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Right now, the economic outlook is bleak -- gas prices are up, the stock market is down, and on it goes. But how are smaller businesses responding in the face of discouraging forecasts and tightening resources? On the one hand, cost cutting is the mantra, telecommuting is up, travel is down, but then again, IT spending is at record levels. Read all of "Bad Economy Triggers Belt Tightening Or Record Spending"
One study says small business confidence is sagging. Another says smaller businesses are frantically cutting costs. So why are small businesses hiring? Read all of "Small Biz Hiring Up, Midsize Biz Down"
Most smaller businesses know by now that search engine optimization is an effective way to get their sites noticed by the almighty search engines. But a recent survey indicates that SEO is the best way to generate online leads. Is your site optimized for search? Read all of "Natural Search vs. Paid Search: SEO Wins"
Last week we reported on surveys showing small and midsize companies were more upbeat than larger competitors. But today's installment indicates widespread belt-tightening among small firms -- including "staycations." Read all of "Confusion Reigns About Small Businesses Coping With The Economy"
Though support for Windows XP will continue until 2014, Microsoft stopped shipping the OS last month. Redmond is wielding that stick in hopes of prodding users toward Vista, but there's also a carrot: free user support -- though it's a limited time offer. Read all of "Microsoft Dangles Carrot To Lure Smaller Businesses To Vista"
Email has evolved from a productivity improvement system to a mission critical application in many organizations. Consequently, companies are starting to require the same level of backup and availability with it as with other applications, such as their ERP system. Read all of "Backing Up Your Key Messages"
It's 11 AM on a weekday morning, gas prices are soaring, and there are lots of affordable collaboration tools on the market. Do you know where your employees are? Better yet, do you know where your employees should be? Working from home. Read all of "Home is Where Your Employees Should Be"
Who says that iPhones are for such boring things as making phone calls? Even listening to music and surfing the Web, while taking a few photos with a built-in camera, isn't enough for some people. They want their mobile gizmos to replace their desktop computer — and maybe their laptop. No problem. Read all of "Word Processing, Spreadsheets... and iPhones!"
A recent study indicates that more than half of all adults rely on some form of social media to communicate not just with friends and family, but also with their colleagues. And in the 18 to 34 year old adult category (the adult term is used very loosely here) those numbers climb way higher. All this means one thing: Those new employees you are planning in hiring will be communicating in all sorts of different ways. Read all of "Social Media Hits Critical Mass: How Will Your Latest Hires Communicate?"
Fully a third of IT staffers recently surveyed admitted to taking unauthorized, inappropriate, and often illegal looks at confidential files and e-mails. Maybe that lets them get their peeping Tom jollies off -- but it may also leave your business on very shaky and un-jolly legal ground. Read all of "Security Staff Snoops: Who's Watching Your Watchers (And What Are Your Watchers Watching?)"
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