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Michael Murray MLAs briefed on urgent economic requirements

Business leaders in Northern Ireland have told Assembly members that providing good public services and building a quality infrastructure can be achieved only through a stronger private sector. In a series of briefings to MLAs at Stormont today, the Institute of Directors urged them to speed up decision-making on key economic issues. Joanne Stuart, Chairman of IoD Northern Ireland, said: “The fundamental challenge remains a rebalancing of the economy to reverse the unsustainable 60:40 ratio be… Continue

Added by Michael Murray on November 17, 2009 at 3:54pm — No Comments

Michael Murray Account NI – 62% of payments made within 10 days

The IoD met with John Crosby (Chief Executive Account NI) on Thursday 12th November. In August 62% of the 18,442 invoices received were paid within the 10 days target. See attached link for details. http://www.accountni.dfpni.gov.uk/payment_processing_performance_august_2009_v3.pdf Are you getting paid within 10 days? If not let us know. If you have a specific example we will take it up with John. I… Continue

Added by Michael Murray on November 16, 2009 at 9:12am — No Comments

Tim McKane The New Marketing World

The strange thing about the development of social networking and on line marketing is that the predictions are coming true, but there are also changes that no one forsaw. In the advertising world on-line used to be putting banners on sites - now it is putting sites on banners - links on Twitter and Facebook updates being the prime examples. But is there a psychological change going on- if you have a two way relationship with a number of brands, does the one way - wow look at that ad isn't it gre… Continue

Added by Tim McKane on November 12, 2009 at 2:33pm — No Comments

Tim McKane From On-line Publishing - to On-line communication

Everyone with a computer or smart phone and an internet connection can now be a publisher. They can upload their comments on what they have bought, where they have been, the coffee that they were served, the dog that barks too loud next door. This is the beginning of the age of communication. You can tell that it is challenging for some people. Journalists and media commentators are getting twitchy, as they see all and sundry giving their opinions. Already they are using terms like mob rule to d… Continue

Added by Tim McKane on November 12, 2009 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Joanne Stuart Planning Reform

The IoD recently made a submission to the consultation on Planning Reform. Over 80 questions were posed in the consultation and our submission endorsed many of the planning proposals designed to streamline the process and speed up decision-making. Less welcome, however, is the devolution of planning powers to the new ‘super-councils’ as proposed by the Review of Public Administration (RPA). The objective of the RPA was to replace multiple local bodies with more efficient regional organisations,… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on October 20, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Joanne Stuart Would you credit it? Lord Peter Mandelson

Speaking to the IoD Director magazine this month, Lord Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business explains why helping small firms access funds is his top priority "The last time I contributed to Director—back in January—I'd just completed a series of talks with high-street banks to discuss small business finance. Economic conditions are still difficult for businesses and accessing finance remains an issue. But we are holding monthly meetings with lenders and will keep pressure on the… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on October 8, 2009 at 12:30am — 1 Comment

Joanne Stuart Long awaited findings of the STEM review published

Tuesday this week saw the launch of the report on the findings from the STEM review,which was commissioned in 2007. The report was launched in the Long Gallery and there was a good turnout to hear Dr Hugh Cormican, Chair of the Review, present the main findings and Catriona Ruane, Minister for Education and Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment of Learning both of who w… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on October 2, 2009 at 1:45am — 1 Comment

Joanne Stuart IoD Bank Lending Survey - The Results

Today we published the results of the second IoD Bank Lending Survey. This survey asked businesses about conditions since April 2009. Over 200 businesses reponded to the survey, which showed that there had been an improvement in conditions, with 44% reporting that conditions had worsened over the last four mon… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on October 2, 2009 at 1:15am — 3 Comments

Sam McIlveen Business news to your desk top

The Belfast Telegraph has revamped its online business section to bring together all the key areas of interest into an easy to use service. As well as the latest news, photos and breaking stories from the daily newspaper and Business Telegraph, online readers now have access to regular features such as advice column Business Clinic, viewpoints and in depth features such as Small Business Can, our monthly look at some of the province's up and coming small firms. Among the new features are BT Bu… Continue

Added by Sam McIlveen on September 29, 2009 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Mick Fealty Richard Barnet's recommendations for a new innovation strategy for Invest NI...

The IREP reported yesterday with a wide rang of recommendations on the restructuring of the activities of INvest NI (you can get the gist of those recommendations here on Slugger). It looks to me to be a call for a severe shake up in the way INI goes about it's business, with a call for renewed emphasis on Innov… Continue

Added by Mick Fealty on September 29, 2009 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Nicole Hernandez Free 1 Year Subscription to Website Magazine

This was forwarded to me yesterday, and I thought I would share this with all of my friends since most of you have a website of your own. This is the top magazine for people with a website, and they are giving away subscriptions to boost their readership. The free subscription is the one on the right side of the web page below: http://tinyurl.com/yeaqe7o Feel free to pass it along to your friends also. Enjoy... Continue

Added by Nicole Hernandez on September 28, 2009 at 6:26pm — No Comments

Tim McKane Disruption - A Positive Way to Think

Now that I have left the advertising agency world (plug here - new business called Navajotalk getting up and running), I recommend the process that is used by the world wide agency group TBWA, which is called Disruption. Disruption is not negative, despite the way it sounds, it is a method of challenging conventions by rejecting the concept 'we've always done it that way'. It is a system that allows you see clearly that there are huge opportunities, no matter what sector you are in. Apple use it… Continue

Added by Tim McKane on September 22, 2009 at 9:34am — No Comments

Kevin Taylor Doing things differently Is this the way forward

As we see more job loses in my beloved wee province one wonders Where have we gone wrong ? Well in my opinion we have become so risk averse that we wont tell anyone one the time in case they sue us at a later date Government employs thousands off advisors and staff But what advise is given ? Benefits the radical solution As someone whom receives benefits due to multiple disabilities Why am i the only one that has no say in reform ? £48 million on completely useless work schemes is £48… Continue

Added by Kevin Taylor on September 19, 2009 at 7:03am — No Comments

Joanne Stuart Invest Growth Fund for NI Businesses Announces First Investment

The Invest Growth Fund (IGF) is a new £5m venture capital fund that has been set-up by Invest NI to invest in start-up and early-stage businesses based in Northern Ireland. The Invest Growth Fund provides equity investment capital up to £250,000 for high growth businesses. The IGF has completed its first investment of £100k, taking a stake in Sonic Music Services Ltd (Sonic Academy) as part of a £340k financing from the IGF, Business Angels and other sources of financial support. Belfast base… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on September 18, 2009 at 3:49pm — No Comments

Joanne Stuart ISNI Project Tracker Portal Up and Running

In June of this year, the Strategic Investment Board Delivery Tracking System (DTS) Portal went live. It was a 'soft' launch, so you may have missed it! This is something that the IoD, along with the other members of the Business Alliance, has been calling for to enable businesses to see what projects have been approved, and to track how the capital budget is being spent. The Portal provides information on the Northern Ireland Executive's 10-year infrastructure Investment Strategy (ISNI) 2008-… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on September 9, 2009 at 10:00pm — 3 Comments

Joanne Stuart Improve your bottom line through R&D

One of the key themes of my Chairmanship of the IoD is Innovation and how important this is to driving forward the private sector. Introducing innovation through R&D can help to differentiate your business from your competitors and give you an edge in attracting new cu… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on September 3, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

Allan Leonard Paying benefits card options

Paying benefits card options Interesting article in the Economist about using pre-paid debit cards to distribute benefits in developing and developed countries ("A plastic prop: Schemes to distribute aid and benefits"). In Pakistan, pre-paid debit cards were loaded with $300 per month that could… Continue

Added by Allan Leonard on August 28, 2009 at 9:58am — No Comments

Joanne Stuart Have you got a cutting-edge business idea?

Invest Northern Ireland today launched a major programme which aims to establish successful new fast growth, knowledge intensive businesses which could generate significant export sales and boost the local economy. The Propel programme will provide innovative entrepreneurs with salary support and the skills, expertise, and networks to fast track the development of their cutting-edge business ideas into profitable global enterprises. Launching the initiative, Invest NI’s Director of Regional Ec… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on August 26, 2009 at 3:37pm — No Comments

Joanne Stuart Focus on Skills not Pass Rates

The IoD Policy Voice - a community of IoD members across all the regions of the UK - released the results of a survey in which Directors were asked what they believed, from an employer’s perspective, should be the priorities for the next government – of whatever party – to address in seeking to improve the education system. Of the 1,316 directors who participated in the survey, released on 20th August, 33% report that some of their organisation’s employees lack basic skills such as literacy, nu… Continue

Added by Joanne Stuart on August 24, 2009 at 10:35pm — No Comments

Allen Higginson Tall Ships

Weather aside (well,they do try to hold these sort of things in the Northern Ireland summer), what a great success and spectacle the Tall Ships were - great news that they are considering sailing back in the not too distant. However,there have been complaints of the prices being charged by the various food vendors on and around the event.Bear in mind that the stalls were £1000 per day around the actual event,with 600 to 800 for Custom House (depending if you wanted to stay open until 9PM) - that… Continue

Added by Allen Higginson on August 20, 2009 at 8:21pm — No Comments

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Influence Policy

On the 1st October we published the results of our second bank lending survey.

Read the details here

DETI have provided a Matrix of Financial Assistance available to businesses

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