Who would invest in an airline? The industry is facing a lot of challenges right now with escalating fuel prices, reduction in passenger volumes caused by the global recession and arguably the growth of technology that allows people to communicate and confer without the need to travel. These are things that affect airlines all over the world, but in South Africa life is even more challenging for a private sector airline operator that has to compete with the heavily subsidised national carrier South African Airways (SAA) and its low-cost brand Mango.


ImportGenius.com provides data mining tools that make complex trading relationships easy to understand. Its diverse members use the service to extract detailed information relating to all aspects of cross-border trade, including shipping records, product lines, and exporting volumes for factories around the world.


Health and safety is an issue businesses of all sizes cannot afford to ignore but, if research carried out by YouGov on behalf of HSE consultant Seton is anything to go by, is something many could still improve on.

It spoke to employees and senior decision makers at 525 small and medium enterprises about the subject and 22 percent (excluding those operating as sole traders) stated there is just one person, or no one at all, at their organisation that has received any kind of workplace health and safety training.


In surveys, people often say they want more money and shorter hours, but these are just hygiene factors, it stops them from being unhappy, but it doesn’t engage them. Engagement and motivation comes from having the right leaders and a good workplace culture and leaders who value their employees. Nowadays, work is so integrated into our lives that it is important to feel motivated and fulfilled. To achieve this, leaders need to create a sense of purpose and vision. A sense that what people are doing really does matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

studio

Creative Director


10. Not doing the washing-up
It’s hard to believe that this is one of the top ten causes of work conflict, but there always seems to be one employee who doesn’t do their fair share.

It’s unfair to assume that only the most junior of staff should hold the tea and coffee duty, and it is important to make sure you take it in turns.

Why not draw up a rota, which will ensure everyone knows where they stand and does their fair share. Failing that, invest in a dishwasher.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

studio

Creative Director


On May 11th the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, together with leaders of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan as well as representatives from Tanzania, Burundi and the African Development Bank, witnessed the signing of the agreement. President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang led regional heads of states including presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Salva Kiir of South Sudan in witnessing the signing ceremony at State House, Nairobi.


Reports claim that the technology giant could be prepared to pay as much as $3.2 billion for the headphone maker and music-streaming service provider, which was founded by music producer Jimmy Iovine and rapper Dr Dre.

If completed, the deal would become Apple’s largest ever acquisition and is being seen as a move by the company to cement itself further in the phone and music accessories business, while also bolstering its online music offerings, two areas that are predicted to see massive growth in the coming years.


In the past the port has been controlled by the Portuguese, the sultan of Zanzibar, and the British. Today, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), a state-run enterprise, is responsible for the port. The city of Mombasa, its port and the facilities around it, as well as the railway that runs from the coast to Rwanda Uganda and Burundi are important to the economy of the whole of East Africa. Transit trade to these countries, the DRC, Tanzania and South Sudan accounts for 30 percent of the port's throughput and this proportion is growing by up to ten percent a year.