the art of negotiation: how to get what you deserve ... - Concrete Cakes

Negotiation is an integral part of running a business and it can literally separate the successful from the unsuccessful.? Although negotiation is something all of us have dealt with at some point in our daily lives, it is somewhat of a different animal when it pertains to business matters.? Negotiating often brings out a lot of emotion, which, as I?m sure you know, has no place in a successful business transaction.? As a business owner, you must be willing to negotiate in order to appeal to the needs of your customers but also maintain a standard that supports your bottom line, all while remaining professional.

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There are some key techniques that can be used to help make you a master negotiator, and in turn, a very savvy business owner. ? The first technique that I want to explore is preparation.? None of us would walk into an interview without having done our homework on the employer and the potential opportunity so why would we walk into a negotiation without being properly prepared?? In essence, the two situations are very similar because in a lot of ways a negotiation is simply an interview between your business and another party: client, supplier, investor, etc.? So in order for you to successfully get what you need from the other party, you need to know some basic information about them.? Especially when you are negotiating with other businesses, doing your homework is often critical.? You will want to be aware of things like what their weaknesses are, background information on how they typically do business, what other types of people do business with them, who the decision makers are, and if there are any restrictions or non-negotiable details to steer clear of.

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While preparation is essential to making negotiations go your way, listening is just as, if not more, important.? Now I know the concept of listening seems elementary but I think too often we try to pass off hearing as listening even though the two actions are fundamentally different.? Truly listening to someone involves receiving information from the other party and digesting that information before your respond.? Too often we are focused on our response while the other person is still talking.? This causes us to miss key points, misinterpret information, and jump to conclusions that can all create a less effective negotiation.? Additionally, showing someone that you are a good listener helps build trust which is extremely important in a business setting.? Listening shows that you care about what the other party has to say, allows you to find out what their concerns are, and what is truly important or unimportant to them.? By gathering all of this information and using it to shape your response, you a better positioning yourself to respond in a way that is pleasing to the other party and help you ultimately get what you want.

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Lastly, you want to have a strategy before you go into a negotiation.? When making deals with clients or potential clients, it is crucial for you to predetermine certain parameters such as how much of a discount you?re willing to give, how many additional services or products you are able to offer at no charge, are you prepared to customize certain items per customer request, etc. ? Conversely, when you are the buyer, doing some strategic planning as to your maximum budget and your must-haves will make for a much smoother negotiation.? The other thing to think about when putting together your strategy is what your strengths are, in other words, what characteristics does your business have that may give you the upper hand?? Maybe your business is the sole source of a particular product or service or maybe you offer ancillary services that your competitors don?t offer. Whatever those strengths may be, play to them, and use them as leverage in your negotiation.

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None of the aforementioned techniques are rocket science but more so applied common sense. ? As a matter of fact, I think during negotiation is the perfect time to apply the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated.? If you come to a negotiation prepared with knowledge of the other party, a strategy behind your approach and ears ready to listen, you can expect a positive outcome and a solution where all parties involved win.? But it all starts with having the right attitude, being fair and, if you get a bad feeling, knowing when to walk away.

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Source: http://www.concretecakes.com/the-art-of-negotiation/

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Highlights from Egypt's draft constitution

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's draft constitution, set for a referendum on Dec. 15 and 22, is made up of an introduction, an 11-part preamble and 236 articles. Critics have raised concerns over issues including Islamic law and women's rights:

? Shariah (Islamic) law

Like a previous constitution, the draft states, "Principles of Islamic Shariah are the principal source of legislation." The draft adds, "The principles of Islamic Sharia include general evidence, foundational rules, rules of jurisprudence, and credible sources..." which critics say opens the door for legislation allowing imposition of strict Islamic law. Countering that is a vague article that reads, "Freedom of belief is an inviolable right. . The State shall guarantee the freedom to practice religious rites and to establish places of worship for the divine religions, as regulated by law."

? Role of clerics

The draft gives Islamic clerics unprecedented powers in this article: "Al-Azhar Senior Scholars are to be consulted in matters pertaining to Islamic law," referring to the most respected center of scholarship and rulings in Sunni Islam.

? Women's rights

The draft mentions women in the framework of the traditional Muslim family, adding, "The state shall ensure maternal and child health services free of charge, and enable the reconciliation between the duties of a woman toward her family and her work." Critics charge the draft fails to protect women from discrimination, but the preamble states, "?Equality and equal opportunities are established for all citizens, men and women, without discrimination or nepotism or preferential treatment, in both rights and duties."

? Civil rights

The draft contains language referring to public morals and values, implying that Islamic law would be the determining factor. An article forbids limiting the basic rights of individuals but adds that they "must be practiced in a manner not conflicting with" principles of religious law. There is also a ban on insulting "religious messengers and prophets," opening the door to arrests of bloggers and other activists.

? News media

Independent publications closed for a day to protest the lack of an article banning arrest of journalists for what they write. The draft has this: "Freedom of the press, printing, publication and mass media shall be guaranteed. The media shall be free and independent..."

?Religious minorities

The draft guarantees the practices of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, raising concerns of persecution of smaller sects. It also allows religious practices on condition that they do not "violate public order."

? Military

The president is the head of the national security council, but the defense minister is the commander in chief of the armed forces and "appointed from among its officers." That ensures the military an independent position. Control of the military budget is not mentioned.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/highlights-egypts-draft-constitution-190458145.html

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Rookie's new owner talks on surgery, recovery | KFOR.com ...

We have new information about an animal cruelty case that has struck a chord of sympathy with people across the state.

Last week this German Shepherd named ?Rookie? was tossed from a bridge at southeast 59th Street onto I-40.

The person who did it hasn?t been caught.

Rookie?s injuries were so bad surgery had to be delayed.

We are happy to report Rookie underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon.

Veterinarians at OSU are performing the procedures and the Humane Society is covering the costs.

OHP trooper Jennifer Fisher is the one who found Rookie after the accident.

She talked with us about her plans to adopt him after surgery.

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Source: http://kfor.com/2012/12/11/rookies-new-owner-talks-on-surgery-recovery/

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Verizon announces Samsung Galaxy Camera with LTE, available online December 13th for $550

Samsung Galaxy Camera announced for Verizon, will be available online December 13th

Not that this will come as much of a surprise to anyone at this point, but Samsung and Verizon have finally announced their intent to sell an LTE-compatible version of the Galaxy Camera on Big Red's network starting this Thursday for $549.99. Interestingly, there was no mention of when or if the TouchWiz-running camera will show up in stores, but you can at least pick one up in either white or cobalt black through the carrier's website. If you choose to grab one and take advantage of the faster data, Verizon's offering a promotion in which you only have to tack on an extra $5 per month to your Share Everything plan. Not a bad deal, considering a tablet will run you twice that -- provided you can stomach the upfront cost.

Continue reading Verizon announces Samsung Galaxy Camera with LTE, available online December 13th for $550

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/saZffhgXXKo/

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Hear About Mobile Disruption In Travel, Retail, And - Business Insider

ignitionwestlogo_no bi_120.jpgJoin Facebook, LinkedIn, Trip Advisor and Disney at?IGNITION West?on March 26, 2013 in San Francisco! Get market insight on mobile games, apps, devices, content and commerce. Register NOW.

If mobile is in your job description, you'll want to be at Business Insider?s second-annual IGNITION West conference on March 26, 2013 in San Francisco.

Joining us onstage this year will be industry leaders ? founders and funders, CEOs and serial entrepreneurs ? who are evolving their business through mobile innovation.

Which device will dominate? Is ?mobile first? a realistic approach for your business? When is the mobile payment experience going to improve, and who will get there first?

Reserve your ticket now to IGNITION West 2013 to find out.

The conference will showcase mobile experts across multiple categories and companies, including:

  • Accelerating and Advising: 500 Startups, Cheezeburger Network
  • E-Commerce: Bottlenotes, Instacart, RetailMeNot
  • Content: Disney, NBC Universal, Prismatic, StumbleUpon, Weather Channel
  • Enterprise: Cisco
  • Investment Trends: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Macquarie Research Equities
  • Peer Messaging: GroupMe
  • Retail and Payments: American Express Ventures, One Kings Lane, Stripe, @WalmartLabs
  • Social: Facebook, LinkedIn
  • Travel: Lumatic, Skift, TripAdvisor

These experts will discuss what the shift towards ?bring your own device? means for the enterprise. And which small business categories are successfully integrating mobile, social, and search to drive local foot traffic. And how always-on, multi-screen households are changing content and commerce distribution models.

Save $400! Register now to get your ultra-discounted ticket. Prices go up at the end of this month, so don't delay.

We look forward to seeing you in March. And until then, follow us on Twitter @BI_Events for speaker updates and conference news.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/mobile-disruption-at-ignition-west-2013-2012-12

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Fish sold in New York is routinely mislabeled: study

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nearly three in five New York City grocery stores and restaurants that sell seafood have mislabeled part of their stock, substituting varieties that could cause health problems, according to a new study.

Some 39 percent of the fish obtained for the study by the ocean conservation group Oceana was inaccurately identified, Oceana said. Sometimes cheap fish is substituted for more expensive varieties or plentiful species for scarce ones.

Forensic DNA analysis revealed 58 percent of 81 New York retailers and eateries sampled incorrectly labeled the seafood they sold, according to the study released Tuesday.

"It's unacceptable that New York seafood lovers are being duped more than one-third of the time when purchasing certain types of fish," Kimberly Warner, a senior scientist at Oceana and an author of the study, said in a news release.

In some instances, consumers unknowingly purchased fish that could pose health risks.

Blueline tilefish masqueraded as halibut and red snapper. The FDA urges pregnant women, nursing mothers and small children to avoid tilefish given its high mercury content.

All but one of the 17 white tuna samples obtained from sushi restaurants turned out to be escolar, a fish whose diarrhea-inducing properties earned it the nickname the "ex-lax fish."

Mislabeled seafood can present a public health concern because many hazards are species specific, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spokeswoman said in an email. Allergic reactions and food-borne illnesses are some of the possible health hazards, the spokeswoman said.

New York's rate of seafood mislabeling was higher than Miami's (31 percent) but lower than that of Boston (48 percent) and Los Angeles (55 percent), according to recent Oceana investigations.

What distinguishes New York's seafood marketplace from those of the other American cities Oceana tested is the presence of smaller, independent food stores, 40 percent of which sold mislabeled fish, Warner said in an interview. In contrast, only 12 percent of seafood bought at national chain grocery stores in New York were labeled incorrectly.

The problem is not new. A study appearing in a 1992 issue of Consumer Reports found about a third of the seafood sampled in New York, Chicago, and San Jose was incorrectly labeled.

Nor is seafood mislabeling an issue that has gone unreported. The discovery in August 2011 that Zabar's, a gourmet food store on Manhattan, had been passing off crawfish as lobster in its lobster salad for at least 15 years was the subject of multiple, high-profile media stories.

(Additional reporting by Sharon Begley; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fish-sold-york-routinely-mislabeled-study-052216947.html

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Colic treatment? Manipulative therapies may be beneficial treatment for infantile colic

Dec. 12, 2012 ? A Cochrane review of studies into manipulative therapies for colic, by the University of Southampton, suggests that the treatment technique may be of some benefit.

Infantile colic is a distressing problem, characterised by excessive crying of infants and it is the most common complaint seen by physicians in the first 16 weeks of a child's life.

It is usually considered a benign disorder because the symptoms generally disappear by the age of five or six months. However, the degree of distress caused to parents and family life is such that physicians often feel the need to intervene. Some studies suggest that there are longer-lasting effects on the child, and estimates in 2001 put the cost to the NHS at over ?65 million.

It has been suggested that certain gentle, low velocity manipulative techniques such as those used in osteopathy and chiropractic, might safely reduce the symptoms associated with infantile colic, specifically excessive crying time. However, the techniques have also been criticised by people who say there is no evidence that they have an effect on children and that they may be unsafe.

The systematic review, which is published December 12, 2012 in the Cochrane Library, assessed six randomised trials involving a total of 325 infants who received manipulative treatment or had been part of a control group.

Five of the six studies measured the number of hours colicky babies cried each day and their results suggest that crying was reduced by an average of one hour and 12 minutes per day by this treatment, which was statistically significant.

However, in many of the studies parents knew whether their infant was receiving treatment or not, which means that some uncertainty remains about the strength of these conclusions.

The use of manipulative therapies did not result in a significantly greater number of parents reporting complete recovery from colic in the three studies for which this data was available.

Professor George Lewith, Professor of Health Research at the University of Southampton, comments: "The majority of the included trials indicate that the parents of infants receiving manipulative therapies reported fewer hours crying per day than parents whose infants did not. This difference is statistically significant and important for those families who experience this condition. These studies show that in this small sample there were no adverse effects from using these treatments.

"However, we recognise that the collection of studies in our review is small and prone to bias which means we cannot arrive at a definitive conclusion about the effectiveness of manipulative therapies for infantile colic.

"More research is needed in this area to further the debate, especially well blinded trials, which are very difficult to do in children so young. We hope the review published today will offer objective evidence and generate more discussion in this particular area. "

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Southampton, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Dawn Dobson, Peter LBJ Lucassen, Joyce J Miller, Arine M Vlieger, Philip Prescott, George Lewith. Manipulative therapies for infantile colic. Cochrane Review, 2012 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004796.pub2

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/lDp3JzcH-U4/121211193114.htm

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Ariel Winter's mom sues actor for defamation

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The mother of "Modern Family" actress Ariel Winter sued an associate of her adult daughter for defamation Monday, claiming he falsely labeled her an "abusive monster" in an online comment about an ongoing custody struggle for the teenage star.

Chrisoula Workman filed the defamation and false light lawsuit against Matthew Borlenghi, claiming his comment attached to a Nov. 9 Los Angeles Times online story was false and has harmed her reputation.

Borlenghi is an actor who teaches at a studio operated by Shanelle Gray, Winter's adult sister who currently has custody of the 14-year-old actress. A judge temporarily stripped Workman of custody amid allegations she had been physically and emotionally abusive to the star.

A trial on whether Workman will be completely lose custody is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Borlenghi said he had not yet seen the lawsuit and declined to say whether he posted a comment about the story on the Times website. The story centered on Workman's allegations that Winter was having an improper relationship with an 18-year-old actor.

"This is a total falsehood," the comment attributed to Borlenghi states. "The mother is grasping and clawing to find a way not to lose her money-maker, and hide the fact that she is an abusive monster."

The comment cites personal interactions with Workman for forming the opinions in the post.

"All I can say is that David (Gray) and Shanelle Gray are very close friends of mine and comments that Chris has made are absolutely fabricated," Borlenghi said when contacted about the case. "The negative comments she's made about her own daughter in order to try to get custody back of Ariel are truly disgusting."

Workman's lawsuit includes several pages of sworn declarations from tutors and other friends and associates denying she has been abusive to her daughter. The declarations have been filed in the guardianship case and may be considered by a judge who has to determine whether to allow Gray to continue caring for her sister.

A judge said last month that child protective investigators had evidence of emotional abuse toward Winter.

Workman has denied she has been abusive toward her daughter.

Guardianship cases in California are public record. Attorneys for Winter's sister requested the case and its proceedings be sealed, but a judge refused. The case was filed under Winter's birth name, Ariel Workman, in part to avoid attention.

Although The Associated Press does not generally name underage victims of abuse, Winter's name is being used because it is included in the public guardianship case.

Besides playing Alex Dunphy on ABC's "Modern Family," Winter's credits include appearances on several TV series, including "ER" and "Phineas and Ferb," and movies such as "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," ''Ice Age: The Meltdown" and "ParaNorman."

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ariel-winters-mom-sues-actor-defamation-223353890.html

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The Most Important Phones Of 2012

The smartphone market of 2012 has seen some heated competition. The usual contenders all released solid hardware. But the dynamic between them changed, too—Windows Phone arrived as a serious third OS option, and 2012 ended with exciting new models of iPhone and Android devices. Here's a look at the best new products people put in their pockets this year. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YePfCUlhSRc/

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