Archive for December, 2008

Creativity Management - Synergy of Craft and Art

Posted in House Of Self Improvement on December 31st, 2008

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Synergy of Craft and Art

The synergy of craft and art combine to produce quality creativity. The exact definition of art depends on the precise endeavour, but craft can be more universally articulated and includes:

a) Structure. Ideas are much easier to develop when they are situated within a framework.

b) Process. A coherent work process increases output and a consistently refined process consistently refines and improves the quality of output. Improves methodology, knowledge and procedure to eventually maximise performance.

c) Incremental productivity. Breaks up a larger whole into smaller, more manageable pieces. Produces more output than a “do your best” approach.

d) Prolific production. Increases the probability of quality occurring. The most valuable creations tend to be produced when the creator is being most prolific.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

Get a Public Liability Insurance Quote Online

Posted in Insurance Market on December 31st, 2008

With the compensation culture increasing all throughout the planet, having possession of professional indemnity insurance is becoming more & more significant. If you do not have public liability insurance written-in into your building insurance, then now is probably the right time to look at acquiring enhanced cover. Here is some info about why you need insurance, and what to look out for.

What is professional indemnity insurance: Professional Indemnity cover is an insurance agreement that protects you from claims that other people may well make against you in the occasion of an accident. If someone damages their belongings or hurts themselves in or around your property or business then the professional indemnity insurance will shelter you for any damages that could perhaps occur. Insurance generally ranges from ?250,000 up to one million pounds.

What are you insured against: Insurance will insure cover for accidents or loss that other individuals could suffer in or around your house or organisations premises. You are protected against claims from trespassers, on top of damages that might possibly occur to anyone from falling objects or staff carrying out repairs. If an accident arises on your property and someone claims against you, your cover will assist you to pay any costs.

What’s included Various contents or property insurance policies contain integrated liability insurance. You would be advised to check with your insurance firm if this is the case, & what degree of protection you get. Even if the insurance is integrated, you should verify that you are accurately protected for any specific accidents that may possibly occur.

Payment: The premiums that you are likely to have to pay depend on the specific level of coverage you desire. If you just protect your home, then payments are extremely likely to be much lower than if you are wanting to cover a business. Nevertheless, premiums are comparatively cheap inexpensive the level of cover that you receive & its as a result necessary for anyone running a business. Get a business insurance quote online with Insured Risks.

Gaming Technology Wage Survey | Free Paid Survey List

Posted in Briefings, Buyers Guides, Net Commerce on December 30th, 2008

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Happiness Is Truly M.A.G.I.C.A.L. (TM)

Posted in House Of Self Improvement on December 29th, 2008

The year is almost half over. Many of us are taking the time to reflect, to imagine new dreams and to revise our goals. Yet, as we engage in these activities, the shadows of unachieved goals and failed dreams continue to follow us.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could discover a magical way that would help to achieve both our personal and professional happiness and banish those shadows? A colleague and I asked this very question over a year ago and spent the last 12 months researching how successful people use their imagination to overcome life’s obstacles and stay happy. What we discovered was that the capacities for happiness were within each and everyone one of us. The difference in the achievement of happiness centered around when we as individuals chose to identify and then employ those capacities and their supporting strategies.

Think about your happiness, your life and your successes. What first come to mind? If you are like many of us, one person stands out. This individual encouraged you as you struggled with life’s obstacles to achieve a better future. In your early life, this person, or “mentor,” may have been a family member or a teacher.

For me, my first mentor was my Swedish grandmother. As a sickly child, I spent a lot of time with her listening to her adventures in America. At age 16, she worked in New York City as a hotel maid and cook. Returning to Sweden at age 19, she met and married my grandfather. In the ensuing years, she continued to dream about returning to America and having one child born there. This dream was realized at age 41 when she returned to America and gave birth to one child - my father. As I grew older, I appreciated her imagination, determination and courage to homestead in Northern Wisconsin, to serve as an English teacher and mentor to her family and to thrive through the Depression of the Thirties. Though she passed on many years ago, her words and stories continue to mentor me as I build my life both personally and professionally. She was an incredible woman - my mentor - my grandmother.

Now, take a few moments and think of an incredible person in you life right now - someone who continues to demonstrate imagination, determination, courage and happiness. Ask yourself if you can possibly live your life without this mentor. Then, take this opportunity to stop and say thank you for the gifts that he or she has brought into your life and begin to experience a life that is truly M.A.G.I.C.A.L.(TM).

M.A.G.I.C.A.L.(TM)is owned by Leanne Hoagland-Smith and Laura Novakowski.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P’s of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or email leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results.

Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, http://www.processspecialist.com

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

Its About Time You Looked Into Spyware Removal

Posted in Software Tips + More on December 28th, 2008

If you are like most people you don’t yet have spyware removal capabilities. You are doing more and more on the internet and you are starting to enjoy the ease and convenience of the increasing amount of services that you can receive in the comfort of your own home. You have also probably heard of viruses and malware like spyware and adware and you may have even gotten antivirus software thinking that this will protect your computer so that you can have peace of mind and continue to enjoy the internet for all of its great qualities.

Well that is great but I want to warn you that all antivirus software is not as comprehensive as it claims to be. That is it will protect your computer from internet borne viruses and probably worms but it often does not protect you from the spiders of spyware and adware. You may need to get something to perform spyware removal as well.

So what is the big deal anyway? What does spyware do that is so bad? Well let me explain. Spyware is just what its name tells you, software that spies. It is created by internet deviants as well as some companies that you would otherwise think are upstanding to crawl your computer and gain information. The reason you need spyware removal is that the information could be things like usernames and passwords to different accounts including banks and other money user accounts which is obviously a security threat to your livelihood and are mostly sought by deviants looking to steal identities. However the information may be more subtle than that including your internet browsing and search histories, or purchase records, or email addresses. All things that are less threatening but sometimes very private information that may help them to target you in future sales.

How does it do this? Well there are many ways and most of them are very clever and designed to be undetectable by the typical internet surfer. They gain access to your hard drive through a variety of methods which are often unknowingly allowed by user “click-throughs.” They then insert code at various spots on your computer often in your computer registry. This code not only causes unwanted export of information but also can clog up your registry causing your computer to slow down, freeze, or otherwise not run as smoothly. So go get yourself equipped for spyware removal and be safe!

Dylon Floppours is passionate about computer performance optimization. He loves to write and teach people helpful skills like spyware removal. If you are serious about the upkeep of your pc visit www.beginspywareremoval.info.

12 Essential Tips to Finding the Best Outsourcing Company

Posted in Software Tips + More on December 27th, 2008

The very foundation of outsourcing means getting someone to handle your work, a partner in business. Ideally the outsourcing consultant or company should have a similar vision as yours and solid work ethics.

Success in business would depend greatly on finding the right outsourcing company and for this you must:

• Determine clearly what your core business competencies are. Know your strengths and weaknesses.

• Clearly define your goals, future business plans.

• Create an outsourcing proposal that outlines your objectives as well as needs. State clearly the details of the project, expectations, timelines, as well as budgets.

• Do in depth research on outsourcing companies to find out which ones will satisfy your needs. Alternately one can hire a consultant to carry out the search.

• Search for an organization that can source many talents. Flexibility in operations is crucial.

• Interview at least 3-4 organizations. Check out their referrals and projects completed. Be sure to meet key personnel to gauge their competencies. And check out their technological expertise.

• Do a cost effectiveness study as also how the selected company will fulfill your needs. Whether their infrastructure and training will be in synchrony with yours. Systems must be compatible. The costing should address impact of increased flexibility, difference in productive and time management, which is the time taken to reach the market and its effect on competition.

• Study thoroughly the non-financial costs as well as advantages of outsourcing.

• Check with local chambers of commerce like the California chamber of commerce at www.calchamber.com or other associations that focus on human resource like the Sacramento Area Human Resources Association at www.sahra.org.

• Before making a final choice check whether the outsourcing company or vendor is trustworthy, find out what kind of security measures they use, check the company’s reputation in the market; determine in no uncertain terms whether they have the right qualifications.

• Seek answers to: are they an established and financially sound company; what is their customer service philosophy; what is their service record; who are their current clients; is their estimate transparent or are there any loop holes; are they limited or can they expand along with your growth; is there an implementation plan; what about disaster recovery mechanisms; can they deliver?

• Check whether communications will be smooth and trouble free and if there are any cultural differences between you and the vendor. If yes will you be able to bridge the difference.

The cornerstones of a good and ideal outsource is a company that will enhance your performance; partner you in growth by infusing talent and technology; will share your visions; and contribute positively.

Interview the companies. After you select one discuss in detail the contractual terms. Be sure to protect your own interests well. It takes trust, collaboration, communication, and chemistry to make an outsourcing successful.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/outsourcing/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Outsourcing Forum including topics on general outsourcing, best outsourcing tips, HR outsourcing, sales outsourcing and more. He also freelances for the premier Outsourcing Directory Site http://www.1888Outsourceservices.com

Manufacturing ERP Software

Posted in Software Tips + More on December 27th, 2008

Manufacturing is defined as the transformation of raw materials into finished goods for sale by using equipments and processing systems. In order to manage manufacturing processes, a software-based production, purchasing, and shipment planning and inventory control system called Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP), has been developed. From this system, Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), a method for the effective planning of all resources of a manufacturing company, has been derived. And from MRP II, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has evolved.

ERP, by means of ERP software, spreads its tasks to all types of business organization and improves the business processes including strategic planning, management control and operational control. It also operates across functional departments and their particular activities.

While ERP deals with both manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies, a kind of ERP software is intentionally made for manufacturing industries. It is called manufacturing ERP software. Combining MRP and ERP, it has a more established device and application in these industrial sectors than ERP software. It has integrated workflow processes that are designed specifically to maximize the use of the manufacturer’s resources, minimize total costs and administer resources’ entire life cycle, from row material acquisition, production planning, manufacturing, marketing, sales to financial settlement.

Manufacturing ERP software has been very practical and ideally suited for minor, mid-sized, make-to-order, engineer-to-order, mixed-mode, discrete, small and large manufacturing industries around the globe. They can be purchased from all small niche market and major ERP vendors offering ERP software solutions that meet your needs.

Many ERP vendors and ERP consulting companies that have gained professional skills in implementing and customizing manufacturing ERP software can do the implementation of manufacturing ERP software. Less customization will be necessary as the software is already specifically designed for the manufacturing industry. Costs of acquiring manufacturing ERP software depends on the size and features of the software and the scope of customization.

Getting manufacturing ERP software for your manufacturing enterprise will help you optimize your resources, carefully plan your actions, make wiser decisions and prepare for unexpected hitches along the business cycle. It will also enable you to manage your organization and all its departments effectively, reduce your expenditures and heighten your income.

ERP Software provides detailed information on ERP Software, ERP Software Solutions, ERP Software Companies, Manufacturing ERP Software and more. ERP Software is affiliated with HR Software Solutions.

IT Strategy for Large Corporation: ERP/MRP/CRM, Unix/Linux/Windows, Microsoft/Java

Posted in Software Tips + More on December 26th, 2008

Combining Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains ERP with non-Microsoft Business System or CRM: Lotus Notes Domino, Oracle, DB2

There are multiple opinions on building your established large business IT system. Some companies prefer to be “Microsoft shop”, others prefer to stick to Java world. In our opinion large company should try balance its ERP in several layers: Hardware, Operating System, Database Platform, ERP/CRM software vendor. The history always proofs that staking on one thing statistically has a chance to fail, remember Windows/Mac battle in the middle of 1990th? Then Java resurrected UNIX world in the end of the 20th century. All these facts just tell us that any prediction of the future should not be accurate, because the factors we could consider in the prediction formula will be superceded by new conceptions. Good example would be C cross-platform programming language - however now we are crazy about thin client - so where is C longevity? So, in 2004 we merged several companies to serve large corporate businesses, positioning us as cross platform integrators and the company, envisioning harmony between multiple computer platforms and conceptions. Let us give you our bullets below:

• Microsoft Business Solutions pluses - old conception that OS should be separate from the DB platform and from your accounting application doesn’t work when we consider modern Microsoft: it now offers all in one: Microsoft Great Plains/Navision/Axapta/Solomon/Microsoft CRM/Small Business Financials ERP, based on MS SQL Server DB platform and all this nice suite is working under Microsoft Windows 2003 Server. This is very nice to have and the price would be lower, however you are in the business space and conceptions of Microsoft corporation, which really deserves you to consider either ERP or CRM solution to be trusted and handled into Microsoft guys

• ERP/Accounting/MRP - we suppose that the old days of expensive ERP application are going to the history. Nowadays we see the trend to use reasonably inexpensive and functionally sufficient applications, based in decent SQL platform. So, our suggestion is - do not pay for “high end” ERP/Accounting system and rather consider reliable budget solution as a platform for light customization

• Business System/CRM - CRM market should be considered a mature one in 2010, when such pioneers as Siebel will cross 15 years of the existence. Again in our opinion you’d rather pay for small or moderate customization to budget CRM solution to have work done. Microsoft CRM or SalesLogix would do the job

• Oracle Financials - we are supporters of the companies who decided to go with Oracle Financials or SAP and have their CRM/Business Management System to be placed on the Microsoft Windows platform. Microsoft CRM would integrate with Oracle
smoothly

• Microsoft CRM - in our opinion large publicly traded company should consider using Lotus Notes Domino for document workflow and CRM and when adopting MS CRM - it should consider using Domino as primary email server - see our MS CRM - Lotus Notes Domino email connector description.

Good luck and you can always seek our help in customization, implementation, integration and support. Call us: 1-866-528-0577 or 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving Chicago, California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, Australia, UK, Canada, Germany, Continental Europe, Russia and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK

What you need to know about Mobile Broadband UK

Posted in Buyers Guides, Great Technology Tips, School of Telecommunication on December 26th, 2008

If you are one of the many people out there that are looking for mobile broadband UK then there are a few things that you need to know first of all. These may sway your decision ever so slightly but when you look at the advantages that this type of internet offers, you may decide like me to have one of the cheaper mobile broadband UK contracts alongside regular broadband from a landline at home.

First of all, there have been some common misconceptions within the press that I have noticed and I would like to say from experience of the matter than most of the statements are incorrect.

There have been reports that there is a lot of interruption of the internet with mobile broadband due to lack of decent coverage but seeing as the majority of mobile broadband networks offer at least 90% coverage of the UK (source broadbandgenie.co.uk), I personally have had no bad experiences with it as a service.

The one thing that I will agree with however is the reports that online gaming with games console is perhaps not the best thing to use withmobile broadband UK simply because it can use up a lot of the inclusive usage and leave you with a costly bill.

How To Learn The Art Of Creative Writing

Posted in Publishing Parlor on December 25th, 2008

The term creative writing is used to discern certain types of inventive or artistic writing from other general types of writing. The field of creative writing is broad and includes many different formats and genres of writing. The broad and general description of it is purposeful in its effort not to limit the imagination of the potential writer, or that of the reader. Creative writing is totally different from other types of writing, such as technical writing, scientific writing, or copy-driven journalism. The discipline of creative writing includes, but should not be limited to, works of fiction, poetry, personal memoir or autobiography, song lyrics, plays and screenplays, and any mixture of the above.

By and large, writing is a skill that is innate to a person. Just like with other proficiencies, most types of writing often comes easier to some people than to others. Therefore, it is often thought that a person cannot be taught how to write, especially creatively. Despite whatever natural talents for writing a person might have, those talents often need to be developed in order for the writer to realize his or her fullest potential in the craft. Learning how to write creatively must begin on the inside. A certain amount of individual experience, opinion, and innate sensitivity must be tapped when taking on the task of creative writing.

Creative writing is an artistic expression, like painting or composing music. It is therefore subject to criticism, both constructive and disrespectful. This should in no way deter a person from writing creatively, or in any other way. Sometimes, artistic expression is done just for the sake of doing it. There does not have to be a reason to create something, and there does not have to be an explanation behind the creation. The personal expression is free. This sentiment holds especially true with creative writing.

Creative writing courses are extremely popular and widely available in various formats. Short-term workshops ranging from merely a few hours to a day or several weekly sessions are available through public libraries, community education centers, and even community colleges. They are for everyone from the beginner to the seasoned writer looking to polish his or her skills.

In a creative writing course, there are many potential topics to discuss and methods to teach at length. These topics include, but are not limited to, techniques on brainstorming and exploring creative ideas, overcoming writer’s block, learning how to structure work, overcoming the fear of people reading/judging the created work, editing completed work, and getting works published. Though some will argue that true creative writing cannot be taught, it is widely acknowledged that certain skills can be mined and honed, as well as certain techniques taught, to make almost anyone at least a fair writer, and not be afraid to unleash his or her creativity.

Many budding writers opt to study creative writing in college. Often it can be an emphasis within a major in English, and a 4-year bachelor’s degree can be earned. This can open doors to many professional opportunities, as well as equip a writer with the skills to either take a stab at freelance writing, or translate his or her creative writing skills into other professional arenas, such as public relations, advertising, or editing.

For those whose writing ambition is to do creative writing as more of a hobby, looking to the Internet for creative writing websites is a good way to get work seen and gain insight into the craft. Many creative writing websites offer bulletin boards where writers can post works to be read and enjoyed, and where feedback can be given reciprocally. Also, writers can find a real community of individuals looking for other writers with whom to trade and share ideas.

Some creative writing websites also offer some of the same lessons and pointers on brainstorming and formulating ideas, editing, publishing, and other techniques that many workshops or writing courses offer, except it often does not cost anything online, and it is more convenient. There is also the appeal of the relative anonymity online, for the shy writer who is not quite ready for the face-to-face public arena. True creative writing might not be a learned talent, but the ability to tap inner creativity is possible for just about anyone.