Ideas

As the economic and political situations seem to become more uncertain, Wisconsin companies are wondering about the near-term outlook.

Believe it or not, 2012 will soon be coming to a close and the new year provides business owners with an opportunity to take a fresh look at their company retirement plans.

While time constraints often limit employers from tending to their employees' career development, Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni suggest a simple way for managers to fulfill employees' development needs: brief but frequent conversations.

Blogging is a powerful tool. But taking the time to plan how you'll develop content and aligning it with your company's brand and goals – both externally for your customers and internally for your employees – makes it even more powerful. It's an approach that will help elevate your brand from an idea to an asset.

The five fastest-growing companies of the Future 50 in 2012 are understandably bullish about the future.

Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. has donated two electric vehicles and its services in developing related curriculum to Pulaski High School in Milwaukee.

Menomonee Falls-based Actuant Corp. reported a fiscal fourth quarter net loss of $16.5 million, or 23 cents per share, compared with a net profit of $41.4 million, or 55 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

St. Louis-based leading national scrap metal processor Alter Trading Corp. has purchased Miller Compressing Company.

The Milwaukee area manufacturing sector continued to languish this month, according to a report released by the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee.

Has anyone noticed how many former market leaders are facing major revenue challenges? Sharp. Dell. Best Buy. HP. Penny's....