Financial Mail articles from August 2008

Financial Mail archives from August 2008

Pointers: SOFT SKILLS.
August 29, 2008... Pointers SOFT SKILLS: The ability to communicate and interact productively with others.

Pointers: DIVIDEND.
August 29, 2008... Pointers DIVIDEND: A distribution of the profits of a company among its members or shareholders.

Pointers. TURNOVER.
August 29, 2008... Pointers TURNOVER: The total money value (volume) of all executed transactions in a given time period.

Pointers: IMPORT PARITY PRICE.
August 29, 2008... Pointers IMPORT PARITY PRICE: What a local purchaser would pay for a commodity on the world market, including delivery costs.

Why Bailey is on the ball.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger Why Bailey is on the ball For former England, Manchester United and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Gary Bailey, an MBA has not only improved his business skills, but helped disprove the theory that all sportsmen are...

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. Policy affirmed.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Carol Paton AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Policy affirmed Changing the racial composition of the workforce will be a long haul, says ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, and it is not likely that the policy of affirmative action will be...

Projects ripe for investment.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Kgomotso Mathe Projects ripe for investment Africa needs to spend at least US$40bn/year over the next 10 years to get its infrastructure on a par with other continents, according to estimates by the IMF. The New Partnership...

PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. Waiting for something.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Shoks Mzolo PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY Waiting for something When CE Jerome Smith took the top job at Enaleni more than a year ago, the investment community was clearly impressed. The stock came back from the doldrums, albeit...

Only disclose.
August 29, 2008... Byline: ANDRE FOURIE Only disclose As the fourth election approaches, the important issue of the corporate funding of political parties will again raise its head. It is critical that we conduct a constructive debate on this issue well...

Good times for builders.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Stephan Hofstatter Good times for builders Botswana's long expected infrastructure programme finally gets off the ground this year. Upgrading its infrastructure is a key leg of the country's efforts to become less reliant on...

Brent crude.
August 29, 2008... Crude oil prices swung wildly last week, jumping to US$122/bbl last Thursday only to erase most of these gains at the end of the week. The price of crude increased for three straight days aided by weakness in the dollar and on concern that...

INVESTIGATIVE POWERS. Enforcement agencies.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Jacqui Pile INVESTIGATIVE POWERS Enforcement agencies New consumer protection legislation sets up a number of enforcement agencies to facilitate quick redress for consumers. Taking its template from competition legislation, which...

Time to allay fears.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Larry Claasen Time to allay fears Winning over sophisticated customers will be a challenge WHAT IT MEANS Amount of data on offer with packages gives offerings a competitive advantage Mukul Sharma listens carefully as I explain a...

Get work smart.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Yusuf Mahomedy Get work smart Call it what you want the new work economy, the age of the knowledge worker or the connected economy it can transform your career, work and rewards. If you understand six fundamentals, you will...

WORKPLACE. The domino effect.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Natasha Joseph WORKPLACE The domino effect Is affirmative action robbing SA of postgraduate excellence? Once one degree an undergraduate degree is completed, the graduate is expected to head out and start making money, making a...

the blog.
August 29, 2008... A tough correlation Basic Economic Essentials A little-known professor at Colorado College called Daniel Johnson tried to determine whether economic variables could predict the medal winnings of each country in the now-ended Beijing Olympics....

SERVICE INDUSTRY. Chicken on the move.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Luphert Chilwane SERVICE INDUSTRY Chicken on the move Three young entrepreneurs have pooled their resources to open an affordable food outlet "We are able to get in touch with as many people as possible and our prices are very...

5 Essential Questions. Sifiso Moyo.
August 29, 2008... 5 EssentialQuestions When do you get up in the morning? I wake up at 5am, pray and prepare myself for the day. We open our business at 7am, but before that, we make sure that there is enough stock. How many people do you employ? Right...

Campus News.
August 29, 2008... Pretoria University has set up a centre to help police identify the victims of crime who are buried without their cases being solved. The Forensic Anthropology Centre, the only centre in SA involved in analysing skeletal remains, will also...

Win an iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle!
August 29, 2008... Win an iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle! If you haven't entered the FM Campus online survey yet, don't worry the 4GB iPod Nano and a 1GB iPod Shuffle, complete with iFreePlay cordless headphones, are still up for grabs! To be put in the iPod draw,...

Pointers: EXPROPRIATION.
August 29, 2008... Pointers EXPROPRIATION: The official seizure of private property by the government.

Pointers: MARKET SHARE.
August 29, 2008... Pointers MARKET SHARE: Proportion of sales in a market held by an individual brand.

EDUCATION. MBA graduates still sought after.
August 29, 2008... EDUCATION MBA graduates still sought after But is the degree programme really worth the hype? If you're planning on making your mark on the business world one day, you're probably already toying with the idea of doing a Master's in Business...

DIVIDENDS. The games corporates play.
August 29, 2008... DIVIDENDS The games corporates play SA investors' bonanza could be hurting the economy For those not familiar with the practice of owning and trading in shares and securities, here's a tip: the best stocks are not just the ones that increase...

LAND CLAIMS. Land owners not happy with prices.
August 29, 2008... LAND CLAIMS Land owners not happy with prices Tardy settlement of claims hampers investment efforts Predictability and consistency are key ingredients of a sound investment climate. But land owners in Limpopo are accusing land claims...

RETAIL. You scratch my back. . .
August 29, 2008... RETAIL You scratch my back. . . Retail company Woolworths invests in its suppliers Having a few great friends beats having a bunch of people you simply just associate with. The relationships you build with your fellow students on campus...

FOOD PRICES. Poor countries to feel the pinch.
August 29, 2008... FOOD PRICES Poor countries to feel the pinch Global import spending is likely to top US$1 trillion Have you started feeling the effects of global food price hikes? Take the burgers you eat, for example. The global import bill of the wheat...

MOBILE MARKET. Hello. . . we are still here.
August 29, 2008... MOBILE MARKET Hello. . . we are still here Cell network operator claws its way back to compete Unlike Vodacom (with its recent public share-offering bonanza) and MTN's impressive penetration of the African and emerging market economy, third...

Should a country's human rights record affect trade relationships?
August 29, 2008... Byline: Riaan Rossouw, Nkululeko Khumalo, Piet Olivier Should a country's human rights record be taken into account in trade relationships? Riaan Rossouw Senior economics lecturer, North-West University School of Economics In today's...

TALK ABOUT IT: MBA graduates.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)Considering SA's management skills shortage, should government subsidise business schools? 2)How would such a subsidy benefit the country as a whole, rather than the individual student? 3)How can business use its skills to...

TALK ABOUT IT: Dividends.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)Why is it a good thing for a country's firms and individuals to save? 2)Should company dividends be highly taxed by government? 3)How does a high household-debt ratio negatively affect the current account of a country?

TALK ABOUT IT: Land claims.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)How important is a stable property rights regime for investment? 2)Where there is a land price dispute, should the final decision rest with the executive or the courts? 3)What are the long-term effects of inefficiency in the...

TALK ABOUT IT: Retail.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)What is the one thing that suppliers get wrong that renders their services useless? 2)Why is it so important to have a sound supply-chain management system in a company? 3)How does Woolworths distinguish itself from other...

TALK ABOUT IT: Food prices.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)Why would the food import bill of developed countries be lower than that of developing countries? 2)What economic dynamics are bringing food prices down in SA? How are they doing so? 3)What supply- and demand-side factors...

TALK ABOUT IT: Mobile Market.
August 29, 2008... TALK ABOUT IT: 1)Is having a bigger market share a definitive indication of great performance for a company? 2)What options are available to a company looking to improve its earnings? 3)Why is average revenue per user an important tool for...

A sense of community.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Luphert Chilwane A sense of community Rejane Woodroffe finds balance through her high-flying corporate career and development work Award-winning economist and rural community activist Rejane Woodroffe is all about upliftment. The...

LAW. Legal eagle.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Jonathan du Preez LAW Legal eagle A candidate attorney's passion for the unpredictable led him to the law I wanted to do something dynamic; something where I was experiencing 'real-life' situations It was more difficult than FM...

5 Essential Questions. Edward James.
August 29, 2008... 5 EssentialQuestions What have you liked least about being a candidate attorney? The Practical Legal Training night classes you have to attend at university for the first six months. How do you unwind? I spend time with my girlfriend or...

Let the inflation debate begin.
August 29, 2008... Let the inflation debate begin If there is a consensus on inflation targeting, it is that it has helped make monetary policy more consistent and transparent. Until recently, it also reduced and anchored inflation expectations. But over the...

Another case of all that glisters ...
August 29, 2008... Another case of all that glisters... The embarrassment at listed gaming company Gold Reef over a ridiculous share option scheme for executives (see page 76) is just the latest case to come to light. There must be a few remuneration...

ENTREPRENEUR. Hoping deals will flow.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Kgomotso Mathe ENTREPRENEUR Hoping deals will flow After having worked for various asset financing institutions, including WesBank and Siemens Asset Finance, Kagiso Mosoang, 32, took a bold step last year and started his own...

Did you hear? Prizewinners.
August 29, 2008... YOU COULD WIN a prize or cash by sending news snippets, wit and gossip to Did You Hear? The best two entries each week will win a Protea Hotel weekend in SA for two. Other published entries win R200. Please include your name, address and...

POWER THEFT. Who will pay?
August 29, 2008... Byline: Razina Munshi and Luphert Chilwane POWER THEFT Who will pay? Electricity, for many poor township residents, is a luxury they cannot pay for. And they shouldn't have to, says Silumko Radebe, national co-ordinator of the...

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Kahn's 80/20 vision.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Peter Honey WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Kahn's 80/20 vision It's been 11 years since Meyer Kahn grasped the baton in business's seemingly incessant sprint to fix the SA Police Service, with depressingly obscure results. These days he...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Brim full of principle.
August 29, 2008... Byline: JUSTICE MALALA FOOD FOR THOUGHT Brim full of principle ****1/2Wild Olive 14 Gleneagles Road, Greenside. Tel: (011) 402-7709. *****Excellent; ****Terrific; ***Good ; **Vladimir Putin; *Russia The problem is that we are a...

CINEMA. The saddest story.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Peter Wilhelm CINEMA The saddest story We are left in a moral abyss, adrift in a cold and cruel universe Reservation Road. Directed by Terry George. Lead roles: Joaquin Phoenix; Mark Ruffalo; Jennifer Connolly; Mira...

ACCOUNTING IN ZIM. Coping with zeros.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Jacqui Pile ACCOUNTING IN ZIM Coping with zeros Accountants in Zimbabwe are battling to report financial statements accurately in a country in economic free fall. With official inflation at about 11,2m%, the Zim dollar is losing...

Another Week.
August 29, 2008... Another Week AT HOME BHP Billiton seeks an urgent application to prevent commercial information over its bid for Rio Tinto falling into government hands. Unbundled Adcock Ingram returns to the JSE after nine years, trading nearly 4m...

101. Asset bubble.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Claire Bisseker What is an asset bubble? When the price of an asset gets well ahead of that which can be explained by its fundamental value. They develop through overexuberance, often caused by a drop in interest rates. As the...

Is WiMax dead?
August 29, 2008... Byline: Duncan McLeod Is WiMax dead? For years, WiMax has been held up as something of a panacea, a technology that would finally deliver ubiquitous and cheap wireless broadband, especially in emerging markets. But it's taken so long to...

COMINGS & GOINGS.
August 29, 2008... COMINGS & GOINGS Tracey CohenThe respected former Icasa councillor has joined second network operator Neotel as head of regulatory affairs. At Icasa she developed regulatory frameworks that should soon have a bearing on telecom costs. ...

INTERNATIONAL TRENDS. Demand as strong as ever.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger INTERNATIONAL TRENDS Demand as strong as ever Staff at Harvard Business School shared cake and drinks this year to mark the centenary of what is popularly supposed to have been the birth of the MBA. According...

WHAT MY MBA DID FOR ME. Eye on the prize.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger WHAT MY MBA DID FOR ME Eye on the prize There is no doubt the MBA is the most sought-after qualification in business. But has it lost its worth? Are standards dropping? Is it a good investment or just a...

QUALITY CONTROL. More than a piece of paper.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger QUALITY CONTROL More than a piece of paper Having set strict MBA standards four years ago in a move that stripped several institutions of the right to offer the qualification, the Council on Higher Education (CHE)...

Take nothing for granted.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger Take nothing for granted Though lacking capacity to manage wholesale reaccreditation, executive director Lis Lange says the higher education quality committee (HEQC) will continue to decide on new and revised MBA...

One-stop MBA shop.
August 29, 2008... One-stop MBA shop The annual one-stop shop to learn about MBA programmes available in SA takes place next week at the Sandton Sun in Johannesburg. The Business School Expo, organised by the SA Business Schools Association, is on...

THE RANKINGS GRADUATES. Be sure of your motives.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger THE RANKINGS GRADUATES Be sure of your motives MBAs are seen as magic passwords to promotion and better pay WHAT IT MEANS. Schools modernising MBA programmes. Degree does not guarantee success You must...

PROFILE NELSON MANDELA METRO UNIVERSITY. In search of identity.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger PROFILE NELSON MANDELA METRO UNIVERSITY In search of identity It's almost a year since the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) business school moved into its own headquarters in historic buildings in...

Standing his ground.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger Standing his ground Zingile Dingani, the secretary to parliament, says he embarked on an MBA to gain skills that would give him more confidence in the political environment in which he works. It clearly worked....

Hands-on approach to business.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger Hands-on approach to business Andrew Phillips doesn't suggest for a moment that, without his MBA from Wits Business School, he would not have entered the adult entertainment business. But it certainly gave him the...

NEW DEVELOPMENTS. All change for Henley.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Furlonger NEW DEVELOPMENTS All change for Henley Its new relationship with Reading University in the UK will allow Henley Management College to increase its SA activities, says local MD Fran Connaway. The SA...

Did you hear.
August 29, 2008... Bill and Hillary Clinton are driving in the country near Hillary's hometown. Bill stops at a gas station. The attendant comes out and looks into the window. Hey Hillary, we used to date in high school. Do you remember me? he asks. They talk...

Silly season again.
August 29, 2008... Byline: NAZMEERA MOOLA Silly season again As I was enjoying the wonderful spectacle of the Olympics last Saturday, the TV channel was abruptly changed as my husband unilaterally decided that the rugby was more important than the women's...

Puppet for loopy Left.
August 29, 2008... Byline: BARNEY MTHOMBOTHI Puppet for loopy Left There is no doubt that the judiciary, the rock on which a sustainable democracy is built, is facing a relentless attack from those whose future prospects depend on Jacob Zuma assuming the...

EXTRADITION LAW. Cross-border imbroglio.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Jacqui Pile EXTRADITION LAW Cross-border imbroglio SA's extradition law has been thrown into confusion, complicating the efforts of prosecutors in high-profile cases to bring fugitives back from abroad to stand trial, or expel...

CELL C. Ready for a fight.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Duncan McLeod CELL C Ready for a fight Cell C, which has always been seen as a laggard in SA's cellphone industry, is finally starting to gain ground on its bigger, better-funded rivals: in the past year it has clawed away some...

GIMME. Hi-def heaven.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Duncan McLeod GIMME Hi-def heaven High-definition (HD) television has finally arrived in SA. MultiChoice at the weekend launched M-Net HD, a general-purpose entertainment channel broadcasting in much higher clarity than any of...

MINE SAFETY. Tougher sanctions.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Thebe Mabanga MINE SAFETY Tougher sanctions WHAT IT MEANS. R1m fine or five years' jail proposed. Chamber calls for balance Mining house bosses found to have ignored safety regulations face the prospect of R1m fines or...

THE PLACE TO BE OR NOT TO BE. Equestrian scuffles.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Desne Masie THE PLACE TO BE OR NOT TO BE Equestrian scuffles Annual BMW International Polo Series Where: Inanda. Mood: Posh & dangerous Polo is the most risky contact sport in the world, with horses on a 100km/h collision...

INVESTMENTS. Going like a train.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Razina Munshi and Sven Lunsche INVESTMENTS Going like a train Infrastructure investment will continue to underpin the economy, despite the power crisis and political uncertainty. Nedbank's biannual capital expenditure report...

THE ECONOMY. Onus on corporate SA.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Claire Bisseker THE ECONOMY Onus on corporate SA The blame for SA's high current account deficit, low savings rate and the credit binge that caused it all is usually placed squarely on the greedy consumer. The medicine that this...

IN MY OPINION. The slow oil shock.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Campbell Parry IN MY OPINION The slow oil shock Most economies seem to be riding the volatile oil market quite well. But Vunani Securities director says bigger challenges are to come Oil prices recently climbed to their highest...

LAND CLAIMS AND CONSERVATION. Confidence eroded.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Stephan Hofstatter LAND CLAIMS AND CONSERVATION Confidence eroded Bungled land restitution efforts are wreaking havoc in the Waterberg, a wilderness destination that once attracted a stream of well-heeled nature lovers from SA...

FOOD PRICES. The high cost of eating.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Shannon Sherry FOOD PRICES The high cost of eating The global food import bill will rocket past the US$1trillion mark this year a further 26% rise on the record food bill of last year and poorer countries will shoulder most of...

RETAIL INDUSTRY. Exacting standards.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Sasha Planting RETAIL INDUSTRY Exacting standards Woolworths's success is based on long-term relations with its suppliers WHAT IT MEANS Woolworths has a steady supplier base It has teams of scientists developing new products...

Armchair critic.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Lerato Kojoana Armchair critic You talk of (Editor's Note August 22) our truly sad performances at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The writing should have been on the wall when Oscar Pistorius, a paralympic athlete, launched a...

It's time for action.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Leon van Wyk It's time for action I read with interest the article criticising the Harvard panel (Features August 8) and the three letters giving the contrary view. There are those who appear to favour the services sector to hold...

RUGBY. Going backwards fast.
August 29, 2008... Byline: David Williams RUGBY Going backwards fast Not only are the Springboks not doing the basics properly, there appear to be some basics they do not know about. Have you noticed that whenever one of our men makes a break with the...

BOOK OF THE WEEK. An exceptional community.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Richard Steyn BOOK OF THE WEEK An exceptional community THE JEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA By Richard Mendelsohn and Milton Shain234 pagesJonathan BallR254 No group has made a greater contribution to the growth and development of SA than...

BILLY JOEL: The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition (SonyBMG).
August 29, 2008... Byline: Randall Abrahams BILLY JOEL: The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition (SonyBMG) The influence of The Beatles in the realm of popular music and beyond can never be overestimated. Though they may not have been the greatest musicians...

MUDHONEY: Superfuzz Bigmuff 20th Anniversary Edition. (Sub Pop/Music Importers for Africa).
August 29, 2008... Byline: Randall Abrahams MUDHONEY: Superfuzz Bigmuff 20th Anniversary Edition (Sub Pop/Music Importers for Africa) Another era-defining genre is (or, rather, was) grunge. When I was at varsity, growing one's hair and steering way clear...

PORTISHEAD: Third (Island) '.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Randall Abrahams PORTISHEAD: Third (Island) The greatest challenge in making a classic album is how to follow it. This is even more fraught when the classic in question happens to be your debut too. From the outset, Portishead...

GIVEAWAY - Mudhoney CD Superfuzz Bigmuff.
August 29, 2008... GIVEAWAY The FM is giving away five copies of the Mudhoney CD Superfuzz Bigmuff 20th Anniversary Edition. E-mail fmcompetition@fm.co.za before September 12 to enter the draw. Please write CD giveaway in the e-mail subject line and provide a...

AT LUNCH WITH THE FM. Lawyer gone wild.
August 29, 2008... Byline: Hilary Prendini Toffoli AT LUNCH WITH THE FM Lawyer gone wild with Cormac Cullinan, director of EnAct International and Cullinan & Associates, at Il Leone, Cape Town HOW HE CHILLS. He likes getting into what he calls wild...