SHARE MANAGEMENT

11th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:14:00 +0000

11. Start your own "working capital" fund

With unemployment on the verge of hitting double digits for the first time since the early 1980s, investing in yourself is really another form of an emergency fund. So start a capital fund for your career.

Put in enough money to cover travel and other job-hunting expenses for at least six months, the average length of unemployment for baby boomers who are currently out of work. And over time, use the fund to save money for career education and training - either to move up in your current field or to switch professions altogether.

"Pretend your career is a rental property," says Wisconsin financial adviser Michael Haubrich. "If you don't rehab it every so often, it goes down in value. And the rents you collect on it are going to go down too."

Of course, the same is true for almost every other aspect of your financial life. What's more, the investments you make now may pay off a lot sooner than you think.

10th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:12:00 +0000

10. Be part of society's safety net

Even Adam Smith knew that taking an interest in the "fortunes of others," as capitalism's leading thinker put it, can bring you a glow you can't get from merely accumulating your own fortune. Studies have shown Smith was right.

Volunteer work on behalf of those less well-off than you costs nothing, connects you with others, burnishes your résumé, and reminds you just how lucky you are to have whatever it is you have - even if it is worth 40% less than before the bear market. And, oh yeah, helping others is the right thing to do.

Before you choose a charity, think about your passions, where help is most needed in your community, and what type of work might polish your job-related skills. To find inspiration for charities that need you but also fit your needs,

That said, skip those big charity balls. It turns out that how happy you are with what you have depends a lot on just who you're comparing yourself to. These sorts of invidious comparisons can cost you actual money without your even realizing it.

9th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:11:00 +0000

9. De-stress with the help of a health-care coach

As the downsizing of corporate America continues, the workers who remain are being asked to do more with less - a lot less. And chances are, this added stress is taking a toll on your physical and mental health.

Ignoring the symptoms can be costly. Not only can stress make you less efficient and more mistake-prone on the job - which could lead to a pink slip in the short term - but it can also lead to long-term health problems that might jeopardize your most valuable asset: your physical ability to bring home a paycheck for years to come.

Time to call in the coach. Today 56% of large employers offer the services of so-called health-care coaches, on the theory that good health will lower medical costs and increase productivity. The coaches are typically nurses or other specialists who can help you manage chronic conditions, says Scott Keyes, a health-care consultant at Watson Wyatt. They can also help with workout regimens, meal plans, and remedies to alleviate anxiety. So ask HR or your insurer if you can get one-on-one attention.

8th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:11:00 +0000

8. Reorganize your insurance drawer

The lousy stock market has down insurance company investment profits. This explains why your auto coverage is expected to climb 4% this year and premiums on your homeowners policies are set to rise 3% - even though your house is probably worth less today than it was last year.

This is a good excuse to rebid those services. Shop around for your auto coverage first, and then see what it will cost you to add homeowners insurance as well. Most of the time, you'll save money on a package deal.

As you shop for deals, get quotes on higher deductible options for auto and homeowners coverage, to see if you can lower your bill that way.

As for life insurance, Prudential, Banner, and ING are among carriers that are boosting rates, reversing a multi-year industry trend of falling prices. It's still worth shopping around if your policy is at least five years old and your health hasn't deteriorated.

Start your search online. But also consult with a broker - specifically, one who sells policies from multiple carriers. Brokers can help identify quirks in pricing, says Judith Maurer, CEO of Tampa-based Low Load Insurance Services.

7th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:09:00 +0000

7. Turn off the TV if that's too hard, stop watching Desperate Housewives.

Television viewership is up in this down economy, which isn't all that surprising. TV is, after all, a cheap form of escapism. But before you tune in to tune out the realities of recession, remember that prime-time TV is full of pretty people and even prettier things. All this glamour affects how you think about your position in the world.

According to Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor, "Television viewing results in an upscaling of desire. And that in turn leads people to buy." Her study found that every additional hour of TV viewing per week boosts spending by roughly $200 a year. So a handful of sitcoms and a reality series or two can cost you more than a grand a year. Forget keeping up with the Joneses; now people are struggling to keep up with the Kardashians.

If you can't bring yourself to give up TV entirely, at least stop watching shows centered on the lifestyles of the fictionally the rich. Try COPS or The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer. No one ever looked at the PBS anchor and said, "I've got to get a blazer like that!"

6th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:08:00 +0000

6. Go cold turkey on monthly services or at least threaten to quit.

When families resolve to lower spending, their instinct is to cut back on day-to-day splurges, like lattes or lunches out. Not the greatest idea. You're forced to make a conscious decision to save every day.

An easier way: Take a second look at all the recurring monthly charges that accrue automatically on your credit cards. Those movie channels that you never watch? Drop them. The overseas calling plan on your landline? A phone card is cheaper for those annual calls to Finland. Whatever the silent drain, put a stop to it.

Even if you're eager to keep the service but just want a better price, call and threaten to quit. Telling your provider you want out might get you a price break. If the customer rep can't help you, you may end up with a retention specialist, who can offer even better deals, says Lyn Kramer, managing director of Kramer & Associates, a call-center consulting firm. Remember, in a shrinking economy, businesses can ill afford to lose the paying customers that they already have.

5th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:07:00 +0000

5. Juice your credit score an extra 20 points

Now that lenders are demanding to see what shape your credit is really in, the standards for good scores have changed.

While a FICO of around 720 used to give you a shot at the lowest mortgage rates, today you'll need a 740 or higher to qualify for the best terms.

How can you bridge the gap? First, make sure mistakes on your credit reports aren't dragging you down. Go toannualcreditreport.com and get a free report from the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Next, goose your score by lowering your debt-to-credit ratio. If you owe $2,000 but can borrow as much as $15,000, your ratio would be about 13%. Pay off enough debt to "get your overall utilization down below 10%, and you will see your score improve," says score expert Gerri Detweiler of Credit.com.

Another trick: Avoid using your cards in the month or so before applying for a loan. Even if you pay off your balances at the end of the month, there's a chance a lender might "pull" your score the day before those payments are recorded, making it look as though you're tapping your credit.

And ask issuers to raise the limits on your existing accounts. "For all the news that card issuers are cutting credit, they are also selectively offering more credit to their best clients," says Craig Watts of FICO.

4th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:07:00 +0000

4. Lose rate by refinancing your mortgage

Rates on standard 30-year fixed loans are at or just below 5%, about the lowest they've been in decades. So if you're paying more than 6% on your loan - or have an adjustable-rate mortgage - and plan to stay in your home for at least a few more years, look into refinancing.

There are restrictions. Your new loan can't be greater than $417,000. In pricey markets like New York City, that figure goes up to $729,750. Rates on larger jumbo mortgages are a stiffer 6.4%.

Also, lenders are shifting back toward old standards. Your monthly mortgage, insurance, and taxes shouldn't eat up more than 31% of your monthly income, nor should your total monthly debt payments exceed 43%.

Before you forge ahead, make sure refinancing is worth it. Use the refinance calculator to run through your figures.

3th concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:06:00 +0000

3. Accept the new norm and set realistic investment goals.

You got used to double-digit returns when times were good, which makes the pain caused by what's happening now feel downright excruciating. If you had simply set realistic expectations - no, it's not normal for stocks to rise 20% in a year - you wouldn't feel so bad.

But our brains don't work that way. And prior to the downturn, our most recent experience was one of the most extraordinary eras in history, marked by quarter-century bull markets for stocks and bonds, and a huge run-up in home prices earlier this decade.

Now that you're faced with a true financial crisis, you need a coping mechanism. Try this on for size: On a piece of paper write out a series of "what ifs." What if your portfolio doesn't recoup its losses for another seven years? What if it takes another decade before your home value recovers?

Then jot down ways you'd adjust to these possibilities. Perhaps you agree to postpone retirement by a few years. Maybe you stay in your home longer than you planned.

By documenting how you'll react to these scenarios, you're creating lower expectations. And that will leave you plenty of possibilities for happy surprises.

2nd concept

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:05:00 +0000

2. Go on a Treasury diet and bulk up on other types of bonds.

As investors have been slowly shifting out of low-yielding Treasury bonds - the shelter of choice in last year's market storm - into higher-returning assets, Treasury prices have fallen this year. The result: Long-term government bond mutual funds are down 12.6% on average*, making them one of the poorest- performing fund categories year to date.

Worse, losses could continue if there are signs of an economic recovery or inflation ahead. So rebalance your fixed-income portfolio by shifting some money out of debt issued by Uncle Sam and putting it into other bonds. Both high-grade corporate bonds and high-quality municipals are offering much higher yields than Treasuries (corporates are yielding around twice as much).

In this environment, "no more than 20% of your bond portfolio should be in Treasuries," says New York financial planner Karen Altfest. An easy way to gain exposure to munis and corporate bonds is through a professionally managed fixed-income fund, such as those found in the Money 70, our recommended list of funds.

11 ways to save money now and 1st

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:51:00 +0000

1. Get your portfolio off the couch and bring balance to your stocks and bonds.

If you're like most 401(k) investors, you didn't touch your investments last year, in the darkest hours of the bear market. That was hardly a sign of buy-and-hold discipline. The majority of 401(k) participants haven't done anything with their accounts in years.

Say you entered last year with a 60%-stock/40%-bond mix. If you didn't rebalance, that's now a fifty-fifty split. Since 1926, the annual return for a 60-40 mix has been 8.5%, vs. 8.1% for the even split. Over 10 years that can mean an extra $41,000 in a portfolio worth $500,000 today.

On the plus side, the bear market has already "rebalanced" the portfolios of those who took on too much risk. In 2007 a third of workers in their fifties - for whom a 60/40 portfolio is typically a sensible proposition - held more than 80% of their 401(k)s in stocks; that's down now.

RBI norms on bank execs' salary on cards

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:47:00 +0000

The Reserve Bank of India is set to unveil broad guidelines to regulate the pay of senior executives of private and foreign banks,in step with other regulators in the West where banks have come under fire for their generous compensation packages to staffers.

Compensation practices have come into sharp focus, especially in the West, in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The RBI has said that the principles of Financial Stability Board (FSB), a global watchdog comprising senior representatives of national financial authorities, which have been endorsed by the G-20, should be the guiding tenets for devising compensation schemes for all employees in a financial institution.

According to senior bank officials, RBI is likely to come out with broad norms on compensation policies and is unlikely to limit pay. However, there is likelihood that bonus payments may be deferred. For instance, in respect of ING Vysya Bank, the RBI did not approve the pay package of Gautam Vir, former CEO of Development Credit Bank. Mr Vir finally did not join ING Vysya Bank.

CEAT on a roll after turnaround Q2 results

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:44:00 +0000

CEAT surged 3.24% to Rs 162.60 at 9:56 IST on BSE, after the company reported

net profit of Rs 61.47 crore in Q2 September 2009 as compared to net loss of Rs

28.80 crore in Q2 September 2008.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 83.29 points, or 0.51%, to 16,270.11.

On BSE, 31,585 shares were traded in the counter as against an average daily

volume of 1.13 lakh shares in the past one quarter.

The stock hit a high of Rs 163 and a low of Rs 159.25 so far during the day. The

stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 190.65 on 20 October 2009 and a 52-week low of

Rs 31 on 9 March 2009.

The small-cap stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 27

October 2009, falling 4.69% as compared to the Sensex's 2.03% fall. It had

outperformed the market in the past one quarter, rising 21.11% as compared to the

Sensex's return of 6.36%.

The company's equity capital is Rs 34.24 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

The current price of Rs 162.60 discounts the company's Q1 June 2009 annualized

EPS of Rs 70.33, by a PE multiple of 2.27.

CEAT's net sales rose 9.25% to Rs 714.50 crore in Q2 September 2009 over Q2

September 2008. The company declared the results after market hours on Tuesday,

27 October 2009.

Fall in raw material costs helped CEAT achieve a turnaround in Q2 September 2009.

CEAT, previously Ceat Tyres, is the flagship of the RPG group, manufactures steel-

belted radials for passenger cars. The range of tyres manufactured is marketed

under the Ceat, Samraat and Secura brand names

US stocks sag; Dow under 10,000 again

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:42:00 +0000

US stocks skidded lower on Monday after abruptly reversing early gains as investors shrugged off more positive earnings reports amid a strengthening dollar that impacted multinational companies.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 104.60 points (1.05 percent) to 9,867.58 at the market close, below the psychologically important 10,000 barrier for the second session in a row.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 12.62 points (0.59 percent) to 2,141.85 and the broad-market Standard & Poor's 500 index slid 12.64 points (1.17 percent) to a preliminary close of 1,066.96.

"A lack of leadership has allowed a strengthening dollar and a technical breakdown among tech issues to take the broader market to marked losses," Briefing.com analysts said in a client note.

World stocks slump but Europe bucks trend

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:37:00 +0000

Emerging market and Japanese shares fell sharply on Tuesday after an overnight sell off on wall street, but the retreat failed to boost the battered dolloar.

European stocks made modest gains at the open, bucking the overall trend.

Investors are becoming jittery about both the extent of this year's global equity rally -- stocks have risen as much as 75 per cent from a March low -- and over the knowledge that authorities will eventually withdraw stimulus measures that have been a key factor in driving a global recovery.

The Wall Street sell off on Monday, for example, was prompted by fears that US lawmakers may let a federal home buyer tax credit expire.

This sentiment swept over into Tuesday trading with MSCI's all-country world stocks index down 0.4 per cent, its emerging market sub-index down 1.2 per cent and Japan's Nikkei closing down 1.45 per cent.

Europe was different, partly as a result of oil heavyweight BP's third-quarter results beating forecasts.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares was up 0.3 per cent.

WEAKER DOLLAR The dollar weakened against a basket of major currencies despite the fall in stocks, which in recent months has tended to boost the currency.

It was partly a reaction to sharp gains on Monday, when the the euro had its steepest drop since early August, falling nearly 1 percent, and the dollar index posted its best daily gain since September.

The dollar index, a measure of the greenback's performance against six other major currencies, fell 0.2 per cent to 75.918, but above a 14-month low of 74.94 set last week.

The euro gained 0.1 percent to $1.4887 and the dollar fell 0.3 per cent to 91.95 yen.

Demand for euro zone government bonds rose with the two-year yield falling 5 basis points to 1.351 per cent.

There are major supply announcements in both the United States and Europe later in the day.

RBI hikes SLR by 1%, leaves key rates unchanged

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +0000

A hawkish reserve bank of india (RBI), while staying away from hiking key rates like repo or reverse repo, hiked the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) to 25% from 24%. The cash reserve ratio (CRR), the minimum amount banks need to park with the RBI, was also left unchanged.

Repo and reverse repo are rates at which the RBI lends to banks and vice versa while SLR is the minimum amount of cash, gold or bonds banks need to maintain with themselves.

By hiking the SLR, the RBI may be signalling its leaning towards tightening the accommodative monetary policy.

Late last year and during early 2009, the RBI and the government of Indiaintroduced various measures including cutting rates and releasing stimulus packages to boost lending and demand in the economy.

Inflation target upped

While the excess liquidity in the system may have succeeded in turning the economy back on the recovery track, it could be meet its first after-effect in the form of rising inflation soon. In fact, in the mid-term review, the RBI increased its March-end wholesale price index (WPI) inflation estimate to 6.5% with an upward bias, revised from its earlier target of 5%.

The estimate for FY10 gross domestic product (GDP) growth was left unchanged at 6.0% with an upward bias.

Also, the central bank cut its FY10 credit growth target to 18% from 20% that it had set in the July monetary policy review.

Stricter NPA norms

The RBI also asked banks to ensure that their total provisioning coverage ratio is not less than 70% and imposed a timeframe of September 2010 to achieve this target. The coverage ratio is a measure of the bank’s ability to absorb potential losses for non-performing assets (NPAs) and is arrived at by calculating the loan loss reserve balance with the total non-performing loans.

Most banks will thus to significantly raise the coverage ratio.

Realty loans tighter

Among one of the discernible decisions that the RBI took in its review, it increased the provisioning requirement for advances to the commercial real estate sector classified as ‘standard assets’ from the present level of 0.40% to 1%, a move that makes lending to the sector tougher. “In view of large increase in credit to the commercial real estate sector over the last one year and the extent of restructured advances in this sector, it would be prudent to build cushion against likely non-performing assets,” the RBI said.

RBI view

“There has been a discernible improvement in the global economic outlook since the First Quarter Review in July 2009,” RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said, in his review statement. “In India too, there are definitive indications of the economy reverting to the growth track. Accordingly, attention around the world, as also inIndia, has shifted from managing the crisis to managing the recovery.”

Subbarao admitted that India faced a unique dilemma that developed nations did not face — that of inflation: “First, most of these countries do not face an immediate risk of inflation. Indeed, in several advanced economies, the concerns were about a possible deflation, which are just about waning. On the other hand,India is actively confronted with an upturn in inflation.”

The governor said that, around the world, timing an exit from the stimulus packages was leading to an “active and animated” debate. “The ‘exit’ is a central issue in our policy matrix too. As the Reserve Bank has indicated in several public statements, our current monetary stance is not the steady state and we need to reverse the expansionary stance,” he noted as he made cases for both beginning and deferring the monetary tightening.

Experts react

“We are very happy that the governor and the RBI have kept the main parameters of the policy intact. This is what we had hoped for,” Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla said. “The composite number of inflation is expected to be about 6% by the end of March 2010. That is something, which will be kept in mind by the policymakers both here as well as the RBI as they have mentioned in their policy statement.”

Reacting to the monetary policy, HDFC Bank’s Chief Economist Abheek Barua said the hike in SLR would support the large borrowing programme of the Centre and states. “I see the RBI hiking the CRR in December 2009 or January 2010,” he said.

The RBI upping the provision for lending to real estate will affect affordable housing, realty projects, HDIL said. “We will have to up prices to nullify the RBI hike,” a clearly distraught HDIL said.

CBI team leaves for US, Mauritius for Satyam probe

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:29:00 +0000

A CBI team has left for Mauritius and the United States to probe alleged diversion of funds by disgraced Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju to these countries.

Funds were re-routed back to India via European countries as "investments" in nearly 300 alleged fictitious companies floated in the name of his relatives, official sources said.

The CBI team, which is probing the Rs 10,000-crore accounting fraud at Satyam Computer Services, has found during its investigations that Raju had diverted big amounts to Mauritius-- a tax haven --from where the money was brought back to India via several European countries, sources said.

They said the money was routed back to India through some banks in the United Kingdom and the remittances to these banks were made from these tax havens. Raju is alleged to have transferred money in several salary accounts into fixed deposits in four banks and transferred them to banks in Mauritius.

The money was ultimately routed through Lakeside Investments and Lakeview Investment companies to front companies, including Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Conflict Management

What is on this page?

1. What do organisations use conflict management for?

2. Important things to know about "conflict" and "conflict management"

- The differences between "competition" and "conflict"
- Common causes of conflict
- Conflict between individuals
- Conflict between groups of people
- Conflict within a group of people

3. How to identify signs and stages of conflict

- "Disputes of right" and "disputes of interest"
- Stages of conflict
- Signs of conflict between individuals
- Signs of conflict between groups of people

4. How to build teamwork and co-operation (…and so minimise the possibility of conflict)

5. How to manage and resolve conflict situations

- Collective bargaining
- Conciliation
- The difference between mediation, arbitration and negotiation
- How to be an effective mediator
- How to run a mediation process

1. What do organizations use conflict management for?

For any organization to be effective and efficient in achieving its goals, the people in the organisation need to have a shared vision of what they are striving to achieve, as well as clear objectives for each team / department and individual. You also need ways of recognising and resolving conflict amongst people, so that conflict does not become so serious that co-operation is impossible. All members of any organisation need to have ways of keeping conflict to a minimum - and of solving problems caused by conflict, before conflict becomes a major obstacle to your work. This could happen to any organisation, whether it is an NGO, a CBO, a political party, a business or a government.

Conflict management is the process of planning to avoid conflict where possible and organising to resolve conflict where it does happen, as rapidly and smoothly as possible.

2. Important things to know about "conflict" and "conflict management":

The differences between "competition" and "conflict"

"Competition" usually brings out the best in people, as they strive to be top in their field, whether in sport, community affairs, politics or work. In fact, fair and friendly competition often leads to new sporting achievements, scientific inventions or outstanding effort in solving a community problem. When competition becomes unfriendly or bitter, though, conflict can begin - and this can bring out the worst in people.

Common causes of conflict

Causes or sources of organisational conflict can be many and varied. The most common causes are the following:

scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)
different attitudes, values or perceptions
disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests
poor communication
poor or inadequate organisational structure
lack of teamwork
lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities

Conflict between individual

People have differing styles of communication, ambitions, political or religious views and different cultural backgrounds. In our diverse society, the possibility of these differences leading to conflict between individuals is always there, and we must be alert to preventing and resolving situations where conflict arises.

Conflict between groups of people

Whenever people form groups, they tend to emphasise the things that make their group "better than" or "different from" other groups. This happens in the fields of sport, culture, religion and the workplace and can sometimes change from healthy competition to destructive conflict.

Conflict within a group of people

Even within one organisation or team, conflict can arise from the individual differences or ambitions mentioned earlier; or from rivalry between sub-groups or factions. All leaders and members of the organisation need to be alert to group dynamics that can spill over into conflict.

3. How to identify signs and stages of conflict

"Disputes of right" and "disputes of interest"

Especially in the workplace, two main types of disputes have been noted (although these two types may also happen in other situations). These are:

"disputes of right", where people or groups are entitled by law, by contract, by previous agreement or by established practice to certain rights. Disputes of right will focus on conflict issues such as employment contracts, legally enforceable matters or unilateral changes in accepted or customary practices. A dispute of rights is, therefore, usually settled by legal decision or arbitration and not by negotiation.
"disputes of interest", where the conflict may be a matter of opinion, such as where a person or group is entitled to some resources or privileges (such as access to property, better working conditions, etc). Because there is no established law or right, a dispute of interest will usually be solved through collective bargaining or negotiation.

Stages of conflict

The handling of conflict requires awareness of its various developmental stages. If leaders in the situation can identify the conflict issue and how far it has developed, they can sometimes solve it before it becomes much more serious. Typical stages include:

where potential for conflict exists - in other words where people recognise that lack of resources, diversity of language or culture may possible result in conflict if people are not sensitive to the diversity.
latent conflict where a competitive situation could easily spill over into conflict - e.g. at a political rally or in the workplace where there are obvious differences between groups of people.
open conflict - which can be triggered by an incident and suddenly become real conflict.
aftermath conflict - the situation where a particular problem may have been resolved but the potential for conflict still exists. In fact the potential may be even greater than before, if one person or group perceives itself as being involved in a win-loose situation.

Signs of conflict between individuals

In the organisation leaders and members should be alert to signs of conflict between colleagues, so that they can be proactive in reducing or resolving the conflict by getting to the root of the issue. Typical signs may include:

colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each other
contradicting and bad-mouthing one another
deliberately undermining or not co-operating with each other, to the downfall of the team

Signs of conflict between groups of people

Similarly, leaders and members can identify latent conflict between groups of people in the organisation or the community and plan action before the conflict becomes open and destructive:

cliques or factions meeting to discuss issues separately, when they affect the whole organisation
one group being left out of organising an event which should include everybody
groups using threatening slogans or symbols to show that their group is right and the others are wrong

4. How to build teamwork and co-operation (…and so minimise the possibility of conflict)

Teamwork and co-operation are essential in an organisation which aims to be effective and efficient, and not likely to be divided by conflicting factions. The best teamwork usually comes from having a shared vision or goal, so that leaders and members are all committed to the same objectives and understand their roles in achieving those objectives. Important behaviours in achieving teamwork and minimising potential conflict include a commitment by team members to:

share information by keeping people in the group up-to-date with current issues
express positive expectations about each other
empower each other - publicly crediting colleagues who have performed well and encouraging each other to achieve results
team-build - by promoting good morale and protecting the group's reputation with outsiders
resolve potential conflict - by bringing differences of opinion into the open and facilitating resolution of conflicts

5. How to manage and resolve conflict situations

Collective bargaining

Especially in workplace situations, it is necessary to have agreed mechanisms in place for groups of people who may be antagonistic (e.g. management and workers) to collectively discuss and resolve issues. This process is often called "collective bargaining", because representatives of each group come together with a mandate to work out a solution collectively. Experience has shown that this is far better than avoidance or withdrawal, and puts democratic processes in place to achieve "integrative problem solving", where people or groups who must find ways of co-operating in the same organisation, do so within their own agreed rules and procedures.

Conciliation

The dictionary defines conciliation as "the act of procuring good will or inducing a friendly feeling". South African labour relations legislation provides for the process of conciliation in the workplace, whereby groups who are in conflict and who have failed to reach agreement, can come together once again to attempt to settle their differences. This is usually attempted before the more serious step of a strike by workers or a lock-out by management is taken; and it has been found useful to involve a facilitator in the conciliation process. Similarly, any other organisation (e.g. sports club, youth group or community organisation) could try conciliation as a first step.

The difference between negotiation, mediation, and arbitration

Three methods of resolving situations that have reached the stage of open conflict are often used by many different organisations. It is important to understand these methods, so that people can decide which methods will work best for them in their specific conflict situation:

Negotiation: this is the process where mandated representatives of groups in a conflict situation meet together in order to resolve their differences and to reach agreement. It is a deliberate process, conducted by representatives of groups, designed to reconcile differences and to reach agreements by consensus. The outcome is often dependent on the power relationship between the groups. Negotiations often involve compromise - one group may win one of their demands and give in on another. In workplaces Unions and management representative usually sue negotiations to solve conflicts. Political and community groups also often use this method.
Mediation: when negotiations fail or get stuck, parties often call in and independent mediator. This person or group will try to facilitate settlement of the conflict. The mediator plays an active part in the process, advises both or all groups, acts as intermediary and suggests possible solutions. In contrast to arbitration (see below) mediators act only in an advisory capacity - they have no decision-making powers and cannot impose a settlement on the conflicting parties. Skilled mediators are able to gain trust and confidence from the conflicting groups or individuals.
Arbitration: means the appointment of an independent person to act as an adjudicator (or judge) in a dispute, to decide on the terms of a settlement. Both parties in a conflict have to agree about who the arbitrator should be, and that the decision of the arbitrator will be binding on them all. Arbitration differs from mediation and negotiation in that it does not promote the continuation of collective bargaining: the arbitrator listens to and investigates the demands and counter-demands and takes over the role of decision-maker. People or organisations can agree on having either a single arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators whom they respect and whose decision they will accept as final, in order to resolve the conflict.

How to be an effective mediator

An effective mediator needs certain skills in order to achieve credibility and results:

preferably a proven record of success in mediation or negotiation
the ability to gain the trust, acceptance and co-operation of conflicting parties
clear thinking in identifying the real problems and offering practical solutions
knowledgeable about the organisational structures, strategies and attitudes of the conflicting parties; as well as any relevant laws or agreements
tactful and diplomatic with the necessary powers of persuasion and strong character to nudge the participants progressively towards an agreement.

How to run a mediation process

The mediation process can be broadly divided into the following three stages:

Stage 1: Introduction and establishment of credibility

During the first stage, the mediator plays a passive role. The main task is to gain the trust and acceptance of the conflicting parties, so that they begin to believe that he/she will be capable of assisting them fairly as a person on whom they can rely at all times. An experienced mediator will leave most of the talking to the disputing parties, but will listen attentively and ask probing questions to pinpoint the causes of the dispute, obstacles to a possible settlement and to identify the issues in order of priority. Once credibility is achieved and sufficient background knowledge gained, the mediator may begin to persuade the parties to resume negotiations, possibly with a fresh perspective.

Stage 2: Steering the negotiation process

In the second stage, the mediator intervenes more actively in steering the negotiations. He/she may offer advice to the parties, attempt to establish the actual resistance point of each party and to discover areas in which compromises could be reached. The mediator will encourage parties to put forward proposals and counter-proposals and (when a solution appears feasible) will begin to urge or even pressurise the participants towards acceptance of a settlement.

Stage 3: Movement towards a final settlement

An experienced mediator will know when to use diplomacy and when to exert pressure towards final settlement of the dispute. Timing and sensitivity to personalities and strategic positions is important to maintain credibility and avoid rejection by one or more parties in the process. He/she might use bi-lateral discussions with individuals or groups and during the final stages may actually suggest or draft proposals for consideration. In the event of a final settlement being reached, the mediator usually assists the parties in the drafting of their agreement, ensuring that both sides are satisfied with the wording, terms and conditions of the agreement.

The process of mediation is dynamic and finely-tuned. A good mediator has to be flexible and inventive, must ensure that his/her personal values are not imposed on the conflicting parties. At most a mediator can advise, persuade or cajole them towards agreement.

Bourses may extend trade hours

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:41:00 +0000

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Friday permitted the stock exchanges to extend their trading hours but within the time frame of 9 am and 5 pm in the cash and derivatives segment.

In a circular to the stock exchanges, clearing houses and clearing corporations Sebi executive director, Mr J.N.Gupta, said that the other condition was that the exchanges have in place risk management system and infrastructure commensurate to the trading hours.

There had been a long standing demand for extension of trading hours at least for the index futures as there was a huge migration of business to the Singapore Stock Exchange and the SGX Nifty invariably sets the trends for the Indian markets as the Singapore market open two and a half hours earlier than the Indian stock markets.

Market participants and the stock exchanges feel that extending trading time would put a strain on their infrastructure and also increase costs.

While the BSE was non-committal about when it would extend its trading hours, the NSE MD and CEO, Mr Ravi Narain, said that it could be done “soon.”

Hardy abandons exploration in one D9 well of KG basin

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Oct. 23 It took one piece of bad news from its favourite hunting ground, the Krishna-Godavari Basin, to send the Reliance Industries stock plummeting nearly four per cent on Friday to Rs 2,047.30 from Rs 2,133.55.

The company has a 90:10 joint venture with Hardy Oil and Gas of the UK for exploratory work in the KG D9 block. Earlier in the day, Hardy communicated to the London Stock Exchange that it would have to “abandon” the first exploration well, KGD9-A1, in the block after encountering “poor reservoir sands”.

Hardy stock dips

In the process, the Hardy stock crashed 36 per cent on the London Stock Exchange and had its fallout in the RIL scrip back home. Incidentally, Hardy operates in the block through its wholly-owned arm, Hardy Exploration & Production (India) Inc.

The well will now be plugged, with drilling due on at least three more. RIL, meanwhile, reiterated that there was no move to abandon the entire exercise at the block. “Any rumour of RIL surrendering this block is completely baseless and unsubstantiated,” the company said in a press release. There is a commitment to drill three more wells in this block, it added.

According to RIL, the well had encountered sands at both the “upper and lower Miocence target levels” and that the data obtained from this first well were significant. This would be integrated with the “existing geological model” to improve the understanding of the geology and petroleum system within the block before drilling subsequent wells.

“RIL remains committed to pursuing the exploration campaign within this block and will incorporate data and information from this well to upgrade the prospect inventory for drilling of three more wells,” the company said.

According to sources, the news hit market sentiment in a big way simply because there were huge expectations from the well.

Agency reports, in fact, said that Hardy had predicted potential gas reserves of 10.8 trillion cubic feet and oil reserves of nearly 150 million barrels which had only fuelled investor expectations.

From the market’s point of view, the KG Basin could do no wrong especially in the context of the hefty gas find on the D6 block where RIL along with Niko of Canada have reported a substantial discovery.

“It is not as if every well will yield oil or gas. World over, companies go through their own ups and downs in exploration and production. This is all part of the game and there is no need to panic,” sources said.

SHARE TRADING HELP

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Just like any profession, you must first have to learn that fundamentals of share trading before you decide to pursue it. Though most people start trading the Australian Share Market with $2000, you can get started with only $500. Before you delve into the basics of shared trading, it will be better if you read this article about share trading help ask yourself these important questions:
· What do I want to achieve from share trading?
· What kind of returns do I expect?
· Am I being realistic?
· Am I prepared to follow rules and systems of share trading strictly?
· How much money am I prepared to risk in share trading dealings?
Remember to be truthful as much as possible when answering these questions. You, of course, do not want to fool your own self.

A very important share trading fundamental is the amount of time you will be spending in the market. In line with time, you may also want to think about other essential factors like opportunity costs and interest repayment costs. The length of time, it goes without saying, you are willing to spend in the market is largely dependent on the people you will deal with. Mostly, trading stocks involve a short time frame but do remember that there are trading systems that can run for a longer period of time.

Aside from time and cost considerations, it is of grave importance that you focus on share trading help concerning tax implications. If, someday, your market trading activities go along with the criteria laid out by your taxation department, your professional share trading may be labeled as a type of business. When this happens, be certain that you heed professional advice from your accountant regarding tax issues related to share trading.

Apart from tax implications, you should also be mindful of liquidity when share trading. Liquidity is very important in share trading because it determines easy enter and exits as you please. Almost all stocks on the Australian Share Market are liquid; few are only illiquid. Most stocks that are liquid are normally in the tops 10,100 or 200 companies of the stock market. These companies would most likely belong to the Australian Stock Exchange 100 and 200 rankings.

The last share trading help you need to remember is that you and only you are accountable for the security of your financial future and share trading. You should be the one controlling the amount of risk in your trade and remember that any kind of loss, you might experience must be followed by a strict trading plan. Keep in mind that the share market does not have any say on how much you will lose. By deciding how much money you are willing to invest, you dictate the possible amount of money you can lose.

SHARE TRADING TECHNIQUES

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:23:00 +0000

While perusing through one of my trading books, I came upon some fascinating facts that were very thought provoking, so I will pass them on to you.The authocr is “Daryl Guppy” a well established author and successful trader as well.He stated, that over time he noticed that once a share magazine was published that the stocks that were recommended by the magazine went into an uptrend, because the readers took notice of the tips given and bought them. Here are the statistics.1. One month after publication 90% of the stocks mentioned were still in an uptrend.2. Two months after publication 80% were still in an uptrend.3. Three months after publication only around 45% were still in an uptrend.Obviously it pays to buy the magazines each month and buy the shares mentioned.But I personally would be watching them very closely and would be hanging on to them only till my preset profit level had been reached and I definitely would be out after a 5-6 weeks.They would still have to qualify to my buying strategy in the first place if not I would not touch them at all.Now a hint for you here, How I trial my” New Ideas” out is by “Paper trading.” That way I am not risking any of my money in something that I am not 100% sure of.

If you want to paper trade the places I use are www.asx.com.au and www.sharecafe.com.au both are free sites and you can find free information there as well.Becoming a “Dividend Stripper.”An interesting thing I found out was that apart from being share trader I have also become a “Dividend Stripper.” I shall explain this further as to what I do occasionally.A dividend stripper is a trader who buys shares to qualify for the oncoming dividend and then sells shortly afterwards.You buy before the “Ex Dividend” then you can sell the next day. Making sure of course you have the dates right in the first place.But to qualify for the “Franking Credits” you need to own them for 45 plus 2 days.1day for buying, 1day for selling plus 45 days = 47 days. Anything less and you miss out on those franking credits.An interesting thing to note is that a stock’s share price invariably falls usually by the amount of the dividend paid after the ex dividend date expires. Another trick is to buy the stock 2-3 weeks earlier in the hope that the share price goes up prior to ex = dividend.A Warning About IPO’s.The market seems to be inundated with IPO’S (Initial public offering) these new companies all seem predominately to be in the mining sector.All eager to get in on the current “minerals boom”A few opened up higher than the initial entry price. Most seem to be exploration of some sort or other.

The flavors of the month are usually oil or uranium.These are of course classified as “Speculative Stocks.”Which can mean that once the cash has dried up and they haven’t found anything, they then have to either raise more cash or shut shop? And your cash has gone with them.The rags to riches stories are many, but the road is littered with the crushed hopes and dreams of the unwary investors.All are searching for that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.So be wary, do your research, and don’t jump in blind. Be an informed investor.If it looks to be too good to be true then it usually is.

SHARE TIPS

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:45:00 +0000

Who don't want to win in any game specially if it is related with business? Now-a-days mind game has also been equally important as ground play , in every game whether it is cricket, hockey or soccer (remember that Final between Italy and Germeny , Zinedin Zidan was out of the game, It can be said that it was totaly a part of mind game of the opposite team. ) By the way, here We are gathered to discuss Game of trading and measure some points to consider to register a definite win in Stock Market.

The world of trading and invesment can be as frustrating as it can be rewarding! You need to be prepared...
Firstly, decide if you are a trader or an investor.

You need to study the market yourself - not just rely on 'reading the news', or listening to others advice and tips.

Ensure that you 'manage' your money and keep some in reserve.

If you decide to become a trader - to win - you must have a survival strategy...
Have the ability to quickly identify failures as well as successes.

Stock Market trading appeals to those who are a little adventurous - rather than just placing their capital into bricks and mortar.

An investor is someone who enters the stock market inadvertently - usually via their super annuation policies. A trader is someone who makes a decision to buy and sell shares via the stock market. This can be done online or by using the services of a stock broker.

Take advantage of technology - computers, software, electronic data - all at your finger tips. Seek out charting software and appropriate internet sites - they are plentiful.

last but not the least - be mindful that portfolio values are less stable than real estate as they are continually moving up and down.

However - investing in the Stock Market means that you are putting your money to work - be aware, and enjoy the gains!

HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS

noreply@blogger.com (sr7189) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:31:00 +0000

What has happened to those who have tried and tried many things online onlty to feel failure. Why cannot there be a way to teach people how to make money online in ine ease simple way that will give you all the tools and traing. After I had seen some success with online sales I discovered that not many people are setting people up to succeed. But I have found a business model that will do that. What if I could find a business that offers all the hottest niches in the internet kingdom. How about a busines odel that would go over the top in training and showing you step by step how to make money and be successful and that you could take all their knowledge and use it in any business. That's the business the internet needs. So the first way to help your online business is to get a review of the business's that go toward something you like to sell. The niche has to be something your passionate about and that you love to share with the world.There are some seraches you can do through your favorite search engine and type the word research into the found niche you will find all you need to know about that niche and what the competition is doing. Start to journal your journey. Implore the thoughts of those who have already been successful seek out blogs that talk about it and ask questions on the blogs before you knwo it you will have a sea of practicle information you need to continue on.

Online marketing and offline sales are the greatest way to increase your money making abilities. I have helped many people go from where they are to where they want to go in a little time because they learned how the law of success works.