Over the past six months UK small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have grown on average by six per cent despite the broader UK economy struggling, according to the latest SMB Index from HP.
HP’s survey of 1,000 SMBs, with between 1 and 50 employees shows that, compared to that of the previous six months, growth for UK SMBs has slowed slightly but optimism is still strong, with SMBs expecting to grow by up to 13 per cent over the next year. Optimism in the economy is also strong, with 66 per cent of SMBs optimistic about the year ahead. SMBs in Financial Services have grown the most (13 per cent), followed by Manufacturing (10 per cent). SMBs in Retail (4 per cent) and Professional Services (1 per cent) have seen the least growth. Nearly half of UK SMBs (48 per cent) are turning to social media to help grow their business and reach new audiences, with 56 per cent of sole traders recognising its value the most. However, although SMBs are finding social media beneficial for networking purposes (83 per cent), and as a mechanism for advertising (57 per cent), many SMBs are underestimating its true potential for business growth and lead generation.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/hp/48901/
Six of 13 small cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, and none earn a poor rating in any of 4 tests. This is a turnaround from a few years ago when small cars struggled to earn top safety ratings. The new tests include hybrids and gasoline-only models that are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the U.S. market.
The ratings are based on performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. Cars that earn the top rating of good in each test and have available electronic stability control (ESC) qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. Winners are the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic, along with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h hybrid, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius hybrid. The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus, and Prius have at least one version with a government fuel economy rating of at least 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The Dodge Caliber, Honda CR-Z and Insight hybrids, Nissan Sentra and Versa, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4 also were rated but didn’t earn TOP SAFETY PICK.
How is it that America’s most popular new religion is still its least understood? Janet Reitman sheds some long awaited light on the ever elusive faith organization, the Church of Scientology. Based on five years of research, access to confidential documents, and extensive interviews with current and former Scientologists, this is the first objective modern history of the notoriously secretive faith. Learn more about this book here, www.hmhbooks.com/insidescientology Non Fiction
School is out for the summer and for many teens playing video or online games is high on their activity list. According to a new survey from Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF), 56 percent of teens say they spend 30 minutes or more playing video or online games on average each day, with 18 percent spending over two hours gaming. The good news is that over half (58 percent) of teens say that the games they play are at least sometimes educational, and 76 percent of the young people polled believe that educational gaming is a great way for them to learn.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/capitalone/51263/
Your employer’s health care benefits enrollment packet has arrived and the deadline for your decision may be looming.
If you’re like many Americans, this process of weighing benefits and costs isn’t among your favorite tasks. And even though you’d rather spend time doing something else, the decisions you make will affect your family’s health and pocketbook for at least the next 12 months.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52085-cigna-tips-how-to-choose-health-plan-during-open-enrollment
It still pays to play nice at work, a new Robert Half survey confirms. Nearly half (48 percent) of workers interviewed said being courteous to others can help an employee rise through the ranks. Another 41 percent said etiquette plays at least some role in career advancement.
Robert Half also has introduced new videos illustrating some of the most egregious examples of office etiquette faux pas as part of the firm’s ongoing video series, “Don’t Let This Happen to You.” The lighthearted videos, including “The Cupcake Caper,” along with advice on avoiding common blunders, can be found at www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53175-robert-half-survey-and-companion-video-series-highlight-office-etiquette
Employers expect to increase hiring for professional-level positions in the first quarter, but they have concerns about finding qualified candidates for these roles, a new Robert Half survey shows. A net 10 percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report plan to add full-time staff in the first three months of the year, up three points from the fourth-quarter forecast. However, the number of respondents who report recruiting challenges also is on the rise: 67 percent of executives said it is at least somewhat challenging to find skilled employees today, up from 59 percent last quarter and 42 percent in the third quarter.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53176-robert-half-professional-employment-report-q12012
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Imagine a device worn on your finger that allows intuitive, touch-free interaction with the digital world. Imagine a solar panel the size of a microcontroller that enables environmental intelligence in any building. Imagine integrating carbon monoxide sensing, thermostat control and biometric security capabilities to a smoke detector without increasing its size. This smarter, greener, battery-free world is fast becoming a reality with the world’s lowest-power microcontroller platform from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN). Codenamed “Wolverine” for its aggressive power-saving technology, this ultra-low-power MSP430 microcontroller platform offers at least 50 percent less power consumption than any other microcontroller in the industry (360 nA real-time clock mode and less than 100 µA/MHz active power consumption). The first devices based on this platform will be the MSP430FR58xx microcontroller series with expected availability in June 2012.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54041-texas-instruments-ti-wolverine-microcontroller-platform
A new survey says Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement remains at historically low levels in the face of job uncertainty and financial insecurity.
The 2012 annual Retirement Confidence Survey, released today by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in Washington, and co-sponsored by the Principal Financial Group, finds only 14 percent of Americans are very confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement¹. Workers with the most debt have the least confidence.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54549-principal-financial-group-retirement-confidence-survey-job-insecurity-ebri
Pioneers in sun research for over 40 years, Lancaster ushers in a new era in sun protection with a discovery that has been integrated into its brand new Sun Beauty line: Infrared Technology. A bold, avant-garde step towards enjoying the sun without the least bit of guilt by using the most complete sun protection offered by Lancaster.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53804-lancastersuncare-infraredtechnology
