Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Political Environment: How Does It Affect Your Home Business?

The political environment is a key component of the business environment that dictates greatly on the success of your home business. What happens in the politics of your country as well as that of other countries influences a lot your home business. Usually, the term political environment is used to refer to the nature of the political situation in the country where you are doing business or where you intend to do business. How aware are you of the political aspects that affect your home business?

If you haven't been paying any attention to those political aspects that have an effect on your business, it's therefore important for you to understand the political environment in which you are operating because it can present political risks to your business. For instance, your business is subject to political risks if a war erupts in any country where you do business. Likewise, changes in government policies may either affect you positively or negatively. The prevailing political environment in any country directly affects the economic environment or performance.

As a home business owner, you need to keep yourself aware of the political climate in which you operate. Political changes affect greatly small business owners and it's quite important for them to know whether the changes in the politics and government policies are supportive or unfavorable to their businesses.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Top 7 Similarities of Business and Politics

Politics and Business are so similar in many ways. Sure politics is much dirtier and generally played by less ethical individuals and yet the similarities are often uncanny. Perhaps a brief point-by-point comment on this subject will open a new perspective on this subject. Below are a few similarities to help the thinking juices flow and allow some conceptual thoughts.

1.) In politics you must canvas the area using data about the voters; in business you use demographic software to gather information about the customer.

2.) In politics you must get the voter to make a decision to vote for your candidate; in business you must get the consumer to choose your product or service over your competitor.

3.) In politics you must employ multiple methods to reach the voter; In business any good marketing program uses multiple media, mediums and methods to reach the consumer.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Separation of Business and Politics

In the heat of the election season and as a life-long political junkie, I can't wait for election night. It is always one of the biggest nights of the year around my house. Glued to multiple TV's, tuned to every station (and now the Internet) I watch the returns roll in. Depending upon your investment in the campaign, the emotional highs and lows intensify. It's even better to be at a party. Some friends ask why I don't wait until the next morning to read the headlines. Would you turn off the TV before the end of the big game and find out the score tomorrow? This is an important political year full of excitement, so it's easy to be engaged. We're probably finding more people expressing their opinions about politics than ever before. But what about doing this at the workplace?

Political expression comes in a lot of forms. I have to admit I got a little uneasy when I pulled into my office parking lot and saw a bumper sticker that said something derogatory about meat-eaters. Now, I don't have anything against my vegetarian friends, yet I do like a nice steak now and then. What might people think about the opinions displayed at work? Might they be offended?

What about expressing strong political opinions in a small office environment to co-workers and clients? Unless you're working in the campaign office or at the legislature, this might have its limits. I did a little research on how well the workplace tolerates political discussions.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

What is the Wisest Thing to Do in Times of Serious Financial Distress and Political Confusion?

In times of distress it is good and wise and sensible to call on the Lord God and know that He hears and answers. The Psalmist is in distress and I writing from the first Song of Ascent in Psalm 120. Do turn to it as there is wisdom and insight and discernment in these sentences.

Now, do not write this off as being totally irrelevant. Over these next weeks and months we are going to need this help and advice.

This calls for a special quality of leadership and such leadership is scarce in these present times.

But, and we need to know and keep remembering this, when we think of Jesus weeping over the city, and His cries at the foot of the mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane, these significant spiritual incidents did not mean that the burden was lifted. Jesus wept and prayed and went on to face the Cross.

If God does not remove the burden, we know that He will give us the strength to carry that burden. Jesus was so often confronted with the unknown in His Humanity and no more so that when He rides down the Mount of Olives.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Understanding Economic and Political Systems Across Borders

Your business investment is affected by the type of political system in the country you wish to invest or explore. Before you decide in which country to do business with, you first need to examine the type of economic and political system it operates in. The three major political systems are (1) Capitalism, (2) Communism, and (3) Socialism. Work operations and habits are affected by each system, and your investment will also be affected in several ways that you may or may not like. Therefore, to be sure that you are going to do business in a potential country with acceptable environment without regret, you need to arm yourself with information to guide you through your investment period.

Capitalism:

Capitalism is an economic system that leads to creation of wealth in most of the world. Most of the factors of production [land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship, and knowledge] are privately owned and used as pleased to produce goods and services. In a free market, what to produce and the quantity to produce is dictated by the market. In this market, buyers and sellers negotiate prices for goods and services. In capitalistic countries, consumers directly or indirectly inform producers on; what they want, how many they want, in what form they want it, how they are going to take possession of it, and so on. In such countries, while business owners make decisions on what to produce, how much to charge for products, how much to pay workers, where to produce goods and services, government often interjects to set the minimum wage, and also set standard for environmental safety reasons. Capitalism is what promotes the wealth of developed countries and responsible for their economic stability.

Friday, May 11, 2012

How to Start a Home Based Business and How to Earn Thousands of Dollars

If you're like many people, you are looking to start a home business today--an online business. But with so many business opportunities like those out there, how do you select the right one? As exciting and glorious as these businesses sound, at least 97% of the people who start their own businesses fail. So, it's very important that you carefully choose the way in which you get into an online business.

The first rule about getting involved in a home business is to understand why you want to do so. Are you looking for supplemental income from a part-time online business that you can do from home, or would you rather be growing it into your new career, a career of greater freedom and control in which you can make thousands of dollars per month or even more? Knowing what your goals are helps you sift through the many offers you will find out there.

Once you know why you want one, the next rule for starting your home business is to find one that you will really enjoy and find interesting. If you aren't going to enjoy it or it doesn't hold your interest, your online business won't get very far. You won't have the needed motivation and you won't understand the products that you need to sell.