Web 2.0 represents big opportunities for small businesses. With so many free and low-cost utilities on the Web, the cost of advertising and communicating with customers and using convenient online tools is low enough for many SMBs to afford. The trick is to align your online activities tightly with your overall business strategy. 14 Aug 2008
The opening of four major shopping malls (Protea Gardens, Baramall, Jabulani and Maponya) in Soweto since 2005 has changed the entire shopping landscape and experience of Sowetans. With further retail development being planned as part of the Orlando eKhaya entertainment and business development project, past shopping behaviour trends of Sowetans to shop outside the area are bound to change. 14 Aug 2008
A new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor reveals the North American market for hosted outbound integrated voice response (IVR) services is set to more than double from an estimated $213 million in 2008 to $524 million by 2013. 14 Aug 2008
Metabolix announced that in recently-completed greenhouse trials, switchgrass plants engineered using the company's multi-gene expression technology produced significant amounts of PHA bioplastics in leaf tissues. This result demonstrates a possible means of maximizing the potential of biomass crops for bioplastics. 14 Aug 2008
As part of the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) efforts to deepen long term regional economic integration, the organisation will on Sunday, 17 August 2008, launch the Free Trade Area (FTA). 13 Aug 2008
Many economists are predicting the interest rate will remain unchanged when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meet on Wednesday and Thursday to review current monetary policy, but it will be a close call. 13 Aug 2008
Ceramic tile, sanitaryware and bathroom accessory retailer, Italtile, reported a 7% jump in turnover to R2,77bn for the year to June yesterday, and said it expected profitability would be maintained despite tough trading conditions. 13 Aug 2008
BRUSSELS: Online auctioneer eBay won a Belgian court case Tuesday against L'Oreal after the French cosmetics giant sued it over the sale of counterfeit goods. 13 Aug 2008
Targeting a segment of the laptop market it hasn't previously gone after, Lenovo launched the W700 ThinkPad Workstation. The unit is one of the first to be built with Intel's Core 2 Quad-Core Extreme processor. It isn't light, though, weighing in at 3.8kg (8.3 lbs.) 13 Aug 2008
Tiffany has appealed a ruling in a federal court that online auction company eBay isn't responsible for keeping its users from selling fake jewellery that uses Tiffany's trademark. 13 Aug 2008
With the introduction of more and more new information sets characterised as media research (Google Ad Planner) and other data sets that people are using as surrogates for research (log files/Google Analytics), it seems an appropriate time to talk about research and proper use of same. 13 Aug 2008
Have you heard of "nutrition fatigue"? It is a term for the problem faced by nutrition advocates after years of telling people so many things are dangerous to human health. This article refers to the US, but could it also be applicable to SA? 13 Aug 2008
With fuel prices continuing to climb, a growing number of people appear to be skipping car trips to the shops in favour of online shopping. This, despite an economic downturn that some analysts have speculated could hold back the growth of e-commerce in South Africa. 13 Aug 2008
The Presidential Working Group on Commercial Agriculture has earmarked four key areas where they will encourage communities to use their land efficiently by working together to produce food for their subsistence. 13 Aug 2008
Nedbank has announced it will be integrating Go Banking into its core offering. Go Banking has been run as a separate business in association with Pick n Pay since 2002. 12 Aug 2008
Hard-pressed consumers will no longer have to carry any costs of payment distribution following an agreement between the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and credit providers regarding the cost of distribution of payments to credit providers. 12 Aug 2008
Grocer retailer Shoprite Holdings expects annual fully diluted headline earnings per share to rise between 45% and 55%, it said on Monday. 12 Aug 2008
Banks are sounding an alarm over what they fear will be an avalanche of loans turning sour followed by company liquidations. 12 Aug 2008
Drugs and cosmetics company New Clicks has acquired a 60% stake in courier pharmacy business Direct Medicines for a cash payment of R13,2m. 12 Aug 2008
An "action plan" is to be launched to assist South Africa's beleaguered clothing and textile sector in November - one month before the quotas on Chinese imports are meant to end - it was reported1 yesterday, 11 August 2008. 12 Aug 2008
