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2008 April:   Business

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Anchor:   Base Index
Other months:    March  May
Other areas:    Climate  computing  education  health  international  Internet  science  social  technology  Others
Topics:   Agriculture  banking  carbon  climate  competition  consumerism  copyright  corruption  economics  environment  fraud  free trade  freight  globalism  management  manufacturing  marketing  media  money  newspapers  outsourcing  pay  policy  politics  privatism  publishing  social  television  trademarks  wealth

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Carbon

(see also in Climate)

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Richard Black, Summit calls for climate targets, BBC, 2008 Apr. 23 (European and Japanese leaders at their annual summit in Tokyo have called for "ambitious and binding" targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions)
Inquiry into business CO₂ output, BBC, 2008 Apr. 17 (British MPs are investigating how best to lower the carbon footprint of Britain's offices, shops and factories)
Kenneth Davidson, Emissions will drop when we end the reliance on coal, The Age, 2008 Apr. 17 (carbon dioxide capture is unproven and will cost more than renewable energy)
Chris Hammer, 'Sour grapes' accusation on clean coal technology, The Age, 2008 Apr. 16 (a rift in the environment movement has widened, with the head of WWF accusing other groups of "sour grapes" over its support for clean coal and Greenpeace rushing forward the release of findings opposing the technology)
Royce Millar and Adam Morton, Big rise tipped for car emissions, The Age, 2008 Apr. 9 (greenhouse emissions from transport in Melbourne will be almost 40% higher in 2031 than now, with or without Sir Rod Eddington's $18 billion plan to improve the city's east-west transport links)
Barry FitzGerald, Exxon airs doubts on Bass Strait carbon plan, The Age, 2008 Apr. 8 (Exxon Mobil has raised fresh concerns over Federal Government plans to establish a world-first regulated carbon capture and storage system in Australia)
Kim Murphy, The cars that ate London, The Age, 2008 Apr. 6 (on top of a congestion tax, drivers of petrol-guzzlers in central London will soon be slugged with a $55-a-day carbon emission fee; is this the future for big cities?)
Adam Morton, Garnaut floats Gippsland as greenhouse gas trap, The Age, 2008 Apr. 5 (in a speech to the State Government's climate change summit, Professor Garnaut said the Latrobe Valley and Bass Strait had an extraordinary number of sites suitable for storing greenhouse gas underground)
Adam Morton and David Rood, How to slash emissions without pain, The Age, 2008 Apr. 4 (Victoria could slash greenhouse gas emissions by using technology that is already available, according to report to be launched at State Government climate change summit)
Mark Milner, Carbon prices rise amid tighter rules, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (Europe's big polluters emitted lower levels of carbon dioxide than allowed last year)
Mathew Murphy and Adam Morton, Green group worry over new gas storage facility, The Age, 2008 Apr. 3 (the southern hemisphere's largest "clean coal" demonstration plant, burying up to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, begins operations in Victoria)
Mark Kinver, EU industry sees emissions rise, BBC, 2008 Apr. 2 (carbon dioxide emissions from Europe's heavy industry sectors rose by 1.1% in 2007, say carbon market analysts)

Competition

(see also Marketing)

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Generic competition hits Pfizer, BBC, 2008 Apr. 18 (US drugs giant Pfizer posted an 18% drop in profits for the first three months of 2008 after competition from cheaper patent free products)
Industry airs collusion beef, The Age, 2008 Apr. 15 (Australian Beef Association calls for royal commission to expose what it claims is collusion between buyers and rife anti-competitive activity from country's two largest grocery retailers)
Adrian Lowe, Sweet victory in fight to end Cadbury's purple reign, The Age, 2008 Apr. 12 (chocolate has left a bitter taste in the mouths of two of its manufacturers in a legal dispute that has spanned more than five years and is set to continue)
Nassim Khadem, Rising price of groceries blamed on 'big two', The Age, 2008 Apr. 9 (since 1990 supermarket prices in Australia have risen faster than anywhere in the developed world, an inquiry into grocery prices has heard, with claims that consumers are paying much more for basic items such as bread, milk, meat and eggs)
Annabel Stafford, Suppliers 'fear retribution' in grocery probe, The Age, 2008 Apr. 2 (grocery suppliers fear retribution from major supermarket chains if they speak publicly about supermarket pricing practices)

Consumerism

(see also Social and in Social)

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Christopher Scanlon, Retail therapy: getting more than you mentally bargained for, The Age, 2008 Apr. 19 ('compulsive buying disorder' might well be a mental illness, but there are dangers in defining disorders)
Anushka Asthana, Inquiry into commercial pressures on children, Observer, 2008 Apr. 6 (parents' fears that consumerism has distorted children's values are to be addressed by government)
Ashley Seager, Cautious consumers save more and move less, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (consumers are putting record amounts into building societies and taking out fewer mortgages but credit has risen to its highest level in more than five years)

Copyright and Trademarks

(see also in Internet and Technology)

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Tania Branigan, Gucci stamps out shoe scam, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 16 (Gucci wins lawsuit against Chinese shoemaker after complaining its logo was being used on counterfeit sandals)
Ed Pilkington, Emotions run high at Harry Potter's A to Z trial, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 16 (witnesses at copyright infringement hearing seem unable to deliver their testimony without bursting into tears)
Richard Wray, Google to allow bidding for trademarks, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 5 (move attacked by digital media agencies as a cynical attempt to raise revenues that could confuse consumers)
Bloomberg, Apple bites NY, The Age, 2008 Apr. 4 (Apple Inc. filed a federal challenge to New York's trademark application for a new ''Big Apple'' logo, saying it's too similar to the stylized emblem found on iPhones, iPods and iMac computers)
Google executive poached by EMI, BBC, 2008 Apr. 3 (the record label EMI appoints a senior Google executive to run its digital strategy - the first such post at the firm)

Economics and Policy

(see also Money)

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The American economy: The long hangover, Economist, 2008 Apr. 12 (America's economy is in recession; don't expect a quick recovery)
Martin Feil, Figures that that just don't add up, The Age, 2008 Apr. 8 (our economists must go for the facts instead of relying on theory)
Tim Colebatch, Old issues to give birth to fresh thinking on economy, The Age, 2008 Apr. 8 (in the second of a 10-part series examining the main themes of the 2020 Summit, Tim Colebatch looks at the economy)
Financial literacy: Getting it right on the money, Economist, 2008 Apr. 5 (a global crusade is under way to teach personal finance to the masses)
Irrational economics: Look and feel, Economist, 2008 Apr. 5 (the value of a coin or banknote depends on its familiarity)
Credit crisis: Fixing finance, Economist, 2008 Apr. 5 (crises are endemic to financial systems; attempts to regulate them may do more harm than good)
Tim Colebatch, IMF issues alert on interest rates, The Age, 2008 Apr. 4 (IMF urges Reserve Bank to make shifts in house prices one of the factors that determine interest rates)
Ashley Seager, We must keep inflation genie in the bottle, says MPC member, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (speech dampens speculation Bank of England preparing for sharp cut in interest rates)

Environment

(see also in Health and Science)

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Adam Morton, States divided over plastic bag bans, The Age, 2008 Apr. 18 (plastic bag use will continue unchecked by governments in most states after environment ministers fail to agree on a national ban or checkout levy)
Simon Jenkins, The green push has gone mad, The Age, 2008 Apr. 17 (the infiltration of finance has made a mockery of environmentalism)
Pollution: Something smells a bit fishy, Economist, 2008 Apr. 12 (in a "green" state, an environmental disaster looms; the shores of California's biggest lake are studded with dead fish and dilapidated mobile homes)
David Adam, The Thames it is a-changin': wildlife returns to the river, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 8 (a colony of seahorses has made the river its home it has been revealed, along with fish, dolphins, seals and porpoises)
Martin Wainwright, Conservationists fear fudge over coastal bill, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (plans giving 'right to ring' English coast scaled down; wildlife protection pledge could be rehash of old law)

Fraud and Corruption

(see also in Internet and Social)

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Andrew Darby, Shredded note brings down Tasmania's Deputy Premier, The Age, 2008 Apr. 10 (the credibility of Tasmania's Labor Government has crumbled with scandal claiming a second deputy premier)
Andrew Darby, Labor 'blocked' pulp mill critic, The Age, 2008 Apr. 9 (Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon has become embroiled in a new dispute linked to the $2 billion Tamar Valley pulp mill following accusations that his Government intervened to prevent a critic of the mill from becoming a magistrate)
Julia Medew, Pathology rorts face new probe, The Age, 2008 Apr. 5 (Medicare fraud watchdog investigating complaints from general practitioners who claim they were offered incentives by pathology providers for work)
AFP, Record amounts being lost in internet scams, The Age, 2008 Apr. 4 (fewer Americans fell for internet fraudsters last year but those who did parted with a record amount)

Globalism and Free Trade

(see also in International)

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Economics focus: Krugman's conundrum, Economist, 2008 Apr. 19 (the elusive link between trade and wage inequality)
Heather Stewart and Larry Elliott, Will these men save the world?, Observer, 2008 Apr. 13 (last spring the IMF said the world economy was under control; now it faces the reality of the crunch; Stewart and Elliott report from Washington on an organisation in shock)
Foreign investment in Canada: Lie back and forget the maple leaf, Economist, 2008 Apr. 5 (contrary to the fears of many Canadians, foreign takeovers are a sign of economic success, not failure)

Management

(see also in Computing)

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The food industry: Tightening belts, Economist, 2008 Apr. 12 (as commodity prices rocket and America's economy sickens, food companies and retailers are racing to adapt)
William Birnbauer, Cashed-up executive or myki mouse caught in ticketing trap?, The Age, 2008 Apr. 6 (the software whiz who quietly helped determine how millions of people around the world pay for daily travel on public transport knows only too well that, in his game, publicity is bound to be bad)
Dan Glaister, Silicon Valley meetings go topless, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 1 (companies are urging employees to leave laptops on their desks when attending office meetings and engage in human interaction)

Manufacturing

(see also in Technology)

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Fiat: Rebirth of a carmaker, Economist, 2008 Apr. 26 (with some fine new cars and financial figures to match, Fiat has staged an astonishing recovery)
Nick Miller, Cigarettes now made 'more carcinogenic', The Age, 2008 Apr. 2 (cigarette manufacturers are making their products more carcinogenic, through careless manufacture and adding dangerous flavouring ingredients, a leading tobacco control fighter claims)
Tim Colebatch, Why bother with cars?, The Age, 2008 Apr. 1 (Australia's automotive industry is in trouble, with no clear answers on how to save it)

Marketing

(see also Competition and in Internet)

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Tania Branigan, Adidas taken to court over Chinese footballer's kit, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 17 (Nike and Adidas tussle over the right to endorsement of captain of the Chinese national team)
Lucy Atkins, What's in a name?, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 8 (are branded drugs worth the extra cash?; Atkins finds out whether generic alternatives can do the same job for less)
Nick Carr, Neuromarketing could make mind reading the ad-man's ultimate tool, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (in the future, marketers won't have to ask us what we think or try to decipher our intentions from our actions)

Media and Television

(see also in Technology)

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Mark Lawson, Not in front of the adults, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 18 (the rules governing bad language on TV seek to protect the innocent; but who are they exactly?)
Stephen Bates, People, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 17 (by all accounts, that bolshie, leftwing Hollywood actor Tim Robbins wowed a US broadcasters' convention in Las Vegas the other night with his criticisms of the American media)

Money and Banking

(see also Economics and Wealth)

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American banks: Not so thrifty, Economist, 2008 Apr. 12 (the bust is starting to catch up with regional lenders)
Josh Gordon, Home owners held hostage by exit fees, The Age, 2008 Apr. 6 (home buyers trying to escape their loans early are being hit with extortionate fees of up to $7500, Australia's corporate watchdog has revealed)
Credit squeeze: Lessons of history, Economist, 2008 Apr. 5 (the Bank of England needs above all to restore financial confidence)
Mark Brown, All change: Mint unveils new coin designs, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 3 (goodbye from Britannia and farewell from the crowned lion, thistle, plumed ostrich feathers and portcullis)
Bloomberg, Gold output faces steep decline, The Age, 2008 Apr. 3 (Newmont Mining Corp., the world's second-largest gold producer by volume, said discoveries of deposits of the precious metal of more than 5 million ounces are dwindling as exploration costs gain)
Leon Gettler, Loan defaults rise as cash flow ebbs, The Age, 2008 Apr. 2 (banks are being hit hard with bad debts as economic growth cools under the chill of a global credit crunch and tighter business conditions, according to the latest research from debt collecting and credit reporting agency Dun & Bradstreet)

Outsourcing

(see also Pay and in Social)

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Daniella Miletic, Amex to end outsourcing local calls, The Age, 2008 Apr. 10 (call centre operators in India or the Philippines will no longer field queries from American Express customers in Australia)

Pay and Wealth

(see also Outsourcing and in Social)

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Economics focus: Krugman's conundrum, Economist, 2008 Apr. 19 (the elusive link between trade and wage inequality)
Ed Pilkington, US recession? It's hedge fund heaven, Guardian, 2008 Apr. 17 (Alpha magazine list shows managers pocketing record amounts of personal wealth)
Jason Dowling, Top health execs get $1m in job bonuses, The Age, 2008 Apr. 6 (Victoria's top public health executives received $1 million in performance bonuses last year, as patients languished in emergency departments and waited months for elective surgery)

Privatisation and Private Equity

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Private equity: Restoration, Economist, 2008 Apr. 12 (the kings of capitalism want their thrones back)
Will Hutton, Let's get over our silly fears of public ownership, Observer, 2008 Apr. 6 (the credit crisis is forcing mainstream opinion to think the unthinkable)
Peter Singer, We put it there, so let's go first in cleaning up, The Age, 2008 Apr. 3 (it's time to apply ethics and fairness in the climate change crisis)

Publishing and Newspapers

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Carole Cadwalladr, Save me from the sordid wiles of the literati, Observer, 2008 Apr. 13 (the fact is that the publishing industry needs celebrities as much as it claims to despise them)
Adam Tschorn, Obama finds a reliable type to deliver message, The Age, 2008 Apr. 2 (in the US presidential race, typefaces say almost as much as the words they form)

Social

(see also Consumerism)

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