Opinion

After a big fortnight in politics, it's instructive for the Western Australian business community to take stock and ask how much has really changed.

The ascension of Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to the papacy could turn politics in South America on its head.

QUESTIONS: Who's going to win the next Super Bowl? Who's going to win the next World Series? Who's going to win the next Masters Tournament?

BUILDING a brand that connects with people is an integral part of any good marketing strategy.

India's future as a regional powerhouse is under a cloud as its economy slows and the need for foreign investment increases amid an environment of corruption, bureaucratic ineptitude and self-serving politicians.

Forget the politics. Focus on the money.

Labor needs to get back to basics in WA, reinvigorating its image and getting boots on the ground.

THE Commonwealth has moved again to muddy the waters on environmental approval, this time seeking to widen its influence on the approvals process for coal mining and coal-seam gas extraction.

The rising markets may be a false dawn, with two top economists, whose warnings were ignored before the GFC, ringing alarm bells again.

Lifting national productivity is a goal that is universally supported, but it seems our leaders in Canberra either haven't really thought through what it means in practice, or just don't care.

The comfortable margin at last week's state election would have surprised some Liberal insiders.

WHEN you're asking an existing or prospective customer a question, the object is to get them to think and respond emotionally.

MUCH of a leader's power lies in their capacity to inspire others to action. To be able to do that, as noted by Napoleon Bonaparte, a leader must be a ‘dealer in hope'.

Bankers might have caused the never-ending global financial crisis but it is politicians who are perpetuating it as the latest European farce, a raid on bank accounts held in Cyprus, so brilliantly

Gina Rinehart's omission from a BRW rich list is perplexing, considering the ‘self-made' women who made the grade.

Colin Barnett should prioritise his ‘to-do' list as he and his ministers wade through their election commitments.

The reality on future iron ore prices may be somewhere in the middle of the most dire predictions and those of the eternal optimists.

Having listened to many winners and losers in the state election, there are some clear lessons emerging.

China's actions in the South China Sea have raised regional tensions, and should be closely watched.

LAST week I promised the answers to why lousy service occurs and how to fix it; the answer revolves around four words you already know -positive attitude, personal pride.

IT'S great to know the secrets of so-called ‘success stories' and their habits, but it's just as important to learn from failure.

Successful companies have a number of practices in common that enable them to succeed in the good times, and survive major downturns.

It's a good thing for the re-elected state government that the property market is rising, because without an increase in stamp duty from extra house sales, the state budget could develop a large ho

The head of Australian poultry producer Ingham has agreed to sell the 95-year-old family business to US-based private equity group TPG Capital.

Technology will play an ever-greater role in the nation's resources sector in coming years.

Labor may have set the agenda for the campaign in recent weeks, but the government holds the whip hand due to a combination of factors.

Award-winning author Anna Funder worries that the infamous East German Stasi have not been fully exposed.

When the big players start exiting a sector it's a fair bet things are on the slide; and so it is with with the Lowy family's decision to quit its retail trust.

Western Australians have a choice between flawed but strong leadership from the Liberals or an energetic, unproven alternative in Labor.

Ray O'Connor's role in helping Ric New develop the state's residential building sector is probably the least known of his many ‘achievements'.

I AM amazed at how many times someone in a service environment delivers lousy service.

A BUSINESS cannot move forward without continuously reviewing the past; not to be critical of our mistakes, but to ensure the journey forward continues to improve.