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Content Type:
Media Release
14 Nov 2012
Director sentiment has reached its lowest level in two years in the face of increasing concerns about the health of the Asian economies and growing pessimism about Europe and the US.
According to the findings of the second half 2012 Director Sentiment Index*, which measures the opinions and futu...
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Content Type:
The Boardroom Report
04 Apr 2012
Directors say no to a budget surplus at all costs, Related party transactions on ASIC's radar, Plugging the gaps in new workplace laws, The keys to success of the world's most admired companies, New ASX check on directors
Directors say no to a budget surplus at all costs
Australia's directo...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Jul 2010
John M Green
believes business people should start thinking more like novelists.
Foresight saga
“In hindsight...” Painful, often embarrassing confessions sometimes begin with those words. It is only in the future that you know how smart you are in the present. It’s why hubris is such a ...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Jul 2010
Australia will not thrive in the 21st century if it doesn’t overcome its infrastructure challenges.
Zilla Efrat
investigates how it can free up some of its bottlenecks.
Getting infrastructure back on track
It’s been estimated that Australia...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Feb 2010
John M Green
explores “oil and water mergers” and acquisitions, which can appear attractive yet be disastrous.
Oil and water mergers
The world needs both oil and water. Water is vital for survival. Some even splash it into whisky. Oil creates power, transport... and Lycra. But if ...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Jun 2009
A look at how Queensland is faring in the wake of the global financial crisis.
Queensland Update
Once among the fastest growing states in Australia, Queensland, like other states, has been doing it tough since the global financial crisis started.
Last month, international credit-rating agen...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 May 2009
Zilla Efrat
provides an update on the New Zealand economy and the opportunities it offers Australian business.
Across the ditch
New Zealand has been in recession since the start of 2008 and many economists expect this to continue until at least the end of the June quarter.
The moo...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2009
Many not-for-profits are encountering greater demand for their services at a time when funding is falling off.
Janine Mace
examines how their directors can guide them through the tougher times.
NFPs, yin and yang in hard times
It’s either a glass half full or half empty – it ...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2009
Tony Featherstone
reminds directors of small companies about the importance of communicating with shareholders.
Encouraging start-up governance
Small listed companies must work much harder to improve investor communications as the bear market drowns out better-performing companies and ki...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2009
Matt Hern
discusses the hidden profit risk in tough times: employee fear and uncertainty.
Overcoming fear and uncertainty
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” So said...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2009
Domini Stuart
gets out into the country, to find that while rural boards may be doing it the hard way, they are also lifting their game.
Toughing it out in the country
The image of rural Australia many urbanites hold is hopelessly out of date.
“Broadly speaking, people ...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Dec 2008
Bernard Tanner
says its not all gloom and doom for SMEs battling the credit crunch and economic downturn.
When it comes to the crunch
The numbers are staggering. According to the Bank of England, global losses from the credit crunch have topped £1.8 trillion to date ($4.2 trillion). That...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Dec 2008
Tough staffing decisions may have to be made in 2009.
Kevin Chandler
provides some tips on how to survive them.
When the axe drops
Earlier this month, the Finance Sector Union predicted that up to 10,000 jobs could be lost in the next 12 to 18 months. Many of these jobs will be in middle...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Nov 2008
The past year certainly hasn’t been the best time to list on the stock exchange.
Tony Featherstone
chats to the directors of five companies that did take the plunge to find out how they fared.
Taking the IPO leap
Spare a thought for small companies that ha...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Nov 2008
Young philanthropists don’t act like previous generations.
Tony Featherstone
discusses how charity boards can engage a new breed of entrepreneurs.
Engaging young philanthropists
Years ago, the biggest problem with making a rich list was extra scrutiny from the Aus...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Oct 2008
Executive pay is likely to be a tense topic this AGM season.
Tony Featherstone
details the dilemmas boards face as they seek to attract and motivate top executives in a tough business climate while, at the same time, risking a backlash from some shareholders.
The great divide
...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Sep 2008
Domini Stuart
reveals smarter ways to cut costs as the downturn starts to bite.
Pulling in the belt
As the credit crunch and rising fuel prices continue to cause anxiety, corporate budgets are being closely scrutinised. Most businesses are under pressure to minimise costs, and we are alread...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Aug 2008
Using the spoils of the good times
Michael Chaney, chairman of National Australia Bank and Woodside Petroleum, has long believed that economic prosperity should be the catalyst to unwind disadvantage, not perpetuate it. He also advocates that the spoils of the good times, such as the current commodi...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Jul 2008
Climate change has been added to the director’s report card.
Giles Parkinson
details how shareholders and analysts will be marking directors and their companies on this new test.
Passing the new climate test
It’s been just over two years since Westpac Banking Corp’s former CEO Da...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Jul 2008
Louis White
considers Australia’s prospects in China post-Beijing 2008.
Beyond Beijing 2008
While Australian athletes have been training long and hard for the reward of gold at the Beijing Olympics next month, Australian businesses have been working just as hard – and very often, ...