The race is on as internationalised domain names unlock door to new markets

The founder of one of the UK’s longest established translation agencies Thames Translations has welcomed the introduction of new Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs), saying it will enable businesses to tap into markets that were previously unreachable, but only if they are quick to grab their preferred domain name and translate content properly.

The first Internet addresses containing all non-Latin characters will soon be online thanks to approval of the new policy by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Currently only 37 Latin characters and numbers are used but this new move will allow up to 100,000 characters from all the world’s languages, including for example 28 characters from the Arabic alphabet and 22 from the Hebrew alphabet. It is thought that the move will make the web more accessible to billions of people worldwide (1) and has been lauded as the biggest technological change to the internet since its creation 40 years ago.

Many are set to benefit from the move, given that almost half the world’s population don’t use the Latin based script. Data updated in June 2009 reveals that China is the top ranking country for Internet usage, making up over 20% of Internet users worldwide. Others that will benefit from lesser reliance on the Roman keyboard include Japan (ranked 3^rd) and Russia (ranked 9^th) and Iran (ranked 17^th). In fact, almost 40% of users from the top 20 countries listed do not use the Roman script.(2)

Simon George, MD of one of the UK’s longest standing translation companies, Thames Translations, believes that the move could open the door for businesses to tap into huge new markets of customers who don’t currently access the Internet because of language problems.

“Web localisation is becoming big business and there is a growing trend to translate company websites into the different languages relevant to their customers (both current and potential) and to adopt domains ending with country codes (such as .uk, .cn and .fr). This move will enable businesses to reach many people around the world that don’t use Roman character keyboards in their daily lives, but businesses will need to be quick to ensure they get their preferred domain names and translate their websites into the appropriate languages,” says George.

This will be the first time ever that the Internet has not been dominated by Latin letters but George warns that for some looking to capitalise on the new domain names, it may not be an easy transition.

“This move now makes it possible to take multilingualism online a step further but website localisation is as much about culture as it is language itself and takes into account variations in dialect, country buzzwords, ‘slang’ terminology to draw up those all important key words, as well as the usual changes to dates, time etc. It also takes into account the significance of colours in various countries and inter-country conflicts, which might influence the placing of different countries within a list or the site map for example. That is why it is always worth seeking advice from a translation specialist before embarking on any web localisation projects.”

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Editors Notes

(1)  See http://www.icann.org/en/topics/idn/ for more detail from ICANN on the new internationalised domain names

(2)  Internet users top ranking countries – http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm

About Thames Translations

Hertfordshire-based Thames Translations is renowned for providing high quality translation services to a broad range of professional and commercial organisations, utilising over 2000 ‘mother tongue’ qualified translators.

The company was founded in 1972 and was acquired by successful entrepreneur and businessman Simon George 11 years ago. Its success continues to be built on a long-standing reputation for excellence, reliability and innovation.

Thames Translations boasts an impressive client portfolio including British Gas, Arriva, Black & Decker, Direct Line, Dixons, Eurostar, IPC Media, Microsoft, Monarch Airlines, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Tesco and Virgin.

For more information visit www.thames-translations.com

Press Enquiries

For further information, images or to arrange an interview please contact Amy Larman on 01603 283 463 or email amy@mediajems.co.uk

 

Popping pills won’t relieve stress says herbal expert

Christmas and New Year are said to be one of the most stressful times of the year and with it being National Stress Awareness Day today, a leading medical herbalist is warning that reaching for the medicine cabinet for stress busting pills may not be the answer to beating the stress factor for good.

With reports suggesting that stress and chronic ill health in the workplace costs £100bn a year, there is an increasing body of scientific evidence suggesting that the impact of long term stress can affect the body on many levels from the nervous system to hormones and physical illness.

In cases of long-term stress, the adrenal and thyroid glands are involved resulting in a decreased production of thyroid hormones and a weakening of adrenal function. This can cause depression and anxiety. In addition to the direct effects on the adrenal and thyroid glands, other hormones can be affected, including the ovaries and testes, which can result in reproductive disorders and lowering of libido; and the pancreas, which can lead to problems with blood glucose levels.

“Stress-related thyroid and adrenal dysfunction often have other wide ranging effects that impact on the immune, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Compromised immune function, impaired blood glucose regulation, frequent pain and headaches further add to the feeling of constant fatigue and being run down. Normal sleep patterns may also be affected, further compromising the individual’s health. Stress-related thyroid dysfunction can also cause weight gain in some patients,” explains Deborah Grant, a leading medical herbalist from the world-renowned Hale Clinic in London.

A person who regularly suffers from allergies, infections, constant fatigue or lethargy may be suffering from, or have an increased risk of suffering from, adrenal and thyroid insufficiency. But reaching for the latest prescription medicine may not be the best solution, warns Grant.

“Prescription and over the counter medicines for stress are often designed to treat symptoms of stress but do very little to tackle the underlying cause of that stress. They may provide a brief spell of symptomatic relief and you may feel less anxious or lighter for a while, but ultimately if the underlying issues are not dealt with, the symptoms will only return,” says Grant.

Herbal Medicine can help tackle the underlying cause of stress by restoring adrenal function, maintaining normal thyroid function, regulating blood glucose levels and modulating the immune system. Normal digestive function is restored and patients report an increase in energy and better mood.

Patients usually start to feel better after taking their herbal medicine for 10-14 days. When the aims of the treatment plan have been met, it can be beneficial to take just a maintenance dose, if necessary, to help maintain health.

“Everyone is different and therefore each person responds differently to stress which is why it is better to see a qualified herbal specialist who can tailor the prescription to your unique needs rather than trying to ‘self-treat’ as things such as diet and lifestyle can also be factors. This is a more effective way of treating stress than by simply giving a ’standard’ prescription,” says Grant.

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Notes to Editor

Deborah Grant BSc (Hons) Consultant Medical Herbalist

Deborah Grant is a qualified Medical Herbalist with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Herbal Medicine and has diagnostic and clinical training at degree level. Deborah uses herbal medicine to treat the underlying cause of health-related problems as well as the symptoms and has experience in treating a wide range of conditions, attaining a high rate of clinical success.

Deborah has experience in treating a wide range of conditions including interstitial cystitis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, Graves disease, stress, angina, mild/moderate depression, recurrent infections, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, menstrual and menopausal problems, infertility, migraine, digestive problems, asthma, bronchitis, eczema, psoriasis, gastric reflux and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Deborah says:

“21st Century science-based Herbal Medicine is becoming increasingly popular and more and more people are turning to it as a safer, gentler alternative to the one-size-fits-all pharmaceutical drugs with their sometimes unpleasant side-effects. Many of the common health problems, which you would normally take to your GP, can be effectively tackled with a drug-free approach.“

Every prescription is tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs as Deborah believes that this approach gets the best results. Medicines are dispensed from her own dispensary, using medicine authorised by the Department of Health’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and licensed under the European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicine. Her high quality plant extracts have been proven to give a high and consistent level of clinical success.

Deborah has practices in the world-renowned The Hale Clinic, London. She also has a Menopause Clinic, an Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Clinic and an Interstitial Cystitis Clinic (IC) and is a member of The British Herbal Medicine Association (BHMA). Her website, where she sells practitioner-only, high quality health supplements, is www.herbalist-medicine.com.

Information supplied by Media Jems. For press enquiries please contact Amy Larman on 01603 283 463 or email amy@mediajems.co.uk.

Businesses shun Royal Mail in favour of e-communications

Many small businesses were left relatively unaffected by the Royal Mail strike with most opting to send most of their correspondence electronically, according to social business network Ecademy.

Over 800 people viewed a blog entitled ‘Your business and the Royal Mail, time for a divorce?’ by William Buist last week on popular social business network Ecademy with many commenting on how the strike would impact their business.

A high proportion claimed that the strike would have little or no effect on their day-to-day business as they opted to use the Internet for most of their correspondence.

“It would seem that many small businesses have already made the transition to electronic based communications some time ago, relying mainly on the Royal Mail for delivery of cheques from customers and items which had to be sent physically. Many say they already send PDF versions of letters and invoices and receive payments by BACS and rarely venture to the Post Office at all,” says Societal Web expert William Buist of Abelard Management Services.

Many commenting on the forum post did have sympathy with the Royal Mail workers and blamed the management for failing to move with times and embrace new technology as part of their offering.

Penny Power, founder of Ecademy believes that the Royal Mail needs to turn its attention to the web for valuable customer insight and take into account the views of its customers and what they want from their postal service in the future if they want to survive.

“The strike has highlighted how many businesses have moved their marketing activities online, opting for social networks and online media to create a brand rather than utilizing Direct Mail. People are becoming a lot more vocal online and willing to express their views and opinions with their peers, this activity is gaining many businesses an opportunity to build their brand globally and with a very low cost associated with the activity. The Post Office is fast becoming out dated in their use of technology for businesses”.

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Editors Notes

Ecademy connects business people all over the world. Founded in 1998 by husband and wife team Thomas and Penny Power, it is privately owned and sustains itself through subscription. Ecademy is present in over 200 countries. For more information visit www.ecademy.com

For press information, hi res images or to arrange an interview please contact Rebecca King on 01603 283 506 or email rebecca@mediajems.co.uk or alternatively call Jenna Gould on 07958 263 708.

Money spent on marketing is wasted – if you can’t close the sale

Business owners have been warned by a sales expert that money spent on marketing activities such as branding and website design could be wasted if they don’t have the skills to get customers to actually buy from them.

Speaking to over seventy business owners and salespeople at the ‘Selling in a Slowdown’ evening event at The Palace Hotel in Manchester, International sales expert and author of ‘Selling in a Slowdown’ Andy Preston said the evening was their ‘wake up call’ to the fact that sales techniques during recessionary times were distinctly different to those used in a healthy economy.

“The recession has changed the way people buy and in return the way businesses need to act to close the deal. We can’t continue to sell the way we have for years and just expect it to work as well as it used to because it won’t! If anything, the recession has presented an opportunity for the more motivated, driven salespeople to take business off their competitors”, reveals Preston, MD of sales performance company Outstanding Results.

Preston claims that two major contributors to why people don’t win more business in the current economy is that is they aren’t sat in front of the right decision makers often enough and they don’t ask the right questions when they are there. But the biggest issue by far he says, is the fact is that most people have no idea how much a sales enquiry is potentially worth to them and so don’t treat those potential customers in the way they should be treated to help win the business.

“Many companies spend a large amount of money getting their website, branding, design and marketing materials right, but then forget the most important part – which is training themselves and their team how to deal with sales enquiries effectively so they generate new business,” says Preston

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Editors Notes

Andy Preston is MD and Training Director of sales performance company Outstanding Results. Andy is an international speaker, author and trainer and specialises in working with companies to improve their sales results. Preston has over a decade of experience and success in the sales industry, working his way from sales representative to sales director in less than twelve years. More information on Andy Preston can be found at www.andy-preston.com and for more information on Outstanding Results please visit www.outstanding-results.co.uk.

For press enquiries please contact Rebecca King on 01603 283 506 or email rebecca@mediajems.co.uk

BA and Royal Mail staff question ‘what’s in it for me?’

With Royal Mail unable to prevent strike action and predictions that BA cabin crew may strike at Christmas over proposed contract changes, performance culture specialist Nigel Watson urges the troubled brands to realise the problem stems from staff not seeing how they will benefit.

Nigel Watson, MD of Q4 Solutions has worked with many global brands facing a breakdown in communications and claims that both organisations would benefit from a more performance-led culture which would help employees to feel like they were an integral part of the organisation and not a separate entity.

“Unions are great at helping ensure that their member’s interests are protected, but what also tends to happen when there is strong union presence is that communications between the business and employees breaks down. They begin to feel more and more disconnected from the business and its ethos, making it even harder for them to remember why the joined the organisation in the first place or come to an amicable agreement,” says Watson.

Watson believes that the actions to date by BA and Royal Mail are common practice across many organisations and for the majority of time it seems to work ok but that recent events suggest they have found it particularly difficult to strike the right balance between performance, value and the needs of its people.

According to Watson, a good performance-led culture is one where everyone wants the same performance outcome and takes pride in their results and what it takes to achieve those results. For this to happen, everyone needs to have to want it and be able to see a clear ‘what’s in it for me’. When it doesn’t happen, employees become increasingly disconnected from the organisation.

Watson says:

“What BA and Royal Mail could really benefit from is clarity of mission, purpose and communication to avoid losing any more equity in the relationships between people in the organisation. Yes process and controls are important, but they must support the people too and focus on aligning everyone on RTR, getting the Right Things Right.  This might sounds straight forward, but is often much trickier than it sounds”.

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Editor’s Notes

Nigel Watson is one of the most experienced performance culture specialists in Europe. He has been managing director of Q4 for almost a decade and has over 20 years experience in serving corporate household names.

Q4 Solutions delivers programmes of leadership development, workshops, facilitation and coaching. Using acknowledged leaders in their field, Q4 has assembled a formidable array of talent under the overall guidance of Nigel Watson

Nigel’s career has been spent in the people, performance, process arena and he has worked with many prestigious clients, including: Alliance & Leicester, Augusta Westland, BP, BAE Systems, EDS, KPMG, Logica CMG, Selfridges and Vodafone.

Nigel was also part of the company responsible for: training the skippers and crew for the BT Global Challenge Yacht Race, creating a joint civilian leadership school at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and for working with Sir Clive Woodward in developing the shift in behaviours and performance for the England 2003 Rugby World Cup Squad.

For further information visit www.q4solutions.co.uk

For press enquiries please contact Amy Larman on 01603 283 463 or by email amy@mediajems.co.uk.

Herbal Medicine For Pets Helps Calm Firework Jitters

Over half of pets are reported to be afraid of loud noises and with Fireworks Night just around the corner, pet owners are being advised to treat their beloved pets with safe herbal Skullcap and Valerian tablets to calm their nerves.

For many pet owners, the start of the Firework season signs the start of distressing symptoms in their pets such as salivation, excessive shaking and destructive behaviour. Sometimes this fear is ingrained from birth, but it can also develop over time, meaning that as pets get older, the phobia becomes more and more extreme.

Skullcap and Valerian tablets are a safe, licensed, veterinary herbal medicine which relieves anxiety and nervousness in cats and dogs. The medicine can be given up to a week before firework night, and can be continued until the end of the season. The treatment is also effective if used from the day before any firework celebrations. Tablets can be supplied with a pill crusher so that the powdered tablets can be added to food for easy administration.

Another tried and tested remedy is Organic Valerian Compound, which is in liquid form. This is effective from 30 minutes after the treatment is administered, and is particularly suitable for cats and dogs. The liquid can be added to food, or ingested straight from the dropper bottle. It can also be added to bedding to enhance the calming effect.

Both medicines are fully licensed by the Government’s Veterinary Medicines Licensing Authority are available online from Medicine4Animals, a brand owned by leading London Medical Herbalist Deborah Grant, who has officially endorsed the medicines available on Medicine4Animals.com. Deborah explains: “21st Century Herbal Medicine is now being underpinned by scientific research and as such is becoming increasingly popular with more and more cat and dog owners turning to it for their pets as a safer, gentler alternative to pharmaceutical drugs with their sometimes unpleasant side-effect.”

Deborah, who practices at the world-renowned Hale Clinic in London, also claims that cats and dogs are benefiting from this natural treatment as there are no side-effects. Pet owners are also happy as treating common ailments suffered any serious health conditions should be seen by a veterinary surgeon. She recommends that Skullcap and Valerian tablets should be taken morning and night with food, with double the amount over Firework Night. The liquid Valerian compound can be taken with or without food, and can even be applied to bedding. Pets usually like the taste of this herb.

Amy Larman has been using the Organic Valerian Compound on her two Staffordshire Bull Terriers Tia and Tyler and says:

‘I have two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, one of which I re-homed and who can be very scared by loud noises especially storms and fireworks. I have been using Valerian on my dogs for the past 6 months and for the first time I can now relax on Firework Night as I know I have done everything I can to help them stay calm and get through it.’

For more information visit www.medicine4animals.com

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Notes to Editor

Medicine4Animals is a herbal medicines brand, owned by Leading Medical Herbalist Deborah Grant. Apart from treating people at her London Clinic, Deborah Grant has also studied the effects of herbal medicines on animals, gaining a Distinction in the examination. She is fully qualified and authorised to provide these cutting-edge products online for pets. It is through her expert knowledge and training that Deborah is able to endorse these Licensed Herbal Veterinary Medicines and Herbal Supplements for dogs and cats.

Deborah has a passion for cats and dogs, having two family cats, Boris and Wiggles; a family dog called Saffy; and until recently, a dog called Bonzo and a cat called Squidge. She understands the importance of health maintenance for pets, not least to help avoid expensive veterinary bills for minor ailments.

Deborah is a member of The British Herbal Medicine Association (BHMA).  She is consulted for information or to endorse articles by leading health journalists, and regularly writes and publishes quality Herbal Medicine articles.

For further information, hi-res images or to arrange an interview with Deborah Grant, please contact Amy Larman on 01603 283 463 or email amy@mediajems.co.uk

Surrey couriers told to defy postal strike with Google AdWords

Surrey courier services are being advised by a local online expert to hit the web with a high impact Google AdWords campaign to capitalise on the forthcoming postal strikes.

Tim Hatton, Technical Director of Guildford-based digital marketing agency Hatton Marketing is urging local couriers to raise their profile online as businesses frantically search for alternatives to the Royal Mail in light of the postal strikes later this week.

“Google AdWords is one of the easiest and simplest ways to gain profile immediately and smart use of topical keywords can help even the smallest of courier service to gain top rank positions on Google literally overnight,” says Tim.

Companies such as Parcel2Go are already hitting the top sponsored listings for alternatives to the Royal Mail with their heading ‘Strike let you down?’ and Tim reveals that selecting the right keywords and adapting them to fit in with current news and trends is critical to the success of both long term and short term online campaigns.

“The trick of successful AdWords campaigns is to understand what the market is searching for and how your keywords relate to their current search needs. As such, it is entirely possible for local couriers to capitalise on the strikes later this week with a targeted AdWords campaign if they are quick,” says Tim.

To help local businesses master the art of Google AdWords and respond in this way in the future, Tim is running a one-day Masterclass on 27^th October and 25^th November at the Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford. During the Masterclass, Tim will reveal the secrets behind planning an effective AdWords campaign strategy, how to pick the right keywords and how to write killer adverts and landing pages and it is ideal for those who are new to Google AdWords and Pay Per Click.

“I’ve put on this course to help show how easy it is for Surrey businesses to get on the map and compete with the big boys but only if they know how to utilise the tools of Google Adwords effectively. Often, businesses who attempt to start AdWords campaigns on their own end up losing money by failing to capitalise on the right keywords. This course will help them make the most of their online marketing, generate revenue and save money,” says Tim.

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Editor’s Notes

How To Run a Profitable Google AdWords Campaign

Dates: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 and Wednesday 25^th November, 2009 from 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM (GMT)

Location: Surrey Technology Centre, 40 Occam Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7YG

Seminar Rates

Standard delegate £147 + VAT per person. Lunch and refreshments included.

Early Bird Discounts

27th October seminar – book on or before 23rd October to receive an Early Bird discount and pay only £97 + VAT per person.

25th November seminar – book on or before 11^th November to receive an Early Bird discount and pay only £97 + VAT per person.

For more information or to book your place call 01483 685160

ABOUT THE COURSE

How to Run a Profitable Google AdWords Campaign Full Day Seminar

Run by Google AdWords Qualified professional, Hatton Marketing’s Technical Director, Tim Hatton these seminars take place at the Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford, Surrey.

Attendees at the seminar will learn how to:

* Plan an effective AdWords campaign strategy from the start

* Get into the head of their potential clients to pick the right keywords

* Make the most efficient use of budgets and bids

* Write killer adverts and landing pages

* Analyse and react to the results from their campaign

This seminar is suitable for people who:

* are looking to manage or who already manage their own Google AdWords or other PPC campaigns

* require an insight into best practice paid-search marketing strategy and implementation

* are new to PPC and Google AdWords, though familiarity with general internet browsing and use of standard computer software (Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet applications) is presumed.

·         The seminar will have a particular focus on Google AdWords, but the techniques can be applied to other PPC systems such as Yahoo Search Marketing or Microsoft AdCentre.

Surgery success hampered by bad skin

But…women can boost chances of successful ‘natural look’ surgery with good skincare routine

Women opting for surgery to turn back the clock or enhance their appearance but still have that all important ‘natural’ look are increasingly opting for less invasive treatments.

But they could be making the job harder than it needs to be by not looking after their skin properly, a leading cosmetic expert has revealed.

Dr Ravi Jain, Medical Director of Riverbanks Clinic has voiced concerns that whilst managing the rising demand for natural looking non-invasive skin treatments is now a top priority for many salons, basic skincare and skin health is often overlooked and this is having a profound effect on how successful the treatments are for patients with damaged skin.

“Natural beauty is not just about adding some volume to the skin here or injecting some Botox there, it is also about assessing the general health of the skin itself and taking necessary steps to restore and rejuvenate the skin prior to any treatment. Damage caused to the skin by overexposure to the sun can contribute massively to how a treatment not only reacts with the skin but the long term results and so before any you do anything, you need to get your skin healthy,” says Dr Jain.

If you suffer from sun damaged-skin and are noticing fine lines and wrinkles appearing, sun spots emerging or a general tightening and sagging of the skin, Dr Jain recommends taking the following steps to rejunvenate tired skin.

1.    Maximise skin health by effective exfoliation and hydration therapies such as alpha-hydroxy acid skin care programmes and peels. Ensure you use an antioxidant SPF 30 in the summer and 15 in the winter, every single day. (try Priori AHA or Idenbenone)

2.    To correct pigmentation and broken veins consider a course of IPL/laser during the winter months.

3.    Consider botulinum toxin or dermal filler injections for fine lines and wrinkles, caused by sun damage.

“Prevention is always the key to maintaining natural, healthy looking skin and many people simply don’t realise the damage they’ve already caused to their skin, even if it looks ok on the surface. I’d recommend anyone who has over exposed their skin in the past to go and have their skin analysed under a facial scanner. That way, they’ll see exactly what state their skin is in now and can then take the best steps to improve their skincare routine and slow down the ageing process as they get older,” says Dr Jain.

Special Offer: Visit Riverbanks Clinic and have a skin analysis consultation including facial scanner analysis for just £25 if you quote ref: SUN1 when making your booking. Offer valid until Feb 1 2010.

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Editors Notes

The award-winning Riverbanks Clinic is one of the UK’s leading clinics for non-surgical
cosmetic and dermatological treatments. Formerly the Luton Skin Clinic, the prestigious Riverbanks Clinic helps men and women to turn back the clock, with the help of the very latest safe, non-surgical, highly effective anti-aging skin treatments. The clinic also specialises in treating skin problems such as acne and Roseaca.

The most popular treatments offered by Riverbanks Clinic include Vaser Lipo, Botox, Dermal Fillers, Sculptra, Smartxide DOT Laser and Accent Radiofrequency.

For more information visit www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk

Dr Ravi Jain is available for press interviews, articles and features. For further details, hi-res images or to arrange an interview with Dr Jain, please contact Jenna Gould on 01603 283 503 or email press@riverbanksclinic.co.uk

Cash flow concerns for collaborative groups who fail to call in debts

Suppliers who collaborate with others to provide a combined value added offerings to customers could be putting their finances in jeopardy by failing to chase up internal debts from other group members.

Collaborative working expert William Buist has raised concerns that many could be jumping into collaborative group arrangements only to lose sight of the value additions and transfers of time, effort and skills that are going on between the various companies making up the group.

“The temptation to work for the good of the group and therefore, perhaps not raise or chase late invoices internally, means that some aspects of the collaboration may fail if one or other member of the group feels they’re not getting a fair return for the effort that they are adding to the team,” says Buist, MD of Abelard Management Services and President of the Blackstar Life Members Community on business social network Ecademy.

Buist recommends that whilst companies remain separate, it is important to maintain a strict invoicing and payment structure internally as well as externally to ensure that those imbalances are fairly dealt with.

“The graphic designer in a collaborate group for example may feel they are providing more time and effort than someone providing strategic support which is only used intermittently and without a formal payment structure, this member could quickly tire of the arrangement and feel they are being taken for granted. However, if all of the parties invoice and are paid as normal then the flows of money will cancel out within the group where the collaborative effect is identical. Any imbalances in terms of effort, inputs or costs also gets properly handled in the books of all of the businesses so that their results truly reflect the impact of the collaboration and not the impact of their mutual goodwill.”

“The key message here is that money was invented as a means of measuring fair exchange, and exchanging it in the context of a collaboration certainly works well. When the collaborators know their value is being fairly rewarded, then they will commit a fair effort to delivering the best result they can,” says Buist.

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Alternative therapies show promising results for wounded veterans

Support is growing for the use of alternative therapies to help wounded veterans to recover from their dehabilitating injuries, says Bowen4Veterans.

Following the airing of BBC’s ‘Wounded’ in which soldiers Andy Alan and Tom Neathway were followed as they recovered from their crippling injuries sustained whilst on duty in Afghanistan, the Bowen4Veterans campaign has revealed that there are an increasing number of cases where alternative therapies like the Bowen Technique are complimenting existing rehabilitation programmes by helping wounded veterans come to terms with their injuries and aid the recovery process, and are calling for increased access for soldiers to such treatments.

The Bowen Technique is a non-invasive, relaxing yet powerful form of bodywork. Bowen helps to reset the body so it can heal itself and restore its natural healing ability and promote pain relief, recovery of energy and functionality to the body.

A rising number of medical experts are recognising the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment and rehabilitation and are increasingly supporting the use of alternative treatments like Bowen.

Dr Gaby Cora, a medical practitioner, former Lieutenant Commander andauthor says:

“Massage therapies may be helpful for different reasons: people with trauma may be in a hyperalert state and gentle techniques may desensitize them from brutal memories or experiences. In addition, they may help the person “reconnect” or ground themselves by becoming more tuned in more relaxed and comfortable within their body.”

Bowen4Veterans has exclusively released details of three cases in which soldiers gained relief after receiving Bowen treatment in the hope that it will help raise awareness of the variety of treatments available to help wounded veterans recover from their injuries.

Chris, who was injured by an IED explosion in Helmand province earlier this year, received severe facial injuries and was thrown 20 or 30 feet away, landing with full body armour on top of him. He lost a lot of blood and a tooth, and there were concerns for his sight. However, when he returned home to recuperate, other problems emerged in that his upper and lower body seemed to be moving quite independently from each other. As a trained Bowen practitioner, Chris’s mother Marylin decided to see if it could help her son and says:

“He took little persuasion to try Bowen, which surprised me actually. I did the basic moves, turned him over, put 1 move across his neck, and his face turned black. Presumably, all the bruising, which had not yet shown, emerged in an instant. By the end of the day, not only had that cleared, but Chris was moving quite fluidly.”

Former Private John Gould suffered severe shoulder injuries after being involved in an explosion in Northern Ireland. John had Bowen for the first time earlier this year and says:

“Even since the explosion, I’ve suffered from stiffness and pain across my legs, hips, lower back and even feet. The doctor even prescribed me quoterzone injections in the balls of my feet to relieve the pain. Yet from just a few sessions of Bowen, my stiffness had gone and I had better movement than I’ve had in a long time. I wish I’d known about this years ago.”

Former soldier Mark Perkins decided to try Bowen to help relieve his chronic back trouble and says:

“Bowen has not only cured me of chronic back trouble, but also continues to resolve work related aches and pains. I served in the British Army for 17 years and know first hand what soldiers experience and endure. I can recommend Bowen to help servicemen recover more quickly from their injuries and also to help restore normal muscle function post recovery. The benefits of Bowen reach further than just helping with physical injuries; the overall feeling of well being that I receive from treatment leads me to believe that it could also be of benefit to those dealing with mental traumas.”

Bowen practitioner Jo Lunn who founded Bowen4Veterans earlier this year, believes that the gentleness of the technique is particularly suitable for aiding rehabilitation and could help keep veterans in the best physical condition to meet the demands of other medical treatments and procedures.

Jo explains:

“When I’ve worked with people before and after surgery, their healing time has been quicker to the point that the consultants have commented on it.

The Bowen Technique works with the fascia of the body – a three-dimensional interconnected web of tissue that extends throughout our body. It gives us structural integrity as well as protection and support. It also provides the environment for intracellular communication and so one Bowen move within the fascia has a ripple effect that can have influence of on other areas of the body. It is also the fascia that is the front line in helping the body to repair from injury. Also our nervous system is found within our fascia and so a Bowen move has a neurological effect on the body too. This enables the brain to establish the appropriate response for the body to correct itself, be that on a physical, mental or emotional level.”

“It has helped many to come to terms with the severity of their injuries without in any way giving in to them. It is this combination of physical and emotional stimulation that is proving so critical to the recovery process,” says Jo, who practices Bowen at her clinics in Malvern, Worcestershire and at The Hale Clinic in London.

For more information please visit www.bowen4veterans.wordpress.com

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