Business and Economics

After Google introduced the world to its wacky slides a decade ago, a new era of interior office design was born. Many companies have since followed and started a kooky office trend, in hope of inspiring their staff and attracting the best talent – from the indoor forests of Fashion brand Misguided in Manchester, to the giant shoe house of Inventionland in the US. So can a kooky office really benefit your staff, or is it counterproductive? Office interior design...

A customer loyalty scheme can be used to build brand loyalty and generate repeat business. Customer loyalty programmes provider, Corporate Rewards explain how customer loyalty sign-up can also be a great way to motivate staff and provide a platform for continued high performance. Incentivise sign up Signing up customers to loyalty schemes allows them to be rewarded for repeat business and allows you to reap the reward of additional sales. Getting customers to sign up can be tricky, they might...

When the R&D tax credits scheme was brought in by the government in 2000, it was a welcome benefit for many businesses. However, HMRC statistics suggest up to 90% of companies could be missing out on what they’re owed. This could be through lack of understanding about the scheme or not even knowing it exists.   What are R&D Tax Credits? Intended as an incentive for UK businesses to become more globally competitive in the fields of Science and Technology,...

Technology is evolving a huge range of markets, and with automation and artificial intelligence beginning to take the limelight, there are a huge number of ways that this is affecting investment management. Investment management is extremely important when it comes to building up a successful portfolio across a range of assets, and reports of new technologies and software being introduced is said to making this easier than ever. Here, we’re taking a look at the changes in the industry and...

Research shows that Pallinghurst Resources Ltd, the private equity firm started up by the former boss of BHP Billiton Brain Gilbertson, has palmed off Fabergé by selling it for $142 million in shares to its own London AIM listed gemstone miner Gemfields plc (LON: GEM). This when Faberge had already clocked a $58 million loss over 4 years from 2009 to 2012, thus severely hurting minority public shareholder interests. Palinghurst, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is the investment vehicle...

Think of the stress you feel when you are behind in projects, and it seems as though you are spinning in circles getting nowhere. Now, imagine how amazing it feels when you accomplish a lot, emptying your workload and freeing yourself to do more fun things. Knowing that the projects lingering over your head are up-to-date and organized gives you a feeling of satisfaction and gratification. It’s when very little gets accomplished, and the to-do list keeps expanding- creating stress....

Much has been made of many young professionals moving from London to Berlin. Some have said it is Berlin’s internationalism, as well as strong economy and low rents, that make it so desirable. You don’t have to speak German to live there, but the German language itself is a hugely valuable attribute for British workers. So, if you are already a fluent speaker, or are looking to learn a new language, speaking German might just open up a whole selection...

The ONS have indicated that the sharp fall in the pound since Brexit has not helped boost exports in March. The trade deficit increased and industrial output contracted more than was forecast. The economy appears to be faltering and Brexit is to blame. It is feared that when the UK finally breaks from the EU, there could be a shocking collapse of the UK economy. The deal PM May secures with the EU is increasingly important, but the anti-European rhetoric...

2017 appears to be the year of big European elections. The Dutch and French have already had theirs, the UK’s is just around the corner and then the German federal election arrives in September. Even the Hungarian and Bulgarian presidential and parliamentary elections this year have generated plenty of media attention. For London, it’s the UK, French and German elections which will likely have a big impact on its economic outlook. From individual Oanda traders to local businesses and large...