Senate Passes Corporate Tax Bill
The Senate passed legislation this week on S. 1637, that would replace the Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC) tax benefit for exporters with a $170 billion, 10-year tax break package. The 92-5 vote for passage brings the U.S. closer to ending European Union (EU) tariff sanctions imposed on certain U.S. products, after the U.S. failed to end the current tax break ruled in violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements.
Job Without Glitter May Be Gold — Skilled ‘Blue-Collar’ Workers Get Top Dollar
Think you have to earn a college degree to collect a hefty paycheck? Think again. A work-force shortage is driving up demand – and salaries – for skilled workers in “blue-collar” trades within the construction, automotive, health-care and service industries.
Herman Trend Alert: Competitive Intelligence
A central strategy for many companies today is to push productivity higher and higher. They accomplish this objective by creatively applying technology and driving employees to perform at higher levels and work longer hours. These practices are risky, exposing the companies to an over-dependence on technology and high stress, burn-out, and dissatisfaction among employees.
Herman Group to Offer Series of Leadership Teleseminars
The Herman Group, a human resource consulting firm and frequent contributor to aftermarketNews.com, is offering twelve teleseminars on leadership. The Herman Group consulting firm specializes in workforce and workplace issues. The firm advises corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability.
Herman Trend Alert: Virtual Schools
A recent survey of 447 high schools and 345 school districts revealed that 50 percent of high schools in the U.S. currently offer online courses or are exploring future implementation of this learning technology. More than 40 percent of all public high schools are already using online courses or plan to start using them during this current school year. A curriculum for grade school children, particularly those being home-schooled, is spreading, too, but at a much slower rate.
Making Better Business Decisions
Last time we talked about how a cross-functional management framework, driving business improvement at the process level, can dramatically accelerate the pace of performance-enhancing change. This week we’ll talk about how that same cross-functional management framework can improve the quality of business decisions on a day-to-day basis.
Stanford Business School Study Finds Economic Incentives Do Inspire New Products – To a Point
With product life cycles becoming ever shorter, today’s key to market success is speed — continuously creating new items or ever more novel iterations of old ones. Nissan, for instance, has succeeded in a tough automotive market by focusing on frequently designing new models. Logitech has produced a string of ever-changing mice and keyboards in the computer industry. This emphasis on rapid change means that finding ways to motivate product development managers has become critical to business success.
Herman Trend Alert: Whither Creativity?
Creativity has been highly valued for centuries. The ability of artists, musicians, writers, explorers, scientists, pioneers and business leaders to create new ideas, approaches, processes and ways of thinking have been admired and honored. The results of these treasured creative people have contributed to the development of new products, art forms, countries, and mankind’s reaching into the mysteries of space beyond our planet.
Retooling a Pool of Talent: Michigan Reaches Out from Brawn to Brains
Diego Rivera’s famous mural of Detroit’s industry depicts big, muscular men pulling on steel and manipulating heavy machines as they mold new cars. But if Rivera were here today, how would he see the city? Probably not muscling steel girders around. He’d see MBAs and computer geeks creating the modern automotive world in front of their computers.
U.S. Industrial Output Falls 0.2 Percent in March
American industrial production fell 0.2 percent in March, the U.S. Federal Reserve said Friday but was was 3.4 percent higher than in March 2003.In March manufacturing output was flat, while mining production dropped 0.3 percent, and utility output decreased 2.3 percent due to unseasonably warm weather, the Fed said.
NHTSA to Release Defect Data to Public
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said this week data collected from its defect warning system will be made public sometime this year. The agency agreed to keep warranty claims and consumer complaints confidential after automakers claimed access to the data would allow competitors to learn proprietary information about their vehicles. However, NHTSA dismissed manufacturers’ attempts to limit some information, such as the states in which defect-related deaths are occurring.
Senate Vote Delays Asbestos Legislation Debate
A motion to limit Senate debate and proceed with consideration of asbestos trust fund legislation failed yesterday by ten votes (50 – 47). Sixty votes are needed for such “cloture” motions to pass. Democrats argued that the bill, S. 2290, was not ready for Senate consideration and called for further negotiations to reach compromises on key issues such as higher compensation amounts paid by the fund to eligible victims. Senate majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), and Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), announced plans for bipartisan talks to craft a bill that can be passed this year.