With four days remaining before the start of the COP17 Climate Change talks in Durban, the South African negotiating team has revealed some of its preparatory work for the critical summit.

Eskom's reported increase in net profits, as a result of higher electricity tariffs, will be used to invest in the future of South Africa in order to meet the electricity needs of its citizens according to Eskom Chief Executive Brian Dames.

Do you know what your employees are saying about you on Facebook? Staff members can cause irreparable damage to your public image through online platforms. Policies regarding digital communication in the workplace are becoming imperative.

Building customer loyalty starts with ensuring a good fit between the customer’s needs and the company’s capabilities, and continues with good customer relationship management. Dr Gerhard van Wyk shares his insights on how to interact with clients.

Now that the employee has been hired, what are your next steps for inducting new recruits? Remove some of the anxiety and pressure off new staff members and help them overcome first day jitters by following these simple staff orientation tips.

While disagreements between employer and employee are to be expected from time to time a recent case study shows the consequences of disrespect and insubordination in the workplace.

The outcry from financial advisors over the FAIS Act’s requirement that all advisors pass the Financial Services Board’s (FSB) Regulatory Exams resulted in only 11% of financial advisors having written the exams by June 2011.

Conflict management is critical to sustaining the well-being and productivity levels of teams. It is in the best interest of employers to identify and equip appropriate staff members with the skills to manage work based social interactions of all staff members.

Financial management is a key tool in controlling and directing the resources of any business or organisation and as a result all employees should be able to analyse the financial information that is essential to decision making in business says Liza van Wyk.

Inexperienced negotiators either adopt a ‘no compromise’ attitude or bend over backwards to please demanding clients, to the detriment of the organisation. Finding the right balance as a negotiator is a skill that every business professional should possess.

Economists have predicted that the Consumer Price Index would reach 5.9% in October, with year-on-year growth expected to exceed 6% before year end, aggravated by the rand depreciating.

One of the most important keys to any successful business is a top quality, positive image. One of the most important ways that a company can convey this type of image is through the creation of a good first impression. In fact, such an impression is of vital importance, but how is a good first impression created?

Real leaders do make a difference – when they move on, they leave behind legacies where their team members are enjoying more job satisfaction and their teams are more productive and efficient.

We are a lead training provider on an NVC learnership and now have to raise an invoice on the Lead Employer for the training services. The Lead Employer says that the invoice must be Zero rated for VAT but our auditers say that VAT must be added to the invoice. Which is correct - we don't want to fall foul of SARS?

I have been reading the QCTO policy on Delegation of Qualification Design and Assessment to DQP's and AQP's and found some interesting issues that I will like to share with you.

Most of us have been victims of SETAs inviting us to tender for learning programmes where the terms of reference specify that you must guarantee them that least 90%, 95% or even 100% learners will be found competent. I can understand that it is really difficult for any private learning institution not to agree to this short-sighted, selfish and damaging practice.

Government and its key partners, such as labour and business, have signed an all-comprehensive Accord geared to create 300 000 jobs in the next 10 years. The signing has signalled a united front as the COP17 climate talks in Durban draw near.

Everybody has a preferred way of learning. Watch this overview of the Honey and Mumford principles of learning for more insight on how to effectively train learners in a way that will yield results.

Is it time for the old boys to move over and make way for the new age executive?There has been a growing trend toward hiring young executives to fill top level positions as organisations see the value in appointing professionals who have fresh insights and a desire to embrace opportunities.

A brand can attract or repel potential consumers and employees, yet the influence of a brand name is sometimes underestimated. In a time of intensified competition brand power and brand loyalty are critical to the success of the organisation according to Jeremy Sampson.

The inflation rate is expected to continue trending upward, eventually peaking at 6.3 % in the first three months of 2012 according to the latest projects made by the South African Reserve Bank.

Why is it that only 12.5% of mortgage loans applications are successful? Have Mortgage Financiers taken a conservative approach in their lending? Bebura Matanda looks into aspects of consumer credit and mortgage lending in South Africa.

Entrepreneurship should be seen as a channel for creating employment; however according to a recent study most local entrepreneurs have a tendency to remain lifestyle entrepreneurs creating work and an income for themselves only. Frances Wright looks at the implications of this trend.

Eskom has embarked on a pilot project, as part of its endeavours into renewable energy sources that will see it using the power of the sun to generate electricity at three of its facilities.