The most recent Comment from Incisive Media

Taxing times with VAT fraud cases

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:22:00 GMT

Tony N Guise, CRN, Friday 20 November 2009 at 13:22:00

Three more VAT fraud cases come to court in a demonstration of the continuing battle that is MTIC legislation

The never-ending battle that is Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) or ‘carousel fraud’ litigation has taken on a kind of monotonous inevitability moving forward, and then backtracking....

Business intelligence as untapped opportunity

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:14:00 GMT

Peter Walker, CRN, Friday 20 November 2009 at 13:14:00

Improved information systems mean organisations can move more quickly and the channel can help

Information lies at the heart of good decision-making. Often used primarily by executives and business analysts, business intelligence (BI) products are pervading organisations, especially as the people in them increasingly...

Gearing up for growth with ongoing education

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:00 GMT

Wayne Gratton, CRN, Thursday 19 November 2009 at 13:10:00

Targeted partner education is the way forward, says Wayne Gratton

Channel players must get more creative if they are to achieve growth. It is not enough to merely match technologies with channel partners; going the extra mile is now par...

One to avoid

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Mark Lee, Accountancy Age, Thursday 19 November 2009 at 11:41:00

The perils of promoting tax avoidance schemes just got worse, especially for your other half

I was shocked to note that the wives of two Vantis tax directors are accused of involvement in their husbands’ dealings....

On the money with Gavin Hinks

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:37:00 GMT

Gavin Hinks, Accountancy Age, Thursday 19 November 2009 at 11:37:00

Is Dave Hartnett a hopeless romantic?

I can’t help but conclude that Dave Hartnett, the man who runs tax policy for HMRC, is a hopeless romantic....

Who's up for the top job now?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:31:00 GMT

Margaret Ewing, Accountancy Age, Thursday 19 November 2009 at 11:31:00

Are finance directors still best equipped to be chief executives after the crisis?

My last column reflected on the qualities of females that make them good FDs. Those same qualities also make many females highly suitable for even greater leadership responsibility....

As Boyle steps down audit is at a crossroads

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:46:00 GMT

Accountancy Age, Accountancy Age, Thursday 19 November 2009 at 10:46:00

Much has changed since Paul Boyle too charge at the FRC, but the Big Four are still dominant

Working in audit is a dull repetitive business, many say. We don’t think so. The ethical dimensions to being an auditor alone are proving the source of intense debate....

Hot Seat: Mark Ridley

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:01:00 GMT

Mark Ridley, Computing, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 17:01:00

Mark Ridley is director of technology at leading recruitment web site Reed.co.uk, where he manages a team of 20 IT professionals

What was your first job and how did you get into IT? I left university in the mid-1990s and worked on a freelance basis developing web sites....

PCI DSS compliance is a safety net for everyone

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Peter Jackson, Computing, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 17:00:00

The information security standard ensures the safety of data – and must be put in place, says Peter Jackson

The loss of customers’ personal and financial data is hugely damaging to a company’s public image, as those at the heart of recent scandals will testify....

Pitching green IT to the board

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT

Todd Thibodeaux, Computing, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 16:58:00

Green policies must have a clear business advantage if they are to be implemented

The US is understandably vocal about its position at the forefront of IT innovation, but green IT is an area where the UK arguably leads the way....

Leader campaign has been an eye-opener

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:57:00 GMT

Angelica Mari, Computing, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 16:57:00

Computing’s Tomorrow’s IT Leaders campaign is striving to create a united industry that can shape the brightest IT stars of the future

For the past few months, I have been focusing on running Computing’s high-profile campaign, Tomorrow’s IT Leaders, which aims to discuss the future of technology leadership and offer a roadmap...

Recession no barrier to innovation

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:56:00 GMT

Computing staff, Computing, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 16:56:00

UK IT Industry Awards winners inspire hope for the future

The jury is still out on whether the UK economy is now recovering from the worst recession since the 1930s or just experiencing a temporary reprieve....

XTM as the next wave in multi-functional security

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:11:00 GMT

Fleur Doidge, CRN, Wednesday 18 November 2009 at 15:11:00

New appliance category offers opportunities in larger organisations, says Ian Kilpatrick

The first eXtensible Threat Management (XTM) appliances have now arrived in this country and they present some great opportunities for the channel, particularly in larger companies and enterprises....

Driving home a mobility message

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Fleur Doidge, CRN, Tuesday 17 November 2009 at 14:30:00

Flexible working requires the channel to look at the larger picture, says Azadar Shah

Some wake-up calls for UK businesses in the form of pandemics and the bombings of 2005 are pushing changes in working practices....

Do businesses really need Copenhagen?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:58:00 GMT

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Monday 16 November 2009 at 14:58:00

It looks as if any chance of a meaningful international climate change deal will be delayed into 2010, but green businesses should not be too despondent over Copenhagen's failures

With a wearying inevitability the world's leaders have spent much of the past fortnight desperately downgrading expectations ahead of the UN's Copenhagen climate change summit, for fear anyone might notice...

A lightbulb moment

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:51:00 GMT

Trewin Restorick, BusinessGreen, Friday 13 November 2009 at 16:51:00

Trewin Restorick gets excited by some bright thinking and ponders the nuclear option

It may be the level of alcohol I consume, but in a typical week I swing from bouts of acute depression thinking that we will never solve the climate crisis...

Rising to the challenge of non-IT budgets

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:10:00 GMT

Ellie Dyke, CRN, Friday 13 November 2009 at 16:10:00

During what are tough times for customers, we need to make their purchasing decisions easier by truly understanding their challenges

Budgets have shrunk, and bells and whistles no longer sell IT. Organisations are focused on essential painkillers so ask customers what they want to achieve and how you can...

Turning the credit corner as funding improves

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:06:00 GMT

Philip White, CRN, Friday 13 November 2009 at 16:06:00

Funding availability is already improving as the broader market looks towards recovery

The extent to which the IT market relies on funding has been laid bare by the downturn. Sales in the sector were hit hard by both a lack of vendor...

What is in a name?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:46:00 GMT

Murray Pearce, CRN, Friday 13 November 2009 at 15:46:00

Data classification will play an increasingly important role in data leak prevention

Hardly a week goes by without reports of confidential information being mislaid. Although much large-scale data loss is the result of carelessness rather than malice, it increases the need for...

Be prepared against fraud

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Laurie Beagle, CRN, Friday 13 November 2009 at 12:00:00

Unfortunately not everyone is honourable and channel firms would be well advised to start developing their anti-fraud strategies as a result of a reported increase in fraud

Optimism is creeping into financial markets as national economies slowly emerge from recession. Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany and the US have all announced GDP growth....

Bankruptcy turf war

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:29:00 GMT

Accountancy Age, Accountancy Age, Thursday 12 November 2009 at 00:29:00

Spat between IPs and Official Receiver could lead to reduced choice and less expertise in the marketplace

There is currently much tension between private sector insolvency practitioners and the government’s Official Receiver over who should be doing exactly what kind of work....

Give the IASB resources to set carbon guidelines

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:28:00 GMT

Accountancy Age, Accountancy Age, Thursday 12 November 2009 at 00:28:00

With the Copenhagen summit on climate change imminent, we need to sort out international standards for reporting carbon emissions

We are just weeks away from world leaders meeting in Copenhagen to thrash out plans for reducing carbon emissions. At the same time accountancy professionals are acutely aware that companies,...

Comment: Better management not less information

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:59:00 GMT

Ian Williams, V3.co.uk, Thursday 12 November 2009 at 17:59:00

Communication overload can swamp workers

We live in an increasingly fast-paced world, so dealing with communications as quickly as possible is paramount to running an effective business....

IT buyers now only spend money to save money

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:22:00 GMT

Dustin Newport, CRN, Thursday 12 November 2009 at 14:22:00

Niche software applications are gaining traction in the channel, claims Dustin Newport

Spending money to save money has been a prerequisite for all business this year. This has opened doors for the more enterprising distributor and started to make it attractive for...

The bonus bandwagon

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:52:00 GMT

Lynton Stock, Accountancy Age, Thursday 12 November 2009 at 09:52:00

Big bank bonuses aren't as bad as many commentators like to make out

Every time I read a newspaper, there seems to be an article castigating the banks that still want to pay bonuses even the likes of Osborne, Buffet and Soros...