Definition Of Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management can be defined as the process of planning, implementing and monitoring the everyday operations of a supply chain. Supply chain management is an all encompassing process as it undertakes the management of availability of raw materials, their processing into finished goods and the distributions of the same. The aim of all this is to provide the highest level of satisfaction to the customer and thus increase the business of the company. And with the increasing complexity of the supply chain, supply chain management has also become about coordinating and collaborating with the different trade partners now involved in the supply chain.

Supply chain management is supposed to be undertaken by the high level management committee of the company. The employees have to willingly adhere to their decisions in order to bring about maximum efficiency in the supply chain.

Supply chain management decisions are made on three different levels- the tactical, strategic and operational levels. Strategic level involves long term decisions while tactical level includes medium term decisions while operational level is concerned with very short term day-to-day operational concerns. The problems that the supply chain system is supposed to address includes the following:

* Distributor Network Configuration: Quantities and locations of people involved with the entire process of the supply chain including the suppliers, customers, warehouses, production facilities and distribution centers.
* Strategies for distribution: Centralized, direct shipments, push and pull strategies, cross docking and third party logistics.
* Information: Integrating systems and processes through supply chain to share relevant and significant information consisting of demand signals, forecasting, transportation and of course, inventory.
* Management of inventory: Number and location of inventory and also covers raw materials, finished goods as well as work in progress.

The flow of the supply chain execution is always bi directional and basically manages and coordinates movement of material, information and finances of the supply chain. There are some key supply chain management processes that have been identified. They are:

* Management of customer relations.
* Management of customer service
* Management of demands.
* Fulfillment of orders.
* Manufacturing flow management.
* Management of supplier relations.
* Developing the product and commercializing it.
* Managing returns.

Other key business processes which are used as supply chain procedures and are a vital part of the process and include:

* Customer service management: Steps used by companies to build successful customer relations include focusing on mutually satisfying goals; establishing and maintaining customer relations; produce feelings of positivity and trust between the customers and organization.
* Procurement processes.
* Product developing and commercializing: This includes coordinating with customer relationship management to identify customer articulated needs, selecting suppliers and materials and developing production technology to integrate and produce the best supply chain flow.
* Manufacturing flow management processes.
* Physical distribution.
* Outsourcing and partnerships.
* Performance measurement regarding cost, productivity measures, customer service, asset measurement and quality.

Together with all of these the supply chain management system has managed to put into place an integrated supply and demand management within and across business firms.

About The Author

Sandra Stammberger owns and operates http://www.supplychainmanagementweb.com Supply Chain Management

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“Fear – Your New Best Friend”

Do you know the three steps to creating wealth? Creating wealth for your business depends upon your ability to sell, sell, and sell your products and services. Let’s look at the three steps to creating wealth beyond your wildest dreams.

Following are the three steps to creating wealth that will have you raking in the cash:
Step #1: Fear. You need to find out what people fear. If you haven’t created a product then find out what people fear in life and make a product that helps get rid of that fear. If you already have customers then find out their fears so you can create even more products.

Step #2: Promise of relief. So you’ve found out the fear of your customers, now what do you do with this information? You create a product or service that provides relief. You promise that your product will save the day and alleviate their fear.

Step #3: Money. To maximize your sales you need to let people know why you are the person to solve their concerns. You have to provide credibility so that they will give you their money. If you don’t provide credibility then they won’t have faith that your product will actually solve their problems. You can provide testimonials, show results, and give your credentials so they will literally throw their money at you. Fear is a very powerful feeling, so you can use fear to your advantage.

What are examples of these three steps in action? Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Example #1: Do your customers have concerns about earning the most profit from SEO on their website? You could provide an informational product that helps relieve this fear of losing out on money.

Example #2: The diet industry. The diet industry preys on the fear of being overweight and provides an easy relief solution through diet pills, programs, and gadgets. They prey on the fear that people feel like they will never be able to lose weight unless they order their diet products.

Take the lead from the diet industry and uncover the fears of your customers. If you can provide the magical solution, with credibility to stand behind it, then you maximize your profit in no time. If you don’t then you could lose out on thousands or even millions of dollars in profit.

About The Author

Matt Bacak began investing his first earnings at the tender age of 12, a young businessman in the making. Now, 15 years later, Bacak survived failed businesses, botched partnerships, heavy credit card debt and bankruptcy - all in preparation for the accomplishments he has achieved today as a well-established Internet millionaire and best-selling author.

For more information, visit Bacak's site at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or sign up for his Powerful Promoting Tips at http://www.promotingtips.com

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Cafeteria Benefit Plans and Your Workforce

Especially if you happen to be one of those unflinchingly ambitious micro-business entrepreneurs, I've been reading about everyday in pubs like Crain's Chicago Business, you'll eventually find that designing and offering up an attractive employee-benefits package will be an essential component of your future growth. An attractive health plan will do just that - attract - helping you recruit and retain crucial employees (meaning those fought over creative class/knowledge worker types Richard Florida is always yammering about). You'll also find that a generous group plan will help link your employees' interests to your concern's.

That said, there are a seemingly unlimited number of group benefits options to consider. One that you'll want to move to the top of your list is a Cafeteria Plan. The cafeteria brand of benefit plan can add a lot freedom to a employee compensation package, allowing your workforce to choose benefits options ala carte, if you will - selecting only the benefit options they're most interested in.

Perhaps I should start closer to the beginning … cafeteria plans, also known as the flexible spending account, the choice spending account or the section 125 plan, have become increasingly popular over the last few years because they're designed to offer employees a truly convenient way to pay medical expenses with pre-tax dollars; relieving them of the burden of federal, and state taxes.

To take advantage of a flexible spending account, eligible employees set aside a pre-designated amount each year, in order to pay for medical expenses aren't already eligible for coverage. The two most common types of flexible-spending accounts are dependent care reimbursement (also known as DCRAs) and health care reimbursement accounts. Employees pay for non-reimbursed expenses from these accounts. Unfortunately, flexible-spending accounts are "use-it-or-lose-it" accounts; meaning that any funds leftover at the end of the year can't be "rolled over," so to speak.

Exceptions To Those Limits Apply to Key Employees

Typically, funds set aside in a cafeteria plan's flexible-spending account are exempt from income, payroll, and unemployment taxes. This exemption generally also applies to payroll and unemployment taxes paid on behalf of employees. (Take a look at IRS Pub. 15-B for exceptions, including treatment of highly compensated employees and certain shareholders of Subchapter S Corporation's.)

Premiums paid to a group life benefits policy are typically exempt from income and unemployment taxes. In addition, premiums paid for up to $50,000.00 of benefits coverage per employee tend to be exempt from payroll taxes. For additional details, see IRS Publication 15-B.

You see, cafeteria plans offer you some versatility in putting together a benefits plan for your workforce. There are other categories of fringe benefits that you can offer your employees in a cafeteria plan that may be excluded from taxable income under IRS benefit-exclusion rules. Using a flexible-spending account -- namely, establishing a DCRA and HCRA -- may help to jump-start a cafeteria plan for your workforce. If you maintain a cafeteria plan, the IRS requires you to complete IRS Form 5500.

To help you keep track of employment-related costs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a quarterly statistic called the employment cost index. The cost index measures changes in employee-compensation costs, which include salaries, wages, and benefits. In addition to publishing the quarterly cost index, BLS publishes an annual survey of compensation costs.

One last thing … the information above is practically for entertainment purposes and shouldn't be interpreted as financial advice. For advice specific to your firm's circumstances, don't hesitate get advice from a financial, tax or benefits consultant. You may even want to flat out hire an Interim benefits consultant or a full service benefits consulting firm. There are also a number of good sources of information on the Web you can take advantage of. The Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI), International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), and American Benefits Council are independent sources of truly "actionable" employee-benefit plan information.

About The Author

Scott Turner

From the moment I joined the consulting team at cavalryHR (an interim staffing and recruiting firm based in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Boca Raton) I've been focused on offering businesses the tools to attract and retain a dynamic and talented workforce.

If your firm needs "the right experience at the right time," just give me a call during the day at cavalryHR's office: 312-251-9664, or just shoot me an email anytime via: http://www.cavalryhr.com

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How To Hire Executive Protection

Doing business sometimes comes along with a high degree of risk. There are patents that might be stolen. There are top secret plans that competitors are interested in obtaining. There's the money that comes from a high level of success.

Because of the risks and dangers associated with professionals who have reached a pinnacle of performance, many companies have begun to look into executive protection.

In many cases, executive protection comes in the form of a security advisor – a bodyguard of sorts – who works one on one with a high level executive. In other cases, executive protection is provided by a team of individuals who work together to identify which executives need security and what possible threats may be.

If you are looking into executive protection for within your business, following these steps can help you to make the right decisions.

1. Identify what your executive protection needs are. Which individuals in your organization are at risk? What are the risks to your organization – is there a potential for kidnapping, do high ranking officers of the company go to dangerous places or interact extensively with the media? By taking the time to identify what your executive protection needs are, you can better choose the right professionals to perform those services.

2. Recognize that executive protection is not about muscled bodyguards as much as it is about having a plan in place for dealing with threats should they arise. Someone who offers executive protection is likely to have a keen eye for detail and to notice any indication that something could go awry.

3. Ensure that the staff of the company who will benefit from executive protection recognize that the service is meant to keep them safe; if your staff do not know and understand the risk, they will not work well with the members of the executive protection team.

4. Set limits so that the staff members to whom executive protection are assigned do not feel as though their personal space is being invaded; choose a protection system that will still allow them to feel as though they can leave work at the office.

5. Take the time to research your options and interview more than one person when you plan to hire executive protection. It's important to know that you're hiring the right people for the job.

One thing that you can do to ensure that you're choosing the right executive protection is to hire individuals who have experience assessing risk, performing security checks and finding background information – individuals who are also private investigators are often a great addition to your executive protection team.

When a private investigator offers executive protection for your company, you can feel confident that risks from individuals are reduced because background checks can be performed. You'll be able, if you desire, to implement security systems within the office or business location. You will also, of course, be able to work with someone who has experience evaluating situations – making it easy to know that your executive protection will indeed keep your staff safe.

About The Author

David Almeida is a licensed private investigator with a degree in criminal justice. He is affiliated with the National Association of Investigative Specialists and the Licensed Private Detective’s Association of Massachusetts. For more information visit http://www.baystatedetective.com

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Employers: Save Time By Hiring A Private Investigator To Conduct An Employee Background Check

If you are in business, you know that it's important to have a variety of information about those individuals who are working with you. This is true whether the position involves a security detail, handling large amounts of cash or working with a great deal of information such as the social security numbers and credit information for your company's clients.

Therefore, conducting an employee background check is essential in many businesses. However, not every manager or owner will have the time to thoroughly check out everyone who has applied for and who is being considered for filling a position. That's where a private investigator comes in.

It's possible to hire a private investigator to conduct an employee background check for you.

With an employee background check, a private investigator can determine whether the prospective employee:

has a car or truck registered in his or her name;
has a clean driving record;
has indeed attended the college or university listed on his or her application;
has been sued or has a criminal record;
has ever filed for bankruptcy protection;
has sued a previous employer for worker's compensation;
has passed state licensing exams such as those for teachers, doctors, nurses or lawyers;
has ever failed a drug test; or
has been listed on the sex offenders registry.

With this information, you can verify the information that is on the applicant's resume and determine whether or not they meet the criteria that your company sets for its employees.

Much of the information that is included in an employee background check is information that is on public record. Therefore, some businesses may wonder why they should hire a private investigator when it is possible to get the information on their own.

There are a number of reasons why it makes sense to hire a private investigator to conduct an employee background check. Time is one reason: while as an employer may have to place a number of phone calls or conduct a number of searches just to determine who should be contacted to find the information, a private investigator is experienced at conducting employee background checks.

In addition to saving time by having someone else conduct an employee background check, your business will be able to continue to focus on your clients and customers. As a result, your day to day business will not slip through the cracks and you can be sure that the employee background check is conducted without bias.

When the same individuals who conduct interviews also conduct employee background checks, it's possible that a detail would be weighted based on the interview with or personality of the applicant. Because a private investigator is a neutral party, all that will be considered during the employee background check is the information that the search yields.

With that information, you will be better able to determine whether or not the applicant is someone who fits in with your company, your mission statement and the specifics of the position. And, thanks to an employee background check, you can be sure that the person who you hire is a reputable, reliable candidate who will help your business to grow.

About The Author

David Almeida is a licensed private investigator with a degree in criminal justice. He is affiliated with the National Association of Investigative Specialists and the Licensed Private Detective’s Association of Massachusetts. For more information visit http://www.baystatedetective.com

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Reach out and touch someone -- Coupons and promotions on your cell phone

It's lunchtime, and you can't decide what to have today. So you take a stroll outside, just to see what looks good at the various restaurants in the neighborhood. As you're walking along, browsing at the different menus displayed in the front of each restaurant, you get a notification signal on your mobile phone. It's the newly opened bistro on the corner, asking you if you want to receive a coupon and a menu. You respond with a Yes, and the files are sent straight to your phone. There's a full menu and a coupon for a free appetizer with your entree. Lunch sounds good -- let's give it a try. You've just taken part in a Bluetooth Marketing campaign.

So, aside from the funny name, what exactly is Bluetooth Marketing? How does it work? And what does this mean for the average consumer?

Most mobile phone shoppers have probably heard of Bluetooth by now. It's a standard feature on almost every new cell phone sold today, as well as many laptops and desktop computers. One of the more common uses for Bluetooth is to connect to a hands-free headset, but it can actually do a whole lot more. Bluetooth is really just a way for various devices to connect to each other and share information without the need for wires. So, with Bluetooth, your cell phone could also connect to your computer to synchronize your contacts list, transfer songs and ringtones, even upload those pictures you just took with your camera phone. What's more, if your friend also has a Bluetooth phone, you could easily send them your pictures, songs, videos, games, or other files stored in your phone, all without having to worry about having the right cables to connect.

So, what does this have to do with marketing? Well, through some clever use of technology, companies are now using Bluetooth to send their latest promotions to the mobile phone -- that ubiquitous device that almost everyone uses and carries with them at all times. How does it work?

A small, Bluetooth enabled file server, specially configured for this purpose, is mounted in a busy location. The server will continuously scan the area for Bluetooth enabled devices as they come within range (up to 100 meters). When found, it sends the user a message asking if they wish to receive the advertiser's content. This could be a coupon, a video, Java game or any other multimedia file. If the user responds with a Yes, the file is sent automatically. If they respond with a No, the server logs this decision, and will not ask the same user again the next time they come within range. This so called "blacklisting" feature ensures that users are not continuously bothered with requests to download things they don't want.

And, in contrast to SMS or text messaging, there is never a charge to send or receive files via Bluetooth. What's more, since files don't pass through any cellular carriers, Bluetooth Marketing works even where there is no cell signal, such as subway stations or other "dead" zones.

So what are the benefits and pitfalls, both for prospective businesses looking for a new and unique way to connect with their customers, and for consumers, who may view advertising on their cell phones as a sort of invasion of privacy?

For advertisers, Bluetooth Marketing allows them to send their promotions to people for very little cost. Aside from the initial purchase of the equipment, Bluetooth Marketing campaigns are essentially free to run. Because files sent by Bluetooth are free, it would not matter if a company sent 10 promotions or 10,000. More importantly, users who choose to accept the message inevitably take the time to look at it. This differentiates Bluetooth marketing from other types of advertising, which goes largely ignored by the target group. Advertisers also have the opportunity to market their products and services based on the proximity of the consumer. For example, restaurants can send coupons to people as they walk by; movie theaters can send video trailers of new releases to people standing in line, etc. What better time to send promotions to customers than when they are physically close?

Of course, from the point of view of the consumer, there may be fears that this technology may raise some privacy issues. Would people be spammed with ads they don't want as they're walking down the street? Will advertisers be able to record their cell phone numbers and use it for marketing purposes? And what if someone doesn't want to receive this kind of marketing -- ever?

In fact, the technology does incorporate ways to resolve these issues. Again, Bluetooth servers must always get permission first from users before any content is sent. And if the user refuses, the software remembers this, and will not ask again in the future. This ensures that only people wishing to receive content will get it -- a benefit to both advertiser and consumer. Also, personally identifiable information is never collected by the system. The server only detects each phone's MAC address, a unique hardware ID, but nothing else. It cannot collect phone numbers or any personal information from any user. People needn't be afraid that their private information is being compromised in any way. And, of course, users can always choose to never participate in any Bluetooth campaign by simply setting their Bluetooth to "invisible", so they won't be found in the first place.

Bluetooth Marketing has been popular in Europe for several years now, and is only now beginning to catch on in the United States. Besides just coupons and promotions, stores can get creative and offer free games or songs to reward customers, companies could use this technology to distribute bulletins to employees, or professionals can use Bluetooth to send business cards to potential clients, ensuring that they always have their correct contact details handy. The possibilities are vast. So the next time you're walking down the street and you get an unexpected message on your phone asking if you want a free cappuccino, just say Yes, and look around you. You may not have noticed the cafe on the corner, but they noticed you!

About The Author

James Wong
If you would like more information about Bluetooth Marketing, you may contact ZipZone Media, a New York based company specializing in this technology.
Their phone number is 1-718-969-2436
Website: http://www.zipzonemedia.com

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Distributed by Hasan Shrek, independence blogger. Also run online business , matrix, internet marketing solution , online store script .
Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer

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Time of Day To Day Trade

Day traders are a special breed of animals from the investors and swing or position traders. To them, there is a routine throughout the day they notice and take advantage of them. Each segment of the trading hours has special meaning. When it comes trading, these traders know when they are at their best and when they will not make a dime.

Floor traders are the best at knowing the routine of the market. The same human nature shows up in the everyday life. Humans love routine, even the people who are never do the same things twice or abhor normalcy and ordinary, they do have their own routine in another aspect of their life. So even in trading, the stocks and exchanges show their similarities day after day, even in a chaotic world in financial markets, there are subtleties that help these traders profit from the markets.

Here are some of the known facts about markets in general:

1. Volume - Most of the participation are around the opening and the closing hours of the day's session, especially on days where there are economic or company news pending. The more important the economic news, the more the volume, such as Federal Reserve meetings. Volume and volatility increases exponentially.

2. Price - There are certain prices where traders will participate in large numbers such as new highs or new lows. These areas come to be support or resistance, driving more traders into the fray. When these prices are near, expect this action to become routine.

3. Time - Different times of the trading hours bring different types of volatility and traders. Opening and closings see many day traders entering and exiting the markets while half way in the session will see less day traders as lunch time brings quiet time. The day is usually divided into 60 minute increments (hence the popular use of the 60-minute charts by day and swing traders). These time slots mark an important routine of the day. For example, the first 60 minutes show high volume with many emotional buying and selling to due market imbalance caused by news before the market opening. The second 60-minutes usually see the volume decreasing. This time slot also determines the direction of the market for the dayâ''either continuing the direction set by the first 60 minutes or reversing the direction. The last hour also give clues to the following day. But due to news interrupting overnight momentum, it's more difficult to use it as an indicator.

4. Day of the week - Depending on the day of the week where swing traders may initiate their positions at the beginning of the week and exit at the end of the week. For others, watching the beginning of the week to see the tone of the markets that may play out the rest of the week. In doing so, the day traders may observe and trade according the week. Mondays tends to be low in volume as the weekend slowly fades bringing traders back to their work. Wednesdays tend to find the tone for the rest of the week with a trending day. Fridays tend to reverse on the entire week's direction. Many swing and day traders will usually exit their positions, taking profits made from the week's gains.

5. Month - The beginning and end of the month provides more volatility than in between. Why? Accounting purposes, perhaps, where institutions maneuver their assets. There is tendency for volume to appear greater at the first few days of the month as well as the last few days of the month with more conviction in the direction. September and October lately have become the turning point of the markets, changing directions, especially from downtrend to uptrend. The crashes in recent history have taken place in these two months and tend to be the lows of the year.

6. Season - In general, the summer provides the least liquidity due to people in general going on vacation. During the rest of the year, there healthy volume sustains the trend. During the fall just up until Christmas will see a rise in volume and bullish trends.

These are routines that should not be taken lightly. They do exist and finding them can be a long arduous process. Once found, the trader will have an edge in profiting from the inefficiency of the markets.

About The Author

Larry Swing is the President of the popular day and swing trading site http://www.mrswing.com a place where you can find free daily articles and videos covering education, market analysis and picks from Larry and other well known traders in the industry.

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Distributed by Hasan Shrek, independence blogger. Also run online business , matrix, internet marketing solution , online store script .
Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer

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Office Equipment, the WEEE Directive and Global Warming Issues

Environmentally Friendly photocopiers and other office equipment are crucial to workplace energy-saving and waste-reduction. Many measures (procedural and technical) have been implemented by equipment manufacturers, dealers and distributors - even before the government's introduction of measures via legislation such as the WEEE directive. Additionally, all government departments and private enterprise organisations have become acutely aware in recent years of the need for the implementation of energy-efficiency measures - not least to address bottom-line profitability as well as the wider responsibility to reduce climate change.

Environmental Issues: Recycling and the WEEE Directive

Office equipment including photocopiers which previously ended up on landfill sites are no longer able to do so under the WEEE directive. The WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive affects those involved in the manufacture, selling and distribution, recycling or treating of any electronic equipment. Affected by the directive are household appliances, information technology equipment of all kinds , telephone/telecommunications equipment, audio visual gear, lighting equipment, electrical and electronic tools, hospital and medical devices and automatic dispensers and of course, office equipment including photocopiers.

The aim of the WEEE directive is to reduce the waste generated from electrical and electronic equipment. The directive is also designed to ensure an improvement in the environmental procedures and processes of all those involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic products. Manufacturers, sellers and distributors of office equipment are responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and electronic equipment. They are also required to achieve a series of rigorous recycling and recovery targets for different categories of appliance. Responsibilities can be discharged in a number of ways, including financial contributions.

Environmental Issues: Energy Efficiency and Fossil Fuel Consumption

Apart from computers and associated print devices, photocopiers are without doubt the most common items of office equipment in use today. Due to the need to be used "on demand", they can incur a significant environmental cost in terms of energy and paper usage and consequent greenhouse gas emissions

Thus power management features are important for saving energy and an easy way to reduce air pollution. Energy efficient photocopiers provide a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of office photocopiers. Such machines come provided with "energy saving" mode so that when not in use they "power down". This feature alone can reduce the energy needed to support the machine in periods of low activity by over 60%.

A major energy-saving feature of the latest photocopiers are so-called "on demand" fusing systems. A thin fixing film, rather than a thick heating roller is used. Additionally, a ceramic heating element, rather than a halogen heater is used. With these twin innovations, the latest photocopiers operate with greatly improved energy efficiency and lower heat requirements. Heat is used only when paper is passed through the fixing mechanism and images are "fixed" via the fixing film. In addition to this, the new technology can allow the photocopier to make the change between a cool energy-saving "sleep mode" to full operating temperatures in less than 10 seconds. This is a major advantage over conventional systems, which typically take more than one minute.

Elements of this innovative system are available on the latest Konica Minolta bizbub series, including the bizhub C451. The induction heating fusing technology on the bizhub C451 is also one which minimises energy consumption and maximises energy efficiency, by fusing at a lower temperature.

Such technology is paving the way to increased energy efficiency - especially when coupled with an increase in the availability of "duplex" (paper-saving double-sided copying and printing) as standard.

About The Author

Jimi St. Pierre writes for several Office Equipment suppliers in the UK, including office equipment supplier Officemagic. The Officemagic range of mutifunctional office equipment can be found at => http://www.officemagic.co.uk/

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Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer

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How Much Debt is Too Much?

People have a certain threshold or tolerance for debt. Most of us can tolerate a little bit of debt. How much debt is all right? And when are you in over your head?

Most of the time, the decision that you have "too much debt" is made emotionally. That is, you have too much debt when you feel you have too much debt.

So why do some people panic over small debts but others sleep like babies even when they owe tens of thousands?

The answer is that people have an emotional sense of how much debt is acceptable. The danger is that this personal gauge is highly unreliable. You may have gotten it from your family situation, past experiences, or what you saw on TV or in the movies. Your debt style also involves your own maturity level and self control.

We also have an emotional response to what is unacceptable, which is sometimes called "hitting rock bottom." For some people, hitting rock bottom is having a car repossessed. For others, the repo man was a familiar character from childhood.

Hitting rock bottom may be the day you cannot make minimum payments, the day you lie to a spouse about an overdue bill, or the threat of impending homelessness. In other words, the emotional response and not the event itself is what defines a "hitting rock bottom" moment. One man's rock bottom is another man's standard of living.

So when is debt too much debt? On a purely emotional level, many people hit "rock bottom" when the first calls from bill collectors start to come.

Getting hounded by a professional bill collector is tough. Some people cope, but others find it embarrassing, humiliating, and shameful. For some people, it may take an intervention of friends or family members to drive home the point that the debt is getting out of control. Others may wait till they are evicted or sued.

So how much is too much debt?

First, it's not a question you should answer emotionally. Most entrepreneurs have nerves of steel when it comes to debt and financial risk taking, but most of them do not carry a lot of personal debt. So the amount of debt you can tolerate emotionally is not the governing factor; in fact, it should not even be taken into account.

Debt is financial and the only way to evaluate financial things is to look at the big financial picture.

Your financial report card is something called your "net worth." You can do a reasonably good snapshot of your own net worth without hiring an accountant or doing a bunch of fancy stuff. Just write down all of the money you owe. If you have credit cards, list all the balances. If you have loans, list all of them. If you have a mortgage, add that. Take all of these debts (the accountants would call these "liabilities") and add them together.

Now take everything you own. This includes the contents of any bank or investment accounts you have, your retirement account, stock portfolios, and so on. If you own a house (even if it's mortgaged), add the fair market value of the house. If you have vehicles (cars, boats) add them in. It is fair to add in the value of your furniture, electronics, and clothing, but be very conservative. It may have cost you thousands to build the wardrobe hanging in your closet, but it's doubtful you could convert it to very much cash. Don't count what you spent, count what you could get if you had to sell it today. Add everything together to get what accountants call your "assets."

Now subtract liabilities (what you owe) from your assets (what you own), and you have your net worth.

I hate to disillusion you, but the number should be positive. And it should be thousands.

There are some reasons for a low net worth. For those who are just starting out or those just starting over, your net worth may be low because you have not had chance to amass any assets. You may have just gone through a major medical disaster or other catastrophe. The other reason your net worth may be low is a lot of debt.

Now look at your income and your monthly bills. Don't worry about total debt here, just look at what you spend each month versus what you bring in. Take some pencil and paper time here. Does your out-go exceed your income? That's a debt-making machine. Until you turn this around, you're going to keep your debt growing which, in turn, will keep your net worth negative.

If you can't make minimum payments, if you are adding to your debt each month, or if you are really unsure of your financial states, you are probably in need of some financial help.

Certified credit counselors can help and there are lots of excellent books and programs on the market aimed at getting you debt-free. There are even free resources. For instance, your local banker can probably help you come up with a financial plan to manage your debt, including things like debt consolidation.

If you're wondering if you have too much debt, you probably do. One of the great financial secrets of the truly wealthy is this: no debt. It's possible for even ordinary people to live debt free.

The bill collector or the repo-man are not the first signs of debt problems; they are really symptoms of a prolonged period of too much debt. When the warning signals come, even if we are not rattled by them, we should take firm steps to dig ourselves out of debt. The difference between too much debt and being destroyed by debt are just a few missteps.

About The Author

Jo Ann LeQuang writes about debt management solutions and is a frequent contributor to websites. For information on debt consolidation, check out http://www.Debt-Consolidation-Diva.com .

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Distributed by Hasan Shrek, independence blogger. Also run online business , matrix, internet marketing solution , online store script .
Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer

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12 Ways Leaders Tell Their People They Are Important

Leaders know the old saying "How you act shouts so loudly I can't hear what you're saying" is the truth. They use it to their advantage. Leaders know the greatest sense of accomplishment and importance often comes from non – monetary rewards, and from positive recognition from the person who is the boss. And they know they can do it without "breaking the rules" or incurring big expenses.

Many managers feel constrained by the rules and regulations of their organizations. They feel that their hands are tied when it comes to rewarding their people – that their actions are controlled by others, and there is little of any real value they can do to motivate their people.

Here are 12 Ways leaders let their people know how important they are:

Way #1 – Leaders truly believe the work performed by their people is important. This may sound pretty basic, but that is an absolutely essential belief. Without it there is simply no way people can be convinced that what they do is important.. How often have your heard – or been guilty of saying – or thinking – "Oh, she's just the receptionist" or, "He's just the janitor" or "They're just trainees" or "They're just a staff weenie?"

Way #2 – Leaders expect the best from everyone, and settle for nothing less. Nothing makes people feel more important than high expectations for their performance. Leaders make sure their people share in setting the expectations.

Way #3 – Leaders create goals that are shared and that show the tie in of individual work with the success of the organization.

Way #4 – Leaders select the best – in every opening they have. Every tool is used to ensure that the best possible decision is made on who is selected. People watch very carefully to see who is picked – they need to be involved in the selection process whenever possible. Leaders know that actions taken in selection communicate how important the open position is. Who is selected is seen as a direct reflection on the quality of the people in the organization.

Way #5 – Leaders are their people's institutional champion! What's that mean? When their pay is wrong, leaders get it right. When their reviews are scheduled, leaders ensure they are done accurately and on time. When their raises are due, leaders make sure they are handled properly and on time. Leaders jealously guard their relationship as the go to person for their people. Institutional support people can help, but leaders know they are the key contact for their people.

Way #6– Leaders are absolutely intolerant of unsafe, disruptive or other negative behaviors. They act on them quickly and decisively, and never let their people see them knowingly ignore a bad situation. Leaders know these situations will not go away, regardless how much "wish'in and hop'in and pray'in" might be done.

Way #7 – Leaders know that trust and respect are not the same thing as being liked. It is nice to be liked, it is absolutely essential that people trust and respect their leader. As a comedian said: "If you want to be liked, get a dog."

Way #8 – Leaders cultivate a climate of civility for their people. In their relationships with their people, they make sure their actions reflect a fundamental respect for others.

Way #9 –Leaders get every one of their people some form of self development activity on a regular basis. It may be a seminar, it may be tuition refund, it may be a book, it may be a CD set, it may be reimbursement for a Webinar or a podcast, it may be a Community College course – it does not have to be expensive and time consuming, but the act of creating added value through the investment of personal effort supported by organizational resources is a powerful way to express importance.

Way #10 – Leaders respect their people's time – it's their most valuable asset. Leaders start meetings on time, end them on time, keep meeting commitments. They do what they have to do to ensure their people have the use of as much of their work time as possible.

Way #11– Leaders keep the rules and policies to an absolute minimum. If there is workable set of cultural and organizational "Way's Of Doing Things" then the basis for treating people with individual regard exists. If they don't exist, leaders set them in their own area of responsibility.

Way #12– Leaders celebrate the successes – they create the opportunity for group recognition to happen all over the place – if Safety is an issue, they create a Safety Award process that celebrates progress. They make the celebration events frequent, the rewards modest – but they do it all the time. Leaders know the frequency of awards and the opportunity for celebration are as important, actually more important, than the annual lunch or dinner or whatever.

Did you notice one thing about all 12 Ways? Not one of them deals with lots of money, or more capital, or new policies or procedures. All do require beliefs and behaviors – and they are the most challenging, most high leverage efforts that can be made to improve an organization. It's always tempting to do a feel good seminar, or buy something, or take some action that shows a high level of commitment to the people.. But the truth is that the way to greater success is through a focused, day to day effort to improve the level of commitment of the people in an organization, and that takes hard work, leadership and the acceptance of change.

If you can see Ways that can help you organization or your work group or yourself in this article, take them and run with them – they are the basis for successful managers becoming successful leaders.

About The Author

Andy Cox and the Cox Consulting Group have helped many organizations in designing and implementing change. To reach the Cox Consulting Group, go to http://www.coxconsultgroup.com .

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Distributed by Hasan Shrek, independence blogger. Also run online business , matrix, internet marketing solution , online store script .
Beside he is writing some others blogs for notebook computer , computer training , computer software and personal computer

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