marcashton's Profile
marcashton's articles
Your child may need occupational therapy, remedial therapy, speech therapy, psychology or physiotherapy. The difficult part is often deciding which OT or physio is going to be the best for your child, as therapy is a process which usually takes months or even years. The right person is important, as the relationship with your child is a crucial element to progress.
Posted: 2008-05-10
Category: Parenting
Jason still can’t tie his shoelaces, Margaret has real trouble with cutting out, and Adam always forgets to hold the paper still while drawing. Are these difficulties linked? The answer is yes. All three of these children display typical indicators of poor ‘bilateral integration’, a term that refers to the process in charge of helping a child develop a dominant hand.
Posted: 2008-05-10
Category: Parenting
In today’s hustle bustle, parenting has demanded the advent of walking rings, car chairs and television sets to make parenting easier. Are there any consequences to the development of children exposed to these conveniences? Sadly there seems to be!
Posted: 2008-05-10
Category: Parenting
I was a bit surprised when browsing through the Letterland books at my favourite bookstore, to discover that some characters have completely changed, and others have been renamed! Letterland International seems to have decided to make their characters more "PC" by taking out all the "baddies" and modernising the characters.
Posted: 2008-05-10
Category: Kids
I am currently a special needs facilitator with a background in pre-school, baby sitting and au-pair work. I am currently studying early childhood development and for the past 8 months I have been facilitating a young child with autism. He is a beautiful, amazing little boy who has opened my eyes to the world of autism and the importance of a solid support system both at school and most importantly at home.
Posted: 2008-05-10
Category: Arts & Entertainment
Nigeria and Egypt are both globally recognized as heavyweights on the African continent. There is some irony to this when you consider how different they are in terms of the political and economic roles they fulfill.
Posted: 2008-05-03
Category: Travel & Leisure
Indecision probably remains the single biggest factor against the efficient and successful management or coaching of major sports teams.
Posted: 2008-05-03
Category: Recreation & Sports
Since we started the Bad Entrepreneur blog, the idea has been to highlight things I have picked up since trying to strike out on my own. Despite the title of “Bad Entrepreneur” the idea has always been to try to find ways to motivate readers to learn from some of the mistakes I made and to find ways to save them some pain if possible.
Posted: 2008-05-01
Category: Entrepreneurs
It is indisputable that on-line media and marketing can and does work – irrespective of the level of internet penetration in your particular region. The real question though is how well it works and what your expectations of it are.
Posted: 2008-05-01
Category: Marketing
This week saw a phenomenal attempt at on-line suicide in one of the major marketing websites in South Africa.
Posted: 2008-05-01
Category: Marketing
South African rugby is in something of a quandary. Following the success of our rugby players in the 2007 rugby world cup, many of them have been lured to play in the European Rugby leagues with massive rugby contracts.
Posted: 2008-05-01
Category: Recreation & Sports
This week saw a major South African airline go bust and the management ducked for cover as the press and creditors smelt blood. Taking the emotion away from it though it has raised the question of how you communicate during a crisis.
Posted: 2008-05-01
Category: Management
When it comes down to it, SME’s have got a limited number of chances to prove they are capable of doing the job or not.
Posted: 2008-04-29
Category: Entrepreneurs
Is trying to outsmart a robot really a business model?
Posted: 2008-04-28
Category: Computer
Local Finance Minister Trevor Manuel recently came in for quite a lot of cynical press coverage when he suggested that South Africans should begin to look at growing their own vegetables to try to alleviate the burden of high prices and shortages that have recently hit the country.
Posted: 2008-04-27
Category: Current Events
Believe it or not your staff actually form a pretty critical aspect of your marketing mix. Your staff is on the front lines of the customer experience and if the customer doesn’t like the way they are treated you can bet they will take their business somewhere else. This is a message that maybe has not been communicated to places like the SA Post Office.
Posted: 2008-04-26
Category: Marketing
I am a self confessed Championship Manager fanatic. I love the game and have spent endless weekends trying to move teams from Division 3 to European glory. The irony to all of this of course is that I hate watching soccer and couldn’t name the starting lineup of any of the world’s biggest clubs.
Posted: 2008-04-20
Category: Games
Staff movement can be one of the greatest stress and health risk management tools that as the employer can use.
Posted: 2008-04-20
Category: Management
As an investor and day trader – you need to experiment with different methodologies until you find something that works. Once you have found a system that works and is producing results you then need to identify what you are going to do with any profits you make.
Posted: 2008-04-20
Category: Investing
Up until a few weeks ago I was relatively supportive of Thabo Mbeki as our President. I think he had done enough unspectacular work to keep the country ticking along nicely.
Posted: 2008-04-19
Category: Current Events
Up front I’m putting a disclaimer on this review! I didn’t intentionally buy this book – it was kindly given to me by my brother who is a part time goth and definitely has a dark sense of entertainment. (Said in the nicest possible way of course!)
Posted: 2008-04-19
Category: Book Reviews
The Indian Premier League (IPL), the Super 14 rugby, franchised local cricket teams, “franchised” club rugby – wherever you look SA sport is being heavily influenced by the introduction of the franchise model. What is the impact of this going to be on the Bok emblem in 5 – 10 years?
Posted: 2008-04-19
Category: Recreation & Sports
In my humble opinion case studies are one of the most underrated tools in the marketing arsenal of any business – most specifically a small business.
Posted: 2008-04-19
Category: Marketing
I am an out and out communications nut. Skype, MSN, SMS, Mxit etc. are simply my favourite kind of tools. When I discovered Mxit at the ripe old age of 26 I simply drooled. I used to drive my wife absolutely nuts holding multiple conversations via text message while at the dinner table…. I’ve toned it down a bit after the got a bit grumpy the one day.
Posted: 2008-04-13
Category: Mobile Phones
Upfront I am putting a big disclaimer on the article. I am a day trader not a property investor. I don’t buy into the mentality that property should be your biggest single “investment” and that property prices will always go up.
Posted: 2008-04-13
Category: Investing
When Subaru arrived in South Africa it made an almost immediate impression with it’s Impreza and Impreza WRX STi models. The car is ideally suited for South Africa’s consumer who either goes big, expensive and German or “souped” up Japanese. There’s not really a market for American or Australian “muscle” cars here.
Posted: 2008-04-13
Category: Cars
The issue of employee internet connectivity and monitoring is a tricky one. The internet (and its associated communication tools) have begun part and parcel of doing business. 10 years ago not everyone had access to e-mail or the company network – now people are constantly shifting data around the world and there is almost no way to track the movement of data.
Posted: 2008-04-13
Category: Computer
Marketing is a funny thing with a small business. Upfront you typically market like crazy trying to get your business and brand name out there. Statistically your brand is likely to fail, you’re not going to get the reference clients and you will ultimately pack it all in.
Posted: 2008-04-12
Category: Entrepreneurs
I’ve just gotten home from the Under 21 Ladies Interprovincial Tournament held at the Randburg sports stadium. The final saw the form side Southern Gauteng taking on the North West.
Posted: 2008-04-12
Category: Recreation & Sports
I was recently helping my step daughter learn her way around Zoo Tycoon and I had this pang of nostalgia to my old SimCity days.
Posted: 2008-04-06
Category: Games
South African sports fans are notoriously negative and very easily believe their own bad press. They were discussing the subject on the radio the other evening and it is so true – we lose a few games and we immediately start looking for a scapegoat.
Posted: 2008-04-05
Category: Recreation & Sports
The South African electricity supply grid has been under enormous pressure for the last 6 months and one wonders whether an investment in some AI technology might solve some of the issues the country is facing.
Posted: 2008-04-05
Category: Science
The subject of sports coaching for kids is a touchy one. On one side of the argument you have people saying that they are the next group of professionals to come into the system and therefore must be coached techniques correctly from as early as possible. The other argument is that they are still young, bodies and minds are developing and they need to enjoy the game before they start having their techniques “refined”.
Posted: 2008-04-04
Category: Recreation & Sports
This mate of mine slogged away for just over 2 years trying to get his business off the ground. He worked bloody hard, his ideas were good, he tried to be as innovative as possible but ultimately some of his business execution strategies weren’t good enough. At the end of last year the money ran out and the stress nearly crippled him.
Posted: 2008-03-29
Category: Management
Before I start this article I am putting a disclaimer up front. This article is not about South African soccer and which player would be best suited to what position – I am not in any position to comment on this because I don’t watch it close enough to be entitled to an opinion. This article is about the approach taken to South African soccer as a sport and whether or not we are approaching it in the right way.
Posted: 2008-03-29
Category: Football
Virender Sehwag made merry as he lashed the SA bowlers to all corners of the park. Armchair critics have come out saying that the South African cricket team should be fielding two spinners to provide some additional variety to the attack.
Posted: 2008-03-29
Category: Recreation & Sports
When I originally launched the CMS blog it was largely as a resource to try and exchange some ideas on Content Management Systems and the changing technology demands. The more I’ve learnt on the subject the more I believe that the subject is becoming a dedicated subject and skills set for both publishing and IT professionals.
Posted: 2008-03-29
Category: Web Design
ADHD is a behaviour disorder in which there is a constant pattern of inattention and impulsivity that is more frequent and more severe than is typically seen in children at the same level of development .ADHD is similar to ADD. The difference is that children with ADHD have a hyperactivity component on top of the ADD symptoms. ADHD is a behaviour disorder NOT a learning disability. It is the impulsive and hyperactive behaviour which can lead to difficulties in school.
Posted: 2008-03-27
Category: ADHD
Many children (and adults) are sensory sensitive. Terms like “tactile defensive” and “auditory sensitive” have been bantered about, and associated to many children as the cause of their distractibility, emotional outbursts, and eating and sleep difficulties.
Posted: 2008-03-27
Category: Parenting
I had the pleasure of observing three events this week that sparked my interest and restored my faith in human nature.
Posted: 2008-03-27
Category: Parenting
Without blowing my own horn – am I the only one who doesn’t think that this Eskom price hike is the worst thing in the world?
Posted: 2008-03-24
Category: Current Events
This morning the Cheetahs lost a Super 14 against the Brumbies. However during this loss a very impressive piece of captaincy was displayed by Cheetahs captain Rory Duncan.
Posted: 2008-03-21
Category: Recreation & Sports
Let me get this straight – global banking and financial markets are in turmoil because of reckless lending and leveraged deals.
Posted: 2008-03-21
Category: Investing
When the US first went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, they had a lot of things going for them – technology, numbers and of course a “cause” with which to motivate their troops. So why are they still fighting 5 years down the line and there is no end in sight? And why were US troops and fighting strategies so inefficient at the start of the war?
Posted: 2008-03-21
Category: Management
I reckon our much anticipated second network operator (Neotel) could probably have a bit of fun using the Frankenstein monster as part of their next marketing campaign. After all – we have heard a lot about its impending arrival but never been quite sure when it was going to happen….
Posted: 2008-03-17
Category: Broadband Internet
In September 2007 we released our SA Manufacturing Assessed report for 2007. In this report we highlighted some serious problems facing the South African manufacturing sector.
Posted: 2008-03-17
Category: Management
SA “bloggers” are an easy bunch to rattle at the best of times but now that the SA Blog awards have arrived, hormones are pumping, purses are flying and the tit for tat blog postings are flying backwards and forwards. It’s brilliant.
Posted: 2008-03-09
Category: Marketing
Before I start I would like to emphasise that this site is not a political soapbox for me to harp on about my political views and personal opinions of politicians (shiver…). However this is a business to business publication and the publication is expected to make some comments on the business environment in South Africa and the role local politicians play in stimulating a positive climate.
Posted: 2008-03-09
Category: Current Events
I’d be stating the obvious if I said that South Africa simply does not have a working public transport system. The minibus taxi industry transports a huge volume of people but there lack of respect for road users, passengers, general public and anybody else on either side of the road or pavement does not classify their offering as a “working” one.
Posted: 2008-03-08
Category: Cars
It has been a dark week in South Africa and for once it has nothing to do with the local energy supplier. A racist video has surfaced and negative images have flashed across the globe and the international media have turned on the country saying that our purported “transformation” is only a façade. The country is hurting.
Posted: 2008-03-02
Category: Current Events
This post might offend the odd Entrepreneur here and there but it does serve a purpose and I hope that you Entrepreneurs are going to hear me out.
Posted: 2008-02-27
Category: Entrepreneurs
It’s hard when you as the Entrepreneur don’t have the heart, resources or desire to continue to pour into your business. It’s even harder when you’ve been scraping along for 2 years and you’ve invested so much of your professional and personal time trying to hold it together.
Posted: 2008-01-24
Category: Management
In the last 2 weeks I’ve had a couple of interesting meetings relating to the implementation of Corporate Wellness programmes within an organization. In both instances, the clients were battling to address the issue of Employee “Buy-In” to their offering.
Posted: 2008-01-23
Category: Management
The management of players and professional sports teams is a fascinating science and possibly some will say – an art.
Posted: 2008-01-20
Category: Recreation & Sports
When I was playing cricket I wasn’t much of a batsman… come to think of it I wasn’t much of a bowler either but I guess you could say I had a “bowling bias” for want of a better description.
Posted: 2008-01-12
Category: Recreation & Sports
It was back to school this week and I was listening to the radio when they interviewed a representative from the Department of Education who said that South Africa is currently 15000 teachers short in the central provinces alone. 15000?! That’s an enormous number and failure to address this problem is creating a downstream problem for South African learners / graduates as well.
Posted: 2008-01-12
Category: Current Events
South Africa killed off the third Test match against the West Indies in brutal fashion inside 3 days. The West Indies were never in with a shout after being bundled out for 139 in the first innings but South Africa were simply dominant as they wrapped up the series 2-1 with a victory margin of an innings and 100 runs.
Posted: 2008-01-12
Category: Recreation & Sports
They saying being an entrepreneur can be one of the loneliest jobs around. Especially when you’re starting out small – every decision depends on you, your staff are dependant on you for direction, advice and of course to guarantee their salary at the end of the month.
Posted: 2008-01-11
Category: Management
Everybody accepts that when you enter the “big-time” in sports you will be exposed to the good and the bad side of the media. The good side of the media will promote you, highlight your top performances and give coverage of all your good deeds. A number of the sports stars love the attention and milk it for all its worth.
Posted: 2008-01-11
Category: Extreme
If I have learnt one thing in running an SME it’s this – if you think you have done enough marketing for your business, you’re wrong.
Posted: 2008-01-09
Category: Marketing
I’m a Sports lover. I love and have participated in cricket, rugby, hockey and tennis as both a player and administrator including umpiring and off field admin. I watch the theatrics of this Australia vs. India debacle and I just have to shake my head.
Posted: 2008-01-08
Category: Extreme
When I first went into business for myself I thought to myself, if we have a promising product then the business would come. Yes – being a small business might mean we would have to be a little dynamic with some branding or marketing activities but ultimately we would get the customers knocking on our doors… A couple of years down the line – we still have to scrap for every single piece of business we can find.
Posted: 2008-01-07
Category: Management
Psychologically, yesterdays win against the West Indies was absolutely essential. Winning was non-negotiable for the team, winning convincingly was just as important.
Posted: 2008-01-06
Category: Extreme
Last night I was sitting in the pub and a couple of older guys joined us. As things do in a Sports pub, the topic got onto the state of South African cricket. From the moment these guys sat down at our table they spewed comments about how this is one of the worst SA cricket sides ever, that Graeme Smith shouldn’t be there, how the West Indies would drill us and then we’d get thumped by India and England… Truth be told – I threw my toys out my cot.
Posted: 2008-01-05
Category: Extreme
Maybe I am just slow to catch on, but one thing has become very apparent to me over the last 6 months. There is a new job title coming to the fore and businesses seem to be investing more and more into the “Celebrity Marketer”.
Posted: 2008-01-05
Category: Marketing
It has been said time and time again – a Corporate Wellness strategy cannot be implemented on a bits and pieces basis. Lets be honest, “Strategy” would be a rather grandiose description if you are going to randomly pick the occasional workshop and maybe throw in your flu inoculations over the year.
Posted: 2008-01-03
Category: Management
They say cash-flow is the lifeblood of any business and I think this year has probably highlighted this for me.
Posted: 2007-12-31
Category: Management
I have just been reading an article in one of the local newspapers where they have reported that Sir Alex Ferguson has just dished out some big money fines to his players who were involved in the infamous hotel party recently splashed all over the press.
Posted: 2007-12-30
Category: Football
I was recently chatting to a colleague over lunch and she was bemoaning the fact that once again she had gone through the training program for a fresh bunch of recruits and once again she had been let down by 2 out of 10 of them leaving when they decided "this isn't really for me..."
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Management
Entering the final quarter of a year, Human Resources and Training Departments are often given a chance to stand back and assess the existing "Human Capital" of an organisation. There are many things to consider including:
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Management
Many companies approach Corporate Wellness with a "Top Down" approach focussing on Senior Management and then filtering down to the lower levels of the Corporate Ladder.
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Management
It often astounds me that a number of SMEs decline advertising because its “too expensive” but then completely miss the PR (editorial) boat when they look for marketing. Ultimately PR (public relations) can prove to be an extremely powerful way to kick start a new venture or a business operating on a tight budget.
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Marketing
As Corporate Wellness grows and matures in the international and local arenas, more and more emphasis is likely to be placed on the impact of Sensory Input on workers operating in industries such as Call Centres, Mining, Manufacturing, and associated heavy engineering.
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Careers
When somebody mentions “Biotechnology” almost everybody immediately springs to the idea of heavily funded Venture Capital products, run by a couple of “brains” conducting weird and wonderful experiments. Let’s try and clarify this a bit.
Posted: 2007-12-28
Category: Science
So the Manchester United footballers are the latest team to have allegations of rape, drugs and excessive drinking thrown at them at a recent party. While I suspect a lot of it will be swept under the carpet and money thrown at the problem, one has to ask – what the hell were the team management doing while things deteriorated and got out of control.
Posted: 2007-12-27
Category: Extreme
