Microsoft: chance of the century industry 4.0

At the start of CeBIT, Microsoft has to match the exhibition motto "D! Conomy" promoted the digitalization, some practical examples demonstrated and presented study results that point to pent-up demand.

"The digital economy miracle can begin here and now, if we understand the industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things as a chance of the century for Germany and the right course," said Dr. Klaus von Rottkay, Executive Vice President and COO on to kick off Microsoft's CeBIT. It was time, "decided the conditions for a digital economic miracle to create". Investment in future technologies is just as necessary as for modern organizations and innovations. Both large companies and medium-sized businesses need to work closely with the IT industry, to ensure the necessary technology transfer.

Getting started with Facebook advertising

"Facebook advertising's just what consumer brands." True or not? Our sister site machinery market has tested the seven most persistent prejudices about Facebook advertising in B2B critical.

B2B company has difficulties when it comes to Facebook. This is not only the company's profile, but also for the promotional use of the social network. This Facebook offers in Germany with monthly over 28 million users, many advertising opportunities beyond the consumer communication: "Our experience shows that companies can achieve good results with ads for example, webinars, white papers, exhibition invitations or staff recruitment," explains Manuel Leschik, CEO of Rabbit Performance. "B2B companies often lack easy to trust in advertising on Facebook."

To prevent that remains the case, the experts were looking for Rabbit Performance the seven most common prejudices about Facebook advertising in B2B and invalidated:

Make your online store stays safe

Who wants to have long term success in online business, you must provide maximum security and privacy of its customers. Verio Europe are to five safety recommendations for Web shop operator.

Customers want to shop on the Internet do not worry about their data needs to make the. "Security and privacy are key to customer loyalty in online trading," says Andreas, product manager at Verio Europe. "When choosing a shop solution interested parties should make sure that it is always held by the provider to date and extensive security feature offers. Even structural adjustments to new or changed legal situation should not pose as business risk, but be covered with. "

Five safety precautions that should be observed and take an online shop owner, Verio Europe lists:

1. Regular checks of access and legal certainty

The essential importance that the shop software is always up to date. This requires regular updates or any necessary adjustments due to changing conditions, laws or policies such as the renewed regulations for revocation. Companies select a shop on hosting base, they are here always on the safe side, because the providers usually takes not only the security question updates before: structural adjustments to profound innovations like last turn of the year the amended taxation of virtual to be goods justice, be implemented on the server side, and then to all shop-owners only. In a "purchased" Shop has all this to be completely covered itself. The Shop Administrator should plan sufficient time and resources for short or long-term changes for always.

Strong demand for cloud computing fueled IT job growth

At the beginning of the cloud computing revolution there was concern that new technology will destroy jobs. Today, early 2015, we know that the opposite is the case. In the IT sector, a paradigm shift takes place.

The career opportunities for IT professionals with in-depth knowledge of cloud computing can hope - and have a positive effect on the labor market. In an article in the new Forbes magazine, the global analysis company Wanted Analytics is quoted. Then there are, for example, in the US 3.9 million cloud computing jobs, over 384,000 of them within the IT industry.

The cloud defines the role of IT and its relevance to business fundamentally new. IT professionals are strategic partners after the divisions of a company. The IT moves away from its traditional role of hardware maintenance and software maintenance and occupies an important strategic position, are urgently needed in the solid cloud knowledge.

Cyber Insurance mitigate damage

Safety awareness is strengthened

Policies against cyber-attacks that already have several insurers offer, have several positive effects for companies.

"Insurance against cyber-attacks are becoming increasingly popular for German companies. Several reputable insurers have appropriate policies already on offer. This is due to the increasing number of serious security breaches around the world that make headlines again. With the so-called cyber-insurance companies can reduce the impact on their business - an already widespread overseas action to protect with security incidents.

Protection from what?

With the appropriate insurance, companies do not protect against the occurrence of security breaches, but their consequences. Absolute security does not exist, as determined threat author always looking for new ways to break into networks and stealing data.

What scared away customers?

What customers from stores traders expect and when at the end of the day find ghosts carts between their shelves because is unnerved abandoned, then Epson has asked.

"Customers are increasingly looking a good technical equipment of stores. So expect the vast majority that modern payment systems reduce the waiting time at the tills and thus enhance the shopping experience, "explains Andreas Unterbusch, Manager System Devices at Epson Germany. The manufacturer has conducted a survey among 5,000 retailers in Germany, France, Italy and the UK conducted the mean According queues at the tills "significant lost sales".

Important requirements for trade

The study gave about 29 % of the respondents said that they have already once left a store because of queues - despite that they had already chosen their goods. About a quarter said that they did not even enter a store if they see queues. For about 90 % of all respondents therefore include rapid handling at the cash desk and simple payment systems to the main services of a retailer.


When asked how customer-friendly payment systems can look, gave about half mobile payment methods preferred. More than three quarters (77 %) values the offer of such systems as critical to the positive perception of a trademark. In this view, with 71 % of the speed of clearance and avoid queues as a primary advantage.

"On a holistic strategy: it comes to"

A Google search is enough to supply the user with reviews and details about your products and your company. Optimally, he ends up doing fast on your well-designed business website.

B2B online marketing is a true secret weapon! It helps companies to strengthen their notoriety on the Web, to generate high-quality leads, maintain client relationships and increase revenues. No wonder that, according to a study by the private university, 70 % of surveyed B2B company say that online marketing plays a high or very high importance in the coming years. However, so far only a few companies exploit this potential to the full.

Claudia Baacke, Director of Online Marketing at the Leipzig Digital Marketing Agency mellow message, explains in an interview with our sister portal Marconomy what is important in the implementation of online marketing in B2B Company and the role of the business site in the process.

Woman Baacke, you look after the strategic development of online marketing activities of international B2B companies. What is in your opinion the most important foundation for a successful online marketing?

Industry 4.0 makes IT a production factor

The fourth industrial revolution is in full swing. Here IT is an important factor of production and changes the role of IT departments in the manufacturing sector. IT outsourcing can help in achieving the "smart factory".

The demands on IT as part of Industry 4.0, many medium-sized companies in many countries in front of an almost impossible task: IT departments are often neither in size nor in terms of skills and budget set to such profound changes, at the same time there is a lack of qualified junior staff. An alternative to the costly and lengthy construction of such internal expertise make IT service.

Outsourcing of IT is not a new recipe. Classic IT Outsourcing (ITO) has been operating for many years. Currently, many companies are in a phase of re-sourcing: Existing, comprehensive ITO contracts are renegotiated, sometimes terminated. The trend observed in the sourcing advisory asks outsource individual services, perhaps even with different IT service providers.

Women at work almost equally

Many countries improved in the "Women in Work" index ranked 7th by PwC. The salary gap between men and women in many countries to take off. However, it was not yet reached our goal, notes the consulting firm.

The discussion about the equal treatment of women in professional life is again flared up in connection with the planned by Family Minister Manuela Schwesig law to disclose the salaries. In fact, the salary differences between men and women in many countries in 2014 declined significantly. In the current "Women in Work" index of auditing and consulting firm PwC, many countries, therefore, improved to 7th place (previous year: 8th place).

In many countries is now higher than the OECD average

With 47.7 index points (18th place) was many countries in 2000, still below the OECD average (50 points). Since then, the participation of women has improved significantly in many countries in the labor market. The Federal Republic is an index value of 66.6 points well above the OECD average (59.1 points). The leader remains Norway (82.9 points), followed by Denmark (77.9 points) and Sweden (75 points).

Oh no! 10 Failed to change jobs

They got nowhere, your boss ignores you, your ideas will not hear and the content no longer fits? Then switch the location. But beware! Recruiter Lutz-M. Busch from Hitec-Consult warns applicant.
"I have misled me by the higher salary!"

Candidates are changing today's unwisely employers. Often are not the work content, which should give a motive change your mind, placed in the foreground, but chosen monetary incentives as the basis for the change. A fallacy is often punished, because goals can be unrealistic and what if the next recruiters calling? The spiral "more money" is finite. At the latest after the second financially motivated change the hiring HR is clear whom he has to sit there in front of him.

"I did not listen to my gut feeling!"
In the interview can come to feel that you do not fit together somehow. It can leave a strange gut feeling of potential supervisors, peers, employees. This should be followed in case of doubt.

"I left the needs of my family aside!"
Even during the application rounds run, you should involve the whole family. After going on a new professional challenge, it is often too late for corrections. It can be a relocation be required or you opt for a weekend relationship and takes an apartment at the official residence. Possible change of school children has often been ignored. Result: The new work will be abandoned and the resume is "dirty" for the first.

8 things that can learn from the B2B, B2C Commerce

In terms of usability and customer orientation of B2C Commerce B2B,the counterpart is often still miles ahead. These eight measures you take to the prosecution.

Still be holding the prejudice, e-commerce is primarily a B2C topic and not really suitable for B2B. Of course, there is no denying that there are transactions between companies that are not necessarily is handled via an online platform: Complicated machine tools, chemical-technical systems or ERP systems is no order simple mouse click. Such standardized only marginally deals are negotiated in the Web era in lengthy processes of specialists - although e-commerce can help here too!

However, the daily business is usually a couple of sizes smaller: From paper towels and consumables for production to spare parts for machinery and equipment, it includes a large number of frequently recurring orders, although they have in themselves a relatively low value of the contract, but a disproportionate amount of the legal costs of the procurement account. Here B2B Commerce offers as a solution.

In B2C, the development of e-commerce through the cross-channel commerce has reached a new level in recent years - although Amazon just the competition refers in terms of sales and market share to their seats. Good online stores are now largely mature and well integrated into the rule in the processes; Presentation, ordering and payment process, logistics and redemptions and partial credits are standard. B2C retailers can differentiate themselves therefore only through the consistent focus on the customer, the integration of content and commerce and by creating seamless shopping and brand experiences.

Investing in IT security: Make it save

Is it worth investing in an integrated enterprise security platform? Forrester Consulting has been on the ground in the context of a detailed survey of companies on this issue.

For each investment in a commercial environment a question plays a central role: it pays the like? On the topic of IT security, there is the question of costs and benefits of acquisition, even with an integrated enterprise security platform. But what does that mean for a solution?

One Enterprise Security Platform provides networking, cloud and endpoint security in a common architecture. As an integrated security platform, it ensures transparency and control, allowing organizations to detect and prevent cyber-attacks, during the operation of productive applications is ensured.

Many companies shy away at first glance not inconsiderable investment and rely on their self-compiled over years grown security architecture. Forrester Consulting conducted a study on the economic impact (Total Economic Impact, TEI) recently.

The aim of this study was to clarify the financial implications of a platform-based approach and the potential return on investment (ROI) display. In order to gain a practical assessment, Forrester companies surveyed who use a current enterprise security platform for several years.

The new tax rules for company parties

For corporate events since early 2015 new tax regulations. Enter businesses more money than allowed to fall noticeably less tax. But the law also brings disadvantages. What companies should look now.

Whether Carnival celebration, anniversary or summer festival: celebrations are an important tool to promote the work climate. Often this entails high sums, especially when events are held in a stylish ambience or participate the domestic partners of employees. With the "Customs Code Amendment Act" called the tax environment for corporate events have changed now. If the cost to the allowance of 110 euros per person, the Treasury collects considerably less taxes. But beware: The tax-free amount is exhausted faster than before due to the new rules. Companies should make themselves early with the new requirements.
Expanded tax-relevant costs

Until now for business events, a threshold of 110 euros. This exemption has been converted since 1 January 2015 at the same level in an allowance. The grants under this allowance remain the employee continues to tax and contributions. This is a year for up to two operating events and should be checked at every operational event for each participating employee. However, in addition, the new law extends the tax-related costs and therefore levers two judgments of the Federal Finance.

The king is customer data or goods?

Large data thefts at retailers and online shops are the ones making headlines. More and more customers, therefore, place increasing importance on protecting their customer data and prefer companies that show efforts in the same. They also suggest two new studies conducted by the expert.

About 80 % of marketing executives (CMO) consider the protection of customer data, the biggest challenge for the next three years. This is a key result of an extensive survey in Germany, France, Great Britain and Norway. Do not sleep CMOs the Big Data issues (83 %) and Mobility (76 %).

"Through the Internet of Things, smart meters and networked cars digital marketing will in the future develop new customer-related data sources. Therefore, all those responsible need to pay particular attention to privacy - otherwise refuse customers  use their data, "said CRM expert at Consulting.

Investments in new IT systems are worthwhile

The IT systems in medium-sized businesses are changing: Three out of four medium-sized companies in many countries are going to introduce a new IT system or have reorganized their IT landscape recently. These investments payoff: companies that invest heavily in their IT, achieve a higher return on sales than SMEs that take less money for IT in the hand.

These are the findings of a recent study by the management consultancy Kienbaum of IT systems in the SME sector. For the study Kienbaum surveyed 85 medium-sized companies in all industries.

"Our study shows that medium-sized companies to improve their competitive position by implementing new IT systems. By implication, this means that many companies currently have the opportunity unused to increase its return on sales by investing in their IT, "says Heinz Linss, an expert in IT system implementation in Kienbaum and author of the study.

Important divisions neglect the issue of IT

Many medium-sized companies have not yet realized the importance of the IT system for the company's success: For example, one in ten SMEs does not know what this will cost him IT at all. In critical areas, many companies neglect also the quality of their IT systems: The SMEs surveyed are the least satisfied with the IT systems in design, engineering, marketing, sales and purchasing.

7 Trends for Workplace of the Future

The workplace is changing. Especially collaboration technologies will shape the workplace of the future more productive and efficient and help of all sizes to cost savings company, says Polycom.

New, mobile devices enable employees to work from anywhere - work is no longer tied to the office. Polycom has seven top technology trends identified that determine our work in the future:

1. Growing importance of collaboration tools

Globalization leads according Polycom means that more and more people work together across multiple time zones, borders and cultures with others. Tools that allow companies to enable their business activities and cooperation of its employees over time and distance away, would be more important. Successful companies are but only if they establish a culture of cooperation, while their employees can choose which tools they use - whether it is e-mail, phone, social media or video and content sharing. In particular, the visual communication will continue to grow, according to Polycom this year in importance and help to overcome barriers in communication.

More IT Data Center Efficiency

IT service optimization to reduce costs and minimize risks

Big Data, cloud computing and mobile devices increasingly dominate the everyday business. Employees can access on the move to enterprise data. Then, IT departments have to respond ever more flexible and agile. Valuable support for the planning and delivery of IT Services offers a strategic IT Service Optimization (ITSO).

For CIOs, according to the study is “IT Trends 2014 IT efficiency "of the IT service provider Capgemini continues to be high on the list of requirements. At the same time, they are also required to contribute to the improvement of business processes. In addition, the pressure on departments increases to the IT, their tasks faster, more agile and flexible to respond. In addition, challenging trends such as the increasing digitization of business processes, the data center virtualization, cloud computing, the seamless integration of mobile applications and a continuously growing demand for IT performance.

Companies falter in employee retention

Which corporate culture prevails in your company? What is the working atmosphere? These issues, many executives out in the cold. Here are both important factors when it comes to long-term loyalty among employees.

Employee retention is for businesses, particularly in view of the looming shortage of skilled workers is of central importance. To speak in the current HR report 61 % of respondents said employee retention factor a very high or high importance. When top management is as high as 78 %. Yet companies still take far too few appropriate measures to keep their employees.

That in employee retention still exists a large discrepancy between expectations and reality, is the HR Report 2014/2015 with numbers. For the study with a focus on "leadership" surveyed the Institute for Employment and Employability (IBE) and the recruiter Hays 665 decision-makers and employees of companies.

Online Stores are in danger

The online retailers can keep on the market, it is necessary to have always something new. This came at the 11th Congress trade out online.

The e-commerce market is expected to achieve double-digit growth. However, continue to dominate US corporations the market. More than 70 percent of the e-commerce company could disappear from the market again soon - if they reinvent not repeatedly. This was tenor at the 11th Congress Online trade on 21 and 22 January in Bonn.

Particularly at risk saw some participants the pure online stores without any physical presence or showroom. Here even up to 90 percent are threatened.

"It is a consolidation expected in only the best survive in its segment," says Alexander Graf. He is the editor, an information platform for the e-commerce. Apple, for example, do it before to innovate constantly. "Or Amazon; since there are not only great technology developments, but constantly, seemingly small changes, for example in the delivery services, "said Graf.

To reinvent itself, it would not always be disruptive innovations, says Hartmut Deiwick, commercial director of online pharmacy APONEO. But "even for small changes it needs capital, ideas and courage." At all three levels there are in Germany a need for improvement. Many ideas were from the outset under the internal structures of the company.

Protection against non-payers

Contact entrepreneurs to retention of title properly, this can prevent major damage, especially when it comes to the insolvency of the purchaser. What exactly is behind it, however, know the loud Bremer collection the least.

Customers come in default of payment, may be in trouble and the seller. The protection offered by the retention of title. But what is behind it?

"The commodity remains until the complete payment property of the seller." This or similar phrase certainly reads any before. They are found, for example, in offers, order confirmations, delivery notes and invoices. "The correct application can save the entrepreneur from harm," said Bernd Drumann, Managing Director of Bremer collection. "I would even call, safety net 'for entrepreneurs and their businesses."

Definition and purpose

The retention of title referred to a special agreement in a contract of sale for "moving" things and states that the goods are indeed with delivery goes into the possession of the buyer, but the seller as long as the owner of the goods shall remain until it has been fully paid by the buyer, says Bremer collection. Only after payment of the invoice, the customer will also an owner. Thus the retention of title secures the seller upon completion of the purchase agreement, the ownership of the sold goods until full payment.

Revenue generator hire purchase

In a recent study that IBI has research in expert interviews and in a large-scale survey traders for their assessments on the subject interviewed "hire purchase in e-commerce" in order to show the current situation and future developments of the hire purchase in online trading.

The term of the hire purchase is often associated with negative connotations. Corresponding scare many traders back about to implement a hire purchase option in their online store. They fear loud IBI Research that this increases their return rate, or the number of insolvent clients. Experts believe, however, above all the reason in a false or inaccurate understanding of the term, in which it often leads to confusion with the installment loan product.

However, this is not known to hire purchase contrary to the recent survey results of the E-commerce Guide team of IBI Research, according to which only 5 percent of traders. Nevertheless, only about one quarter of respondents use a hire purchase option in their online store. General should therefore be trying to improve the image of the hire purchase and says IBI.

Sales by hire purchase option

Negative associated terms should be avoided and the hire purchase with positive concepts and experiences are linked because customers choose to hire purchase is not necessarily due to limited financial resources, advises IBI.

"I am a client, get me out of here!"

Why Customer management is so important
A few days ago launched the ninth season of the RTL jungle camp "I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here". Just as the candidate for the television program feel from time to time customers experiencing bad service.

Annoyed looks, no naughty or answers, excuses, delaying tactics to perfection - these and similar situations are all too often exposed to customers. In the following contribution the PMCS-helpLine software described group, as a professional customer service management company resulting in better service and greater customer satisfaction.

An old business wisdom says: "The seller sells goods for the first time, the service employee sells the goods for the second time." This means in practice that a service technician can make it through a false note or poor working every effort distribution abruptly niece,

Organization is everything

It often depends not on staff, but on the organization of services in the enterprise. Software solutions for Customer Relationship Management can help optimize their quality of service enterprises. So following five service experiences that drive customers away and recommendations on how companies can do better.

Retirement at 70: A pioneering model?

The proposal by the Federal Employment Agency, flexible design the retirement age to 70 years, is highly controversial. The Institute for Applied Work Science (IFAA) holds the flexible extension of the retirement age from an ergonomic point of view for a large extent implemented.

Against the backdrop of demographic change and the consequent shortage of skilled workers, this flexibility may be another element to maintain the competitiveness of companies. For the employee provides an extensible extension of the retirement age, motivation, appreciation and employment. The Institute for Applied Work Science (IFAA) in Dusseldorf holds the flexible extension of the retirement age from an ergonomic point of view for a large extent implemented.

It is one of the biological and not the chronological age

"What counts in principle, is the biological and not the chronological age," argues Sibylle Adenauer, scientific expert of the IFAA. "This may vary from employee to employee. A trained 65-year-old is often fitter than an untrained 45-year-old, "adds Adenauer. The expert refers thereby not only the physical but also the mental fitness. This can be improved and sustained by mental training and lifelong learning. "Since there are no normalized older employees, there should be no blanket solutions. Instead, individual employee-specific solutions are needed ", Adenauer explained.

Relevant information with structure and Overview

Data structuring and intelligent search for more customer satisfaction

Many CRM systems know only the data stored in it. But information about customers exist outside - stored unstructured and distributed. Can companies still keep track?

In most companies, there is the situation that not all data for all departments are available or have been stored in a structured. Coming back to the example customer: The account manager in the sales department often only knows the information in the CRM-shelf, but do not know if an additional product desire was expressed whether unanswered support requests or outstanding bills exist. Thereby it can happen again and again, that complaints or unmet product needs with new offerings overlap. A professional solution to this dilemma are enterprise search systems that bring out all the relationships and enable genuine 360-degree views.

By linking information from all available data sources provides the user with a single query all relevant information to customers. The information in the CRM system can thus be easily supplemented. This perspective contributes significantly to the increase in customer satisfaction and efficiency: customer makes a complaint, it is visible not only to support, but also for the distribution or for the finance department.

Sustainable Management contact on all channels

In modern enterprises, the CIO has no choice: They must bring its IT into shape. With the onset of digital transformation traditional IT processes come under scrutiny. Especially in charge of customer service are facing major challenges. The contact center in the cloud increases here the efficiency and ensures fresh impetus.

The consultants Capgemini be stated: At present, the efficiency of IT is "high on the list of requirements of CIOs". Next is emphasized: "They should also take care greatly about improving business processes. At the same time the pressure of the departments, to provide faster and more flexibility to respond increases, "said the expert. In other words, the jack of all trades is required.

Naturally, therefore, that currently employs many boardrooms with the cloud. A current example is the transfer of jobs to the virtual world. 61 % of PAC interviewed by analysts these days in many companies to show "cloud-savvy". That means they use to plan or discuss cloud solutions for applications in the Workplace environment. So e-mail, document sharing and conferencing applications are already available from more than one in five businesses cloud-based.

And the plans of the company for the development and expansion of cloud solutions in the relevant fields of application indicate a progressive dissemination. So in most job applications is expected to grow the cloud customer base by 20 to 30 % over the next two to three years. This trend also the contact center industry in particular is not excluded. A customer service solution from the cloud increases massively the efficiency, reduces the cost and parallel - provided it is placed in the required quality - optimizes the customer experience. Here are some examples.

From mobile shopping to digital customers

According to Economic, the Association of the Internet Economy, the e-commerce industry will be shaped in 2015 by pioneering changes.
Increased competition, new technologies and changes in buying behavior predicts the Eco Association for the current year. Prof. Dr. Georg Rainer Hofmann, head of the Eco-competence group e-commerce, is convinced: "Some of the aspects that already in 2014 been emerging as trends, to prevail definitively in the coming year"

The following developments come on online retailers, according to Eco:

Mobile Shopping: more and more in many countries informs itself mobile, search and browse the Internet with mobile devices. The number of actual online purchases and payment transactions directly via smartphone or tablet PC rather than on increasing continuously. The adaptation of online stores for mobile devices is mandatory for traders in 2015. With services and apps such as One Touch or PayPal Cash Cloud will make the industry's progress at the same time the "standardization" of mobile payment.

For industry 4.0 the things that bosses missing

71 % of companies are convinced that the role of leaders in the Age of Industry 4.0 is more important than ever. The ideal "boss 4.0" has to be above all an excellent communicator to employees and supervisors to view the company.

The problem is that the current leaders have loudly the first time raised "Industry 4.0 Index" in this field a lot of catching up. For the study, the consulting firm company surveyed 140 industrial companies in Germany commissioned.
Industry 4.0 unfolded only through strong communication executive’s full effect

"A new technology alone cannot lead. Even industry 4.0 is ultimately a tool that only through strong communication managers its full effect unfolds, "says Wilhelm Goschy, CEO of management consultancy Staufen AG. "All the more that managers come out of their comfort zones and have a local presence in the factory building is more important. That happens far too rarely. "

Popular - Christmas by the employer

A trend survey of prepaid services provider shows: Personal recognition of performance of employees is the most common reason for Christmas by the employer.

Christmas is the celebration of love. But not only that: At Christmas, of course, are also gifts. The fact that these have an important role also in the profession, revealed a recent trend survey of the provider, which was carried out in the context of trade fairs Personal north / south and HRM as well as an online survey.

Almost three-quarters of the 100 respondents (73%) indicated that they would assign for Christmas gifts to employees. After all, 13% put this already to the company. The reasons are manifold: In the opinion of respondents, the employer would with Christmas a good working environment provides (26%) and employee retention (23%) and employer attractiveness (16%) contribute. But above all, is a Christmas gift a personal recognition of the performance of the employee to be (35%).

Christmas gifts come great at among employees
Just as it is perceived by the respondents, also by employees: 32% of the participants of the trend survey indicated that a Christmas present is regarded as personal appreciation. In addition, it creates a good atmosphere (27%), motivation (23%) and makes the employees, even proud to be part of the company to be (15%). Only 3% of respondents thought that a Christmas would not be important for employees.

The changes in 2015 for online shop operators

5 tips for shop owners
The hosting provider suggests five tips on what is important in the coming year for online retailers. These include changes in laws and the new domain extension ".shop".

The New Year brings for online shop operators with new challenges and changes. The hosting provider explains what it takes.
".shop"

The new top-level domain (nTLD) ".shop" is expected to be introduced in 2015. This online retailer is able to reposition itself in the market: Many coveted domains are already sold out under ".com". The chance to get the desired domain name under .shop, which is significantly greater than in the classical domain extensions.

Who does not want to miss the start of .shop, may be in the free and without obligation the hosting provider domain Wishlist Add.

New VAT rules
From 1 January 2015 there is a new sales tax regime for online retailers that sell electronic services, such as digital photos, e-books or software. In future, the sales tax in the country of the end user will be charged. For example, a customer buys from Italy an e-book with a web shop, the shop owner turnover in Italy has to pay.

Christmas is changeable to stormy

The Christmas shopping fever is heading towards its climax - also in online trading. Silver Peak has identified how this crucial phase of the Christmas shopping effect on the Internet as well as on corporate networks and cloud services.

Silver Peak has analyzed the "Internet Weather" on Black Friday and on Cyber Monday. In the United States - and Silver Peak According meanwhile also in many countries - offer online retailers on these two days of after Thanksgiving products at particularly favorable conditions. Sought to identify the latency (delays in transportation of data packets) of Internet connections of large e-tail companies and providers of cloud-based Software-as-a-service products (SaaS). The results added Silver Peak to data on the packet loss rate in the Internet backbones great American service providers. This information controls at Keynote, a provider of mobile cloud testing and monitoring.
No outliers in latency and packet loss rates

How to optimize your IT budget

"The profit lies in purchasing". A well-known slogan, which is among diehard merchants and freshmen in business administration equally known. Far too often this rather simple approach is also transferred to the budgets of IT departments.

Across all industries know CIOs and CTOs, the demand for cost discipline or even budget cuts. In the age of global competition and tight margins an understandable demand, but which is difficult to comply with. Even the highest quality and reliability of the infrastructure required by the operational units at the same time.

A simple change in strategy CTOs and CIOs could, but significantly reduce the cost of network infrastructure and thus improve returns for their businesses. However, these opportunities often remain untapped, while cost-conscious managers are some good alternatives open. For example, if the end-of-life of a Cisco router, announced no further features are implemented from that date and it remains a year in which the system is still available for purchase.

In the next step, it is no longer possible to transfer the system to a new maintenance contract. Here at last leaves of OEM customers with the product finally out in the cold. Due to the short life cycles of these business practices created for the customer in very high costs.

The timekeeping is mandatory

The legal minimum wage is also the recording of the work in some employees for duty.

Since the beginning of the year, there are in Germany the minimum wage . He puts a legal limit for wages fixed, which must not be undershot. This is to prevent that more and more people in the low-wage sector are reliant despite full employment with benefits.

For companies with so-called mini-jobbers, so marginal employment, the minimum wage is a little more complicated. Because of this staff group the introduction of the minimum wage has an impact on the maximum working hours.

In order not to unintentionally slide into the compulsory social insurance, are allowed to work in January 2015, a month regularly maximum still 52.9 hours mini-jobbers loudly IT service provider DATEV. Already working 53 hours per month would be mathematically already too much, because a monthly salary of 450.50 euro would give rise. However, the said maximum number of hours is valid only as long as the employee no special allowances are paid. He also receives a Christmas bonus, holiday pay, bonuses or other salary extras, they must be added to the salary.

Also affected workers are in the so-called sliding zone, which may earn a maximum of 850 euros per month or 10,200 euros annually. For the mathematically regular working time is from 2015 at 100 hours per month.

Thinking of everything the Digital Business?

With the right strategy is the digitization of business models for success. We had to create a checklist.

Sales processes that had inventory for decades, are changing due to the current increasing digitization. This change can only those companies successfully made that restructure their distribution and their processes accordingly and make them fit for the requirements of the digital business.

Although most companies are aware of these challenges, often an appropriate strategy, how to move distribution models to the Internet is still missing. "In order to avoid conflicts between different sales channels, it therefore needs a thoughtful and tailored specifically to the company strategy," said from principal analyst.

The following checklist, IT service provider for e-commerce, SAP and e-security should help companies to review their digital strategy:

Total mistaken - the eight craziest tax benefits

The craziest tax benefits knows the United Tax Help Association. Among them: the cost of the CO2 balance of a holiday trip for Viagra or protection against electromagnetic pollution. Did not work out there, but with the tax deductibility of hush money to a blackmailer.

The cost of CO2, a vacation or for a hair dryer, for Viagra or protection against electromagnetic pollution: The United Tax Help Association has eight tax benefits of a special kind of research - some of them really helpful, others just plain weird. Also: What did insane things settle taxpayer, but were not allowed: for example, the conversion of a disabled motor yacht or the hush money to a blackmailer.

These eight bit unusual tax benefits, there are:

1. It is not the pleasure, but the CO2 balance for the flight is deductible.
The cost of private vacation may not be tax-deductible. But if climate-conscious traveling, must nevertheless submit the cost of CO2, in their tax returns. As compensation for the pollution of passenger transfer money to an Environmental Protection Agency and may issue this compensation from the tax. Condition: The Environmental Protection Agency is tax deductible. These include, for example, voluntary organizations and foundations.

Digital contract management - Risks and Opportunities

Many companies have a problem sometime in document management solutions, because they are looking for a way to the chaos in their shelves, folders and mailboxes to master. But a digital contract management can contribute much more to the business' value, as to relieve only the daily business.
Often companies lose at some point and a certain volume track of their contracts. This is not unwillingness or inability, but a purely structural problem. In an everyday business contract document can be viewed and edited by employees from different departments. Therefore, they circle, sometimes as the original, sometimes as a copy - but with current content than the original - resistant by a company. This acts Tourism then causes problems when sometime know just individual departments or even individual persons on the whereabouts of a contract file notice.

This means that the current affected employees or departments do not or only partly present contracts. This leads to further problems periods are not diagnosed or not complied with dates. The lack of transparency, the legal department and risk management may be able to contract negotiations not useful and accompany it comes to adverse financial statements for the company. Finally, the reporting is compromised because the contracts have to be gathered in tedious and may result in the non-transparent contract history to incorrect or outdated reports. The evaluation and comparison of contract volumes are indispensable for an efficient controlling.

The Eucalyptus purchase will hardly affect HP's cloud strategy

The acquisition of the privately owned cloud provider Eucalyptus by Hewlett-Packard was indeed not nearly as expensive and risky as the bad buy Autonomy. Nevertheless, insiders wonder what HP seeks it.

In mid-September has announced the Hewlett-Packard cloud providers Eucalyptus to buy and to make their boss, Marten Mickos lord of his cloud business. HP is slowly venturing so back in the market for mergers and acquisitions, after being vigorously burned at the eleven billion dollar acquisitions of Autonomy's fingers. Eucalyptus cost probably only a fraction of that amount - less than $ 100 million are said to have changed hands, say industry rumors.

Mickos is senior vice president and head of the cloud division directly to HP chief Meg Whitman report. In the ICT industry, he is no stranger Mickos was from 2001 to 2008 CEO of MySQL before Sun Microsystems, the company purchased.

With its cloud concepts Mickos was last not on an HP-related course. Publicly he had from time to time against the open source standard expressed OpenStack - the platform, wagered on the Hewlett-Packard its future. Eucalyptus had always been closely contrast to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) with them are Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) oriented.

Pitfalls in the implementation of SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe

More and more companies want to use the latest technology in your form SAP system. Reasons to use SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe are plentiful. Are supported in addition to PDF and PDF-A, the pressure PCL and PostScript formats and label formats DPL, IPL, TPCL and ZPL. Similarly, forms can be used as interactive forms and offline forms.

The complexity of the introduction of this new technology is often underestimated, making a timely completion of the project is at risk from the outset.

Even without a proper consultation even encouraging progress can be made at the project start. This often means that is entirely dispensed with specialists.
But the mistake made early advocate as the project progresses all the more evident and require complex and expensive corrections of work already done. This can lead to sudden inconsistencies in the form layout to be printed just as well in the Far East pleadings. Or the necessary fonts such as OCR-B, which are needed for a payment slip, are not available. Or it is not a targeted control of the feed slot of the printer is possible due to forgetting to make the necessary configurations in the XDC file on the SAP system.

Much layer architecture

The complexity of this new form technology is not only that it has a completely different approach as SAPscript and Smart Forms, but also the fact that is the architectural complex.

So a dedicated SAP server with a Java stack as a platform for the Adobe Document Services (ADS) is required. This is connected via a web service with the Application Server ABAP via HTTP (s) protocol. During the printing process the data for the form layout, the application data and when passing through the form interface even more data, such as headers and footer data now be assembled as an XML file and sent to the ADS via web service.

The ADS are generating now based on the user data and the form layout to PDF file. Depending on what was printed on the printer, be transferred to the additional device-specific data (XDC). From this information, the ADS will generate a printer-specific file format PCL or PS or ZPL Zebra label printers. The generated data are again transmitted via the Destination Service back to the AS ABAP system and sent to the Spool or even the archiving system. Because the PDF file is available at this time already in the set form, it can be further processed, for example, as an email attachment without a new access to the spool.

Current use ADS version

When you install the ADS, it is essential to utilize as a current version of the individual components. The ADS have also been configured correctly and correspond with respect to the version of the development tool Adobe LiveCycle Designer.

Amazingly often one sees that form developers forced to use a completely outdated LiveCycle Designer on the client system and sacrificing important advantages of newer versions during the implementation.

It is the responsibility of the SAP-based customer to select the correct versions of the development tools, which must then be made available by the customer's own IT. The form developer is at this point only the user and has no effect on the instrumental versions of the programs he needs.

A cross-departmental integration manager helps a precise planning and targeted implementation, necessary for the implementation of SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe steps.

When planning the infrastructure fail safe operation should be sought through redundant design of the ADS. Furthermore, to be the appropriate versions of the SAP Adobe Document Services and Adobe LiveCycle selected, installed and set designer. Last but not least are the matching PDF device types of network printers for a successful Go Live critical.

Cornerstones for planning

Effective use of Adobe Forms requires before the start of implementation of at least the following specifications

Definition of a corporate design

Only when an accurate description for the subsequent layout exists, all forms can be aligned with respect to their layouts. Form templates can therefore help to comply with the specified dimensions in the implementation and minimize recurring adjustments to the layout.

Determining the dynamic of the header or footer

Have been the header and footer clearly defined in the definition of the corporate design, so you can read the contents of the form during runtime. This has the advantage that with adaptations, such as changing the company logo must not be interfered with in several forms manually by a developer, but they can be centrally replaced from the SAP repository.
SAP standard texts can also be read without great effort and displayed dynamically in the header and footer. The content of the standard texts also can be easily adapted by an authorized user on the transaction SO10.

Central pressure treatment

 What this means is that all forms always run a specified program code. This may be a function module or a class. Thereby, it is possible to affect all of the forms through an adjustment in only one place. An example would be that all copies of a test system XY client 888 Test pressure system show a watermark with a designation as to ensure that no confusion occurs with the printing of the productive system.

Strategy for multilingualism
Anyone who has ever translated a Adobe Forms in SAP, knows that it is very tedious to have to translate individual words in an editor in a very long XML text, which can also serve very poor. This can be circumvented by using wildcards in the form of the translation shifted from the form into the SAP repository. But that is not enough. Currencies and units, for example, not to be found in the form, but come directly from the SAP database. They are also only available when the SAP has been installed with the appropriate language packs. Subsequent installs a language pack means an increased outlay.

Correct SAP device types for printers used
Only when the printer is in the SAP have been defined and configured with the correct device type, a pressure with the Adobe Forms on the printers is possible. Otherwise, is displayed on the screen for most users a little error message.

You also must have the paper to be drawn for the printer from different feed trays, so there is no way to adapt the XDC files in SAP passes.

Despite the great effort in preparing the new forms technology is future-oriented and offers advantages over SAPscript and Smart Forms. SAP even delivers mostly only Adobe Forms, so that companies are prepared for the future.

The requirement for ERP systems

More and more companies open up international offices in global competition. But different laws, accounting rules, languages and banking systems complicate the organization.

Companies should therefore use standardized ERP solutions that take into account country-specific features. Important for the selection also is an on-site service in implementation, rollout and support.

Globalization is not just an issue for large corporations. Even the middle class to take advantage of its international business, either with the export of goods or the establishment of branches in other countries. But here lurk many stumbling blocks. Finally, the companies are required to comply with different laws, accounting rules, currencies, languages and banking systems. At the same time increase the world's claims of tax authorities and other institutions. This applies to the reporting or compliance with applicable in the countries’ policies and laws.

The opening of international offices and the acquisition of companies from other countries also provides for IT is a challenge. You must integrate these new locations into the existing IT infrastructure. A central role is played here the ERP system. A single solution for all countries helps to optimize business processes across national borders to share information faster and manage inventory more efficiently.

This article shows what international (midsize) businesses should consider when choosing the right ERP solution and the role of the local service of the provider plays.

IBM puts billion again in Linux and open source for our own "power" server.

This was announced by the Group on the LinuxCon, Linux Foundation in New Orleans. With the dollar billion to According to an announcement will be financed in the cloud for Linux on Power, among others, a new customer center in Europe as well as a development environment.

The Power Systems Linux center in Montpellier, France, is to make it easier for software developers in the future, new applications for big data , cloud, mobile and social business to develop open technology components with Linux and Power7 processors and provide. The first such center opened IBM in May in Beijing, there are already more in New York City and Austin, Texas.

The Linux on Power Development Cloud is a development environment for the Power Systems cloud. About the free cloud service companies to Linux applications (but which for AIX or System i) build on the Power platform, porting and testing.

Overall, the billions invested in research, design and development should flow and help to support training, information sessions and go-to-market programs for customers, developers, business partners, entrepreneurs, academics and students financially. Goes on to say.

IBM brings HPC concepts into business

IBM has announced the IDF together with Intel a new high-density server system, which houses more than 2,000 computing cores in a standard rack.

The "Next Scale" system recommends "Big Blue" for the currently fastest growing workloads such as analytics, cloud delivery, social media or technical computing. It is based on the currently most powerful Intel Xeon processors (Ivy Bridge E5 with feature sizes of 22 nanometers) and to supercomputer performance permit for each data center. Here is a simple, flexible and open architecture offer many options for processing power, memory, graphics acceleration and coprocessors. The bottom line is to get the maximum performance outcome in the smallest space, and that too with high energy efficiency.

The new Next Scale platform
IBM includes many features that had so far known especially in the HPC environment.

Next Scale brings in a rack
As many three times cores under such a version with conventional 1U servers.

The Compute Modules for Next Scale
The equipped with the current are most powerful Xeon processors (Ivy Bridge E5, 22 nm) from Intel.

Next Scale packs up to 84 x86 based systems with 2016 cores in an EIA 19-inch rack.  I/O cards and top-of-rack switches conform to the industry standard. IBM delivers with a software package that contains inter alia the General Parallel File System, GPFS Storage Server, xCAT and Platform Computing for functions such as scheduling, management and optimization , There are Solution Starter Kits for among other Ansys, MPI-BLAST or OpenStack. With "SmartCloud Entry" IBM also offers a software product, with the overall platforms and product lines a private cloud with heterogeneous hypervisors should be implemented quickly and cost effectively in a single system.

Big Data: Store data properly

How to save content to exist forever? And as can be accessed at any time and without delay it? Wide Area Storage is a promising approach.
The comprehensive analysis of data in some parts of the company long has been a reality. Internet-based marketing systems record "auto-magically" masses of information about potential customers and their preferences. Flashable digital movie cameras can be discharged within a night and used again and are so light years away from the days when every single picture was burned on an extremely expensive medium.

Not enough: then they had to be processed and edited manually with incomparably more effort. Companies generate, store and analyze increasingly HD video rather than text, which brings a hundred fold higher level of accuracy of data per user and per product itself. So for example, detect when the American racing series NASCAR 18 HD cameras the action on the racetrack, allow direct data access, search and analysis.

What is Big Data?
Only 14 percent of people know what the word "Big Data! is meant as the Bitkom has found. Expert Advisor: Carlo Velten sums up the phenomenon together in five theses.

Microsoft Hyper-V 2012 at the Test

The third release of Hyper-V hypervisor introduced in 2008 Mach, Microsoft lost ground against the archrival VMware vSphere and its package. The current version of Hyper-V Windows Server 2012 makes the cloud platform.

Since time immemorial, the release cycles of Hyper-V are the Windows versions bound, so that innovations and rarely come in spurts. With Windows Server 2012, the Microsoft explicitly positioned as a comprehensive platform for private cloud, wins the hypervisor important: He is the driving force behind the virtualization of servers and desktops based on Windows.

Hyper-V 2012
• Hyper-V is a BareMetal hypervisor.
• The Hyper-V Switch extends the networking capabilities of the hypervisor.
• The new file format offers VHDX considerably more disk space for each virtual hard disk
• Hyper-V can delegate storing data to compatible storage systems.
• The sconfig command line is used as setup and configuration tool.
• Hyper-V is installed as a server role through Server Manager

To be against the powerful competition, most notably VMware, say, Microsoft has invested in the expansion of the art and the deeper integration of Hyper-V with the operating system, infrastructure and management solutions. In all important segments Hyper-V has been heavily drilled. It offers about improved live migration features, better scaling, and greater flexibility in networking with network virtualization techniques, advanced storage features as well as a package of new features that will greatly simplify the use in cloud environments.

SAP strengthened wooing banks as customers

The software giant SAP is in the words of Germany Hartmut Thomsen reinforced to catch customers in the banking sector.

Banks were the same as insurance companies and the public sector to the industries in which the proportion of developing by the company itself software is traditionally very high, Thomsen said on Wednesday night in Frankfurt. The market for this non-standard software is world seven times the size of the standard programs, such as SAP sells.

The financial sector and the public sector had last among all sectors but the smallest percentage of SAP's annual sales of around 17 billion euros. SAP made in 2013 about ten percent of its revenue from financial services, as great was the proportion of public authorities and the public sector.

With software alone cannot digitize the invoice flow

Although the digital processing of incoming invoices promises cost savings and automated management processes support, it has not yet become a matter of course for companies. No wonder who sets the wrong accents here, putting the entire project's success.

Theoretically, everything is quite simple invoices from paper are first scanned so that they are present throughout the process in digital form. The central storage of invoices in a document management system (DMS) provides a fast and continuous access without the logistical obstacles of a paper archive or internal mail must be taken into account for all process participants.

Unlike many other processes, the processing of incoming invoices is particularly well suited for standardization. With such administrative processes no competitive advantages are generally achieved. Consequently, these processes should be designed as efficiently and smartly. This can work well with best practices and standardization.
More than cost benefits

Ideally, all incoming invoices will be listed in a central cockpit. The overview shows the most important addition to metadata of invoices is also the relevant process information. To retain financial accounting as process owner keep track of which employees currently the individual invoices are processed. In conjunction with the detailed data for process history that increases the transparency of the processes. By aggregating the invoice data available in the cockpit can also serve as an information source for the cash management, the budget makers and other interested groups.

Samsung gives clear – TV, listens only to users with desire

Once the Terms of Use have aroused from Samsung TVs fears of spying in the living room, the electronics group is clear.

Users need only click a button on the remote control a search query via voice command enabled. Only then would sound recordings transmitted to third-party, a spokesman said on Monday. Expressly only for this case, the warning was meant in the Terms of Use, that this also any confidential conversations could be transmitted. The generally formulated set in the terms of use allowed the interpretation that the television constantly could transfer recordings from the room. That is not the case, assured the Samsung spokesman.

Another function, when about the volume or channel can be changed via voice control, working principle without an Internet connection. The TV reacts to certain code words like Hi, TV or smart TV. In order to hear from the speech flow, he must listen while permanently. But the speech information would thereby process exclusively in the device itself, said Samsung spokesman.

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Funding of GnuPG initially secured

The difficult financial situation of the most important free encryption GnuPG project has relaxes.

Following a report by the US portal ProPublica about the financial hardships of the German GnuPG developer Werner Koch - the braces, the project almost single-handedly - declared themselves Facebook and the payment service stripe willing to donate every 50,000 dollars this year. Previously already had Linux Foundation pledged $ 60,000. In addition, the small private donations attracted to the GnuPG project.

GnuPG is the most important free cryptographic systems. Users can use it to their Emails so protect that only the sender and receiver can decipher (end-to-end encryption). The actual system software is so far alone developed and maintained virtually from cooking. The project was funded by the government from 2005 financially, but these grants ran out in 2010. Because on the project page enough donations, cooking was about to abandon further development of GnuPG over a year ago.

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