Description: When a garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh in April 2013, calls rang out for change. Yet recent inspections of 1,100 Bangladeshi garment factories found safety hazards in them all. In approximately 20 factories, the inspections revealed conditions severe enough to provoke immediate closure. Source: Industry Week.com Date: October 14, 2014 Link: http://www.industryweek.com/safety/retailers-find-80000-safety-hazards-bangladesh-factories Questions for… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Advanced Accounting
University budget questions
Description: In August, 2014, the Ontario government signed goal-setting agreements with the province’s 44 post-secondary institutions. This process was supposed to be step number one in changing the way the institutions are funded. Concerns are being expressed on how demographics and changes to funding may impact individual universities. Source: Globe and Mail.com Date: October 11,… Read more »
Mega Media Merger
Description: A couple of Canada’s oldest print media chains joined forces in a major merger this past week. Quebecor divested itself of the Sun media chain in a sale to Postmedia. Some observers believe this type of consolidation in the industry is essential in the face of a changing media landscape. Source: Global News.com Date:… Read more »
What ever happened to peak oil?
Description: Not so long ago, it seems, we were hearing all kinds of talk of peak oil. Speculation abounded on what this might mean for oil prices and their impact on economic prosperity. But now, in spite of various international crises, world oil prices are in decline. Oil prices have hit a two year low amid… Read more »
Blackberry: Passport to a future?
Description: It was a big news week for Blackberry. First, the struggling technology company released a new handset called the Passport. Then, Blackberry announced its second quarter results. Although the company continues to lose money, its loss of 2 cents per share was considerably lower than the 16 cents per share anticipated by analysts. Source:… Read more »
Huge IPO for Alibaba
Description: In the largest initial public offering (IPO) in US history, Chinese internet marketer, Alibaba, began trading on the New York York Stock Exchange on Friday. Alibaba now has a market capitalization larger than a number of Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Facebook and Amazon. Yahoo, however, may be smiling quietly in the background. As an… Read more »
Should business give any credit for this tax credit?
Description: On September 11, Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver delivered his first major policy initiative since taking over as Minister earlier this year, with his announcement of a Small Business Jobs Credit. The aim of the credit is to reduce employment insurance premiums which in turn may prompt small business to hire more workers. The… Read more »
Richest tax on the rich
Description: New Brunswick is in the midst of an election campaign, leading up to the September 22, 2014 general election. Some have also said the province is also in the midst of a fiscal crisis, with one popular book on the province’s future using the words “Fiscal Cliff” in its title. In an effort to… Read more »
Having their say on pay
Description: Shareholders are beginning to flex a bit more muscle in Canada when it comes to executive compensation. In short, a recent survey of shareholder voting at some of Canada’s largest companies shows that voters may be aligning executive pay with return to shareholders. Source: Globe and Mail.com Date: September 7, 2014, last updated September… Read more »
Bitcoin for your paycheque?
A CBC News story from September 1, noted how a a small – but increasing – number of employees are beginning to accept the online quasi-currency Bitcoin as payment for their wages. This is evidence perhaps of the growing acceptance of Bitcoin by merchants and the increasing discussion of Bitcoin currency exchanges. Bitcoin began in… Read more »