Industry

XeroSmall BusinessInsightsNew monthly report offers data that exists nowhere else, giving policy and industry decision makers a real time insight into the health and conditions of small businesses.

Xero (@Xero), the global leader in online accounting software, today unveiled Xero Small Business Insights, Australia’s most comprehensive picture of the conditions and health of small businesses.

Developed with support from global advisor KPMG Enterprise, Xero Small Business Insights will be updated monthly across five major pillars — cash flow, payments, employment, trading overseas and cloud adoption — based on anonymised and aggregated data selected from the half-million Australian subscribers using Xero.

automed apicta1The livestock medication platform, automed, has won the top award for Industry Application at the Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Alliance Awards (APICTA). It capped a successful night for Australia, whose team also took home four merit awards.

automed is an innovative livestock medication applicator that utilizes an operating system and mobile app to offer producers of beef, lamb, dairy, and pork the opportunity to manage their dosing better; creating more efficient operations that provide full traceability for markets that increasingly require greater transparency of product.

SEEK LogoNew job ads in Information & Communication Technology sector fuelled by strength of eastern states

SEEK new job ads in February 2016 are up 5.7 per cent compared to the same time last year

Growth in eastern states continues to offset declines in the west

Latest data from SEEK shows the number of new job ads increased 5.7 per cent from February 2015 year on year to February 2016. Buoying this increase are the eastern states, which show strong year on year growth. The two largest employing states New South Wales and Victoria are up 11.6 per cent and 6.8 per cent. Queensland has shown promising signs of recovering from the mining down turn with new job ads up 3.9 per cent over the 12 months and South Australia is up 7.7 per cent. Tasmania and ACT also posted strong year on year growth, up 10.7 per cent and 26.3 per cent respectively. 

markets crowdPick your products, enter in your name, delivery address and date of birth, receive your goods and worry about payment later.

That is the business model that Swedish e-commerce payment firm, Klarna, has used to gain a 40% share of the Swedish market, and is now taking into America.

SEEK LogoEmployment market up 6.1 per cent year on year to January 2016

Eastern states show stark contrast in opportunities compared to the west

Mining, Resources and Energy industry shows signs of life in New South Wales and Victoria

This month’s SEEK Employment Marketplace Report shows that the labour market remained steady month on month to January 2016 – however, beneath the surface of a seemingly still market there is a lot of movement in job advertising, particularly between the eastern and western states.

In the month of January alone Western Australia’s job ad volume fell 4.7 per cent when compared to December 2015. This represented the fifth consecutive monthly fall for the state.

 

startup meeting 641There has been a lot of bad press about directors over the years, but that hasn't stopped around 1 in 10 Australians becoming a board member of about 600,000 not for profits (NFP) in Australia.

So if you are really passionate about being involved, don't let the responsibilities put you off – just take the time to make sure you are prepared and then go out and do it.

shutterstock connectivityEntrepreneurs and business owners are expected to be connected and accessible like never before.

The ability to quickly respond to communications and updates is the key to success in today's competitive business environment.

Thanks to advances in technology, which range from in-car Wi-Fi to voice command systems, car manufacturers are now offering a diverse range of features to help us stay connected wherever we are.

davoodi 3Within every industry there are competing ideologies.

The solutions that will unify these views are rarely as simple as we'd wish them it to be.

The livestock industry is no exception, should we treat and manage livestock to prevent disease, or use medication to treat the disease after the animal has become infected?

It is clear that there is no consensus on this issue, the margins between different regulations in one country compared to another can be paper thin.

davoodi 1Last month, the beef industry in the United States had their largest annual convention in San Antonio Texas.

This large, multi-day event is organised by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

It includes a trade show, educational sessions, and meetings of several groups and committees all focused on the regulations and business of raising and selling cattle and beef.

This year's event was the 117th annual Expo, a rewarding and eye-opening experience deep in the heart of Texas!