Will self-publishing make traditional publishing dead?

As the internet continues to grow at a pace no one really could have imagined, there is growing skepticism that it will be able to maintain it's phenomenal pace.  

 

One debate gaining particular traction is that of whether or not self-publishing will make the traditional news media obsolete.  While many are of the opinion that, in the not so distant future, a model of free author generated content will make standard news gathering organizations irrelevant - we believe that this will not be the case for three particular reasons.  Financing, journalistic expertise, and an aging population will have a tremendous effect on the emergence of self-published literature.

Sports Business: Increasing Player Salaries and the United States Labor System

Over the past 40 years-- the period of increasing economic inequality that former Slate writer Timothy Noah called "The Great Aberration"-- American's earnings have actually not expanded whatsoever, in dollars when adjusted for inflation. 

However, Major League Baseball player earnings have actually increased twenty fold in real bucks: the ordinary major-league salary in 2012 was $3,213,479. The income disparity between ballplayers and their fans closely resembles the rising discrepancy between CEO’s and their employees, which grew during the same period from about 25-to-1 to 380-to-1.

 

Top teams ($ in millions)

1. New York Yankees... 232,998,561
2. Los Angeles Dodgers... 223,867,196
3. Philadelphia Phillies... 170,353,189
4. Boston Red Sox.. 152,028,000
5. Detroit Tigers 145,989,500

Source:  News Day Sports

 

Careers: How Taking Risks Offers Huge Business Benefits

The biggest aversion people typically have towards taking risks is their fear of the unknown! 

This is especially true when you're a marketer online trying to grow your business since any mistakes could cost you dearly from a financial point of view! On the other hand if you're reluctant to step outside your comfort zone it's unlikely you'll experience any type of growth be it professional or personal in nature!

Let's examine 5 ways in which you or your business benefits by your willingness to leave your comfort zone and try new things!

Why Six Sigma is Important in Business

These days employers seek professionals having six sigma certification as they are expected to be proficient of using the techniques appropriately. There are many six sigma certification courses available online as well. You can also order one such program from a reputed provider and get the certification.

 

Six sigma certification are strategies and tools aimed at process improvement. It was a brain child of Motorola corporation and it was conceived in 1985 but its popularity surged when Jack Welch made it pivotal as his business strategy in the General Electric in the year 1995. It is today used by various sectors of the economy since it seeks to enhance out put process and quality through the identification and the removal of the causes of errors and the minimization of variability in the business and manufacturing processes. 

Sports Business: The Business of Sports Management

In this article the business of sport management is discussed. Firstly, a brief definition to the notion of sport management is given followed by an explanation of its history. 

 

Then the background and origin of sport management 
is discussed and the second part of the article is dedicated to the current situation and prospects of sport management. Special attention is paid to the educational sphere and career opportunities that potential employees may have in the field of sport management. Finally, the article is concluded by prospects of sport management for full time employment.

Colorado Forest Fire Has Many Victims

Having never been in a forest fire myself, I come at this article as an outsider who has not had to endure what has to be a very difficult time for a family, young or old.  You see, I woke up today to learn that a member of my family lost their home at the hands of the devastating fire in Black Forest, Colorado. 

 

It got me to thinking;  What do I cherish?  What would I miss?  Where are my clothes?  All of these basic elements of life that we take for granted.  Little things like your vehicle to get to a job and, oh right, whether you still have a job to go to.  I mean it has to be difficult to focus on work when you aren't exactly sure where your toothbrush is. 

 

Colorado Wildfire May Burn Entire Town

DEL NORTE, Colo. — A massive wildfire threatened a tourist town in Colorado's southwestern mountains on Friday, forcing its roughly 400 residents to flee ahead of the fast-burning blaze fueled by hot, windy weather.

Wildland firefighters teamed up with local firefighters to try to protect South Fork, which is surrounded by the Rio Grande National Forest. State authorities said the 47-square-mile fire was a few miles southwest of town Friday night and had been advancing at a rate of about a mile an hour. Thick smoke was limiting visibility.

Fire spokeswoman Penny Bertram wouldn't speculate on the likelihood of the town burning. There's a high probability of the fire reaching the town if the fire continues to behave as it has, she said, though more than 30 fire engines were assigned to protect it.

"They're hedging their bets," Bertram said.

Sports Business: What Do You Look For?

As with every other business, the sports industry requires funding in order to enhance its growth and ensure its survival. In the past, the financial aspect of the business was a task that was managed by the marketing manager. 

 

Nowadays the overall responsibility of the financial status of the business is operated by the finance manager. The sports businesses also need to raise funds to increase their cash flow levels. They can do this through the stock exchange, mergers, acquisitions, promotions, athletes’ transfers etc.

Dunkin' Donuts is in a Big Vat of Oil

What happened to the world’s one-time largest seller of coffee and donuts? Dunkin Donuts is trying to knock the sugar off the brand. The question is – Why would they even bother?

Full Disclosure: I like donuts, a lot. I don’t like coffee, much. With this in mind, for the life of me I can’t figure out what Dunkin' Donuts is doing with their brand? They have dreamed up so many new concepts over the “Starbucks Years” that it is sometimes difficult to determine what they actually sell, and where. 

  

A Donut Breakfast Sandwich?

This week’s Dunkin' news brings us the introduction of a breakfast sandwich between two halves of a donut.  Okay, call us suckers - but do they really think this is going to work?  I mean, how exactly do they intend to pull this combo off?  Are they going to deep fry my sausage patty before it drops in the fryer? All kidding aside, Dunkin' Donuts is trying hard by all estimations. They were once the premier brand for that early morning caffeine and sugar rush.  Now they are more like an outdated brand with an outdated logo and an outdated clientele.

Did George Karl Get Fools Gold with The Nuggets?

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl was fired after being named the NBA "Coach of the Year". How in the world did that happen and what are the up to high on those Rocky Mountains?

George Karl must have thought they were kidding when he was called into Denver Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke's office a few days ago. He must have imagined a routine meeting to discuss possible off season moves. Maybe a little small talk about the great beaches abroad he would soon be visiting. Instead, the long time coach was fired by the very young billionaire with his father's money.


The question today is not whether George Karl got a raw deal in being fired by the Denver Nuggets. The question is how did a coach with 26 years of experience as one of the winning-est coaches in NBA history make it this far? That's right, George Karl should never have had a job in the NBA for so long to start with. True, he is a coach with a solid resume of wins, but he never really ended up winning anything important in all those years.

Small Business: How to Promote Personal Responsibility When the Boss Is Away

In my world of customer service and project management at a very large, very successful company -

I have thought long and hard numerous times about how my employees are "producing" while management is away.  

Whether it's a daily meeting or vacation, we all have times where employees are on their own.  So how do we go about motivating them to be productive, work independently, and seek assistance from others without necessarily going to the top?  Here are some suggestions:  

Delegation for future success:

It is important to let your employees know you trust them to make the right decisions.  Let's face it, some great future leaders are out there in your workforce.  I've found that instilling a great team concept with a goal (be it financial or otherwise) is paramount to employee productivity with little or no supervision.  One of the biggest mistakes newer managers make is not allowing their hires to make their own mistakes.  Giving away that power is tough when it's ultimately your butt on the line at the end of the day.  We will go into this in greater detail in future writings.

Small Business: Top 5 Steps to Increase Your Productivity

How many hours are you spending a day to build your business?  If you are like me you probably spend a lot of time counting them.  So, what's the result?  Whatever the result is, sure there is a way to get a better one.  Well the answer is pretty easy: Because there is always a way to do things better.

The fact is that you are an entrepreneur and not an employee, so instead of being paid for the time you work as an employee, you will be paid for the results.  Your goal is not to make things as long as you can, but the better you can.  And if we act as smart entrepreneurs we may probably understand that if you invest time properly you will not only save time, but we can also spend that time to do more and more to increase your productivity.

Careers: Staying Positive After Being Laid Off

B

ecoming laid off is one of the most difficult things any worker will face in their career lifetimes. While this can be a very devastating experience for a number of reasons, it is important to take positive steps in your approach to this situation. From taking a little much deserved time to yourself to reaching out to friends and family you haven't spoken with in a while, there are many ways to make a layoff into a more positive and rewarding experience.

Get out!

What we mean by this is for you to get out there and have a good time. Remember, you won't always have the free time that comes with losing your employment. Go do the things you have been putting off, just make sure you don't blow the bank on them! Life after a layoff should be filled with reflection and enjoyment before you dive back in to a full-fledged career search.

Small Business: How to Gain Insight Into Your Market When Starting a Business

Gaining insight into a business market is a very important process to undertake with any new or existing company. Below we explore the Internet, Social marketing, Customer interaction and other key opportunities for any size business.

Internet:
With the advent of the internet in recent decades, the ability to gather competitive, marketing and management advantages into your business has exploded. There are literally thousands of resources for gaining insight into your particular market without ever spending a dime. A simple web search is all that is needed to yield all sorts of data on your competitors in terms of their pricing, products, customers and target markets. By knowing what your competition is up to you, can then tailor your marketing, pricing and other business decisions with a simple click of the mouse. The internet is certainly a valuable research tool in gaining traction into your new businesses market.
Social marketing:
Twitter, Facebook and email are all key tools to use to determine your potential customers' needs and wants, as well as providing some exciting entertainment when launching into your new business venture. While social marketing is a valuable commodity, you need to be careful as we have all seen horror stories about how one bad Tweet or Facebook post can ruin your hard earned reputation. So it is important to realize both the exciting opportunities and numerous pitfalls when implementing your social marketing strategy.