BUSINESS

Made in Oregon
Oregon companies find it pays to keep manufacturing local. Take that, China.
Oregon Business, May, 2008

Let’s Get Visible: Supply Chain Management for Small Business
A variety of technologies — from software programs to hardware such as RFID — lets businesses see into their supply chain to ensure the right resources and materials move to the right place at the right time.
IncTechnology.com, May, 2008

Don’t Try This at Work
Companies are rewriting employee manuals to include do’s and don’ts for using email, the Internet and social media.
YourSecurityResource.com, May 2008

Companies Address Workplace Breastfeeding Needs
Since Oregon’s workplace breastfeeding law arrived, some companies are acting to comply with requirements while others with existing support are kicking it up a notch.
Oregon Business, March, 2008

The Gorge Effect
Forget the storied orchards and iconic wind sailors. Dozens of tech companies producing everything from unmanned aircraft to solar energy are finding the Columbia River Gorge is the place to do business.
Oregon Business, January 2008

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

A Home with a High IQ
The Internet and automation hardware and software are making it easier to turn any home into a smart home.
The Geek Weekly, May, 2008

RFID Tags are Tracking Your Every Move
Look closely and you’ll see tags that use radio frequency identification everywhere, from lift tickets to credit cards, passports to pets.
The Geek Weekly, May, 2008

Cell Phone Price Wars: How Low Will They Go?
Power cell phone users are winning big as wireless carriers offer $99 a month unlimited domestic calling plans.
IncTechnology.com, May, 2008

Webcams: Security or Spying?
YourSecurityResource.com, April 2008

Dealing with Data Loss
If your computer crashes, do you know how to get your data back?
YourSecurityResource.com, January 2008

TECHNOLOGY

Banish Blog Spam
It’s great when your company blog gets noticed — but not so great when the acclaim makes it a spam magnet. By taking a few simple steps, stop spam from clogging your blog.
IncTechnology.com, May, 2008

How to Start a Business Podcast
Whether you go it alone or hire a professional producer, follow these 10 rules of thumb to create an engaging podcast that can attract listeners, and hopefully, boost business.
IncTechnology.com, May, 2008

New Ammo to Battle Online Fraud
Whether buying books or trading stocks, customers want to be safe online. For that reason, small businesses need to use the latest in Website security, extended validation SSL.
IncTechnology.com, April, 2008

Using SaaS to Save on IT Spending
Software as a service is one way to trim an IT budget without skimping on functionality.
IncTechnology.com, April, 2008

No More Spreadsheets
Small businesses can use sales incentive management software to calculate sales commissions.
IncTechnology.com, April, 2008

Drive Traffic to Your Business Blog
To reach its full potential, a blog needs traffic. To get visitors, use a mix of old-fashioned marketing and contemporary Web tools.
IncTechnology.com, March, 2008

Bye Bye Vista
Business computer users who hate Microsoft Vista are uninstalling the Windows operating system software and switching back to XP.
IncTechnology.com, March, 2008

Smile, You’re on the Company Webcam
Companies are using Webcams to screen job applicants and for online learning. But they need to use caution and create policies if using webcams to monitor employees.
IncTechnology.com, March, 2008

Bet on Headsets
The era of cell phones, iPods and video games has erased any stigma associated with wearing a telephone headset at work.
IncTechnology.com, March, 2008

Outsourcing Privacy Protection
CIOs know they need privacy policies and technology to enforce them but hiring staff to build and run those programs can be expensive and time consuming. Enter privacy outsourcing.
CIOStrategyCenter.com, February 2008

Technologies to Eliminate Office Paper
As businesses look for ways to go green, one of the simplest is reducing the amount of office paper they use.
IncTechnology.com, February, 2008

How to Choose In-House Blogging Software
Picking the right blog platform depends how comfortable you are hosting software, among other things.
IncTechnology.com, February, 2008

Keeping Web 2.0 Safe
Blogs and social networks help companies foster ties with employees and customers but it’s critical to have strong policies and software.
IncTechnology.com, February, 2008

Safeguarding Your Biggest Asset - Your Data
Regular audits can help companies pinpoint weaknesses and establish good privacy protocols.
IncTechnology.com, Jan. 1, 2008

Blogging Behind Closed Doors
They are hidden behind company firewalls and more plentiful than you know. They are in-house blogs, and companies are using them for everything from communications to job listings.
IncTechnology.com, Jan. 1, 2007

OurSpace: Create an In-House Social Network
Now that companies use social networking to connect with the outside world, more are bringing the same technology in-house.
IncTechnology.com, Jan. 1, 2007

Mobile Software-as-a-Service
The more people get comfortable with Web-based business software, the more they want to use it everywhere, including on the road.
IncTechnology.com, Dec. 1, 2007

Picking a Social Networking Vendor
Before selecting a platform for an in-house social network, decide what purpose it will serve, who’ll use it, and how large it could grow. Then sift through the multitude of vendors.
IncTechnology.com, Dec. 1, 2007

Picking an SaaS Vendor
As the big names in software unveil software-as-a-service products, businesses have never had so many options to choose from.
IncTechnology.com, Nov. 1, 2007

Upgrading to a Database
There comes a time when you outgrow your spreadsheet programs and need something more. Upgrading to a relational database can be the answer.
IncTechnology.com, Nov. 1, 2007

WORKPLACE ISSUES

A Business Sparked by the Online I-9
A new federal employment verification form that can be filled out and stored electronically has created a niche market for companies offering Web-based paperless I-9 compliance. Vendors say they can do the job better, while skeptics maintain there’s no reason companies can’t handle the paperwork themselves.
Workforce Management, April, 2008

Recruiting Software: You’re Hired!
Big companies have long used Web-based recruiting software to weed out good job candidates from bad. Now that it’s less expensive, small and mid-sized businesses can use it too.
IncTechnology.com, April, 2008

Now Showing on the Small Screen
HR software is going mobile. The first wave of software is intended for small businesses or workers on the go. But judging from what’s happening behind the scenes, it won’t be long before more HR programs make their small-screen debut.
Workforce Management, March 23, 2008

States Adopt Workplace Breastfeeding Protections
In all, 14 have laws in place and bills in another 12 are pending. To help companies adjust, a national pilot project for a business tool kit is in the works.
Workforce Management, March 2008

Escape from ‘Excel Hell’
Companies are freeing themselves from the tortures of manually calculating sales commissions by using sales incentive management software.
Workforce Management, March 10, 2008

Get Your ‘A’ Players Here
Topgrading author and consultant Brad Smart’s rigorous hiring method emphasizes loading the workforce with ‘A’ players, but it’s not without its detractors.
Workforce Management, March 3, 2008

HR Software: Technology to Manage People
The most commonly outsourced human resource services are payroll and benefits administration. What’s the benefit for your business?
IncTechnology.com, March, 2008

Special Report: HR Outsourcing Makes a Move Toward the Middle
Large employers are holding off signing human resources outsourcing contracts, but the practice could come on strong at mid-market companies in 2008.
Workforce Management, Feb. 18, 2008

Reality Check at NiSource
In 2005, NiSource signed a 10-year, $1.6 billion contract to shift HR, IT, procurement, and finance and accounting to IBM. But things didn’t turn out quite as planned.
Workforce Management, Feb. 18, 2008

A PEO Deal Goes Upside Down
The tale of how one North Carolina professional employer organization shut its doors and left 3,000 workers in the lurch underscores the importance of performing due diligence.
Workforce Management, Feb. 18, 2008

Companies Winging Phased Retirement
Pension reforms meant to help companies create formal staged retirement programs have instead forced employers to devise other arrangements so older employees can continue to work and collect pension benefits.
Workforce Management, Feb. 4, 2008

Hiring Back Retirees Via Third Parties
Companies can bring back retirees without having it affect pension benefits by using a third-party staffing agency or contingent workforce management company.
Workforce Management, Feb. 4, 2008

Running Away With the Circus
As a senior benefits manager for Cirque du Soleil, Hélène Thibault puts her actuary training to work in ways as creative as the company she works for.
Workforce Management, December 2007

A Master Act of Coordination
If the logistics of mounting Cirque du Soleil’s signature big tent productions seem daunting, so is the behind-the-scenes maneuvering to keep entertainers and other employees properly insured and protected.
Workforce Management, December 2007

Convergys Rising
Following a year of high-profile deals that vaulted Convergys to the No. 2 player in HR outsourcing, the company now steps up to the real test: putting those contracts into action while still serving its existing clients.
Workforce Management, Jan. 30, 2006

Breakout year for outsourcing predicted
2006 will see the outsourcing of more complex HR functions, more coverage of worldwide workforces in outsourcing deals and more so-called multi-tower deals covering IT and finance, as well as HR.
Workforce Management, Jan. 30, 2006

Unicru Breaks Through the Science of “Smart” Hiring
Unicru has been a heavy hitter for companies seeking the rigorous pre-hire assessments of hourly workers. Now it’s trying to take that success to the salaried world.
Workforce Management, May, 2005