Blog
Written by Martin Pollins MBA FCA CTA + guest bloggersMartin Pollins’ blog on this site brings you information, commentary, news, insight, opinion and debate. We would love for you to post your comments on any of the issues discussed to foster useful and constructive debate.
The QWERTY Keyboard
Just over 300 years ago, in 1714, Queen Anne of Great Britain granted a patent to Henry Mill. Mill, who was an engineer, had come up with the idea of a machine that could write. The patent application suggests that the machine was a sort of early typewriter. But...
Colours and their effect on Consumers
Since the beginning of time, colour has influenced the human race. But the meaning of colour and its impact differs from country to country and from culture to culture. For example: Red in China is a colour for joyous and festive occasions, whereas in Japan it is used...
Keep Things Simple
Occam's Razor (also spelled as Ockham's Razor or Ocham's Razor: Latin: novacula Occami). For something concerned with simplicity, it is quite complicated. There are two parts that are considered the basis of Occam's Razor, and they were originally written in...
Is it Fair? Be careful, copyright is there for a purpose
The underlying idea behind ‘fair dealing’ in copying copyright works is that the copying should benefit the individual or society without harming the interests of the copyright owner. If the copying (of sections of a book) replaces the need for you or anyone else to...
Use it, or Lose it
Picture Credit: Creative Commons: http://inhomecaresolutions.com/inhomecore/brain-exercises-for-elderly-stay-sharp-as-you-age/ The term ‘use it, or lose it’ is a commonplace statement these days, particularly in senior circles. It can mean any number of things from...
Learn how to protect against malware and become cyber aware
Most security breaches are the outcome of human error. Several attacks in the past are the result of mistakes caused by an insider. Your organisation cannot be safe against a cyber-attack until every individual in the company participates in understanding their roles...
It’s much better to be different than it is to be better
This is a rallying cry to professionals – accountants and lawyers – who are in danger of being caught in the headlights. As business professionals, we think we have a pretty good idea of what it takes to run a successful professional practice. Attention to detail and...
Corporate Governance: Positivity adds greater value
A more positive approaches to corporate governance could add greater value. Too many boards focus upon compliance rather than business development. Many boards could contribute much more to business growth and development if they adopted a different approach to...
Here’s the way to a better practice
It’s funny (actually, it’s not funny at all) how some accountants and lawyers throw money down the drain by not charging clients for the work that they do. Most problems arise because without a template to start with, it takes too long to draw up an engagement letter...
Here’s how to find the time to…
Unproductivity and loss of drive can result from something nasty called decision overload. DelanceyPlace (here) tell me that, “we live in a world with 300 exabytes of information (that’s (300 billion, billion) an amount that is rapidly expanding to ever-greater...
Truthfully, is it fair?
In ICAEW Economia, Mike Straw, CEO of Achieve Breakthrough, argues that companies need to have a genuinely open culture about setbacks. Otherwise people will ‘edit the truth’ about how projects are faring which can…
The number 1 way to make more money and not get sued
In this article, I hope to show you that having a formal letter of engagement in place can help you avoid getting sued. And how, if you do it properly, you can earn more fees too. It makes sense… Setting out your terms of business with your clients, with specific...
What’s happening in the Law?
What’s happening in the law that’s different? Actually, quite a lot. Last month, here, the UK’s Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Legal Services Board (LSB) reported on their research into how law firms (and others providing legal services) are changing...
How to win
Before 1984, accountants and lawyers didn’t really need to worry too much about communications or marketing. There’s a simple reason why: they weren’t allowed to engage in any marketing as we know it today. Back in 1984, it was unethical to engage in any marketing....
Here are 7 ways to appear more intelligent than other people
I read an interesting article last week in the Telegraph. You don't have to know the entire works of Shakespeare or the square root of Pi to seem highly intelligent, says Rebecca Burn-Callander, Enterprise Editor of the Telegraph. There is no fast-track route to...
Why most SMEs don’t want to invest in your business advisory services and what you can do about it.
History If you’re an accountant, you will surely have heard of Ric Payne. Ric, together with Paul Dunn pretty well changed the face of the accounting profession in the 1990s through their transformational boot camps across the world. Today, Ric runs Principa – its...
Zero Hours’ Contract Interview
Introduction There has been much ado recently about zero hours’ contracts. So much so that a zero hours’ contract bill is currently passing through parliament. The purpose of the bill is to limit the use of zero hours' contracts and it had its first reading on 2nd...
How not to lose everything
Did you know that anyone with access to your Mac computer can bypass your password unless you do something quite easy to stop them? If fact, anyone can bypass and reset your password on any operating system you might be using. It’s impossible to completely protect any...
Lone Working – what should employers do?
Many employers are unaware of the obligations that apply when they have employees who work alone. I have to confess that I didn’t know too much about the subject so I did some research and am happy to share with you what I found. First though, here is my...
The Economy – what’s next?
Last week, the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, said inflation in the UK could temporarily turn negative in the spring because of falling oil prices – it was reported here. Rising prices were always seen to be a bad thing – nobody likes to buy something...
The information contained in this Blog is intended only as a general review of the subjects featured. No advice is provided by Bizezia Limited. If advice is required, you should contact a professional person or firm experienced in the matter on which you require advice. Accordingly, specialist advice should always be taken before taking or refraining from taking any action.
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