Tracking Donations

The Questions surrounding aid donations have been examined thoroughly and reported intensively worldwide, yet financial aid does not reach the vulnerable people it is intended to help. It is no longer acceptable to simply label this third-world corruption, while funds are being used to purchase first-world products and lifestyles. This type of crime where food, medicine, shelter and education is withheld from poor desperate people by modern day pirates is equivalent to the legal definition of crimes against humanity and in some cases, genocide and should be treated as such.

The Risk of Stress

Risk is all around, all the time. Acceptance can help manage and in some cases control the associated mental stress. This risk can range from large scale events which are being tackled collectively by the best minds to the day-to-day challenges that individuals face. The larger or more complex the risk is perceived by an individual, the less stress that individual may suffer. For example; if an individual suffers a stroke, this event though long lasting and high risk will most likely give that individual less stress, than if the same individual owed money to a living landlord.

Planning the Future

The only certainty is change, whether it is in a growing or declining economy and leaders have to manage in any and all circumstances. The short-term plans will always be affected as is the very nature of life; by the weather, by other people, by the availability of cash. The medium and long-term plans must not be altered easily; with knee jerk responses to daily news headlines, panicking about job losses and stressing out over cash flow problems. The answer is in the detailed planning methods.

An educational plan can take between twenty to thirty years; from literacy to specialty, matching skills to interest and ability, preparing for a profitable career and retirement. A career plan should cover between thirty to forty years; from apprenticeship to veteran, from low level to leader and investing toward a healthy retirement. A retirement plan can be some twenty to forty years; with all living expenses covered by a pension, from carefree enjoyment to helping others, maintaining health and guiding the youths.

A Crisis of Confidence

The credit market is suffering from, amongst other things, a lack of liquidity due to an increase in uncertainty. However the crisis in the global market provides an opportunity for investors/lenders with cash, to purchase assets cheaply and hopefully reap rewards from a resumption or increase levels in business activity. Persons with the ability to scrutinize good investment ideas and provide funding are now able to select from numerous investment opportunities at much more attractive prices, providing they are able to analyze the investment sufficiently to compensate for inherent risks.

Government Waste

The ideal function of democratically elected Governments and its quasi-government agencies is to set policies, approve development plans and facilitate implementation. While it should be the responsibility of an extremely motivated profit making private sector to bring a high level of efficiency and urgency to any task. The private sector must be encouraged to compete for research contracts to guide Governments’ policies, to submit development plans for Governments’ approvals or to perform tasks that add value to Governments’ facilitation activities.

Retired but Productive

Professionals, having invested years of service under an employer, are retiring and offering their services on contract. Such individuals are strongly advised to register a limited liability company mainly to protect their personal, existing, hard earned (house, pension and other investments) assets from lawsuits and subsequently, to present a professional image to potential clients and other service providers.

Non-Financial Professionals

How can Engineers, Lawyers and Medical Doctors graduate and gain employment without being financially literate? Graduating with a degree from a reputable teaching institution is not a ticket to success, as many without degrees would have you think, it says you can learn, think and resolve problems, use initiative and in some cases, you can lead. Yet, these young professionals expect to enter an organization at management levels and receive management remuneration. While the reality is even after orientation programs, periods of internship and other in-house training courses, some of these professionals cannot reconcile or balance they personal debit or credit card statement, far more to appreciate their employer’s budgeted or financial statements.

Executive Post and Pay

Management can be defined as the art of analyzing, setting and meeting predetermined goals utilizing others’ skills and abilities. These goals can include; returns on investment of twenty (20%) percent per annum, increases in production efficiency of over three (3%) percent this year, a five 5% percent increases in market share within the next year, and once judged to be attainable becomes the driving focus of the organization. It is goals like these that the selected (President, Chief Executive Officer, General Manager, Managing Director, etc.) top leader is contracted to achieve and is the basis for remuneration.

Money (The Happiness Index)

Many in society see money as the solution to most if not all of its problems. This is quite understandable when we look at the levels of unemployed or unemployable in the society. It is still reasonable when we examine the amount of “working poor” (people who work but do not earn enough to meet their basic needs) in society. It becomes more difficult to accept when employed people with high salaries (twice or three time their basic needs) have low or no savings or net worth. It is impossible, to comprehend when there are people with high net worth who are simply not happy.

Information-based Planning

Planning, by countries or by sectors or by groups or by individuals, is the most essential activity that affects all aspects of life and has always been so. Countries must plan to improve the standard of living it offers its citizens. Sector planning delivers economic efficiency on goods and services internationally. Goal oriented Groups must constantly re-examine activities to produce the desired results. Individual planning is and always has been driven by decisions and actions taken by groups, by sectors, by countries. An independent statutory (established under law) well-funded well-staffed statistical organization, that compiles using tested methodologies and issues reports on a regular timely basis, is needed to drive strategic planning and decision-making.