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One of the most talked about items to come up in the battle between McCain and Obama, has been the subject of “Joe the Plumber.” Joe Wurzelbacher, a Plumber from Ohio, questioned Obama’s economic plan. As someone who was looking to start a small business, Obama’s plan, which involves plans for healthcare, tax cuts, and the environment, certainly will have an effect (either positively or negatively) on Joe’s life.  With this in mind, here’s a list of key points of Obama’s economic plan, and how it may affect your business.

1. Tax Cuts – Obama’s tax cuts are aimed specifically for those persons who make less than $250,000 a year. For small businesses, and people who are planning on starting one, this could seem rather disconcerting. However, according to Obama’s economic plan, people who want to start small businesses will have many options available for tax credits. Essentially, Obama doesn’t want to discourage entrepreneurship. He’d rather tax CEOs of large corporations. The fact remains though, that if you are making more than $250,000 a year, you will most likely see tax increases. Barack Obama also plans on removing all capital gains taxes for start-up businesses. Also, if Obama’s tax cuts help the middle class as much as he claims they will, then consumers should have more money to invest in luxury items and services. For Joe the Plumber, it might mean people taking care of the plumbing issues sooner, because they won’t be as financially strapped.

2. Hiring Incentives – Obama’s plan involves significant focus on creating new American jobs. Employers will be receiving tax credits, and perhaps other benefits, for hiring new employees, thereby creating new jobs. However, if you plan on starting a small business that will employ workers outside of the US, be prepared for some extra taxes. Obama’s plan is specific in trying to create incentives for US jobs. Additionally, Obama plans on being tough on fair trade, so that Americans won’t be shortchanged on goods and services.

3. Environmental Policies – It’s no secret that Obama believes that Global Warming is a real issue that needs to be addressed by the next President of the United States. As a result, Obama has come up with an extensive plan for energy and the environment. In addition to an emphasis on researching new energy producing technologies, Obama plans to put many environmentally friendly incentives for businesses into law. Businesses that engage in energy conservation will receive tax credits. Additionally, Obama will attempt to institute stricter emissions policies. What this amounts to, is that small businesses will have to pay attention to their environmental impact more so than they do now, if Obama becomes president. The idea is that the Tax Credit will help to offset any costs associated with “going green.” If you own a small business, and Obama becomes president, it’s in your best interests to become environmentally conscious.

4. Military Policies – It’s no secret that Iraq costs billions of US dollars every month. Obama’s plan for withdraw should provide a much needed decrease in military spending. However, it should be noted that Obama also plans on increasing the effort to track down the Taliban in Afghanistan. Small Businesses won’t feel this impact directly (unless they deal in military goods), but the far-reaching economic impacts could certainly affect small business loans, and other business areas.

5. The Bailout – Obama supports the government’s financial bailout just like McCain does (additionally, both candidates seem to be in favor of printing a lot more money). Obama has stated that he will review government budgets, and carry out the current bailout plan. This bailout plan affects small businesses in a variety of ways. However, the most important affect is the ability for entrepreneurs to obtain loans that are traditionally more high-risk. The government is currently coming down hard on financial institutions for giving out loans too eagerly. So, in the future, it seems like no matter who is candidate, it may be harder to get loans. In order to combat this, Obama has also considered  a plan to help entrepreneurs have low-interest loans available to them in order to cover start up costs.

6. Healthcare – Obama has been immovable on his healthcare plan. The effect on small businesses could be of concern to some–especially with the salaries of medical professionals rising so much in recent years. Essentially, Obama’s goal is to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for everyone. How he plans to do this is by lowering the cost that consumer’s pay by an amount over $1,000 on average. It gets muddy as to where this discount will come from. Obama will place pressure on insurance companies themselves to provide lower-cost insurance to persons. However, if the insurance companies cannot, or will not, cooperate, then the discounts may have to be picked up by the employer. Again, Obama defends this by stating that only large corporations which can afford to pay more for their employee benefits will be affected. Obama plans on making healthcare affordable for everyone, and that includes small business owners.

7. Equality – Barack Obama is a staunch supporter of equality within the work place. Essentially, this means that he will not support any company which pays a woman less than a man for the exact same job. In fact, Obama plans to take steps to help eliminate this, and other similar salary discrepancies from occurring. For many companies, this would mean a sometimes significant wage increase for their female workers. You can bet that will make a financial dent. However, for a small business owner, any new legislation concerning equal pay for women would have a nominal effect. The largest descrepencies between male and female pay occurs in large corporations, not in private businesses. In any event, Obama is a stalwart when it comes to equal pay for equal work.

Obama’s economic plan is very aggressive. It has the potential to either help the economy, or just cause more problems. According to Obama, his plan won’t hurt small business owners, but is rather designed to make large corporations pay more taxes, while dealing with greater accountability when it comes to employee benefits. Under Obama’s plan, there will be incentives, via tax credits, for companies to hire more US workers, be environmentally conscious, and provide their employees with affordable healthcare. It remains to be seen if Obama can really accomplish all he hopes to. In any case, if you’re a small business owner, don’t panic if Obama is elected. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t try to be prepared for new challenges that will face the small business owner of tomorrow.

China has emerged as an amazing economic power that brings plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs and business people alike from outside China. If you plan to do business in China, there are several areas you should study prior to launching your business venture. The following resources include journals and newspapers, informative articles, blogs and podcasts, and free classes to help you learn about international business, Chinese culture, and even how to speak Chinese. Take advantage of these resources to get the best start possible on your business relationship in China.

Business Journals and Newspapers

Stay on top of all the news that affects business in China with these journals and newspapers.

1. The China Business Network. Learn about advertising, technology, cultural business strategies, and more as well as read interviews from important business people in this online journal.
2. China Success Stories. Take advantage of the experience of those who have gone before you and learn what these business people did to create a successful business venture in China.
3. China Economic Review. Stay on top of the economy in China with this journal.
4. The China Business Review. Find out about the supply chain, exporting, environmental issues, and more in this journal.
5. China Business Info Center. Read the latest news and headlines that pertain to doing business in China here.
6. Asia Times Online Greater China Business. Get all the news happening in China that may affect business there.
7. China Stocks, Companies, and Industry Analysis. Learn about the news that relates to stocks in China from this source.
8. China Briefing. Publishing in China since 1999, this business news publication offers news and information about doing business in China.
9. China Digital Times. The site sponsored by the Berkeley China Internet Project brings news stories about business, tech, and more coming out of China.
10. Wall Street Journal China Journal. Learn about Chinese business, economy, and culture with the reports from this respected news source.
11. China Business Market News. Get free articles on Chinese economy, investments, retail, pharmaceutical, technology, and more.
12. China Business News. Interfax China provides news that touches on telecommunications, metals, energy, commodities, and more.

Organizations

Being connected with other business people can be important to the success of your business venture. From business associations to sustainable development groups, these organizations will help you make important connections.

13. The US-China Business Council. This non-profit organization exists to support and maintain positive US-Chinese trade practices.
14. American China International Business Association. Working to develop successful business relationships, this non-profit organization works closely with government and businesses in China.
15. The American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China. This non-profit organization works to provide solid business practices for its members.
16. Committee of 100. This group of American citizens with Chinese backgrounds has worked to secure important and respected positions in the community and work to better US-Chinese relations as well as provide a forum for specific issues faced by Chinese-Americans.
17. The 48 Group Club. This independent business network, with a heavy British presence, serves to promote good relations with China.
18. China Council for The Promotion of International Trade. Working to promote foreign trade, investment, and technologies, this group strives to create strong working relationships between China and foreign countries.
19. China Business Council for Sustainable Development. This organization of Chinese and foreign businesses work together to create sustainable development in an effort to promote environment health safety and social responsibility.
20. International Chamber of Commerce. This international business group works to strengthen the world economy, job growth, and overall prosperity in a global environment.
21. Business for Social Responsibility. This global network of businesses work together to create sustainable business practices. This organization also has a Chinese counterpart.
22. Transparency International. With a chapter of this organization in China, this politically non-partisan group works to end corruption in both public and private sectors around the world.

Articles

From learning what to do or not to do when conducting business in China to the importance of being in business groups, these articles will inform you on the best business practices in China.

23. 7 Deadly Perceptions About Doing Business with China. Don’t fall victim to these misperceptions and you will be on the way to a successful business partnership.
24. China Tries to Solve Its Brand X Blues. This article offers insight to the importance of branding in China and the struggles currently faced by companies there.
25. 7 Secrets to Business Success in China. These simple yet effective suggestions will have you starting off on a promising venture in China.
26. Starting a Business in China. Discover the procedures and costs involved with setting up a business in China with this table provided by Doing Business.
27. Business China. This interview with a European businessman working in China for 16 years provides insight to what it is like to do business in China.
28. Business Groups in China: Is Qiyejituan Membership a Guaranteed Advantage?. This article from the W.P. Carey School of Business explores the role of business groups to the success of firms in China.
29. ‘Quality Fade’: China’s Great Business Challenge. Take a look at one popular theory as to why the quality of Chinese goods has deteriorated and how they can improve.
30. Business Travel in China. Learn invaluable tips from meals to dress code to business card etiquette to use while on business in China.
31. Why China Won’t Come to the Rescue. Looking at the recent financial history between China and New York, this article explains an important reason why China may not help America’s financial crisis.
32. Tips on Doing Business in China and China Sourcing. While this article is intended as a sales tool to use this company’s services, it nevertheless provides valuable information on doing business in China.
33. Inside the War Against China’s Blogs. This Business Week article describes the power of blogs when it comes to businesses and their practices in China.
34. Rough Guide to Outsourcing in China. Read this businessman’s journal documenting his experience while in China to visit suppliers. After the article, scroll down for tips on finding a supplier in China and survival tips while traveling in China.
35. 10 Best-Kept Secrets to Selling in China Successfully. Two experts in Chinese business offer suggestions for successful business relations in China.

Government, Legal, and Non-Profit Resources

These resources range from governmental websites about exporting to China to Chinese laws to a database of important Chinese leaders.

36. China Business Information Center. Learn all about exporting to China with this resource from Export.Gov.
37. China Business Intelligence. This site from The American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China offers links to other sites ranging from legal issues to tax issues to human resources.
38. China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission. Find arbitration rules and news pertaining to arbitration at this site.
39. China Stands Up. This series from Project Syndicate examines China’s impact on world trade and the global environment.
40. Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China. With this resource, you will ensure you understand the laws in China regarding foreign trade.
41. Securities Law of the People’s Republic of China. Having a business in China may mean you become involved with investors, public stock in your business, or other securities issues. Know the Chinese law before you begin.
42. China Commodity Net. Find Chinese suppliers with international certification or browse by location within China or product name to find suppliers at this government site.
43. China Data Center. From the University of Michigan, this site offers statistics on China including information on census, agriculture, economics, and more.
44. China Watch. A part of World Watch, this organization monitors safety, health, and environmental issues in China as they pertain to policy-makers, businesses, and non-governmental agencies.
45. China Vitae. This site keeps information on over 3000 Chinese leaders from several sectors including government, politics, business, education, and the military.
46. Global Institute of Logistics China Report. This organization works to connect academia with the business world, and this page is devoted to business in China.
47. Business Library 2.0: Doing Business in China. These links provided by the University of Florida offer articles, advice, and resources for doing business in China.

Blogs

Blogs hold an important place in the business culture in China. Follow these blogs to learn what you need to know and help you become a part of the Chinese business community.

48. Asiabizblog. Learn about the latest news about doing business in China with this blog that is updated twice weekly.
49. ChinaSolved Blog. The blog at this site offers great advice to help you improve your business relations with your Chinese counterparts.
50. China Business Blog. From the financial markets to trade surplus, learn what is affecting businesses in China at this blog.
51. China Business SEO Marketing Guide. Find out how to boost your online presence for your business in China with the advice on this blog.
52. All Roads Lead to China. Get a better understanding of China through the posts offering strategic insight and advice on this blog.
53. Business and Finance on Danwei. From Chinese labor laws to technology policies in Asia, learn about the details of doing business in China here.
54. Best Practices China Blog. This blog offers "international business skills for China’s professionals" with advice and suggestions to improve your business relationships.
55. China Business Law Blog. Written by a Chinese man attending law school in Texas, this blog offers insight and news analysis of China and business law.
56. China Environmental Law. Keep up-to-date with Chinese environmental and energy laws and policies with this blog written by an international lawyer in China.
57. China Financial Markets. Written by a business professor in China, this blog offers important information about the financial markets.
58. Experience Not Logic. This blog states its purpose to "explore the business and legal culture of China."

Videos and Podcasts

These videos and podcasts can help you stay on top of the news, culture, and even learning the language in China.

59. ChinaOnTV Business Videos. Watch video clips featuring business news from China at this site.
60. China Business Blog and Podcast. Listen to podcasts from this consulting firm offering information on doing business in China.
61. China Talk Radio. Get podcasts here that deliver speeches from some of the top business people working in China.
62. The China Business Show. These podcasts bring interviews from experts in the fields of advertising, business culture, entrepreneurship, and much more.
63. ChinesePod. Learn Chinese with these podcasts. One week is free, but then you will need to pay to continue the service.
64. Interview with Jill Buck, Founder of the Go Green Initiative. Listen to this podcast to learn about this organization and how it is working with China.
65. The Cool Aid . Listen to podcasts from bizCult about living and doing business in China from this site.
66. Danwei FM. Get podcasts from one of the most popular China blogs on the Internet.
67. Marketplace from American Public Radio. The Asia section covers all of Asia, but has a preponderance of podcasts on China.
68. Peace Corps Language Lessons. Get Mandarin lessons on podcast from the Peace Corps here.
69. CSLPod. These podcasts are intended for those learning Chinese as a second language.

International Business Schools

The business schools in China have gained a reputation as some of the best in the world. If you plan to pursue your MBA in China, check out these schools.

70. China Europe International Business School. Earn an MBA at this school located in China run exclusively for business people operating in or moving to China.
71. University of International Business and Economics. The first institute of higher learning for Chinese international business, this business school enjoys an excellent reputation as a leader in business education.
72. Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. The first non-profit business school in China, this school not only attracts top educators, it also promotes a strong sense of social justice in its education.

Free International Business and Politics Classes

Whether you already have an MBA or are just gaining more knowledge about doing business in China, these free classes will help you understand the economic, political, and business culture in China.

73. International Trade. Study current topics of international trade to determine the flow of goods across borders and what determines the flow of savings and investments between countries.
74. International Economics. Learn the basics in trade theory, policy, and international finance in this class.
75. International Economics I. This graduate level class from MIT explores the field of international trade and foreign investment.
76. FT Business School Growing Business Opportunities in China. From Financial Times, this course offers videos, online Q&As, and more to help you learn about doing business with China.
77. Global Markets, National Politics and the Competitive Advantage of Firms. Study the risks and opportunities available to businesses operating in a global markets.
78. Global Entrepreneurship Lab. Learn about the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the global world of business in this lab class.
79. Global Strategy and Organization. This course teaches business owners and managers how to lay the foundation for a successful company in international business.
80. International Relations. This introductory course strives to teach students the basics of international relations including idealism and realism.
81. International Relations of East Asia. Explore western relations with East Asia both before and after the Cold War and examine how this history has shaped current relations.
82. International Environmental Negotiation. Learn how to successfully negotiate for sustainability when working internationally in this graduate level course.
83. Government and Politics of China. Examine pre-Communist and Communist China to discover how the current political system has developed.
84. Comparative Politics and China. Study contemporary Chinese politics and relate them to the wider field of comparative politics in this graduate class.
85. Analyzing & Accounting for Regional Economic Change. Learn about factors within regions that affect economic growth and development in a global economy.

Language Classes

Doing business in China means you will probably need to speak some of the language. These university courses are all free and will have you speaking Mandarin before you know it.

86. Chinese I. Learn the basics of Mandarin with these lessons specially created for open courseware. This is the first in a series of four classes.
87. Chinese II. The second course of the series, this class focuses on conversation, reading, and the structure of the Chinese written language system.
88. Chinese III. In the third section of this series, this class builds upon what was learned in the prior classes to strengthen conversation and writing skills.
89. Chinese IV. Continue your lessons in the final course of the series while focusing on strengthening your reading skills and gaining confidence with the spoken word.
90. Chinese V: Chinese Cultures and Society. This course combines text lessons with real-life explorations of Chinese culture.
91. Chinese VI: Discovering Chinese Cultures and Society. Sharpen the sophistication of your written and oral Mandarin in this course that explores various real-life resources to further your studies. Conducted in Mandarin only.

Culture Classes

Before you begin doing business in China, you should get an understanding of the culture there. These free classes will enlighten and educate you in the ways of the East.

92. Chinese Foreign Policy. Learn the history of Chinese policy from the Cold War era to present day with this class offered through MIT.
93. Traditional Chinese Literature: Poetry, Fiction, and Drama. Learn about the major Chinese genres in traditional literature in this class.
94. Cultural Performances of Asia. Examine the way traditional and present-day performances in Asia communicate culture in this class that utilizes text, video, audio, and online materials to teach the subject.
95. Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese East Asia. Follows the lives of ordinary Chinese citizens as they experience enormous changes of 19th and 20th centuries in this course.
96. Race and Gender in Asian America. Explore the Asian American experience so that you can better understand the intersection of traditional Asia and America in your business practices.
97. Working in a Global Economy. Find out about practice and policy of doing business in a global economy.
98. Communicating Across Cultures. Learn how to bridge culture gaps in this class that focuses on communication issues.
99. East Asia in the World. Study the history of East Asia, most specifically China and Japan, and their relationships within East Asia and abroad.
100. Introducing Regional Integration. From the United Nations University, this course teaches about integrating regions both across countries and within countries.

The old adage, “a happy employee is a productive employee” has been proven to be true time and time again. Looking at many of the most successful companies today, many of them have a wide variety of ways they keep there employees happy and working. While it’s true that raising wages will always make employees happy, there are several other things you can do to ensure their happiness. These things will also probably be significantly cheaper than an across-the-board wage hike.

1. Flexible Hours – All businesses are different, and some are much easier to allow flexible scheduling than others. However, simply making any effort can have positive results. Employees have lives outside the workplace, and sometimes issues with children come up, family emergencies, or simply needing a nice vacation. Allowing employees to have some flexibility is a great way to keep them happy. If a employee asks to leave work early to pick up their child from school, letting them go, and having them make up the time later (if you so desire) is much more effective in terms of employee happiness.

2. Casual Fridays and Other Themes – Businesses have many different kinds of dress codes. Some are strict, and business formal, while others lean towards business casual. No employee likes wearing a suit and tie every day, so allowing employees specific days of the week to “dress down,” is a great way to keep them happy. Making the dress-down day theme oriented can also produce great results (usually, something more inventive than a simple Hawaiian shirt day will have better results). Potential ideas include, sports teams, colleges, wear your favorite sweater, and so on.

3.  Coffee and Tea for Everyone – It’s no secret that a little caffeine can do wonders in terms of motivating an employee. It’s often difficult to complete tasks if you are run-down, or otherwise simply very tired. Giving employees a high quality coffee-machine, with a variety of options (including tea, for those who don’t like coffee), is a wonderful decision. In terms of cost, it won’t be as much as raising wages, but it will certainly help motivate some employees to keep working away. There will always be those who disagree, but in my experience, half of the office would be asleep before lunchtime without some coffee or tea.

4. Family Events – Employees like to take their families to work-related events. It’s a great way for them to build new relationships, and just have a good time outside of the traditional workplace. “Family Days,” as they are sometimes called, can be tremendous for employee motivation. Serving good food, maybe some beer, having fun games, and generally making a great experience at a family event is fantastic from an employee-motivational standpoint.

5. Company-wide Competitions – Competition is the mother of productivity. If you can come up with a great competition, with a great reward, you just might find that your employees really get into it. It depends on your industry, but one example would be a sales competition for a sales company. Other competitions can involve things outside of the work place, such as fitness competitions.

6. Child Care Facilities – Sometimes things happen, and employees will need to bring their children to work. If you don’t have anything that could be used as a childcare facility, you risk unhappy employees who will be forced to jump through hoops in order to take care of their kids in difficult situations. Google allows their employees to, in an emergency, bring their kids into work, and Google has nice toys (such as legos) for kids to entertain themselves. If you don’t provide emergency child care for employees, then they may have to start their own daycare business, and that wouldn’t make anybody happy (unless you really like kids).

7. Nice Office Supplies – This may seem funny, but consider it. I don’t know how many employees have complained over the years about a lack of office supplies, but it’s a large number. Employees need supplies to do their work. So having nice post-its, pens, and paper readily available is a must if you’re going to be keeping your employees smiling and working.

8. Parties – Who doesn’t love a good party? In my experience, some of the happiest employees are those who are celebrating a coworker’s birthday and eating some cake. If you are diligent and get everyone in the workplace’s birthdays written down, then you might just see happier employees. The gesture will look great on you as a boss, and it will keep employees being social and happy. Remember to change the cakes though, people like variety. Also, don’t ever cancel the office Christmas Party, it’s the most exciting one of the year.

9. Friendly IT personnel – IT is the bane of the existence of many employees in companies all over the world. There’s nothing more angering and frustrating then coming into work, only to find that your computer is malfunctioning which prevents you from doing your work. Having a friendly, well-staffed, IT department can do wonders for employee happiness. IT people should want to help employees. In fact, at a company like Google, they provide their employees with an opportunity to play video games while they wait for their computer to be serviced. Having this won’t just improve employee happiness; it will also probably improve productivity, as there will be less down time due to computer issues.

10. Delicious Food – If there’s one thing workers really care about, it’s food. Recently, my friends’ work place changed their kitchen manager. The food now apparently “sucks,” which has lead to my friend being unhappy, as well as many of his coworkers. How can employees work hard and be happy if they have empty stomachs, or view the cafeteria food as awful? If the food is delicious and healthy, then employees will be much more well fed and therefore happier. Once again, at Google, employees have access to more food than anyone would ever need. Their employees are ecstatic when it comes to their work, and I think it has a great deal to do with how full their bellies are at the end of the day.

11. Decorations and Windows – There’s nothing more depressing than a dark office with very little windows and seemingly endless rows of cubicles. Employees don’t want to feel as if they are working in a sweatshop. Adding color to the workspace, paintings, and making sure that it is well lit with ample windows can do wonders in terms of employee morale. You don’t have to do a full-scale remodeling, but investing in some artwork and color for your office can have a tremendously positive affect.

12. Be Open to Suggestions – If there’s one thing that people like to do, it’s voice their opinion. Being open to suggestions is one of the simplest and most-effective ways to keep employees happy. If employees feel that their opinion is valued, and if they see some of their suggestions implemented, then they will be much happier. The improvements could also turn out to be really great for your business. After all, two heads are better than one, so if you have all your employees thinking and making suggestions for improvements, then that’s a very positive sign.

Businesses should always be concerned with how happy their employees are. A happy employee will work harder, be more social, and will simply be better for the business than an unhappy employee would be. While raising wages is the quick and easy fix, in the long term, it’s better to focus on a variety of elements to help make employees happier and enjoy their work more. If you take any of these suggestions, I’m sure at least one employee will come into work with a smile on hides or her face every day.

Just because you don’t have the deep pockets or stellar grades it takes to get into top tier schools doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of the same resources these establishments offer. Through open courseware programs, you can access course materials from a wide range of top universities. Whether you decide to take these courses on your own time or just skim through the information, we’ve compiled a list of 100 places to start looking for great business and entrepreneurship information.

Accounting and Finance

These free courses can give you some tips on managing money and making sound investments in your business.

1. Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting: This course is designed to help business owners make investment decisions, access managerial performance and place a value on other firms and businesses.
2. Financial Accounting: Through this short course, students will learn the basic concepts of corporate financial accounting and reporting to help make better finance-related decisions.
3. Management Accounting and Control: Learn how the finances of your business function through this course. You’ll get information about product costing, budget control systems, and performance evaluation so that you can plan and monitor the financial success of your business.
4. Introduction to the Art of Venture Valuation: This Columbia University seminar helps you learn how to value potential companies you’d like to invest in, especially those in the technology fields.
5. Mathematics of Finance: This mathematics of finance course is based on homework from Master’s level courses offered at Columbia University. You’ll get a chance to learn about elements of finance that include derivatives, futures, volatility, hedging and more.
6. Finance Theory II: Gain the financial tools and background needed to make good business decisions through this MIT course. You’ll learn the theory behind corporate finance and discover some ways that it can be applied to real-life situations.
7. Financial Management: This course focuses on the financial decisions that you’ll have to make as a manager. It will include information on the valuation of assets, risk management, risk and return, and corporate financing policies.
8. Real Estate Finance and Investment: Learn the basics of real estate finance and investment through this course. You’ll gain insight to the fundamental concepts behind what makes a good real estate investment and learn to apply it in everyday life.
9. Advanced Topics in Real Estate Finance: If you’ve already gotten the basics of real estate finance down and want to up your game in the field, check out this course offered by MIT. You’ll get information on the latest cutting-edge developments in real estate to help you keep up and stay informed.
10. Entrepreneurial Finance: For those building a new start-up, this course could be especially helpful as it focuses on the early stages of company development. You’ll learn about how to raise money, where to get money from, how to value your company and some basic organizational skills for finances.
11. Investments: If you want to learn about financial theory and empirical evidence for making investment decisions check out this course from MIT. Some of the topics touched upon will include portfolio theory, security prices, market efficiency, performance evaluation, and behavioral finance.
12. Early Stage Capital: This course focuses on elements of raising early stage capital and can be a big help to start-ups and young companies. You’ll gain some skills in making the most of advisors, negotiation relationships and finding great sources of funding.
13. Taxes and Business Strategy: If you manage your own business taxes, or just want to understand how they affect your bottom line, this course can be helpful. It attempts to combine education about the basics of business taxes and how they affect administrative issues.
14. Pricing: Improve your business’ pricing strategies and tactics with the information provided in this course. Topics will include pricing in competitive markets, estimating demand, price discrimination, the role of price cues, anticipating competitive responses, pricing in business to business markets, and pricing of new products.

Economics

Make sure you understand the larger factors that are at work in affecting your businesses profits and losses by educating yourself on economics through these classes.

15. Real Estate Economics: Whether you want to work directly in real estate or just need some information to help you make a better decision on purchasing office space, this course from MIT can provide instruction on real estate markets through a study of demographics, location, and government behavior.
16. Economics: Carnegie Mellon offers this introductory course in economics to help you learn the basics of issues like supply and demand, taxation, externalities and wages.
17. Applied Statistics: Through the materials offered in this free online course, you’ll deal with collecting and exploring data, basic inference, simple and multiple linear regression, analysis of variance, non-parametric methods, and statistical computing with all material geared towards practical applications in business.
18. Economic Analysis for Business Decisions: Check out this course to learn about the economic factors that influence making sound business decisions on a microeconomic level.
19. Applied Macro- and International Economics: Learn about big economic factors like GNP, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates and international trade in this wide-reaching course from MIT.
20. Applied Economics for Managers: This course focuses on microeconomics, and provides information on the integration of theory, data, and judgment in the analysis of corporate decisions and public policy.
21. Political Economy I: Theories of the State and the Economy: Get a background in the social sciences for analyzing relations among state, economy, and society in this course. You’ll learn about historical theories of economics, and learn how social ideas have affected the financial market.
22. Global Climate Change: Economics, Science, and Policy: If you don’t think global warming will have an affect on your business, you may want to reconsider. This course examines some of the economic ramifications of climate change and proposed policy measures designed to slow its progress.
23. Global Entrepreneurship Lab: Why limit yourself to a national business when you could be working in the international market as well? This course addresses some of the challenges faced by international businesses and provides advice on working on a worldwide scale.

Communication

Getting ahead in business without good communication skills can be hard, so give yours a boost with help from these top-tier courses.

24. No Sweat Speaking: Check out this short online seminar from Columbia University to help you overcome your fear or nervousness about public speaking. You’ll get access to a series of videos that can offer you some tips and pointers on feeling at ease in front of a group of coworkers, clients or anyone else.
25. Architecture and Communication in Organizations: Think your office space or how its arranged has no effect on the performance of your business? This course may cause you to think differently, showing how workspace can influence the communication and organization of your business.
26. International Multilateral Negotiation: Take this course from Tufts to get some insight into how to negotiate with businesses from around the world to form new deals, open new markets or expand both of your businesses.
27. Management Communication for Undergraduates: If you feel you’re struggling with your communication skills, give this MIT course a try. You’ll build writing, speaking, teamwork, and interpersonal communication skills that can help you to be a more effective manager.
28. Advanced Managerial Communication: Once you’ve mastered some basic communication skills, then consider taking this course which builds on those skills to provide more in-depth instruction. You’ll learn how to deal with a hostile audience, run a meeting and converse successfully with clients.
29. Negotiation and Conflict Management: In any workplace there are bound to be conflicts that arise, but when they do will you know how to effectively resolve them? This course can help you to learn how to diffuse situations and come to resolutions that meet the needs of the parties involved.
30. Communication Skills for Academics: If your business is based in a particularly academic field, you may benefit from this course. You’ll learn skills that can translate not only in the academic world but to business, personal relationships and beyond.
31. Competitive Decision-Making and Negotiation: This MIT course is based on twelve negotiation exercises designed to simulate real life business experiences. It will cover topics like distributive bargaining, mixed-motive bargaining, auctions, fair division and more.
32. Power and Negotiation: Want to build your negotiation skills to the benefit of your business? This course may be able to offer some assistance. You’ll get insights into how to successfully work towards a deal within new and existing business relationships.
33. Listening to the Customer: Communication isn’t just about conveying ideas within your office but with your customers as well. This course will help you learn to better get feedback from your customers about your products and services so you can create more effective marketing plans and products.

Management

Management plays an essential role in keeping any business running smoothly. Ensure you and your employees are working to their full potential with some advice from these free courses from some of the best online schools.

Optimization Methods in Management Science: In this course, you’ll learn about the theory, algorithms, and applications of optimization to help you better control the logistics, manufacturing, transportation, marketing, project management, and financial issues of your business.
34. Operations Management: By taking this courses, you’ll learn about design, planning and control of manufacturing and service operations. This can include operation analysis, quality management, project management and supply chain management.
35. The Nuts and Bolt of Business Plans: Unclear how to put together a fool-proof business plan? This course can provide some guidance and make it easier to get your business ideas off the ground.
36. Strategic Management I: This course is designed to cover the emerging issues in strategic management including technology and global markets while providing a firm foundation in more traditional ideas as well.
37. Strategic Management II: For those who enjoyed the material from Strategic Management I, this course provides a means to expand those theoretical ideas into real-life business scenarios.
38. Managerial Psychology: Get into the heads of your coworkers and employees with this course. You’ll use behavioral science theories, methods, and tools to analyze situations that you may encounter in the workplace and understand them from a psychological viewpoint.
39. Game Theory for Managers: While it might sound like fun, this course is serious when it comes to business applications. It is designed to help students think strategically in complex, interactive environments with clients, customers and employees.
40. Communicating With Data: This course provides insight into ways that managers can use data of all kinds to make informed and sound business decisions.
41. Advanced Corporate Risk Management: With any business venture there is always an element of risk involved. This course focuses on businesses and how they can best manage issues like hedging, liability, risk, control and more.
42. Strategic Management and Consulting Proseminar: Theoretical Foundations: This course focuses on key issues to management like winning customer trust, business efficiency, shareholder value, globalization and motivating employees.
43. Seminar in Operations Management: Those interested in operations management will find this course of interest. It cover the purposes and development of Technology Roadmaps for showing "development paths for various technological domains and the industries that build on them."
44. Management of Supply Networks for Products and Services: If you’re selling a product, a big part of doing so is making sure it gets out there on time and in one piece. This course provides some insight into how to manage these supply networks to ensure they stay up and running smoothly.
45. Theory of Operations Management: The focus of this operations management is on customer-driven businesses. You may be able to draw some pointers to use in your own business to create management operations that function similarly to these cutting-edge businesses.
46. Introduction to Operations Management: This is a relatively short course offered through MIT that discusses problems and analysis related to the design, planning, control, and improvement of manufacturing and service operations.
47. Strategic HR Management: The biggest asset of any business is the people that help run, organize and maintain its daily activities. This course can help you learn to more effectively manage your HR department and build a high-performance and satisfied group of employees.
48. System Dynamics Self Study: Through a series of readings and online exercises, students in this class will learn how to apply the basics of system dynamics to their workplace and business practices.
49. Sociology of Strategy: Check out this course to get a better understanding of the work sociologists are doing to understand strategy in businesses. This can shed some light on business performance, market interaction, competition and more.
50. Applications of System Dynamics: This course employs a hands-on method to system dynamics, allowing students to understand how they function in a real-world setting to make managerial and consulting decisions.

Leadership

These courses can help you be a better leader by teaching you important skills like working as a team, ethics, and how to work with a diverse group of people.

52. Cross-Cultural Leadership: This course explores what constitutes effective leadership across cultures. It can be especially valuable for business owners who are working in a global environment.
53. Leadership Tools and Teams: A Product Development Lab: If you’d like to explore your creative side, consider checking out this online course from MIT. It aims to have students develop tools that will help other students develop their leadership abilities.
54. Practical Leadership: Want to get some insight into your leadership abilities? This course provides readings and the chance to evaluate your own leadership skills as you move through the material.
55. Leadership Lab: This workshop is designed to help promote social responsibility and improve business success. Students will look at existing companies as examples and work through ideas and observations about what makes them successful.
56. People and Organizations: Check out this MIT course to learn about the historical evolution and current state in which scientists, engineers and other professionals work. Managers can learn how to deal with negotiations, teamwork and leadership no matter what field they’re working within.
57. Dynamic Leadership: Using Improvisation in Business: Want to be able to lead a business meeting off the cuff or come up with new ideas for working in teams on the spot? This course focuses on applying improvisation concepts in business situations.
58. Literature, Ethics and Authority: In this course, you’ll use works of literature to explore ideas of ethics and authority and find ways that these can be applied to the workplace.
59. Building and Leading Effective Teams: Managers and project leaders can benefit from this course to build leadership skills that will allow them to better help employees to work together effectively.
60. Leading Organizations II: This course analyzes the human processes underlying organizational behavior and change from a psychological and sociological standpoint.
61. Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organization: Through the materials provided in this MIT course, students will learn how to build, organize and grow an organization.
62. Individuals, Groups, and Organizations: Check out this course to learn the basic concepts for understanding individual, group, and organizational behavior and how individuals function within the workplace.
63. Ethical Practice: Professionalism, Social Responsibility, and the Purpose of the Corporation: This MIT course allows students to explore theoretical concepts in business ethics as well apply these theories to real-life cases that represent the challenges they will likely face as managers

Marketing and Advertising

If you’ve got a product or service to sell, you need to get your name out there. These courses can give you some helpful ways to better market your business.

64. Brand Leadership/E-Seminar 1, Brand Identity and Strategy: Professor Bernd Schmitt of Columbia Business School explains the steps businesses must take when marketing themselves to develop a successful brand identity in this online seminar, using real companies to illustrate his points.
65. Brand Leadership/E-Seminar 2, Experiential Branding: Learn why it’s not enough to simply promote the features of your products in part two of this online seminar offered by Columbia University. You’ll gain insight into how to market the "experiences" of your products to increase the effectiveness of your selling.
66. Brand Leadership/E-Seminar 3, Branding and the Creative Organization: Give this seminar a try to learn how to better organize your company to foster a creative environment that can help you to better build and maintain your brand. It’s the third and final part of the program offered by Columbia University.
67. Introduction to Marketing: This basic marketing course covers the 5 C’s: Customer needs, Company skills, Competition, Collaborators, and Context.
68. Special Seminar in Marketing: Marketing Management: Give this course a try to learn some key marketing terms and occurrences and to develop your skills in supporting and defending your argument for marketing decisions.
69. Marketing Management: This course from MIT provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of marketing which can include customer orientation, attention to competition and building core strengths.
70. Strategic Marketing Measurement: What to know how to deal with the market when it comes to branding your products? This course is dedicated to helping business owners and students to learn how to develop market research surveys and develop the techniques needed to analyze them.
71. Marketing Strategy: This course can help students to develop marketing strategies, evaluate a firm’s opportunities, anticipate competition, and evaluate the sustainability of competitive advantages.
72. Entrepreneurial Marketing: Gain some new perspective on your business’ marketing from this course. You’ll be able to analyze to whom you are trying to sell products and the best ways to do so given your resources.
73. Global Markets, National Policies, and the Competitive Advantages of Firms: Gain a global perspective on your business business by studying the interaction between environment and business around the world in today’s fast-changing economy.

Product Development and Launch

These courses can give you some help on successfully developing new products and getting them out to your buyers.

74. Managing the Innovation Process: Get a handle on the research and development going on in your business through this course which analyzes the process through through five levels: individual, team, network, organizational, and industrial.
75. How to Develop "Breakthrough" Products and Services: In order to be successful, your business will need to develop unique and profitable products and services. This course can help you to use new ideas in innovation to more easily develop breakthrough products.
76. Organizing for Innovative Product Development: Topics in this course include technology transfer, relations between science and technology, and the innovation process to help you learn to more effectively organize your process of development.
77. Developmental Entrepreneurship: See both successful and failed businesses in this course to see what kind of new business products and models work and which may lead to financial issues.
78. Data Mining: With technology making it easier than ever to collect data relevant to your business how can you get through it all and use it to make effective decisions? This course will help you learn how to store, manage and analyze data so you can make informed decisions about marketing and investment.
79. Supply Chain Planning (SMA 6305): This course from MIT focuses on how to plan and integrate supply chain components into a coordinated system to ensure your products arrive when and where they are supposed to.

Technology

No business can run without technology these days, so ensure you have a handle on the IT technologies it takes to keep your business in good shape through these courses.

81. Practical Information Technology Management: If you feel you don’t have the background to make sound business decisions about IT, give this course a try. You’ll gain insight into how to implement, maintain and manage these systems to the benefit of your business.
82. Computer Science 162: UC Berkeley provides this computer science course which will cover some of the basics and give even those without the greatest knowledge of technology a good foundation for understanding the information systems keeping their business running.
83. Integrating eSystems & Global Information Systems: This course will teach you how careful coordination of strategic applications, information technologies, and organizational structures can help you to build a successful IT foundation for your business.
84. Information Technology Essentials: For those with little background in computer science this course can be a good introduction to issues in technology concepts and trends in using information management systems.
85. Information Technology I: This course is designed to help students understand technical concepts underlying current and future developments in information technology.
86. Information Technology as an Integrating Force in Manufacturing: Business leaders and owners without a knowledge of technology could be at quite a disadvantage as this class shows. Students will learn how to integrate information systems into their manufacturing process to make for more profitable and streamlined business practices.
87. Generating Business Value from Information Technology: Learn how to make your IT investments more valuable to your business in the short and long term through the guidance of this MIT course.
88. Technology Strategy: If you’re managing a high-tech business, this course can provide some helpful and interesting information on how to maintain a balance between innovation and demand.
89. Systems Optimization: Models and Computation (SMA 5223): This course can be a big help to managers or engineers who are trying to make their businesses or designs more efficient. Students will learn how to use strategic models and apply them to real-life situations.
90. Network Optimization: Make sure your business’ network is created in the right way with some help from this course. Students will learn about network flow issues that can affect everything from IT to project management.
91. Queues: Theory and Applications: This course deals with the "modeling and analysis of queuing systems, with applications in communications, manufacturing, computers, call centers, service industries and transportation."

Law

These college courses can help you make sure you know the legal rights and regulations that apply to your business.

91. Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager: Through his course, you’ll gain a basic understanding of legal issues that corporations and businesses face when organizing, getting financing, protecting intellectual property, working internationally and more.
92. Patents, Copyright and the Law of Intellectual Property: Protect your ideas with information from this course which discusses key concepts of U.S. intellectual property law, with emphasis on patents and copyrights and a briefer look at trade secrets and trademarks.
93. The Law of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets: This course provides an introduction to the legal issues surrounding businesses, and covers topics like mergers, regulation, contracts, and liability.
94. The Law of Mergers and Acquisitions: If you’re planning on making a merger or acquisition in the life of your company, you may find this course of interest. You’ll get walkthroughs of how both friendly mergers and unfriendly mergers can take place.
95. Innovative Businesses and Breakthrough Technologies – The Legal Issues: This course covers the legal issues relating to breakthrough technologies, including R&D, the commercialization of new high-technology products, and the liability and regulatory implications of new products and business models to help you best protect the products and services developed by your business.

Field Specific

These courses cover a range of more specific business topics.

96. System Optimization and Analysis for Manufacturing: No matter what it is you’re producing you want to make sure you’re doing so in the easiest and most cost efficient manner. This course from MIT provides some background on how you can optimize your manufacturing process for the best results.
97. Principles of Industrial Hygiene: Johns Hopkins provides this course which helps those working in an industrial or manufacturing environment to understand how to maintain a clean and safe workplace environment for employees.
98. Competition in Telecommunications: Through a series of readings in this MIT course, students will get insight into the economics, strategies and technology behind telecommunications companies to give them a better understanding of the intricacies of working in cable, internet or phone services.
99. Principles and Practice of Drug Development: For those working on developing new pharmaceuticals and medical innovations, this course describes the process and provides information on the myriad of regulatory issues.
100. The Software Business: If you have an interest in starting a software company, this course can be a good place to get some introductory information.

If you’re in the midst of your MBA application, you’re probably swamped by rankings, school comparisons, essay writing, letters of recommendation, and even more headaches. We’re urging you to take one step back, breathe deeply, and browse this list before diving back in. Below are 100 tips and resources to keep you organized and on top of it all.

Rankings and Research

Take school rankings with a grain of salt, but they can be useful when picking back-up schools and evaluating your chances of getting in.

1. Business School and MBA Surveys: Read reviews of business schools like University of Virginia, Purdue, Yale, UT Austin and others.
2. Choosing a Business School: This resource has tips for researching full-time programs, part-time programs, accelerated and Executive MBA programs.
3. Rankings and Admission Criteria: Review percent of applicants accepted, average GMAT score and average student age for schools like MIT, Duke, University of Chicago and more in this chart.
4. Business Schools: BusinessWeek’s rankings are well-respected. Check to see how they rank your top school.
5. Best Business Schools 2008: Get stats of top business schools from U.S. News and World Report here.
6. The Best Part-Time MBA Programs: Going to business school doesn’t mean that you have to quit your job and try to get into Harvard. Here’s a look at the top part-time programs at places like Indiana University and Rollins.
7. Business School Diversity Profiles: Find out which of the top schools offer the best diversity.
8. Best distance-learning MBAs: The Economist lists international distance-learning programs from Open University and IE Business School as its top choices.
9. How do you research programs?: The Wharton Business School has put together this tips guide for researching business schools and programs.
10. Quick Search: Business Programs: The Princeton Review publishes this very useful directory as well as its guide to the rankings.

GMAT Tips

Be sure to gain admission into the best online university with our GMAT tips below.

11. GMAT Score: Before you take the test, understand how it’s scored and what score you’ll need to get into your top school.
12. Build up your floor: Your floor is the level of questions you can consistently answer correctly. Practice easier questions first.
13. Pay attention to the first questions: Your answers to the first few questions of each section are used to determine your level of difficulty, so take your time on these.
14. Don’t fill in guesses randomly: This technique actually counts against you, so West.net recommends that you "try to eliminate at least one answer choice before you confirm your response."
15. Advice on Test Preparation: Learn how to focus on only certain areas, and don’t over prepare yourself.
16. GMAT Math: Achieve a Top Score: Learn how to get a better math score here.
17. GMAT Tips: The Numbers Game: Don’t look for trick questions on the GMAT: everything is supposed to be pretty straightforward.
18. Need-to-Know GMAT Tips and Strategies: Get tips for reading comprehension, data sufficiency questions and more here.
19. GMAT Prep Resources Hacks: Use study guides like the ones found on this list to familiarize yourself with the format of the test beforehand.
20. Take a practice test: Learn the format and prep yourself with practice questions to make yourself feel more comfortable with the GMAT.

Important Dates

Don’t miss the test! Here are links to keeping your dates straight.

21. Take the GMAT: Schedule the GMAT using these tools.
22. Clear Admit application deadlines: This blog posts upcoming application deadlines in its left sidebar.

Standing Out

For help figuring out how to stand out from the rest of the applicants, take a look at this list.

23. The Admissions Office Finds Facebook: This article explains how admissions offices "are seeking applicants through social networking sites," so clean up your profile.
24. How to get into a top MBA program: This About.com article offers advice from admissions representatives from schools like Columbia, UT and others.
25. Understand what sets you apart: Admissions reps want to know how you’re different, so take some time to figure out what it is that makes you different from everyone else, like your family background, small business story or something else.
26. How B-Schools Catch Resume Liars: If you think no one will catch the way you padded your resume, think again. It’s best to be honest.
27. Don’t be shy: The admissions process can be cutthroat, so don’t be shy about sharing your story, speaking up during an interview or acknowledging your racial or ethnic background.
28. Have a clear, specific plan for post graduation: If you want to go to a business school in order to network and learn the skills you need to start your own cosmetics line, put that in your essay and include it in your interview. The more specific, the more you stand out.
29. Letters of recommendation: These can really help your cause, so pick people who know you really well and who believe in your potential.
30. Write a winning essay: Your essay may be one of the most important factors in your entire application process, so make sure it’s error-free, well-organized, and personal.

Tools for Staying Organized

From calendars to practice tests, these tools will keep you better organized.

31. MBA Depot: Use this website to keep track of your choice schools and more.
32. HipCal: HipCal is a great little web-based calendar, address book and alert system that can help you keep track of study time, exam dates and more.
33. Check Seat Availability: Use this tool to preview testing centers before you register.
34. GMAT Practice Tests: GMATCAT.com’s free sample questions are a great help for nervous test takers.
35. Study Suggestions: MBA.com, the website for the Graduate Construction Management Admission Council, has lots of suggestions and tips here.
36. Timing your application: Check out this guide that has tips for planning out the best time to submit your application.

Your Application

Below are tips for cleaning up your application and making sure it’s error-free.

37. Make copies: Before marking up the original, make sure you can make copies or print out several editions so that you won’t have to scratch through or white-out your mistakes.
38. Triple check each question and box: It’s absolutely important that you don’t leave anything blank.
39. Remember your name: Don’t forget your name and/or signature!
40. If you have bad handwriting, type it: Type in your answers if you have terrible, illegible handwriting.

Scholarships and Grants

Part of the admissions process is evaluating what kind of financial aid you need and where you can find it. Read our tips below for help locating scholarships and grants.

41. How to Go to Business School for Free: Don’t discount options like full tuition and hefty grants.
42. Funding and Scholarships: Read tips for evaluating your financial need here.
43. FastWeb: This site lists all kinds of scholarship information that will help you pay for business school.
44. National Association of Women MBAs: Women MBA hopefuls should consider applying for this scholarship.
45. National Black MBA Scholarship Programs: African American applicants may want to apply for assistance through the National Black MBA Association, Inc.
46. NSH MBA: The National Society of Hispanic MBAs also has scholarship programs for Hispanic students going to business school.
47. Scholarships.com: Search by school or scholarship to find the best solution for your needs on this site.
48. FAFSA: You can find federal aid for graduate school, too.
49. Paying for Your MBA: School-Based and Federal Aid: Learn about these two types of MBA tuition assistance here.
50. 4 Things to Know About Receiving Tuition Reimbursement from Your Employer: Getting your boss to pay for your MBA is very tempting, but make sure you’re aware of all the loopholes and fine print first.

Evaluating Your Skills and Experience

From preparing for interviews to asking for letters of recommendation to finding the best MBA program for you, we’ve got a lot of advice and resources to help you evaluate your skills and experience.

51. Career Planning: Learn how to identify your skills using this guide.
52. Leadership Skills Assessment Questionnaire: Rate your leadership skills to help you design your resume and application.
53. How Schools Evaluate Your Application: By understanding how admissions departments analyze your application, you’ll have a better feel for what to include and what to leave out.
54. Personal and Professional Career Assessment: The Harvard Business School has put together this resource to help students identify their strengths, goals and career goals.
55. SMU Admissions Criteria: Here you’ll find plenty of admissions tips as well as gain insight into the kinds of skills and experience candidates are expected to have when they apply to a respected MBA program.
56. Credit for Work Experience: If you’ve already put in many years in the business sector, you might be able to enroll in a program with some credits already satisfied.
57. HBS Gives Advice on Letters of Recommendation: Learn what to ask for when you request letters of recommendation.
58. Work after your undergraduate degree: Most competitive business schools, including international schools require, or at least prefer, their incoming students have a few years of experience working in a business environment.
59. Foundation Skills: Use this resource from The Career Key to better evaluate your marketable skills.
60. Are You Ready for an MBA?: Before you even start researching schools, ask yourself if you’re ready to take the next step and if you’re at the right place in your life to go back to school.
61. Work Experience: Learn "what your work experience says about you" and how others view your experience.

Essays and Interviews

Follow these links to even more tips about acing the interview and writing a winning essay.

62. Application Tips from the MBA Class of 2008: Stanford MBA students share tips in this video.
63. MBA Admissions Essays: Learn strategies for successful essay writing here.
64. Look at Your Competition: Before heading into an interview or writing your essay, anticipate how your competition is going to try to stand out.
65. MBA Admissions Interview: Tips, Sample Questions, Feedback: Access sample interview questions that will help you prepare.
66. Sample MBA Application Essays: Read examples of four types of essays: the background essay, the goals essay, the personal essay and the example of what not to write.
67. MBA Admissions Interview Tips: Before going to an interview, learn how to set your own communication objectives and speak coherently.
68. Write for Acceptance: Consider taking an essay-writing class or getting professional help designing your MBA essay.
69. Application Essay Dos and Donts: Listed in this guide are 20 different dos and donts for MBA application essay writing.
70. Essays: MBA.com’s resource features a list of things all essays should consider and important points to remember when crafting your MBA admissions essay.
71. Admissions Interview Tips: Click on a specific business school to find out what kinds of interview questions they typically ask.

Articles and Guides

This list includes tips about tweaking your resume, analyzing your GPA, and more.

72. MBA Admissions Resume: Read this guide to learn about the characteristics of a good resume.
73. GMAT Test-taker Rights and Responsibilities: You’ll need to familiarize yourself with your rights before taking the tests.
74. Recipe for Disaster: Application Mistakes You Want to Avoid: Learn what not to do when you read this guide.
75. Academic Record: Know how admissions offices will regard your academic record and GPA.
76. Letters of Recommendation: Kaplan shares more tips for making your letter of recommendation personal.
77. MBA Admissions: Low GMAT or GPA: Learn how to address a low GMAT score or GPA during the applications process by reading over this guide.
78. Managing Your Offers: Get tips on what to do when you’re rejected, admitted and deferred.
79. How Important is Your GMAT Score?: If you’re a nervous test taker, read this guide to get a more realistic idea of how much your score matters.
80. Admissions to Business School: Yahoo! Education’s guide to applying to business school lists top schools and admission statistics, and gives you insight into the competition.
81. Glossary of Terms: Look up business school terms to make your application process easier.

Forums and Blogs

Turn to these resources for advice from the people who’ve already been there.

82. GMAT Hacks: This blog has daily tips for cracking the GMAT.
83. MBA Forums: Check out what MBA students are saying to get an impression of what you’ll really encounter in business school.
84. MBA Zone: Categories and threads here include "What are my chances?" and "Application questions."
85. BW Business Schools: BusinessWeek’s forum includes discussions about going back to school, early decision and more.
86. Beat the GMAT: Get tips for acing GMAT strategy, math and verbal sections.
87. GMATClub: Here’s another forum for cracking the GMAT.
88. Veritas Prep: The blog for the Veritas organization has tips on essay writing and more.
89. MBA Admissions Wire: MBA applicants can find plenty of advice and links here.
90. Journey to my MBA: Get tips on the TOEFL, interviews and more on this blog.
91. The MBA Insider’s Blog: UCLA Anderson School of Management offers up plenty of tips and news for its programs.

General Tips

Our last list features a round-up of tips that can help you organize your admissions process.

92. Know why you want to go to business school: This question will come up in your essay, interviews, and everywhere else in the admissions process. Expressing a clear set of goals for how business school will affect you personally is what deans and presidents want to hear.
93. Be thorough: Be thorough with your research, tracking down teachers who can write your recommendations, evaluating your skills, and reviewing your application.
94. Be honest: Admissions directors conduct background checks, so if you lie on your application, you’ll be disqualified immediately.
95. Pick a backup school: It’s the same rule as college, but even more necessary now, since MBA schools are even more competitive. Have a backup school waiting in the wings in case you don’t get in to your first choice.
96. Emphasize Your Leadership Skills: Business schools have an invested interested in how well you can demonstrate leadership skills before, during and after you earn your MBA.
97. Proactively Address Academic Gaps: Make sure all of your prerequisites and transcripts are in order.
98. Every Contact Counts: Don’t blow off an interview or make a rude phone call. Know that every contact with your business school counts.
99. Visit the campus: This shows the school how interested you are and gives you a better idea of how you think you’ll fit in.
100. Prepare adequately for the GMAT: Take practice tests, understand the format, and of course, get a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast before the exam!

With all the drama over John McCain’s VP pick, Sarah Palin, many business owners and executives alike are wondering how it could possibly affect their business. Sarah Palin prides herself on being a Maverick and going against the grain. In terms of CEOs with huge corporate salaries, this could spell trouble. However, it’s also important to look at McCain’s plans, which Palin will naturally, fully support. While Palin may do some good things for business, there could be a lot of far reaching consequences that hurt businesses. Without further introduction, here are 6 reasons Sarah Palin will be bad for your business.

1. Healthcare – John McCain has a plan to put $5,000 American dollars in the pockets of every person in America for healthcare. On the surface, this seems like a phenomenal plan. However, a closer look shows that it may actually hurt some small businesses. If every person is given money to choose their own healthcare plan, then it will be substantially more difficult for smaller businesses to choose a healthcare plan that every employee is happy with. If workers have this credit, and depending on how things work with healthcare companies, businesses may lose certain discounts from providers as employees go outside the workplace for their healthcare plans.

2. Drill baby, drill – The energy crisis is extremely important. There are debates concerning which is the best way to address the issue. Sarah Palin, coming from Alaska, has a huge interest in energy investments. Specifically, Sarah Palin wants to drill, while being environmentally safe about it. This can have a negative affect on businesses as drilling will be extremely expensive and could lead to increased taxes. Additionally, there is uncertainty about how much oil will actually be found in Alaska. Some wonder if the costs will outweigh the benefits, considering the amount of oil Americans use in a given day. The difference is not likely to be made up simply by drilling in Alaska.

3. Eliminating huge corporate salaries – It’s not yet quite clear what the Palin/McCain administration would do about the ever-increasing salaries of CEOs, and of those persons on Wall Street. However, Palin has been steadfast in her commitment to being a Maverick like McCain. With this in mind, one can assume that Palin will want to change the way Wall Street and Businesses are run. This could make things significantly more difficult for executives who may be used to a variety of financial breaks that may not exist under a McCain administration. Republicans have long been stalwarts in defending the trickle down affect. However, with economic turmoil comes a change in philosophy. Less money at the top may not hurt the overall business, but could certainly hurt individuals.

4. An Alaskan Focus – Sarah Palin has been a champion of Alaska. While a very important state, it’s not exactly the business center that states like California and New York are. Sarah Palin has promised to bring her small-town philosophy to big government. What this could mean is that your business will get less attention. With the war in Iraq, which McCain will certainly focus on, and Palin’s commitment to energy, some wonder when they will take a good look at the state of small and large businesses in the union. This could mean that many businesses that are having difficult times may not get any government help in the future.

5. Inexperience and the economy – It’s no secret that many people see Sarah Palin as being unqualified for the position of Vice President. With the tough economic challenges that lie ahead, and the bailout looming, someone with very little experience in big government may have more difficulties when making decisions. Of course, McCain will surround himself with persons who are well versed in economics, but the second in command may be in over her head at least for a little. Not much is known how this may affect businesses, but the outlook isn’t exactly positive.

6. The War in Iraq – Contrary to what Obama has stated, the McCain/Palin administration will be much more committed to finishing the war in Iraq. Obama wants to withdraw troops and give the Iraqi government a timetable. McCain and Palin both see this as a mistake in philosophy. No matter how you phrase it, staying in Iraq will cost billions of taxpayer dollars. That will be less money available to put back into the economy, to help struggling business, and to deal with the financial crisis. In terms of your business, that means that loans will still be very difficult to get. Palin wants to focus on issues abroad. Since there are many issues at home, this means that there could be a financial conflict when it comes to where the money goes. It could go to help start-up businesses or those in serious debt, or to finance more troops. Most online business degree holders and business owners probably want the money to go to the former.

Sarah Palin may not be entirely bad for your business. But with the echoes of change coming to Washington no matter who you vote for, the outlook is a bit grim. John McCain has the potential to be the oldest elected first-term president ever. With concerns about his health, a Sarah Palin presidency could be a reality. With her never being on capital hill, it could be quite challenging. Either way, businesses will have to focus on their bottom lines and prepare for sweeping changes. McCain and Palin are Mavericks, while Biden and Obama discuss change. This means that no matter what, things are going to be different for the next four years.
 

Preparing to take the GMAT can be a nerve-racking experience, with hours spent memorizing vocabulary and practicing math problems. You can help give yourself an advantage for doing well on the GMAT by making use of the numerous resources that are out there. Many of them won’t cost you a dime and can make a big difference in how you study and perform during the test. Here’s a list we’ve compiled of some of these great resources as well as some helpful tips to get you started on the right track.

Study Tips

Give these tips a try while you’re still in the preparatory stages.

1. Start early. Just starting to study a week before you have to take the exam isn’t going to do you any favors or really help you boost your score that much. Give yourself at least a few months to study slowly and thoroughly before the test day.
2. Study the easy stuff first. While it is good to know how to do the tough stuff on the test, you should work on building your way up. The GMAT will give you problems based on your level and if you can’t solve the easy ones quickly and correctly you’re unlikely to see many truly hard ones.
3. Focus on your weaknesses. If you know you really stink at geometry or can’t understand grammar for the life of you then spend a little extra time on those areas to ensure you’re as prepared as you can be for any questions on the test.
4. Mix it up. Along those same lines, however, make sure you’re not focusing too much on one aspect of the test. Give equal time to practicing for each section so there won’t be any surprises when you’re sitting down to do the real thing.
5. Find out what you do know. It’s hard to know where to focus your studies if you are unsure what you remember from school and still know really well. Spend some time going over practice problems to determine where your weaknesses and strengths are or just to help you learn how to organize and synthesize all the good information that’s already in your brain.
6. Find a method that works. Not everyone studies the same way most effectively. For some, flashcards will be perfect. For others, studying with a partner or a group may work the best. Figure out what helps you remember and learn the material the easiest and stick to it.
7. Make the most of practice tests. While taking practice tests can be time consuming and tiring, there is no surer way to determine how you might actually perform on the real exam. Take at least one or two practice tests before heading into the GMAT to ensure you know what to expect.
8. Know the test format. It may seem like a no-brainer, but knowing how the test is set up and how it will be administered is essential. If you’ve only been practicing out of books and you’re taking the exam on the computer you may be thrown off, so spend some time learning about how the test will go, step-by-step.
9. Create a strategy. You wouldn’t attempt to build a house without a blueprint so why attempt to build your knowledge without a plan of attack? Spend some time figuring out what you want to study and how you want to study it to make the most of your time.
10. Don’t cram the night before the test. While it may not hurt to review a few flashcards or get a last-minute overview, don’t stay up late trying to study the night before the exam. Instead, get some rest. Studies have shown that you’ll actually remember more this way and do better on the test.
11. Have a schedule and stick to it. Spend some time figuring out just how much time you want to dedicate to studying each day or week. Set up a schedule for yourself based on this desire and work as hard has you can to stick to it.

Test Taking Tips

If you’re anxious about taking the test, go over these tips for some suggestions for keeping your cool come test day.

12. Pace Yourself. When taking the GMAT you won’t be doing yourself any favors if you rush through the questions without reading carefully or spend far too long on one or two questions so you don’t have time for the others. Work to find a pace that allows you a happy medium and know just how much time you can afford to spend on each problem.
13. Relax. If you’re hyperventilating you’re going to be spending more time concentrating on breathing than on the test so settle your nerves and calm down. Remember that even if you do absolutely horribly on the test the world is not going to end and you can take it again.
14. Don’t get hung up on mistakes. You may be a perfectionist in normal life, but acting that way on a test won’t help you out. You’re probably not going to get every single answer right and there will be problems that you simply don’t know the correct answer to. Do not let this sidetrack your focus for future problems. Wipe the memory of the previous problem from your mind every time you move onto a new problem instead.
15. Avoid guessing randomly. Unless you’re racing to guess on answers in the last few minutes of your exam time, you really shouldn’t completely guess on an answer. Most of the time you can eliminate one or two that you know aren’t right and guess between a smaller number to give you a better chance of being right.
16. Watch out for baited answers. The makers of these kinds of tests can be sneaky and provide a few answers that reflect commonly made errors or ideas that are somewhat similar. For this reason, ensure that you read questions carefully and get those simple calculations right.
17. Take your time with the first few questions. The first few questions of each section on the GMAT are used to gauge the level you’re at and determine the difficulty of the rest of the exam, so make sure to go through these carefully so you get questions that reflect how much you know. You can catch up later on by answering those easier questions right, but it’s easier in the long run to get it right from the get-go.
18. Use your scratch paper. The test provides you with scratch paper so make the most of it. Sketch out problems that you’re having trouble with or use it to help you make clear concepts you’re struggling with.
19. Don’t waste time reading directions. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t know the directions, but this is something that you should have already done BEFORE the test not something that you’re doing as you’re sitting in the test. Make it a point to know the directions for each section backwards and forwards before you ever show up to take the real test.
20. Stay active, not passive. It’s easy to just let your eyes glaze over and pick the answers that seem the most correct without much though but that’s not the kind of attitude that will get you a great score. Keep your mind up and running as you’re going through the test instead.
21. Don’t watch the clock obsessively. While it’s a good idea to have some notion of how much time you have left, watching the clock like a hawk is just going to stress you out. Focus on the work you’re doing an only check the clock periodically.
22. Remember it will be over before you know it. While the hours it takes to go through the test may seem like an eternity, in reality it will be over before you know it and you can relax.

General Information

Learn the basics about what the GMAT is and how to take it from these sites.

23. How the GMAT CAT Works: If you’ve never taken an exam on a computer before, learn how the computer adaptive test works and what important things you’ll need to know about it that can help you to do better on the GMAT.
24. MBA.com: Check out the official site for the GMAT to learn about the basics of signing up and how the test is put together.
25. Graduate Management Admissions Council: This site is home to numerous resources about being an MBA student but can also provide a wealth of information about the GMAT as well.
26. GMAT Test Structure: Learn just how the GMAT is going to be set up so you can study better for each part.
27. GMAT Scoring Scale: Here you’ll find information on how the GMAT is scored so you can understand what your score means.
28. How to Sign Up to Take the GMAT: To take the test you first need to sign up for it. This step-by-step guide will help you to understand just what you need to do to get signed up.
29. ETS.org: Want to sign up to take the GMAT and find helpful resources like practice exams? Pay a visit to this official site.
30. GMAT Information: Check out this site to learn all the basics about how the GMAT works.
31. What is the GMAT?: Want to go to radiography school but not quite sure just what the GMAT is? This PDF will give you the complete lowdown.
32. GMAT Orientation: Get a great overview of the GMAT including what it will include, how much time you’ll have and how it’s scored from this site.
33. Wikipedia GMAT Entry: Find out all the basics of the GMAT on this encyclopedia entry.

GMAT Strategies

Don’t study or take the GMAT without a plan of attack. Use these sites to provide some guidance and advance planning instead.

34. Top 5 Test Day Strategies: Learn some great ways to keep your focus and ensure you do as well as you’re capable of doing on the test with these helpful strategies.
35. GMAT Prep Plans: This site provides study plans for those with as much as a month to study and as little as a few days to maximize the effectiveness of studying.
36. GMAT Strategy: Here you’ll find some suggestions on how to prepare for the GMAT, what common mistakes are made and more from this site.
37. Nova Test Prep GMAT Strategies: If you scroll down past the ads, you’ll find some helpful strategies for the GMAT that can help you breeze through questions with confidence.
38. Honing Your GMAT Strategy: Business Week provides some helpful suggestions on prepping for the GMAT no matter how much time you have to study.
39. GMAT Prep Pointers: Learn some of the common pitfalls that affect people when they are studying or taking the GMAT and how you can avoid them.
40. GMAT Test Taking Tips: This blog is home to a multi-post guide to some ways that you can help yourself on the GMAT.
41. 10 Ways to Crack the GMAT: Here you can find some helpful tips and links to resources that can give you some assistance studying for the test.
42. Prep Strategies for the GMAT: Check out this site for some interesting GMAT stats and tips to help you stay calm and focused while taking the test.
43. Top Tips for the Test: This site provides some basic dos and don’ts for taking the GMAT that can help make a big difference come test day.
44. GMAT Test Taking Strategies: Here you’ll find four big strategies that you can consider using when taking the GMAT to help boost your score.

Helpful Tools and Resources

Whether you’re looking for others to share the experience with or just need some helpful tools and pointers, check out these sites.

45. Beat the GMAT: This forum provides tons of information on each portion of the test, answers to common questions, ways to meet up and much more.
46. GMAT Club: Aspiring MBA students from around the world can join this club and get help and resources to take the GMAT from this site.
47. Are Your GMAT Scores Competitive?: Check out this site to find out if your score on the GMAT will help you to get into a top business school.
48. GMAT Hacks: This blog provides some tips on getting discounts on GMAT study materials as well as some tips and resources to help you do well.
49. GMATTutor: Need some resources to help you study? You’ll find just about anything you could want on this site.
50. LearnHub GMAT Prep: Visit this hub to join thousands of other members who are taking advantage or articles and study tools available through the site.
51. Last 14 Days of Study: So you’re down to the last two weeks before your exam. Check out this site to find out how you can make the most of that time.
52. Attacking Each Section of the GMAT: Go through the GMAT section by section to learn what to expect and get some pointers on what to look out for in each.
53. GMAT Meetup: Use this online tool to find GMAT study groups and classes in your area so you don’t have to go it alone.
54. ScoreChase: Commune with others who are studying for the GMAT on this site by participating in the forum. You’ll find answers to some common questions and some tips for studying.
55. GMAT and MBA Blog: This blog can keep you updated with the latest news for those getting their MBA and some study tips and tools for those planning to take the GMAT.

Study Guides and Tools

Check out these lists, quizzes and flashcards to help you get an awesome score and gain admission into the best online colleges.

56. English Test.net: For those who need a little extra attention for the verbal portion of the test, check out this site. You’ll find loads of quizzes and vocab exercises.
57. Business Week GMAT Preparation: Take the advice of Business Week and get your GMAT study off the ground with the tips and tools offered here.
58. GMAT Flashcard Study System: These flashcards aren’t free, but if you want to sign up with this site you can get access to a collection of professionally produced flashcards to aid your study.
59. GMAT Flashcards: Take advantage of these flashcards to study for certain portions, especially those related to math, of the GMAT.
60. GMAT Practice Tests: This site offers not only practice tests but a wide range of helpful study guides so you’ll know what to expect on every section of the test.
61. GMAT Vocabulary Builder: Improve your vocabulary skills for the GMAT and beyond with this site.
62. GMAT Vocab Lists: If you need some guidance as to what vocab words might show up on the GMAT then check out this forum for some suggested words you should know.
63. Quizlet GMAT Flashcards and Study Tools: Here you can find flashcards and an array of other study tools to help you get through your study sessions more productively.
64. GMAT Flashcards: If you find flashcards to be a helpful study tool then look no further than this site which has a great collection of pre-made GMAT flashcards.
65. MBA Podcaster: This site has a great collection of podcasts for those already earning their MBAs as well as prospective students. There’s even a special collection of GMAT podcasts that you can listen to for some additional test prep.
66. Mark Rice’s GMAT Study Guide and Notes: Want to learn from the experience of someone who’s been there before you? Then give this site a look. You’ll find all kinds of helpful study and test-taking tips.

Preparatory Courses and Products

Get some great advice and information on what you need to do well on the GMAT through the offerings of these companies.

67. The Princeton Review: This company offers classes to those planning on taking the GMAT. Check out their site to see where the classes are that are closest to your hometown.
68. Kaplan: Get personalized attention and help from the classes offered by Kaplan. You can sign up online to find courses offered in your area.
69. Manhattan GMAT: Residents of New York can take advantage of this prep service which can offer personalized tutoring and courses to boost your scores.
70. Veritas GMAT Prep: With sites all over the US and the world, this company can be a big help to prepping for the GMAT no matter where you live. Check out on-site courses or an online alternative.
71. WinGMAT: Get some help studying for the GMAT through this online program. You can sign up to use it for as little as $3.99 a day.
72. GMAT CAT.com: Check out this site to get access to materials and guidance that can help you score better on the GMAT.
73. UNC Charlotte Exam Prep: Those who live near the University of North Carolina-Charlotte can sign up for a prep course offered through the university. If you don’t live in the area, check with colleges in your area to see if they offer similar services.
74. GMAT Secrets: This site offers a specially designed study guide that aims to help you do better on the GMAT.
75. PowerScore: You can sign up for classes with this company and get advice and information from instructors that can help you do better on the test.
76. GMAT Simulator: If you want to get the authentic experience of taking the exam more than just with the free exams that the official test site offers then consider purchasing this program.
77. Test Circle: Use an interactive and on-demand video course to get additional information and strategies about taking the GMAT.
78. Integrated Learning: If you think you might need some one-on-one tutoring to help you out with prepping for the GMAT, you’ll find it on this site.

Sample Tests and Questions

Make sure you’re prepared for the real deal by taking these practice tests ahead of time.

79. Test Prep Review: Check out this site for helpful test practice, flashcards, and a study guide.
80. 800 Score.com: Want to score an 800 on your GMAT? Learn how to get close or on the mark with some guidance from the practice exams on this site.
81. Kaplan Practice GMAT: Kaplan offers courses to help you do better on the GMAT as well as these free online practice exams.
82. GMAT Test Prep: Here you can test yourself on the verbal, quantitative and analytical portions of the GMAT.
83. Syvum GMAT Test Preparation Exercises: This test prep company offers some free online resources in the form of these helpful test questions to get you in good shape for the real thing.
84. Princeton Review Practice Test: Even if you’re not taking courses with Princeton Review you can use their online tests and questions to practice.
85. GMAT Test Questions: Here you’ll find sample questions that will test you on every section of the exam to ensure you’re ready.
86. 4Tests GMAT Practice: This site offers a few verbal and math questions for you to get some practice as well as links to other online exams.
87. Peterson’s Free GMAT Practice Test: This timed practice test will help you get an idea of how you’ll perform on the GMAT when you actually take it.
88. MicroEdu Free GMAT Test: Take a text based exam on this site and get complete explanations of the answers to help you know where you went wrong.
89. MBA Schools GMAT Practice Tests: This site offers one free practice test that can help you get ready and find out where your weaknesses are in studying.

GMAT Study Books

If you want to study for the test on your own or need a supplement for a course, check out these helpful publications.

90. The Official Guide for GMAT Review: The Graduate Management Admissions Council puts out this publication which offers loads of practice questions, explanations of why you’re right or wrong, free computer-based tests, and much more.
91. EZ GMAT Math Strategies: Focus on the math portion of the exam with this book, with helpful advice on how to study and make the most of your time during the quantitative part of the test.
92. Kaplan GMAT Premier Program: Study for the GMAT using this book. You’ll get practice questions and exams to test your skills as well as some test-taking strategies.
93. Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review: With this book you’ll be able to focus your studies on the verbal section and have access to numerous practice questions, some of which might even show up on your actual exam.
94. Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review: If you’re struggling with the math portion, consider checking out this book. You’ll be able to go through hundreds of practice problems and access your strengths and weaknesses.
95. Cracking the GMAT: This book comes complete with a DVD that gives tutorials as well as hundreds of prep questions, practice exams and more from the Princeton Review.
96. Kaplan GMAT 800: If you’ve already mastered the basics, check out this book to get access to some of the toughest questions you may be asked on the GMAT.
97. The Ultimate Math Refresher for the GRE, GMAT and SAT: Review some basic and advanced math concepts through this book so you’ll be prepped on all fronts for the GMAT.
98. Barron’s GMAT: Barron’s puts out this GMAT study guide that contains practice questions and study strategies.
99. GMAT for Dummies: Part of the popular Dummies series, this book breaks down how to study for and do well on the GMAT in a way that’s easy to understand and apply.
100. The Ultimate Verbal and Vocabulary Builder for the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT and LSAT: Check out this book to get some extra help with the verbal part of the exam. You’ll get helpful advice on building up your vocabulary and learning the basics of correct grammar.

There has been a significant amount of discussion over the bailout in recent weeks. Many people wonder what it will mean for the economy, and especially what it will mean for businesses (specifically, the small businesses). The fact remains that while the bailout, in theory, should help to keep financial markets stable (and it seems it’s having a tough time doing that), the fact that the government will now have stake in huge lending institutions is not good news for many business owners. With this in mind, I’ve come up with several reasons why the bailout will hurt your business.

1. Taxes – Yes, the government has said that the bailout won’t raise taxes on the middle class, but I haven’t seen ANY mention of businesses in their discussion. If the government is going to take an even more active role in the US economy, and businesses specifically, then the money is going to have to come from somewhere. Obama has even stated that he plans on taxing the wealthy, which could have an effect on the big CEOs and corporations. Small businesses should remain relatively safe from any tax hikes as a result of this bailout, but you never know.

2. Consumer confidence – It seems that even though the bailout was passed, consumer confidence has been shaken to the core. If your business deals in any luxury service, or any type of non-essential product, then you could see your profit margins start to shrink. In tough economic times, it is a fact that across all socio-economic classes, spending is severely cut back. This bailout, while trying to avoid this fate, seems to have exacerbated the problem because of many person’s uncertainty in regards to government holding stake in financial institutions.

3. Stock market woes – If you’ve had a pulse the last few days, or been living anywhere with a radio or TV, then you know the stock market has been falling like crazy. This hasn’t been in direct response to the bailout (although it was when the bailout was defeated the first time it was voted on in congress), but it has been showing that either the bailout is completely ineffective, or it just made things worse. Essentially, I believe it’s a mix of both. The bailout is, in effect, the governments “OH NO,” panic button response to impending financial crisis. As a result of the government panicking, investors, consumers, and other lenders are panicking. The stock market lowering significantly has affected many businesses, not to mention the other issues brought about by a frightened market.

4. Government influence – We have started to abandon traditional American, laissez-faire, economic policies. While this could be either positive, negative, or a mix of both, remains to be seen. The fact remains, however, that there are definite downsides to increased government involvement in traditionally free markets. If the government is now holding stake in financial lending institutions, does it not mean that when a small business, or any business, goes for a loan that the government has to evaluate them? It’s not hard to argue that the government’s ideas for what is a reasonable loan, or a reasonable business may differ from those of traditional banks. This could result in more difficulties for businesses in certain industries.

5. Increased legislation – Spring-boarding off of government involvement, there will no doubt be increased legislation about all things financial. Many believe that the bailout is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of a governmental overhaul of the way banks and markets function within the US. The government could pass legislation that, in effect, will place more stringent requirements on loans. While this is good, because look what happens when there is very little regulation, it could also be very bad. Many start-up businesses are extremely high-risk ventures. However, these ventures also have high returns and are often some of the best success stories. Imagine if Google needed a loan to start their business and was unable to get one. That would certainly be one less extremely successful American business in the market.

6. Political upheaval – This bailout has been the cause of a significant amount of unrest among ordinary citizens. One of my friends works for a senator and had to listen to hundreds and hundreds of calls from constituents who opposed the bailout idea. Since it has passed, there are several politicians who will be up for re-election and may see their poll numbers drop as a result of how they voted. In essence, the bailout has set the stage for a variety of other candidates to have a better chance for election simply because of citizen displeasure with the bailout. What this means for your business is that there will be new politicians, who may have different goals for the community, coming into office. This, again, could be positive or negative in terms of business outcome. However, there’s no denying that any time there’s a political shake-up, some business will always get the short end of the stick.

7. Fewer research dollars available – Businesses that are based on grants and investors are sure to be hit hard by this bailout. The government has just taken on a 700 Billion Dollar money sink, and will now have significantly less money to offer out to businesses researching alternative fuels, new technologies, educational practices, or any other type of area that requires significant financial backing. As investors have become much more cautious, traditional funding may be scaled back significantly. Once again, while the bailout has not specifically made these lending issues, it has done nothing to build confidence.

8. The presidential race – There is no doubt that the bailout, and tough economic times have had an enormous impact on the presidential race. Depending on your opinions, this could be extremely negative. While many business owners do believe in Obama, others feel more comfortable with McCain. Essentially, if you are a fan of McCain’s policies, then the bailout will certainly hurt you because it has effectively given Obama his lead in several key swing states. Without sounding like a broken record, it remains to be seen if this presidential race will yield an extremely positive change for the country, or a negative change for the country.

9. Wage issues – I noticed this past summer when gas prices where climbing ever higher, how it affected every aspect of business. My friend’s maid had to ask for more money per week because the gas prices were straining her ability to make the same amount of profit running her private service. In this same way, with these tough economic times, the government now holding stake in financial institutions more so than ever before, and the difficulty of obtaining loans, you may be faced with employees and potential applicants who simply want to be paid more. Increased wages, when coupled with any business that may be struggling, can do nothing but hurt profit margins. Wage issues often lead to job losses.

10. The credit crunch – The bailout itself didn’t cause the credit crunch, but it hasn’t really helped anything either. The fact remains that anything you want to do within your business will be significantly more difficult if you don’t have the funds up front to support it. If trends continue, a lot of businesses (both small, and large corporations) will see profits dwindle, and will have significant issues expanding without any capital to do so.

The Future (It’s Not All Bad)

This has been a mostly negative post, but there is hope for the future. In recent years, all we seem to hear about is potential economic recession. However, historically, we have had fewer ACTUAL recessions in the last twenty years than back in before the 1980s. The bailout still has time to prove to be the correct decision. Stock markets can certainly rebound, and there’s always hope of great business success stories like Facebook and Google. Hopefully, investors and lenders have learned their lesson about ventures that are too risky, without being completely afraid of ever taking a chance on anything. The best way to prepare your business is to think about your customers. While luxury goods will become less demanded, the essentials will still be needed, but at better prices. Companies like Wal-Mart shine in tough economic times. It should be the goal of many business owners to come up with great ideas on how to capture some of that market. America was founded on the backs of freethinkers and entrepreneurs. I see no reason why America won’t continue to prosper as long as those people exist in business.