features the business strategies and plans of companies who made big business turnarounds from bad decision making in Australia. Success of lunch caterer 4 Lunch in overcoming problems from unreliable contractors and partners and budget problems; Business plan of second-hand medical equipment reseller EverX in overcoming unfavorable government policies; Assessment of the successful strategies of recruitment firm Black & White Recruitment Solutions from unsatisfactory business partners.

Reports on the impact of the increase in prices for standard of living on business travelers. Increase in the demand for business travel accommodation; Basic room rates for five star hotels; Use of the online credit facilities to pay for travel.

Argues that Australia's reputation as a bargain tourism destination could be driving away the sophisticated, big-spending tourists. Expected growth of inbound tourists by 2014; Predicted growth of the amount spent by travelers; Concern that tourism operators would be chasing volume that is only marginally profitable; Distinction between the spending habits of leisure and business travelers; Proposal to promote Australia as a sophisticated destination with a range of travel options.

The article reports that new rules on the junior stockmarket in London, England, may make the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) even more popular for new Australian listings. Forty-four Australian companies are listed on AIM and have a combined market capitalization of $8.2 billion. The new rules formalize best practice and are expected to strengthen the ability of the London Stock Exchange to discipline companies which fail to comply.

The article profiles Greg Shaw, chief executive officer of Macquarie Leisure Trust Group. Shaw studied accounting at the University of Queensland and was trained as a chartered accountant. He worked in property management at Jones Lang Wootten before moving to a family-owned Queensland property firm. Shaw was managing director of Port Douglas Reef Resorts from 1998 to 2002. When Macquarie Leisure Trust's management was internalized in 2003, he became chief executive of the group.

The article discusses the success in business of Greg Coffey and Hilton Nathanson of London, England. It examines their wealth which amounts to $335 and $385 million respectively and cites their source of her wealth. It explores the business strategy, secrets of success and lines of interests of the two businessmen.

The article profiles two young Australian hedge fund managers who are included in "BRW" magazine's Rich 200 List in 2008. Greg Coffey has been GLG's best-performing manager. His total wealth in 2008 is worth $253 million. Hilton Nathanson co-founded Marble Bar Asset Management. His total wealth in 2008 is worth $381 million.

The article reports on the increased popularity of rail travel in Europe. According to the author, the emergence of high speed rail services and constant airport delays are convincing travelers to shift to rail travel. Transportation industry analysts assert that rail travel is less hassle and it allows travelers to work while traveling.

The article reports on the leading position of Australia's biotechnology sector in stem cell research and development worldwide in 2007. The pioneering work performed by Australia's stem cell scientists has attracted international interest, despite funding problems and the long time it will take them to develop commercially-viable therapeutic technologies from their work.

The article focuses on a debate between British lawyers and Australian investors that are looking to transform Great Britain's legal system. Litigation funding firm IMF managing director John Walker argues that law firms must evolve or be excised from the lucrative industry, as funders seek to avoid lengthy legal cases. However, lawyers in Great Britain are questioning how to balance interference by investors with the right of plaintiffs to make loose decisions.

The article provides information on mergers and acquisitions among business enterprises. According to surveys, not only the big businesses are into mergers and acquisitions but as well as the small and medium-sized enterprises. Every acquisition of a competitor or complementary business requires months of planning and research. However, the only obstacle to the takeover was the lack of funds.

The article offers information on the marketing strategy of BoilerRoom, an advertising agency in New South Wales. The company prefers to transact business with smaller companies following its shortfall because of the unsuccessful contract with Telstra, one of the biggest telecommunications company in the country. BoilerRoom strictly adheres to its three-monthly budget forecasts and looks at its guaranteed income before hiring new staffs or employees.

The article discusses factors contributing to the success of listed family businesses in Australia. Successful family businesses focus on long-term objectives of the business, as well as the short-term benchmarks required by investors. Family businesses do not allow family concerns to overtake shareholder interests or the needs of the business.

The article focuses on the claims that investors and companies usually find each other through industry associations, personal networks, and referrals from professional advisers. The tumultuous ownership changes in Redfern Optical Components attracted Jolimont Ventures to invest in the company. The funding from Divergent Capital has enabled Bluecollar to launch another web site.

The article reports on the impact of the acquisition of the media-monitoring company Rehame Australia Monitoring Services by its larger competitor Media Monitors Australia. The move has helped the acquiring company's growth prospects. The phasing out of the Rehame has concerned clients about a drop in service quality.

The article illustrates the importance of conducting due diligence before acquiring a business in Australia. Under this practice, vendors are required to provide prospective buyers disclosure statement about the business. Other information to be disclosed by the vendor include staffing, mortgages, leases and the safety of business premises. The main objective of due diligence is to prevent business failure with the installation of a new management because of lack of information.

The article focuses on the business growth of Shirlaws, a business coaching firm for small businesses founded by Darren Shirlaw in Sydney, New South Wales. Shirlaw has taken the risk of expanding his business to Great Britain in 2003 after gaining the approval of six shareholders. During its first part of expansion, the firm has stumbled and presently on the process of recovering. It has established a partnership system to insure the business. Moreover, its revenue has increased by 19 percent.

The article discusses the state of early-stage venture capital investment in Australia. Early stage venture capital market needs cultural change and less burdensome government restrictions if companies are to attract investment from local and overseas private-equity firms. Leading private-equity and venture capital specialists claim investors need to adopt American practices or they will lose out to Asia.

The author reflects on the maturity of the social, environmental and economic responsibility of business enterprises. He believes that corporations have surpassed government regulations to produce their own innovative versions of the triple bottom line, which measures commercial success through financial, social and environmental achievements. He remarks that the companies are moving beyond competition to collaboration, working together to address social and environmental problems.

The article looks into the efforts of Ozmotech in developing its ThermoFuel system wherein in produces diesel from recycled waste plastic in Australia. However, the Australian Taxation Office has demanded charging excise tax on the company for the waste products it used. The original ThermoFuel technology, called pyrolisis, was developed by a Japanese inventor. However, the technology is not commercially viable in producing compliant fuel.

The article looks into the important option for companies to abandon the stock exchange and privatize as an important private-equity strategy in Australia. Private equity executive J.P. Kaumeyer contended that privatization removes the pressure of the short-term demands of investors and the burden of continuous disclosure and listing costs. The author cites the risks and issues of going private.

The article discusses the developments of Destra Corporation, a company founded by Domenic Carosa. Destra as an online music provider did well in digital music industry in 2000 however, due to overestimation of their service, their share price was greatly affected and dropped from its listing price. The company was able to recover after creating a division focusing Internet hosting which made its revenue to rise from 2.5 to 15.6 million dollars with 30 million dollars market capitalization.

The article focuses on the difficulties faced by small private businesses in finding qualified and experienced applicants to hold the position of company director in Australia. This was in relation to the job's risky nature which needs quality and good compensation. Sue Prestney, spokeswoman for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, stressed that some directors would not gamble themselves to take the risk of landing to small private businesses. INSET: BOARDROOM BASICS..

The article focuses on the challenges confronting small businesses in Australia. The author observes that small businesses is suffering from the lack of policy priority from the government and a lack of representation. Critics state that policy areas such as unequal competition with big business, taxation, reducing red tape and the skills shortage are the factors that contributed to the failure of small business to find a successful representative formula. INSET: BIG OBSTACLES..

The article presents a corporate profile of Westaflex in Australia. The company is founded by Elizabeth Sterling, a veteran of disaster, in the year 1974. It has continued its strong work in research and development, despite the fire. It released a new ceiling diffuser, called the SRV. The company has just spent 1.5 million on three new machines when the fire hit. INSET: TRAIL OF TROUBLE..

The article focuses on the plan of Melbourne transport and logistics company Kings Group to acquire road-transport company Toll Holdings. The company has diversified, with the acquisition of a same-day, package courier business, Star Couriers, and the development of a building logistics company, Building Logistics Management.

The article discusses the early symptoms of bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression. The author has argued that there are some related illness that are mistreated as bipolar disorder, or which may go unrecognized. Geoff Gallop's experience of depression which has caused his resignation as West Australian premier is highlighted. Philip Mitchell, head of the school of psychiatry at the University of New South Wales, has emphasized how such illness can damage a person's reputation, can lead to unemployment, relationship breakdowns, alcohol abuse and suicide.

The article reports on the study which found that more big businesses that have failed to innovate in the past five years are buying equity in or striking alliances with small companies to gain strategic and innovative advantages. The director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Management and Innovation at University of Western Australia, Tim Mazzarol, says the need for new intellectual property is good news for small business.

The article reports on fear of the Australian universities that their main revenue source such as the international students who are paying full fees for degrees is not sustainable anymore. The international students payments for their annual fees increases to 1.92 billion dollars in 2004 from 792 million dollars in 1999.

Reports on economic and political developments. Involvement of the wheat dealer in the schemes aimed at routing the United Nation's oil-for-food program in Iraq; Inflation rate for price of consumer goods and services; Decision of the Food Regulation Ministerial Council to make it compulsory to label fruit and vegetables, nuts, seafood and port with their country origin.

Focuses on the contention of Premier Peter Beattie that means testing and co-payments may be introduced for surgery at public hospitals to raise money in an effort to fix the state health system in Queensland.

Profiles Bruce Keebaugh, founder of the events company, Big Group in Australia. Career background; Achievements and awards; Civic activities; Biographic profile; Job responsibilities; Institutional and organizational affiliations.

Focuses on the support of Prime Minister John Howard to the Senate inquiry examining the government's radical industrial relations amendments in Australia.

Looks into the strong competition between the timeshare industry with BreakFree resorts owner Tony Smith in Australia. Assessment of the efforts of Smith, being director of Holiday Invest, to attract the holiday investment market with his new bonds; Significance of the holiday bonds in creating new funds in the diversified investment portfolio and increase occupancy at the group's resorts; Details and features of the holiday bonds as an investment product.

Reports that Gianni Gray and Vince Ficarra, former foreign exchange traders of the National Australia Bank Ltd., will face a jury trial. Charges against Gray and Ficarra in relation to Corporations Act; Recognition of David Bullen and Luke Duffy in facing related cases.

Reports on the plan of David Swann for his communication and security company, Swann Communications in Australia. Expected market capitalization by 2010; Expertise of Lane in overseeing rapid growth in market segments and increasing market segments; Plan to Swann to partner with large retailers and open sales offices.

Reports that many family business owners approaching retirement are not concerned about finding an external buyer according to a new survey by Family Business Australia in Australia. Percentage of family business owners who do not have a formal succession plan; Number of owners who plan to close the business on retiring; Highest ranking concerns of business owners.

Reports developments related to politics and business enterprises in Australia. Passage of the legislation allowing the full sale of Telstra by one vote; Views of National Party leader Mark Vaile on student unionism; Rule of the Federal Court that shareholders who are not fully informed about the financial well-being of a company have the same rights as creditors in receivership.

Reports on the appointment of Michelle Mulvihill as chief executive officer of hair-removal company, Nad, by Sue Ismiel, the founder of the company in Australia. Career background of Mulvihill; Achievements and awards; Educational attainment; Job responsibilities.

Focuses on the impact of labor shortage on the need of Australian companies to retain workers and improve their skills. Prevalence of employers who prefer to replace staff when they leave; Factors affecting the problems in the labor market; Difficulty of companies in searching qualified and talented employees.

Reports on private-equity investors' support to management buyouts in Australia. Implications of retirement of baby-boomer business owners; Mandate of Venture Capital Partners.

Discusses the factors to be considered in selecting the geographic location for the business. Consideration of the speed at which at business is growing; Importance of thorough business planning and market research; Requirements in negotiating with landlords or property owners.