Small business sentiment improving – SFA survey
Small business sentiment in Ireland is improving, with four out of 10 small firms rating their business as ‘good’ or ‘very good’ over the next three months, according to a new survey. In the Spring Business Sentiment Survey from the Small Firms Association (SFA), 30pc of respondents rate the current overall business environment as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, a drop of 20pc when compared to 12 months ago. Some 23pc of respondent companies rate the overall business environment to be either ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Nearly four in ten companies (39pc) rate their own business currently as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. While 20pc rate it currently as ‘poor’ or ‘very…
Read MoreFibreglass headstone invented in Co Clare a first for Europe
Co Clare company New Age Memorials founder Barry Spearman has come up with a new product concept – fiberglass headstones – which he says is a first in Western Europe. “These fibreglass headstones offer many advantages over traditional stone headstones: they are maintenance free, as unlike stone, they are not porous and thus discourage the growth of algae and other discolourants. “They are strong but light and can be installed immediately. In fact they can be installed by anyone without special tools, and uniquely, they can be repaired if vandalised or damaged. All of this means major savings for the consumer.” The idea came about two years when Spearman was…
Read MoreMore than half of newly qualified accountants willing to emigrate – survey
More than half (57pc) of recently qualified accountants would be willing to emigrate to secure their first job, according to a new survey from BDO Recruitment. And the chance to gain good experience with a reputable brand is the biggest incentive to joining a company with 84pc of respondents choosing this ahead of additional annual leave, receiving a bonus or getting a free laptop or tablet device. Sixteen percent of respondents said they wanted to remain in practice with 41pc wanting to move to industry and 43pc still undecided. “Qualified accountants are hungry to work and will follow the path that leads them to their next job,” said Chloe Liddy-Judge,…
Read MoreInsurance Premiums Set to Fall as Big Data Disrupts Market – EMC
According to IT multinational EMC, insurance premiums could get cheaper if big data analytics technology is used to create policies based on accurate marketplace insight. “Insurers are realising that by analysing huge amounts of information in real-time, they can more efficiently price policies and detect fraud,’ said Jason Ward, EMC’s director for Ireland, Scotland, and UK North. “This shift, fuelled by big data and high-performance analytics, enables insurers to select profitable business, implement precise pricing, manage risk, improve fraud detection, and drive revenues.” Big data analytics requires strong alignment between business and IT, creating powerful new capabilities that can transform the bottom line. “Big data analytics has applications in all…
Read MoreInclement March weather hits retail sales – Retail Excellence Ireland
Inclement March weather hits retail sales – Retail Excellence Ireland The Retail Excellence Ireland Retail Sales Review for Q1 2013 shows that while the period started well, it got progressively worse. According to the organisation, retail sales were negatively impacted by the inclement weather in March, the introduction of the property tax and industrial relations uncertainty. The March weather had a significantly negative impact on garden centres (-33.82pc), footwear (-10.79pc) and ladies’ fashion (-7.94pc). The cold spell resulted in a +6.61pc lift in hot beverage sales in March. Home appliance sales jumped +18.00pc (average) over the quarter assisted by trading-up and the continued growth of coffee makers and food preparation…
Read MoreBusiness continues to flourish for international reinsurance industry in Ireland – survey
More than half (56pc) of reinsurance companies in Ireland experienced growth in 2012, according to a members’ survey by the Dublin International Insurance & Management Association (DIMA). The survey of the 65 DIMA members also stated that more than one in two (51pc) of these companies expect significant growth in 2013. According to the companies surveyed, factors for the sizeable growth in the reinsurance sector include market access in new countries, increased new business opportunities and internal growth plans. “International reinsurers in Ireland have continued to provide ongoing stability to their policy-holders for almost 25 years, most recently against a background of events such as Superstorm Sandy, the Costa Concordia…
Read MoreIrish direct selling industry reports 121pc more new sellers
The Direct Selling Association of Ireland (DSAI) has released new figures that show a significant rise in the number of people turning to direct selling since the start of the recession, as a way to earn additional income. The new figures show a 121pc increase in distributor numbers since the Irish recession began in 2008, whilst sales throughout the industry for the same period have more than doubled, with three of the largest direct selling companies in Ireland reporting a 103pc increase in sales between 2008 and 2012. Members of the DSAI include Amway, Forever Living and Herbalif. In addition, the DSAI has revealed that there has been substantial rise…
Read MoreRisks in extended value chain greatest concern in supply chain management Deloitte
Almost two-thirds (63pc) of respondents to a new survey from Deloitte identified risk in the extended value chain comprising vendors and customers and where they have less control as their greatest concern with regards to supply chain risk. The survey of 600 global executives from manufacturing and retail companies, also found that over half (53pc) said that supply chain disruptions have become more costly over the last three years. As they operate in an environment of escalating risk, 45pc of surveyed executives say their supply chain risk management programmes are only somewhat effective or not effective at all. “Supply chains are increasingly complex and their interlinked, global nature…
Read MoreEU Trade Council meeting in Dublin to discuss US partnership
An informal meeting of the EU’s Trade Council is taking place at Dublin Castle today and tomorrow, focusing on international trade matters including an EU-US transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP). Chaired by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, the meeting will also be attended by Mike Froman, US deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs and member of the US National Security Council and National Economic Council, who is key figure in the Obama administration on international trade issues. Trade ministers from all EU member states will be attending, as will the EU’s commissioner for trade Karel De Gucht. This is the first time a…
Read MoreFujitsu’s research collaboration with Deri revolutionises access to open data
Fujitsu has announced the first output from its pioneering research collaboration with NUI Galway’s Digital Enterprise Research Institute (Deri), which could provide the key to unlocking billions of items of open data and enable integrated uniform access to academic, government and industry data throughout the web. In a world first, the Fujitsu-Deri research team has developed a single access point that enables linked open data (LOD) – which currently exists on different sites and in different formats – to be stored and sorted up to 10 times faster than was previously possible. The key innovation of the new technology is the ability to easily find and use publically available datasets…
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