Business

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor In the UK we may live in a more multi-cultural society but according to one academic a “little Englander mentality” still exists, harming the British economy. Dr Steve McCabe, Business expert at Birmingham City University made the statement following calls from MPs to improve the teaching of modern languages. An All-Party Parliamentary Group on modern languages wants to see a "national recovery programme" to improve language skills. They urged all parties to make an election...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The King's Cross project is the largest area of urban redevelopment in Europe and it will include the largest new street in London since Kingsway in 1904; the largest public square since Trafalgar Square in 1845. An increase in tenant demand, from both creative companies and large corporations, has seen a recent explosion in the number of business centres in Kings Cross. With 10 serviced offices having recently opened, Instant - who deliver innovative workspace...

  By Robin Murray Brown of London-based executive search firm, Tyzack - www.tyzackpartners.com Whilst the digital era provides substantial opportunities for corporate growth and expansion, it also brings unprecedented challenges in relation to company security, and particularly the security of customer, supplier and proprietary data. It has been suggested that victims of cybercrime lose around £245 billion each year worldwide, making it more profitable than the global trade in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined.Little wonder then that the cyber threat...

These are the top ten properties for July 2014, all prices are according to Zoopla. Prices are up, so sadly you will be getting less for your money than last month…  10. £160,000, 1 bed flat, 1 Arboretum, Barking, Essex IG11 Flat with communal gardens with open plan reception room. The kitchen is fitted with a contemporary range of base and high level units. The bedroom has mirror fronted wardrobes providing hanging and storage space. http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/33309301 9. £160,00, 1 bed...

By Joe Mellor Deputy Editor Last week a group of MPs and peers have called for an overhaul of the way the rental industry is run to provide better protection for families who do not own their own home. Well until that is sorted out (don’t hold your breath) www.rentalraters.com are the TripAdvisor of the rental market, to alert you to dodgy landlords. It is an on-line community that praises the best and (literally) rubbishes the worst. We have compiled...

By Jack Peat  In an information economy where our personal data is wilfully publicised, recorded and used for political and corporate gain, the question of whether we are living the prophesied dystopian theories of Nineteen Eighty-Four is more poignant than ever. George Orwell’s timeless work paints a frightening picture of official deception, secret surveillance and manipulation of history by a totalitarian, authoritarian state. A world where language is a heretic tool that be controlled and used. Words with negative meanings...

By Toby James The Illusion Of Choice And Big Business’s Position In Food And Drink There is a lot of money in necessities. The food and drink industry commands vast amounts of capital, yet much of this is under the control of a surprisingly small number of brands. Coca-Cola claims ownership of at least 13 other brands, each the king of its respective sector of the soft drinks industry. Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Schweppes. Many of these brands have ‘diet’ or...

By Sally Waterston, director of Business and IT Consultancy Waterstons Limited Everything goes in cycles; fashion, the weather, Information Technology and even manufacturing. It feels sometimes as if we are like a pendulum as a country, racing after the next new thing and piling all our hopes on it in the name of strategy and forward thinking. When we started this business in 1994 we had a few customers who offshored their production and seemed to be very successful at...

By Guy Dorrell @GuyDorrellEsq Pfizer’s abortive bid to take control of Astra Zenica in May 2014 was widely commented to have been motivated, at least in part, by Research and Development issues. More specifically, Pfizer has for some time relied upon the cash-cows of its existing products; bolstering its share price through attempting to increase sales, while driving out back-office costs. R&D is an expensive pursuit whatever the industry, though pharmaceutical companies seem to have an especially tough time. Around...