“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future” (Niels Bohr, theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner) After shrinking sharply in the first quarter, the economy rebounded to show “record” 3.1% positive growth in the second quarter. Does this mean that quarter one was an...
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Gro Harlem Brundtland) The word sustainability is seemingly on everyone’s lips. What does it mean and what can you and I do about...
Note: As always, our employment laws being complex and the penalties for getting them wrong severe, take specific professional advice in any doubt! In a recent UK survey 72% of employees felt that their employers were eavesdropping on them. Gathering information on employees is now a multibillion...
Shareholder agreements usually form the backbone of shareholder relationships as they govern, for example, how shareholders sell their shares, how shareholder disputes are settled and the type of authority required for certain transactions. The Companies Act makes it clear that: If there is any conflict between the...
“The CEO who misleads others in public may eventually mislead himself in private” (Warren Buffett) Companies that are sustainable in the long term are honest with themselves and with all the businesses’ stakeholders. The starting point is candourIf you are open and honest in your dealings with...
“Our results indicate that the Big Mac Index is surprisingly accurate in tracking exchange rates over the long-term, which is consistent with previous PPP research findings” (ScienceDirect) For decades the Economist has been publishing its Big Mac Index to give an estimation of how under- or...
“Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time” (Terry Pratchett) Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being rolled out in many guises throughout business. One instance of this is voicemail with some amusing results. One person recalls getting a voicemail message which said “I’m a user music to reach...
The greatest need in many small businesses is for cash flow. Picture this scenario: Three people start a business and after a few years it is beginning to make profit – in a year it will go cash positive. One of the shareholders is killed (or...
The business rescue provisions in the Companies Act are regarded as progressive and world class and there is evidence that it has worked well. Yet a 2016 survey showed that more distressed businesses opted for an informal approach and appear to be more successful than those...
Small business has limited resources and optimising these resources is a balancing act. Part of this balancing act includes the role of compliance. These requirements have increased as new laws are rolled out along with other regulations, such as BEE and FICA, which also need...