Game Time in the Work Place

Games are everywhere. Just about every PC comes shipped with a few simple games, and virtually every mobile communication device including mobile phones, Blackberries and other PDAs have games preloaded. To some office managers and small business owners this might sound like a nightmare. These games give employees reason to goof off and be less productive.
In truth, a few minutes of gaming can let you clear your head after a stressful meeting or as a reward for accomplishing a task. While it remains far too easy to press the “new game” button on most mobile phone games, a little self control should go a long way to keeping Bubble Burst from being a total time suck.


The most notable rising trend to watch right now is with mobile gaming. Last summer PricewaterhouseCoopers reported that by 2011 games would overtake music in terms of sales on mobile handsets. Additionally, for some parts of the world mobile gaming will be the only game in town.

This will be especially true in markets where many consumers will never own a computer, or seldom even have a TV. “In most emerging markets, including Africa, China and India, mobile phones are the only game platform for most people,” said Billy Pidgeon, industry analyst for research firm IDC, when I spoke to him on this subject earlier this year. He added that while PC penetration will improve throughout the developing world, those PCs would likely be used for education and business. Will workers in these developing regions find mobile games to be huge time sucks?

Back in America we’re seeing even more gamer-friendly mobile phones, with larger screens and more built-in memory, while handsets offer easy connection for affordable software downloads, with many titles that have a mass appeal. And again this could sound like bad news to those who need to keep their workers working. But should an office manager worry?

In truth, embracing some office gameplay might be a course of action. It wasn’t that long ago that many PC games included network options—and before Internet gaming took off in the late 1990s, the only option was to play Doom and later Quake after hours at the office. Instead of running out the door on Friday at 5 p.m. many gamers found they’d stay late to get in a few kills in these virtual environments.

Gaming can even help productivity, as workers might try harder to get their tasks completed so that they can get to the fun stuff. Likewise, competition in multiplayer games can help build team camaraderie—and even a past episode of NBC’s “The Office” featured a storyline where one branch of the fictional paper company took on another branch in a game of “Call of Duty,” a World War II PC shooter.

So instead of banning games, perhaps suggested game time or amount of games played could be provided. There would be rules without sounding like rules. Gaming might even lose some of its appeal if it is authorized or encouraged as a break activity, rather than being shunned at all costs.

And if workers are getting on each other’s nerves letting them blow off some steam by gaming might just make the real-world office stay a little more peaceful

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All Margin Term And Definitions

MARGIN

 Dictionary of Accounting Terms

1. see gross margin ; profit margin .
2. partial payment made by an investor to a broker for securities purchased, with the remainder on credit. The broker retains the securities as collateral and charges the investor interest on the money owed. The Federal Reserve Board determines margin requirements. The margin requirement for stocks is higher than that for convertible bonds because of greater risk. Assume that with a margin requirement of 50% (present requirement), 100 shares of XYZ stock are bought at $100 per share. The actual amount invested is $5000, with a margin of $5000 on credit.
3. in commodities trading, deposits required by commodities exchanges.
4. in accounting, a reference to revenue or profitability. Examples are gross profit margin (gross profit/sales) and profit margin (net income/sales).

Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms

 In general: amount a customer deposits with a broker when borrowing from the broker to buy securities. Under Federal Reserve Board regulation, the initial margin required since 1945 has ranged from 50 to 100 percent of the security's purchase price. In the mid-1990s the minimum was 50% of the purchase or short sale price, in cash or eligible securities, with a minimum of $2,000. Thereafter, minimum maintenance requirements are imposed by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the New York Stock Exchange, and by the individual brokerage firm, whose requirement is typically higher.
Banking: difference between the current market value of collateral backing a loan and the face value of the loan. For instance, if a $100,000 loan is backed by $50,000 in collateral, the margin is $50,000.
Corporate finance: difference between the price received by a company for its products and services and the cost of producing them. Also known as gross profit margin.
Futures trading: good-faith deposit an investor must put up when buying or selling a contract. If the futures price moves adversely, the investor must put up more money to meet margin requirements.

 Dictionary of Banking Terms

 Banking

1. Net Interest Margin , or the percentage difference between a bank's yield on earning assets (mostly loans) and interest paid to depositors.
2. proportion of the asset pledged as security, for example, inventory or accounts receivable, that a bank will lend against. The difference between the market value and loan value is also called a haircut . If the collateral declines in value, additional margin will be required.
3. premium a mortgage lender adds to an index rate in determining the loan interest rate in an adjustable-rate mortgage . This premium is typically two to three percentage points.

 Futures:money or securities put up as a good faith deposit assuring that a future contract will be fulfilled. Also known as a security deposit, as in the initial margin and maintenance margin required when a futures position is open.
Securities:money deposited with a broker that serves as partial payment when purchasing securities. The Federal Reserve Board's Regulation T sets a maintenance margin , currently 50%, in purchases or short sales of securities. Margins may be put up in cash or eligible securities. Individual broker-dealers may impose higher margins in trades of over-the-counter securities





Dictionary of Insurance Terms
fluctuation in claims arising from adverse selection*

*process in life insurance by which an applicant who is uninsurable, or is a greater than average risk, seeks to obtain a policy from a company at a standard premium rate. Life insurance companies carefully screen applicants for this reason, since their premiums are based on policyholders in average good health and in non-hazardous occupations.

 Dictionary of Marketing Terms
 Marketing:see gross profit ; markup .
Printing:space on a page between the copy and the edge of the page. The four margins are called, clockwise from the top, head margin, front margin, foot margin, and inside or back margin. bleeds are produced by printing into the margin up to or slightly beyond the point at which the paper sheet will be trimmed to page size. The gutter is the area between the margins of two pages on an untrimmed sheet.

 Dictionary of Business Terms

n general: amount a customer deposits with a broker when borrowing from the broker to buy securities.
Accounting: difference between gross and net amounts of income. See also margin of profit
.Banking: difference between the current market value of collateral backing a loan and the face value of the loan.
Communication: white space along borders of a printed page. See also footer ; header .
Corporate finance: difference between the price received by a company for its products and services and the cost of producing them. Also known as gross profit margin.
Economics: usefulness or cost of the next item.
Futures: good-faith deposit an investor must put up when buying or selling a contract. If the futures price moves adversely, the investor must put up more money to meet margin requirements.

Dictionary of Real Estate Terms

a constant amount added to the value of the index for the purpose of adjusting the interest rate on an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage .
Example: An adjustable rate mortgage is indexed to the 1 year Treasury yield and has a margin of 3 percentage points. If the index is currently 6%, the fully indexed rate on the loan is 9% (6% index plus 3% margin).

 Other Term and Definitions

profit margin

ratio of income to sales. (1) net profit margin equals net income divided by net sales. It indicates the entity's ability to generate earnings at a particular sales level. By examining a company's profit margin relative to previous years and to industry norms, one can evaluate the company's operating efficiency and pricing strategy as well as its competitive status with other companies in the industry. (2) gross profit margin equals gross profit divided by net sales. A high profit margin is desirable since it indicates the company is earning a good return over the cost of its merchandise sold.

margin of profit

relationship of gross profits to net sales. Returns and allowances are subtracted from gross sales to arrive at net sales. Cost of goods sold (sometimes including depreciation) is subtracted from net sales to arrive at gross profit. Gross profit is divided by net sales to get the profit margin, which is sometimes called the gross margin. The result is a ratio, and the term is also written as margin of profit ratio.
The term profit margin is less frequently used to mean the net margin, obtained by deducting operating expenses in addition to cost of goods sold and dividing the result by net sales. Operating expenses are usually shown on profit and loss statements as "selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses."
Both gross and net profit margins, when compared with prior periods and with industry statistics, can be revealing in terms of a firm's operating efficiency and pricing policies and its ability to compete successfully with other companies in its field.

average profit margin

1. method of calculating the profit margin per item sold by applying an equal proportion of the total expenses of the seller against each item sold. It can be used to determine the benefit to be gained from advertising. For example, assume a $100 advertisement will generate 100 sales. Each items sells for $5 and costs $3 to produce and deliver, leaving a profit margin of $2. Since advertising will cost $1 per item sold, the average profit margin of $1 indicates that the item will be profitable after advertising expense.
2. gross profit margin of a business enterprise averaged over a period of time. The gross profit margin is the annual net sales or revenues less the cost of goods sold.

 net profit margin

 net income as a percentage of net sales . A measure of operating efficiency and pricing strategy, the ratio is usually computed using net profit before extraordinary items and taxes-that is, net sales less cost of goods sold and Selling, General, and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses .

contribution profit margin

in cost accounting, excess of sales price over variable costs or expenses . This difference provides an amount to offset fixed costs and thereby contributes to gross profit .

gross margin ratio

percentage of each sales dollar remaining after a firm has paid for its goods; also called gross profit margin. It is calculated by dividing gross income (profits) by net sales. For example, assume that net sales are $80,000 and gross profit is $30,000. The gross margin ratio is 0.38 ($30,000/$80,000).

net profit margin

net income as a percentage of net sales. A measure of operating efficiency and pricing strategy, the ratio is usually computed using net profit before extraordinary items and taxes-that is, net sales less cost of goods sold and Selling, General, and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses.

full cost profit margin

difference between total revenue and total costs traceable to a work cell or product.
 

order margin

total cost of goods sold-including product, selling, and delivery costs but not including promotion costs-subtracted from the total sales revenue generated, and divided by the number of units sold. The promotion budget must not exceed the order margin and, in addition, must be small enough to leave a profit margin. For example, assume 100 units are sold by a retailer at a price of $20, yielding $2000 in revenue. The cost of the goods was $300, and all costs associated with warehousing, displaying, and selling the goods in the store totaled $1200. The order margin, therefore, is $15 per unit sold (1200 + 300 ÷ 100), leaving $500 for promotion expense and profit.
Direct marketers generally have a lower order margin than retailers, because they do not have the expenses associated with managing a retail outlet (leased space, salesclerks, electricity, furniture and fixtures, and so forth) and can sell goods at a lower price.

gross profit

difference between revenue (sales) and the cost of goods sold. For example, XYZ Company sold through a newspaper advertisement 120 belts that cost XYZ $10 each. XYZ sold each belt for $18. The gross profit is calculated as follows:

(sales)	120 × $18 =	$2,160
(cost of sales)	120 × $10 =	$1,200
Gross profit		$ 960

The gross profit as a percentage of revenue is termed the gross profit margin. Gross profit is different from net profit , which is gross profit net of other income or expenses, interest expense, and taxes.

profit variance

difference between actual profit and budgeted profit. Profit, whether it is gross profit in absorption costing or Contribution Margin in direct cost , is affected by three basic items: sales price, sales volume, and costs. In a multi-product firm, if all products are not equally profitable, profit is also affected by the mix of products sold. If actual profit is greater than budgeted profit, the total profit variance is favorable and credited; otherwise, it is unfavorable and debited.
See also sales price variance  , Contribution Margin (CM) Variance

  * sales price variance

difference between actual selling price per unit and the budgeted selling price per unit, multiplied by the actual number of units sold.

Sales Price Variance =

(Actual Price-Budgeted Price)

×Actual Sales

If the actual price is greater than the budgeted price, a variance is favorable; otherwise, it is unfavorable.

*Contribution Margin (CM) Variance

difference between actual contribution margin per unit and the budgeted contribution margin per unit, multiplied by the actual number of units sold. If the actual CM is greater than the budgeted CM per unit, a variance is favorable; otherwise, it is unfavorable.
CM Variance = (Actual CM Per Unit - Budgeted CM Per Unit) × Actual Sales
 

unit contribution margin

excess of the unit selling price over the unit variable cost. For example, if the sales price is $30 and the unit variable cost is $18, then the unit Contribution Margin (CM) is $12. This means that each unit sold contributes $12 toward the fixedcost or profit.

contribution margin method

variation of the equation method . It is used in Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) Analysis or break-even analysis . The approach centers on the idea that each unit sold provides a certain amount of Contribution Margin (CM) that goes toward the covering of fixed costs. Listed below are some formulas:

1. Break-even Point in units= Fixed Costs/Unit Contribution Margin
2. Break-even Point in dollars= Fixed Costs/Contribution Margin Ratio
3. Target income volume in units:
   (Fixed Costs + Target Income)/Contribution Margin
4. Target income volumein dollars:
   (Fixed Costs + Target Income)/Contribution Margin Ratio

 operating performance ratio

measure of profitability to sales to determine the return earned on the revenue generated. Some operating performance ratios are the profit margin (net income to sales), gross margin ratio (gross margin to sales), and operating profit margin (operating income to sales). The higher these ratios, the better the profitability earned on the company's sales.

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10 Effective Money-Saving Strategies

Saving money is an ongoing challenge for most people. Paychecks, dividends, and an occasional bonus go only so far. Therefore, it's worthwhile to develop some money-saving strategies, such as the 10 listed below.

1. Track spending and evaluate results. By tracking your spending habits, you'll get an idea of where you spend your money. By evaluating the results, you can see if you're using money for things that aren't really necessary. For example, do your monthly membership fees go to a gym you never have time to visit? Do you buy coffee every morning when it’s available in your office for free? Look at all the places where you can save money; even small outlays can add up.

2. Pay yourself first. This idea is certainly not new, but it's a strategy that starts a consistent savings program. Unless your entire paycheck is earmarked for monthly bills and necessities, you should be able to put money into savings every month. If you get a raise, add that money to what you're putting aside.

3. Company savings plans. Many companies offer 401(k) plans. Take advantage of them. If one isn't available, open an IRA. Use direct deposit for these retirement savings accounts so you're not tempted to spend the money elsewhere.

4. Forget the plastic. Limit yourself to one or two credit cards with the best rates, and use them for only major purchases or emergencies. Also, pay off your credit card balances monthly.

5. Learn how to shop. The Internet provides a very easy way to compare prices. Look for lower prices, discounts, sales, and coupons. Check out price comparison Web sites, such as Shopping.com, and BizRate.com. Avoid paying surcharges, late fees, and other fees for convenience. Shop from lists rather than browsing the aisles, and establish a firm "no impulse buy" policy.

6. Look to save on your home. Look for lower mortgage rates and refinance. Also, while paying off your home mortgage each month, round up. You can pay off the loan a little faster, and save a surprisingly high amount of the interest over time.

7. Save on utilities. Review the offers from competing phone and electric companies. Look for energy-saving appliances, and save some money by opening windows when it’s warm, and using a second blanket when it’s cold.

8. Be car smart. Find a mechanic you can trust before paying big bucks for unnecessary repairs. Don’t buy a second or third car that will hardly be used or will sit at the train station. Look for lower gas prices in your neighborhood, and keep your engine tuned, trunk uncluttered, and tires properly inflated to save on gas.

9. Get everyone onboard. Discuss ways of saving money and establishing good spending habits with everyone in your household.

10. Read the fine print. Review your bills carefully, including your credit card statements. Errors in billing cost customers millions of dollars each year. Also, in this new age of warranties included with every major purchase, read the fine print carefully, and buy only what will be valuable for those products most likely to need service.

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Tentang Facebook Keamanan

APA YANG HARUS DILAKUKAN
Facebook memiliki sistem untuk mendeteksi kasus yang jarang terjadi ketika sebuah account diambil alih dan digunakan untuk mengirim spam. Ketika ini terjadi, kami menutup akses ke account. Lain kali Anda mengunjungi Facebook, kami meminta Anda untuk mengisi beberapa langkah untuk kembali mengamankan account.
Anda dapat membaca lebih lanjut tentang proses ini di sini.
Jika account Anda telah diambil alih dan digunakan untuk mengirim spam, anda harus mengikuti langkah-langkah segera:

    * Reset password dapat. Anda dapat melakukan ini dengan mengklik "Lupa password Anda?" link pada halaman login atau dengan pergi ke halaman Pengaturan Account setelah login
    * Jika Anda tidak dapat membuat ulang sandi karena alamat email yang Anda gunakan untuk log in telah berubah, atau jika account Anda telah dinonaktifkan, kunjungi halaman bantuan kami.
    * Pastikan Anda memiliki up-to-date software keamanan di komputer Anda, menjalankan scan, dan menghapus semua file berbahaya. Jika Anda tidak melakukan ini, dan komputer Anda terinfeksi, akun Anda akan diambil alih lagi. Jika Anda belum memiliki perlindungan untuk komputer Anda, Anda dapat men-download berlangganan enam bulan gratis software keamanan McAfee. Pelajari lebih lanjut tentang tab Perangkat Lunak.

Jika account temannya telah diambil alih dan digunakan untuk mengirim spam, anda harus mengikuti langkah-langkah segera:

    * Beritahu teman Anda untuk memeriksa halaman ini dan ikuti langkah-langkah di atas.
    * Peringatkan orang-orang yang menerima spam tidak untuk klik di atasnya, dan untuk menghapusnya dari Dinding dan Kotak masuk.

Anda dapat menemukan informasi lebih lanjut tentang bagaimana untuk tetap aman pada tab Ancaman dan Tips serta di Pusat Bantuan kami.

TIPS
Ketika kita berbicara tentang keamanan, kita sedang berbicara tentang penipuan, virus, dan hacks yang dapat menginfeksi komputer Anda atau mengambil alih account Facebook dan mengakibatkan banyak gangguan bagi Anda dan teman-teman Anda.
Keamanan bukan hanya masalah di Facebook, namun di seluruh web, yang mengapa penting untuk menyadari secara online, dan belajar bagaimana melindungi account Anda dan komputer Anda.
Berikut adalah beberapa cara untuk menjadi cerdas dan sadar di Facebook dan di Internet:

    * Jangan klik link atau membuka lampiran dalam email yang mencurigakan. Jika email tampak aneh, tidak percaya, dan menghapusnya dari kotak masuk segera.

    * Berhati-hatilah di mana Anda memasukkan sandi Anda. Hanya karena halaman di Internet seperti Facebook atau situs lain yang Anda gunakan, itu tidak berarti bahwa hal itu. Periksa address bar pada browser Anda, dan belajar untuk membedakan antara URL yang baik dan yang buruk. Jika Anda pernah memiliki keraguan tentang legitimasi link, cukup ketik URL situs Web (misalnya, http://www.facebook.com) ke address bar.

    * Jadilah curiga dari setiap email atau pesan yang berisi permintaan mendesak atau meminta Anda untuk memperbarui informasi Anda atau memberikan informasi baru.

    * Jadilah curiga terhadap email atau pesan yang berisi kesalahan eja atau penggunaan tata bahasa yang buruk, terutama jika mereka dari seseorang yang biasanya seorang penulis yang baik.

    * Pastikan Anda memiliki browser up-to-date web dilengkapi dengan daftar hitam anti-phishing. Beberapa contoh adalah Internet Explorer 8.0 dan Firefox 3.0.10.

    * Pastikan Anda memiliki up-to-date perangkat lunak keamanan yang komprehensif di komputer Anda yang termasuk anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, dan firewall.

    * Pastikan Anda telah mengatur sistem operasi anda untuk update secara otomatis.

    * Pastikan Anda telah terdaftar pertanyaan keamanan dan jawaban untuk account online Anda. Hal ini akan berguna jika Anda pernah kehilangan akses dan perlu untuk membuktikan siapa Anda. Anda dapat melakukan ini di Facebook dari halaman Pengaturan Account. Anda juga harus menambahkan nomor telepon seluler dari halaman ini, yang akan membantu jika kita merasa perlu untuk mengirimkan pesan teks untuk mengkonfirmasi identitas Anda.

    * Jangan berbagi password Anda dengan siapa pun. Jangan lakukan itu. Kebanyakan layanan online terkemuka tidak akan pernah menanyakan password Anda melalui segala bentuk komunikasi.

    * Gunakan password yang berbeda untuk berbagai rekening Anda secara online. Jika Anda menggunakan password yang sama di mana-mana, dan itu dicuri, Anda bisa kehilangan akses ke semua account Anda sekaligus.

    * Gunakan password yang kompleks yang tidak mudah ditebak. Hindari kata-kata umum, dan pastikan password Anda paling sedikit delapan karakter dan termasuk modal dan huruf kecil, nomor, dan simbol.

    * Ingat bahwa Anda memilih apa yang Anda berbagi dan dengan siapa Anda berbagi. Berpikirlah sebelum Anda memposting, terutama jika informasi yang sensitif atau pribadi di alam. Anda dapat mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang bagaimana mengontrol informasi Anda di Facebook, termasuk bagaimana memilih audiens untuk masing-masing dan setiap posting yang Anda buat, dalam Panduan Privasi kami.

    * Hati-hati Gunakan saat mengakses atau mengirim informasi melalui jaringan nirkabel tanpa jaminan publik. Kecuali Anda dapat memastikan bahwa jaringan Wi-Fi aman, Anda mungkin ingin menghindari transmisi informasi yang sensitif.

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Bagaimana Memaksimalkan Count Pelanggan Blog Anda

Jumlah pelanggan RSS adalah metrik kinerja terbaik untuk digunakan ketika menentukan efektivitas dari sebuah blog. Semakin banyak orang belajar bagaimana menggunakan pembaca feed dan bagaimana untuk menerima pembaruan melalui email. Readers. Pembaca akan segera diberitahu konten baru di situs Anda dan lebih cenderung untuk tetap terlibat.. Jika Anda tidak secara aktif mempromosikan Anda feed RSS , Anda berisiko ditinggalkan. Jangan biarkan hal itu terjadi pada Anda.

Sebuah blog yang berbasis langganan juga membantu untuk mengelola risiko sebagai lalu lintas dan loyalitas tidak sepenuhnya tergantung pada faktor di luar seperti peringkat mesin pencari.. Jika karena beberapa alasan lalu lintas blog Anda merosot pembaca blog Anda bisa turun juga.. Dengan menggunakan langganan, Anda mengurangi kesempatan ini terjadi, karena Anda memiliki kontrol lebih atas pemasaran Anda dan audiens.

Berikut ini adalah strategi atas, baik di-halaman dan off, yang saya gunakan untuk secara aktif mempromosikan langganan RSS ke blog. Setelah menerapkan perubahan tersebut, Anda akan melihat jumlah pelanggan Anda meroket segera.

Gunakan tombol feed. Tombol oranye ini bagus telah menjadi standar untuk berlangganan feed.. Pengunjung dapat mencarinya jika mereka ingin berlangganan ke blog. Pastikan Anda memiliki satu yang jelas terlihat di bagian atas halaman Anda. Anda bahkan dapat membuatnya lebih besar jika Anda ingin seperti yang telah saya lihat ini sedang dilakukan di beberapa blog.

Berikan pembaca berbagai pilihan Anda Ketika berlangganan dengan pakan, pembaca Anda memiliki preferensi yang berbeda dalam hal bagaimana mereka ingin berlangganan. Beberapa orang seperti menggunakan pembaca feed seperti Google Reader, yang lain lebih suka menggunakan pembaca feed dibangun ke dalam browser, dan yang lain lebih suka menerima update melalui email. Menyediakan pilihan untuk semua orang yang berbeda baik pada navigasi situs atau pada terpisah "berlangganan" halaman. Feedburner menawarkan cara baik untuk menggabungkan semua pilihan populer.

Dapatkan Feedburner. Omong-omong, pastikan untuk mendaftar untuk Feedburner jika Anda belum melakukannya. Feedburner menawarkan berbagai alat besar termasuk statistik dan pelacakan, berlangganan melalui email, dan link untuk pengajuan media sosial. Pastikan untuk menggunakan MyBrand yang akan memungkinkan Anda untuk mengikat feed untuk situs sendiri domain Anda. Ini akan mencegah kerepotan di masa depan jika Anda ingin pindah lokasi feed Anda di kemudian hari.

Tunjukkan jumlah pelanggan Anda, tapi hanya jika Anda telah mencapai tingkat tertentu. Sebuah jumlah pelanggan yang tinggi dapat membantu untuk membangun otoritas Anda dan menjadi titik jual untuk mendapatkan pelanggan Anda bahkan lebih di papan. Namun, jika pelanggan hanya untuk blog Anda adalah Anda dan anjing Anda, ini benar-benar dapat menyakiti Anda.

Tampilan menghitung hanya bila Anda telah mencapai tingkat tertentu. Ini bervariasi dalam industri yang berbeda sehingga Anda melakukan penelitian dan melihat di mana blog di atas adalah.

Promosikan feed Anda setelah setiap posting. Sebuah taktik bagus yang telah bekerja dengan baik bagi saya adalah termasuk kalimat setelah setiap posting untuk mempromosikan feed.

Gunakan URL feed dalam footer dari email Anda, signature forum, dan blog komentar. Pada dasarnya Anda ingin mempromosikan feed Anda sebagaimana Anda mempromosikan situs Anda. Ini merupakan metode yang efektif dalam mencapai langganan lebih tetapi mungkin berpaling orang-orang yang lebih suka mengakses situs Anda.

Gunakan berbagai aplikasi yg memungkinkan anda menyebarluaskan feed anda, dalam kasus ini saya memakai Rss Graffiti, sebuah aplikasi di facebook yg memungkinkan kita secara otomatis membagi tautan blog menjadi berita di wall profil, fanpage atau grup yg kita kelola. Cara yang lain yaitu dengan mengikuti berbagai situs rating blog yg banyak  kita temukan.

Permudah bagi pengunjung kita untuk membagi tautan lewat situs jejaring social, ini merupakan cara yg efektif karena secara tidak langsung blog kita ikut dipromosikan lewat akun jejaring social pengunjung kita. Saya rekomendasikan anda untuk menggunakan widget wibiya.

Permudah bagi pengunjung anda untuk ikut mempromosikan diri dan situsnya. Beberapa blogger menganggap bahwa memberi komentar pada blogger lain merupakan salah satu cara meningkatkan trafik, ya itu memang benar, hal tersebut karena pada umumnya selain nama dan komentar kita biasanya alamat situs kita juga kita cantumkan dan hal ini akan memudahkan pengunjung lain untuk melihat dan mengenal lebih jauh siapa kita terutama jika komentar yang anda berikan sangat menarik perhatian. Untuk itu usahakan anda tidak mempersulit prosedur dalam pengaturan komentar. Anda dapat menggunakan aplikasi disqus atau intensedebate untuk memudahkan pengunjung berinteraksi dengan akun jejaring social mereka sendiri.

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Tips terhindar dari beberapa kesalahan blogger pemula...

Bisnis online adalah bisnis yg menggiurkan, kesempatan dan peluang yg begitu terbuka membuat beberapa orang mencoba peruntungannya dengan terjun ke bisnis online salah satu caranya adalah dengan membuat blog. Tak semua blog mampu menghasilkan pendapatan seperti yang kita harapkan, dalam tulisan ini saya akan mencoba menggali beberapa kesalahan yang biasa dilakukan oleh blogger pemula (termasuk saya dulu) yang berpotensi menyebabkan mereka merasa gagal dan putus asa.

• Face

Masalah desain merupakan masalah yang teknis namun dapat berpengaruh pada berbagai hal, beberapa blogger pemula cenderung menggunakan desain yang lebih menonjolkan sisi sisi pribadinya seolah olah berharap orang yang berkunjung ke situsnya akan lebih mengenal dirinya atau dengan kata lain si pembuat blog ingin agar dirinya terkenal. Lalu bagaimana kita dapat menilainya ? mudah saja, biasanya kita akan dapat dengan mudah menemukan foto foto mereka terpampang di blog mereka. Lalu apa itu salah ? tentu saja tidak, tapi ingat niat anda membuat blog, anda ingin kaya atau ingin terkenal ?

 Beberapa blogger pemula menggunakan desain yang cukup atraktif dari segi grafis namun itu justru dapat menjadi boomerang manakala menyebabkan kecepatan akses atau loading time blog anda menjadi lambat. Saran saya adalah gunakan desain atau template yg sederhana, jika pengetahuan anda tentang bahasa pemprograman web masih terbatas ada baiknya anda menggunakan template dasar dari Blogger atau mencoba template wordpress yg bisa digunakan di blogger.

• Title dan konten

Title atau judul merupakan hal yang sangat penting karena merupakan perwujudan konsep yang ingin anda wujudkan di blog anda. disamping deskripsi blog,Title juga akan sering muncul di search engine atau  jika kita mengirim tautan ke facebook misalnya. Title juga harus sesuai dengan konten yang ada diblog kita, harus saya akui bahkan saya juga agak sembrono dalam menggunakan title karena sudah 3 kali ganti he…3x. namun karena konsep blog saya adalah binis maka title pun harus ada kata bisnisnya, hal ini penting karena jika anda berniat meningkatkan trafik ke blog anda dengan mengikuti situs situs pemeringkat blog seperti Top Of Blog, Blogtopsites, dll maka antara title, konten dan kategori yang anda pilih dalam situs situs tersebut haruslah singkron.

Jangan buat blog sebelum anda mempersiapkan konten atau isi atau posting yang memadai baik secara jumlah maupun kualitas. Ibarat yang pas untuk hal tersebut adalah jangan membuka toko sebelum punya barang yg mau dijual. Ketika kita membuat blog jangan terburu nafsu mempublishnya sebelum memiliki jumlah postingan yang memadai

Tips selanjutnya akan saya beberkan pada posting selanjutnya…

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Tips membuat judul dan abstrak dalam penyusunan skripsi, tesis, disertasi, proposal atau karya ilmiah

Seorang researcher atau peneliti, sesudah melakukan sebuah penelitian, sangat disarankan untuk segera memublikasikan hasil penelitiannya. Karena banyak sekali manfaat yang akan diperoleh dengan memublikasikan hasil penelitian, terutama sekali adalah adanya tindak lanjut dari hasil penelitian (pengembangan) atau untuk menghindari tema yang sama dari penelitian itu sendiri.

Banyak sekali cara yang bisa dilakukan researcher dalam memublikasikan hasil penelitiannya, diantaranya bisa dilakukan dengan melalui presentasi pada seminar ataupun melalui jurnal-jurnal ilmiah, lokal maupun internasional.

Pada sesi kali ini kita akan membahas bagaimana menulis judul dan abstrak.

Judul

Bagaimana cara menulis judul yang baik? atau lebih tepatnya mungkin bagaimana kita menarik perhatian calon pembaca artikel kita dengan judul?

Menurut buku, ada beberapa hal yang dapat dilakukan. Pertama, judul yang kita buat harus mencerminkan isi keseluruhan makalah. Kedua adalah, usahakan judul yang dibuat menjawab pertanyaan ataupun menawarkan sebuah jawaban. Bisa juga anda membuat tulisan mengenai sesuatu hal yang sedang ramai dibicarakan, misalnya saat ini sedang ramai mengenai masalah isu pemanasan global. Cobalah buat sebuah judul artikel ilmiah mengenai hal ini, niscaya orang yang membaca judul ini akan tertarik untuk membaca keseluruhan artikel Anda.

Abstrak

Setelah judul, sebelum orang lain memutuskan untuk membaca artikel ilmiah anda yang mereka lakukan adalah membaca abstrak. Abstrak menjadi salah satu bagian terpenting dalam sebuah artikel ilmiah. Keputusan apakah seseorang tertarik dengan artikel yang anda buat sebagian besar ditentukan setelah membaca abstrak.

Untuk itu, apa yang sebenarnya dibutuhkan dalam membuat sebuah abstrak??

Ada 4 langkah penting yang harus dilaksanakan, yaitu

1. Ciptakan ruang penelitan, hal ini dapat dilakukan dengan cara: (a) Nyatakan pentingnya bidang yang anda teliti (bisa ditunjukkan dengan banyaknya penelitian di bidang yang sama), (b) Tunjukkan kekurangan artikel ilmiah yang telah ada (dalam bidang yang sama tentu saja), (c) Tunjukkan tujuan artikel ilmiah anda
2. Uraikan metodologi penelitian dengan jelas
3. Nyatakan hasil penelitian (dengan singkat dan jelas tentu saja)
4. Evaluasi-lah hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan (kesimpulan artikel)

Panjang abstrak biasanya 100-200 kata. Menurut Hadijanto dalam Zifirdaus, tahap 2 dan 4 tidak wajib ada dalam sebuah abstrak.

Abstrak merupakan rangkuman dari isi tulisan dalam format yang sangat singkat. Untuk makalah, biasanya abstrak itu hanya terdiri dari satu atau dua paragraf saja. Sementara itu untuk thesis dan tugas akhir, abstrak biasanya dibatasi satu halaman. Untuk itu isi dari abstrak tidak perlu “berbunga-bunga” dan berpanjang lebar, cukup langsung kepada intinya saja. Memang kesulitan yang dihadapi adalah bagaimana merangkumkan semua cerita dalam satu halaman. Justru itu tantangannya. Ada juga tulisan ilmiah yang membutuhkan extended abstract. Kalau yang ini merupakan abstrak yang lebih panjang, yang biasanya disertai dengan data-data yang lebih mendukung. Biasanya extended abstract ini dibutuhkan ketika kita mengirimkan makalah untuk seminar atau konferensi.

Ini sebagian dari review saya terhadap hasi penelitian yang sudah jadi. Kebanyakan abstrak di susun atas ‘jumlah bab’ pada laporan penelitian. Jika suatu laporan/skripsi terdiri dari 5 bab: (1) pendahuluan, (2) kajian pustaka, (3) metodologi, (4) analisis dan pembahasan,  (5) penutup. Maka hendaknya menulis abstrak sebagai berikut:

1. Paragraf pertama ringkasan dari ‘latar belakang/pendahuluan’
2. Paragraf kedua ringkasan dari ‘kajian teori’
3. Paragraf ketiga ringkasan dari ‘metodologi’
4. Paragraf keempat ringkasan dari ‘analisis dan pembahasan’
5. Paragraf kelimaringkasan dari ‘penutup/kesimpulan dan saran’

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THE GROWTH CORRIDOR: FINANCIAL THRESHOLDS TO OPTIMUM FIRM EXPANSION

Abstract: One of the most controversial issues in the growth literature is whether there is an optimal growth rate that maximizes firm performance. Contrary to prior research, we argue that optimum growth rates are firm-specific and, as such, cannot be established across whole populations of firms. Drawing on financial theories, we develop a model of optimum firm growth. Our research suggests that there are firm-specific corridors of optimum growth and that  they  may  have  a  significant  effect  on  firms'  long  term-performance.  Our  research  shows  that  a  company’s minimum  growth  requirement  results  from  shareholder’s  earnings  expectations  and  that  the  upper  boundary  of growth is defined by the firm’s sustainable growth rate.

THEORY DEVELOPMENT AND HYPOTHESES

Introduction

Managerial practice as well as academic research has linked firm growth to various benefits. Growth is regarded

as essential if companies are to remain vital and competitive (Drucker, 1973; Robins & Wiersema, 1995). At the same time, firm growth has been related to increasing complexity and various managerial problems. Studies have shown  that  excessive  growth  can  destroy  shareholder  value  and  adversely  affects  profitability  (Baumol,  1962;

Hedberg,  Nystrom,  &  Starbuck,  1976;  Richardson,  1964;  Whetten,  1987).  There  is,  nevertheless,  inconclusive

empirical  evidence  regarding  the  relationship  between  growth  and  performance.  While  some  studies  have  found support for a curvilinear relationship (e.g. Ramezani, Soenen, & Jung, 2002), others revealed a positive and linear effect (e.g. Miedich & Melicher, 1985), or no significant linkage at all (e.g. Markman & Gartner 2002). From these inconsistencies, the questions arise as to whether there is an optimum pace of growth, and if so, how this optimum rate can be determined.

Growth and Firm Performance

The most relevant explanation for previous inconclusive findings may be traced back to the practice of classifying growth  rates  across  companies  and  industries  into  normal,  high,  and  hyper  growth  (e.g.  Markman  and  Gartner, 2002). However, various researchers have argued that firms’ ability to growth is contingent on their unique resource base and market conditions (i.e., Penrose, 1959; Porter, 1980; Slater, 1980). It is thus more likely that the relative  degree of growth is contingent upon firm-specific characteristics, rather than being valid and applicable to firms in general. Consequently, we assume that the level of optimum growth varies from company to company and cannot be established across whole populations of firms.

Determinants of Firm Growth

Researchers  in  the  field  of  management  generally  accept  that  a  firm's  resource  endowment  is  one  of  the  main determinants of its ability to grow (Mishina, Pollock, & Porac, 2004). Two broad types of resource categories have been  discussed:  financial  and  human  resources  (e.g.  Bamford  et  al,  1999;  Cooper  et  al.,  1994).  Studies  from the finance literature emphasize the role played by financial resources in enabling and curtailing growth (Clark et al, 1989; Higgins, 1977; Kyd, 1981).

Financial growth requirements. From a financial market perspective, firms’ growth requirements are determined by the shareholders’ long-term earnings growth expectations, which are inherent in the firm’s current market value Koller et al, 2005: 74). Empirical findings suggest that there is a reward for meeting or beating expectations and a penalty for failing to do so (Kasznik & McNichols, 2002; Skinner & Sloan, 2002). While the premium is relatively small  in  the  short  term,  there  is  a  significantly  greater  return  for  firms  that  consistently  meet  expectations  over several years (Kasznik & McNichols, 2002). A firm's minimum growth requirement may thus be determined by the rate of expected sales growth (ESG): the annual percentage increase in sales required (after considering the firm’s growth with regard to its net income) to meet market expectations. Growth consistently below ESG will negatively affect firm returns.

Hypothesis 1: Firms that achieve long-term sales growth greater than their rate of expected sales growth outperform firms growing below this rate.

Financial  growth  limits.  Over  the  years,  the  finance  literature  has  presented  numerous  models  with  which  to measure the growth that a firm, given its operating and financial constraints, can sustain (i.e., Babcock, 1970; Clark et al, 1989; Higgins, 1977, 1981; Kyd, 1981; Varadarajan, 1983). Sustainable growth refers to the “maximum annual increase in sales that can be achieved based on target operating, debt, and dividend payout ratios” (Van Horne, 1997: 743). If a firm grows at a faster rate than its sustainable growth rate (SGR), it will be forced to increase its debt ratio, decrease dividends, or issue new equity. Research has shown that all three options are limited, usually to the detriment of financial soundness. Excessive growth, defined as growth above the firm’s financial means, is thus regarded as a main reason for insolvencies (Probst & Raisch, 2005). While growth above the SGR may be detrimental, sales growth that remains below the SGR allows the firm to increase its dividends, reduce its leverage, and build liquid assets (Higgins, 1977; Varadarajan, 1983).

Hypothesis 2: Firms that restrict their long-term sales growth to the limits set by their sustainable growth rate outperform firms growing above this rate.

The optimum growth corridor. Research has also indicated that firms’ expected sales growth (ESG) and sustain- able growth (SGR) rates are closely interrelated. Studies from behavioural finance suggest that market overreaction and underreaction may lead to irrational price deviations (Abarbanell & Bernard, 1992; De Bondt & Thaler, 1985).

If the SGR slips below the ESG, firms have to choose between two suboptimal growth strategies: First, the firm may limit its actual growth to the SGR, which is likely to disappoint shareholders and to cause declining stock prices (i.e., Kasznik & McNichols, 2002). Secondly, the firm may continue to grow above its ESG, preserving its short- term valuation  at  the  cost of increasing  its  long-term risk.  Both growth  strategies  are  thus  likely  to  contribute  to declining market performance. Firms are clearly better off when the SGR exceeds the ESG, providing the potential

for sustainable growth at or above the shareholders’ expectations.

Hypothesis 3: Firms with a long-term SGR above the ESG outperform firms that lack this corridor of growth.

If there is a growth corridor, firms should pursue sales growth above the ESG, but within the limits set by the SGR. As discussed above, growth below the ESG has been related to declining return to shareholders, while growth above the SGR has been linked to increasing debt and the risk of bankruptcy.

Hypothesis 4: Long-term sales growth exceeding the ESG but remaining within the limits set by the SGR, is linked to superior performance.

RESULTS

To test our hypothesis, we employed a quantitative empirical research design. We drew our sample from the firms listed in the Fortune 500 index for 2005. Our reference timeframe comprises the ten years between 1995 and 2004.

Analysis.  To  test  our  first  three  hypotheses,  we  examined  the  difference  in  the  mean  of  the  total  return  to shareholders with regard to firms growing above and below ESG and SGR as well as the mean of those company's whose SGR exceeds ESG and those that lack this corridor of growth. To test the fourth hypothesis, we compared the differences in the mean of firms whose sales growth exceeds the ESG, but remains within the limits set by the SGR with that of firms that fail to meet these conditions.

Results. Our results clearly indicated that the long-term performance of firms growing above ESG is significantly higher than the performance of those firms that grow below ESG. By testing hypothesis 2, we verified that firms growing above the SGR yield significantly lower long-term performance than firms growing below the SGR. The results for Hypothesis 3 showed that the first group’s performance is significantly higher than that of the second group. Finally, we found a significant difference in the long-term performance of firms growing within the corridor of sustainable growth and those who don't. In sum, our preliminary results provide support for all four hypotheses.

CONCLUSION

Besides having provided a tool for managerial practice, the findings of this study have important implications for corporate growth and organizational change theories. Prior research on corporate growth has mainly focused on the directions and modes of corporate growth. In this study, we suggest a third dimension: the pace of growth. Prior research has largely neglected this aspect of firms’ growth strategies. However, some recent studies have indicated that  pace  may  indeed  matter,  and  found  pace  to  be  an  important  moderator  of  the  relationship  between  growth directions or modes and performance (e.g. Chang, 1995; Hayward, 2002; Pettus, 2001; Vermeulen and Barkema,

2002; Wagner, 2004). In a more general context, our study contributes to recent studies on the pace of organizational change. Traditionally, such studies support fast change as being beneficial in overcoming unproductive inertia in firms’ mental maps and routines (Barkema & Vermeulen, 1998). Firms that develop too slowly are expected to fall behind as their rivals race ahead. However, since a firm’s capacity to expand and absorb new experiences is limited,

the pace of change may also become too high (Cohen & Levinthal, 1990; Perlow, Okhuyson, & Repenning, 2002). Our study contributes to this research by providing concrete limits to firm expansion’s optimum pace.

By Flora Ferlic,The Growth Corridor: Financial Thresholds To Optimum Firm Growth  ,at

http://sandiego.strategicmanagement.net/handouts/b5dac82f70ef0cd0008dfb93b81fe07fThe%20Growth%20Corridor%20Handout.pdf

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