A NAMIBIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You make biltong…

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when the cow drops dead.

A SOUTH AFRICAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows. They get stolen, so you blame the previous regime and steal someone else’s cows and shoot their owner.

A ZIMBABWEAN CORPORATION:
A farmer has two cows. You take over his farm, eat both cows and wait for the international community to supply more.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You re-design them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create clever cow cartoon images called Cowkimon and market them worldwide.

A GERMAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once amonth, and milk themselves.

A BRITISH CORPORATION:
You have two cows. Both are mad.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You pray to them for food.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are. You take a break for lunch to consider how to find them.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 12 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

A SWISS CORPORATION:
You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers.

AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. The one on the left is kinda cute….

(Original source unknown. If you know, then let us know, then we will all be in the know.)

Neither of the parties would comment as to why the hearing had been suspended nor what the suspension was about.

Manyi, is however in the meantime, pushing for his role as elected President of the Black Management Forum (BMF) to be melded into that of the Managing Director’s – a full-time, salaried post currently held by Gaba Tabane.

The BMF will be holding its Annual General Meeting on 06 October where the president will be elected and changes to the organisations’ constitution will be voted on.

Further reading about Jimmy Manyi and the BMF:
Jimmy Manyi suspended as Labour Department DG; BMF continues to back him

The survey was done in seven Southern African countries. The report says that the pay structures in all countries become steeper when measuring total gross compensation, except in Zambia where the pay structure becomes flatter.

In South Africa, the consumer inflation rate for 2010 is projected to be 7,2% and the average salary increase is projected to be 8%.

It also stated that it is no longer economically feasible or desirable to base increments purely on consumer price index movements or trends, as this action in itself fuels already spiraling inflation levels and does nothing towards improving national productivity.

Read the full story:
Pay gap between bosses and workers ‘highly contentious’ (Business Report, 2 September 2010)

The report says it is no longer economically feasible or desirable to base increments purely on consumer price index movements or trends, as this action in itself fuels already spiraling inflation levels and does nothing towards improving national productivity.

While this is becoming a lucrative market for gaming providers, it also has huge potential for promoting businesses and causes to this massive market of hundreds of millions of players around the world – just be sure to give your message in a social marketing context rather than straight advertising. 

Casual Day is a fundraising project for persons with disabilities. There are 6 main national beneficiaries in this project. Their services include job creation, poverty alleviation, upliftment, housing, education and much more. By supporting Casual Day you do not only support one organisation but a whole range of accountable organisations in the field of disability.

Each year the organisers call for everybody to dress differently on the first Friday of September and to wear the Casual Day sticker to show their support for disabled people. This may be casual clothes if you usually wear a uniform, or formal attire if you usually were casual clothes.

Give your R10 donation, get your sticker and dress for laughs. Order your stickers here… or get it at any Absa, Game, Dion Wired, Edgars, Jet, Game, Boardmans and CNA.

For more information about Casual Day 2010 visit their website at:
www.casualday.co.za

Okay, I’ll admit it. I play games on FaceBook (FB)! Not only is it a nice colourful break while having a cup of coffee but lately I have found that it has even become a business tool for me. While I can hear the cynics laughing in the background already, let me give you a scenario followed by some ideas about how playing games in a community such as FB can help one to find out a little more about the people that one is dealing with and how this could be useful in a business relationship as well as friendships.

Making the contact beyond FaceBook…

Yesterday afternoon I get a telephone call…. “Hi there, this is Jane Bloggs. (Name changed to protect her from voyeurism.) We’ve never met, but we’re neighbours for FarmVille on FaceBook.”

“Hi Jane. Yes, I think I know who you are – it’s Jane Somebody Bloggs and you do xyz for a living, right?”

“Yup. That’s correct. I’ve phoned you because I have seen from your profile and your posts that you run an online newspaper for small businesses in South Africa and I’d like to talk to you about….”

Now, if you are inclined to think that this isn’t very likely, I’ll let you in on a little secret – it’s not the first time that I have had a conversation like this. Playing games on FB has not only brought me into closer contact with people that I have never connected with before outside of FaceBook, but they have also put me in touch again with people that I have met once or twice outside of this sphere and now have a stronger relationship with as a result.

Not only is this a great side-benefit of playing the games, I have become quite interested lately in how the worlds of online games and real life are merging and giving our daily lives and the way that we do business a new dynamic. There is quite of lot of thinking and research being done into how this convergence is changing our lives. (Click here… to see a great presentation on online games and how it may be a useful business marketing tool in the future.)

But what links online games with doing business?

The reason why I think that game playing in this environment can lead to doing business is because I think that one can get to know a little more about others by the way that they play. I suspect that there are parallels between the way that people do business or their jobs, and the way that they play a FB game.

I’ve even thought that if I was ever hiring a member of staff, such as a production manager, that I would like to see how they play one or two specific games. (I also would also like to see how potential employees drive as I believe that can give quite an insight into a person’s personality.)

The FB games by Zynga are quite interesting in themselves in that their one game, FarmVille, is the biggest grossing online game in the history of the Internet – and most of their games follow similar formats. Their success is probably due to the fact that Zynga games are very focused on helping other people out. Other internet gaming arenas have tended to focus on beating one’s enemy to a pulp (either literally as in fight games, or in groups ganging up against individuals or other groups).

In FarmVille and Café World and Treasure Isle (the three games I play), you don’t have an enemy or enemies. You have neighbours and you prosper by helping them out, planning your work and getting things done. Hmm. This sounds more like the type of business environment that I would like to work in…. No wonder there seems to be a link between gaming and real life business being conducted.

Some personality traits that FB games may bring out

After having played FB games for a few months now, these are some of the traits that I think may possibly be seen by the way that my fellow players play the game. (And please take these observations with a huge pinch of salt; they are only some of my musings – they are NOT set in stone, they have not been researched in any way, and I am not a psychologist!)

Getting the bigger picture
- You spend as much time as possible playing online games; you may be prone to other addictions as well.
- If you are at the opposite end of the spectrum and wouldn’t even consider ever playing any kind of electronic game; maybe your life is so tightly bound that you don’t have any room to have some fun.
- If you do a little bit of game playing on a regular basis or once in a while; maybe the rest of your life is more balanced as well.

Generosity, attitude and awareness
Are you aware of other players’ needs? Do you actively assist others by sending gifts to them, helping them play and responding to their requests? (Zynga games allow you to send gifts to your neighbours.) If you are like that in the gaming environment, you are probably more willing to help your follow worker or business colleague as well. You are also probably more aware of your real life environment and where business opportunities are to be found. Therefore, you are likely to be the kind of person that I would like to do business with.

Creativity and artistic bent
One of the most enjoyable parts of the games for me is that they are pretty. The graphics used are beautifully done and the build-games that I play all give wonderful opportunities to arrange the items that you have in your space.

- You have your animals in straight rows and everything is in perfect shape order. Your buildings all face one way and there isn’t any space to spare…. You seem to be methodical, reliable and ordered; but maybe you aren’t so innovative and are overly prickly about anything that is ‘out of place’.
- You slap your stuff down anywhere…. Well, do you drop your clothes on the floor when you change for someone else to pick up? Enough said.
- You choose beautiful objects and lay them out taking cognisance of both the functional structure needed as well your personal tastes and preferences. Well, maybe you see your space as something organic, beautiful and productive at the same time? For creative work, you are the person I would chose to do business with.

Real life skills
All of the games run in real time (for example, if the cooking time is two hours in the game, it is two hours in real life) and have well worked out rules.

Players have to then plan ahead, lay out facilities, decide on how to use their limited resources, work with environmental limitations and actually perform activities, while being careful not to ruin any of their work, and even having at times to sell their services to others, in order to maximise their profit so that they can buy the things that they want or get the rewards they are striving for.

These traits are often just the same for business. How well the player actually runs their game environment can be a good indicator of how well they will run their real life business environment and I think that some of these games could be used as assessment tools with anyone being considered for a management position.

'Booth Babes' put to good use.... They are in 'uniform' with strategically placed branding and are handing out brochures.

By Susan A. Friedmann.

Which of the following do you expect to see on the trade show floor:

A) A high-tech video display, showcasing exciting new products?
B) Signs directing you to a mini-seminar taught by industry experts?
C) A scantily-clad blonde bombshell or African goddess, handing out brochures?

A and B won’t surprise anyone, but increasingly, we’re seeing more and more of C.

After all, sex sells. It’s one of those marketing ‘facts’ that everybody knows. Certainly the media reinforces this idea, bombarding us with dozens of scantily-clad women in every possible commercial outlet, hawking everything from light beer to garden tractors. All these high-priced ad executives must believe using gorgeous models to promote their products works.

But does it sell your product?

On the trade show floor, too often this translates into go-go dancers and supermodels lounging in the aisle. They get attention, certainly – I’ve seen throngs of men gather around these booths – but does this attention translate into sales? Does erotic enticement equal exhibiting success?

It might – but only if you recognise that using sexually appealing spokespeople to attract attention to your exhibit is one component in a cohesive, coherent marketing strategy. Booth Babes, as they’re known, are more than just ‘eye candy’. They should have a clear, defined role in your marketing plan.

Additionally, it is imperative that companies use this particular strategy very, very carefully. It’s not right for everyone. There are a number of factors to consider, including what type of product or service you’re promoting, your corporate image, and current or future branding plans. You also must take into account where you are exhibiting. What might get you thrown into jail in Paducah would be par for the course in Tokyo.

The Japanese have completely incorporated booth babes into their marketing culture. It is taken for granted that the automobile and hi-tech industry, for example, will use attractive women to draw the crowds. It’s considered the first step to developing a relationship with a new customer, both by attracting his attention and showing a willingness to deliver what he wants and expects.

However, business in America and Europe is not as heavily male-dominated as it is in Japan. More and more women are assuming higher levels of power and prominence within the corporate world, and they may be ‘turned off’ of your company by the sight of a marketing ploy that blatantly objectifies women. This can be true even if your products and services are bought and used primarily by men. You might be surprised by the female influence in the most testosterone-laden industries. Using booth babes is definitely a risk.

Is it a risk without rewards?

Again, it depends on your goals. If you are using your time at the trade show to introduce a new product, for example, and simply want to attract lots of people and press informational literature into their hands, a Booth Babe might work. Of course, you’re running the danger of attendees remembering the buxom brunette and forgetting your company’s name – but you’ll have handed out a lot of brochures.

You may be able to retain Booth Babe talent skilled at ‘pre-screening’ attendees and gracefully directing qualified visitors to speak with your sales staff. However, talent like this is hard to find. If your goal for the trade show includes engaging attendees in meaningful conversation in order to determine their wants and needs, thereby beginning a business relationship, using less than superlative Booth Babes may actually impair your booth staff’s performance. They are distracting, and will attract far too many people who have no interest in your products or services.

Every company has an image. This image might be high-tech and edgy, or old school conservative. It speaks volumes about the company, and is a valuable intangible asset. You’ll want to be careful before playing ‘Beauty and the Brand’.

What does hiring Booth Babes do to a company’s image? In some cases, it enhances it. Could you imagine Playboy Enterprises on the trade show floor without the trademark Bunnies? St. Paula’s Brewery has made the curvaceous blond St. Pauli Girl a central part of their marketing plan. In each instance, having appropriate representation at a trade show would be completely appropriate and reinforce the brand’s image.

On the other hand, Merrill Lynch doesn’t need Booth Babes. There’s nothing inherently sexy about investment banking – and more importantly, would you want the financial services of a company represented by string bikini wearing party girls? The disconnect is immediately apparent.

Many companies fail to think this through. Before you decide to hire Booth Babes, ask yourself, “How does this strategy reflect the image I want people to have of my company?” Remember, many people view booth babes as an extension of a cheap and tawdry marketing plan. If this clearly and positively mirrors the image you want to project, by all means, have booth babes. However, the other 95% of the marketplace may want to rethink their decision. There are many, many other creative, appropriate ways to attract attendees to your exhibit. People have come to the trade show looking for new products and ideas, and more importantly, solutions to their problems and challenges. Concentrate on giving them that, and you’ll have more satisfied customers than any Booth Babe can deliver!

About the Author:

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week, e-mail: susan@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com.

I took this photo of a furniture store in our local mall while they were putting their website address up on their windows. Good. So now any passing pedestrian who is too busy to pop in and have a look around the shop can still go to their website that evening and have a look around their products. They can even buy online…

So something as simple as an URL can become a silent salesperson for you. As long as your website is structured to deal with doing so.

One of my favourite examples of how to use this marketing platform was to be found on a scattering of boards nailed to trees in our area a while ago… The board just said: “www.boomsloping.co.za” (that’s “tree felling” in Afrikaans). That’s all it needed to say. If you wanted some tree felling done, that noticeboard was going to catch your attention!

By Ann Williams.

The office has to have an enterprise content management (ECM) system in place by October when the new Companies Act is expected to come into play. If it fails to meet this deadline, it will not be able to cater for several electronic functions of the new Act.

Read the full story:
Cipro mess creates devastating consequences (ITWeb!, 26 August 2010)

Read other articles related to the CIPRO IT contract:
Skeletons start coming out of the CIPRO closet
Why is it taking so long to sort out the rot in CIPRO?
Cipro website downtime ’strangles’ business

The employers are objecting to raids carried out by the clothing manufacturing national bargaining council, which is trying to recoup wages owed to workers.

At last week’s meeting, the owners were informed there would be raids on at least 47 factories paying employees below the minimum wage, with priority given to those paying below R200 a week.

The Chinese-owned clothing factories, based in Newcastle, have been in discussions with the bargaining council over the wages for more than a year, with the latest meeting held last week.

Read the full story:
Low wages put 8 000 clothing jobs at risk (Business Report, 26 August 2010)

… and then there is a counter-argument by Jonathan Yudelowitz that appears in Business Day

Read the full story:
‘One size fits all’ law robs SA of a future: The inability to create unskilled jobs is one of the main barriers to SA’s social and economic viability. (Business Day, 26 August 2010)