Planetary Resources, Inc has announced a spectacular plan to mine near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) for raw materials, ranging from water to precious metals.

The newly formed company has the financial backing of industry-launching visionaries including Google CEO Larry Page and Ross Perot, Jr, chairman of Hillwood and The Perot Group.

Eve Chiapello, co-creator of the specialised ‘Alternative Management’ programme, has analysed a large body of literature on the criticisms of capitalism dating back over 150 years. Here, she cites the lessons history has taught us in the face of its newest critic—ecology.

Craig Sullivan, vice president and general manager of International Products for NetSuite, outlines eight ways in which outdated ERP systems can damage your business.

Over the past decade, technology has transformed the broader world of business and consumer applications. Workers interact through mobile devices and social media, with applications increasingly connected over the web. But many ERP deployments remain static in spite of these changes.

Arron Fu, VP of Software Development at UniPrint, looks at the security weaknesses in enterprise printing environments and explores the role that technology is playing in safeguarding the printing landscape.

Just as email was 20 years ago, corporate printing environments today are, typically, uncontrolled and unmonitored. Extremely sensitive data is encrypted, safeguarded and highly prized as an asset. For most firms however, this is where the security ends. As soon as a document is sent to a printer, security is often overlooked.

Professor Graham Jones, founder of Top Performance Consulting, outlines how we can ensure the future health of our organisations through ‘real’ leadership.

My experience of coaching numerous senior leaders has led to my realisation that there are two broad sets of motives for being a leader that drive different behaviours and lead to different impacts on organisations. I have consequently identified two types of leader, which I call ‘real’ and ‘safe’. 

‘Real’and ‘safe’ leaders

At times, South Africa’s electricity suppliers can no longer meet demand; so until supply once again catches up, the emphasis is on reducing demand, as Jeff Daniels learns.

China espouses the concept of balance and in this it has a natural partner in Nestlé, a company that is finding its established philosophy of shared value and localisation appreciated in the world’s fastest changing society.

Allantone Supplies focuses on keeping the maritime traffic that bustles around the UK well supplied with fuel. Running a short-notice, niche operation, the company makes customer service its top priority.

Shell has agreed to buy East Africa-focused Cove Energy in a deal worth £1.12 billion, it has been announced.

London-listed Cove will be acquired by the energy giant’s Shell Bidco subsidiary.

The acquisition marks Shell's entry into Kenya and Mozambique, with potential for new LNG from recent gas discoveries offshore Mozambique. Shell already has interests in Tanzania.