Current Business Issue

On a trip to the English countryside this summer, my cab driver and I began discussing European politics. He began discussing the fact that the U.K. has not adopted the euro as their currency yet, unlike so many other European nations. So far, 16 out of the 27 members in the European Union have adopted the euro as their currency. The cab driver's take on the issue was that the people of the U.K. would like to adopt the euro as their currency, as the euro is the currency, "with the highest combined value of banknotes and coins in circulation in the world, having surpassed the U.S. dollar".

It soon became apparent why the U.K. has reservations about adopting the euro. By each country being tied to the same currency, if one country's economy is doing poorly, the other countries will begin to suffer as well. This is more apparent than ever with the current Germany vs. Greece controversy.

According to BusinessWeek, Germany is the head of Europe's biggest economy. Germany is now being called upon to ladle out billions of dollars to help save Greece from its large, self-imposed deficit. Germany now finds itself between a rock and a hard place. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, feels that if Germany bails out Greece, the Greeks will have learned nothing from this experience and will continue to be frivolous spenders. Yet she also knows that, "German companies are more sensitive to the losses they would suffer if Greece and other European nations slipped under."

Sources: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_09/b4168024506794_page_5.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro

Topic: Letter Writing Is Archaic and Should Not Be Taught Anymore

In a world where communication skills are increasingly on the decline, learning how to write effectively is a must. Skilled letter writers can have an immense impact on the well-being of their companies. According to Copyrighting 911, "While a proper letter can build an excellent reputation in the business world, a bad one might ruin it, compromising not only the writer but the whole company." Although fewer companies may be sending out hard copies of business letters, emails should be written in correct business letter format.

Besides learning the correct formatting for a business letter, it is crucial that business-appropriate language is used. Slang is becoming more commonplace in all types of writing but it should have no place in professional writing. Besides the actual verbiage of the letter itself, the tone in which it is written needs to be carefully monitored. Businesses have to break both good and bad news to customers, employees, and investors. What kind of news the letter is conveying should be tied to the appropriate tone. Failing to do so could make the writer of the letter seem patronizing, among many other things.

On a final note, things are being taught completely different in public schools from even 12 years ago. Students now do not receive the emphasis on writing business letters that was once given. According to Copyrighting 911, "when it comes to composing an official, all standard-looking, grammatically correct business letter in fine English, your school background may be not enough". It very well may be up to business professionals and students to learn this skill on their own.

Source: http://www.copywriting911.com/business-letter-writing

What Can Professional Blogs Do For Businesses?

Reading blogs is quickly becoming a favorite American pastime. Many businesses are hopping onto the blogging bandwagon. A professional blog is a great thing for businesses to take part in. One especially positive aspect of blogs are that they are essentially free publicity for a company. They are quick and easy to set up and simple to maintain. Whether the information contained in the blog is for the benefit of investors or the general public, blogs provide an excellent opportunity for anyone to access quick information about a company. If the company excels in making the blog compelling, they may even increase their sales as a result from their blog.

Another advantage of a professional blog is that it helps give a company insight into what people want. Comments left on blogs can be invaluable information. In addition to being able to hear what people want, comments left behind can show a company what posts--and therefore, what products or services--people are most interested in. In these ways, a blog can become free market research for a company.

Source: http://www.webreference.com/authoring/bus_blog/