An LLLP is an acronym that stands for “limited liability limited partnership” and is a modification of a general partnership or limited partnership that reduces liability for those in a partnership arrangement.  Under general partnerships, all partners share liability for the actions of other parts and employees that fulfill actions on behalf of the partnership.  This can cause a host of problems related to debts and potential damages that all partners would be responsible for.  Under an LLLP, this threat is eliminated and partners are only liable up to the extent of their contribution to the partnership.  In addition to the limiting of liability, which is already provided by an LLP, there is a hybrid arrangement of general partners and limited partners with the limited partners only liable for their contribution to the partnership.  General partners also receive limits on liability through an LLLP arrangement.

In a general partnership, liability for all parts of the company, including debts is shared by the partners.  Therefore, in the event of bankruptcy, all partners, even non founding partners are liable to have assets seized to pay debts.  Liability is a factor in a general partnership as all partners share liability for both their and the actions of the other partners.  Additionally, partners can also be held liable for the actions of employees.  Actions committed by the partner while performing a function for the partnership would hold all partners liable, regardless of their contribution or input on the event.

Under an LLLP arrangement, general partners enjoy limits on their liability whereas in other, similar arrangements, general partners would be faced with unlimited liability.  Further liability is at the discretion of the individual partners such as personal guarantees on company debts.  Limited liability prevents partnership assets from being imperiled in personal lawsuits or creditor decisions.

LLLPs are not available in every state and a business lawyer will be able to explain what must be done to register an LLLP.  Some states will require LLLPs to identify itself its name, such as Acme Pencil Supplies LLLP.  Twenty-one states allow for LLLPs and California will accept LLLPs formed out of state.  The twenty-one LLLP allowing states have differing procedures to form an LLLP with some allowing the outright formation of an LLLP and others requiring a conversion from an LLP to an LLLP.

A lawyer can serve a valuable function in LLLP formation by helping to create comprehensive agreements that determine the contributions and rights of each partner and provisions for the addition of new partners.  These provisions will determine the distribution of assets, shares and other property owned by the partnership.  For states such as California with special provisions for the acceptance and registration of LLLPs a lawyer will be necessary to ensure compliance in the LLLP agreements as well as to inform you of the relevant state taxes on LLLPs, in this case, $800 California state tax annually.

Property management is an aspect of real estate that deals with maintenance and other needs for property with the purpose of maximizing and preserving the value of the property.  The property may be managed by the property owner, tenant, or contracted property management company.

Real estate companies have the initial responsibility of property management with their interest in the property management is to maximize the value of the property to potential buyers.  After the duty of property management has passed to the buyer, the property owner and the tenant must agree to a level of property management duties.  This may range from full responsibility on the tenant or landlord or a hybridized agreement that has the landlord responsible for major repairs and other aspects of property management.

What are property management companies?

Property management companies act on behalf of a landlord and interact with the tenants of a property.  The property management company may collect rent, find tenants and contract for repairs.  In many situations, the property management company fulfills the role of the property owner in all cases, including disputes stemming from non-payment of rent, eviction and neighbor complaints.  Requirements for property management companies vary by state with some states requiring real estate licensing for property management companies.  This is to ensure that the property management companies are abreast of real estate law in the state and will abide by those laws when dealing with tenants.

There are a number of property management software available that can help property owners manage the expenses and rental income from properties.  Additional features in property management software include the ability to general rental documents, such as lease agreements and generate tax forms in compliance with state and local tax laws.  Popular developers of property management software include Quicken, MDansby and Advanced Management Systems.  Property management software can be online subscription based or Graphical User Interface based for use on personal computers for a flat fee.  Some programs have bulk pricing for use on multiple computers.  This will be useful for property management companies that wish to automate some of their systems.

Unlike property management, which is the management of a tangible investment, assets management is primarily the management of investment funds such as stocks, commodities and equity funds.  Asset management is broken up into fixed income, equity and alternative investments, which include hedge funds, and real estate investment.  Individuals that work within assets management may specialize in any of the previously mentioned categories, helping individuals invest and manage their assets wisely.  Assets management is measured against a benchmark, which denotes how well it is “performing” which is a measure of how well the investment returns are comparable to other similar assets under management.  The performance of assets is the best way to determine if the asset manager is investing your assets safely.

Project management is the organization of resources to meet a stated goal.  There are generally budgetary and monetary constraints on the projects that require skilled project management to avoid exceeding these restraints.  The mark of one that is experienced with project management is the ability to complete to project accurately within or even below the time and budget constraints.

In practical application, architecture and related fields such as construction require a great deal of project management.  These fields generally require teams of professionals to combine their expertise into a collaborative project.  The collaborative project is of course subject to time and budgetary constraints so whoever is tasked with project management in this initiative will be responsible for ensure that all members of the project are informed of their tasks and deadlines.  Such projects would not be possible without the use of project management tools.

Project management tools include a number of proven techniques and models for successful project managements.  One of the first developments in project management tools is the Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) which is a statistical tool developed by the US Navy.  The PERT project management tool was used to measure the progress of the development of weapons system.  The PERT project management tool was also used to plan events such as the 1968 Winter Olympic Games.

As with all project management tools the first step is determining the tasks to be completed as well as estimates of the time the phase of the project should require.  You will need to make optimistic, normal and pessimistic time estimates for the completion of each task.  The tasks are also arranged by predecessor tasks, denoting which tasks cannot be completed without the completion of a previous task.  Those using the PERT project management tool will need to calculate the expected time of completion using the following formula:

(Optimistic + (4)Normal + Pessimistic )  divided by 6

Let us say that task A can complete completed optimistically in 3 hours, normally in four hours and pessimistically in 6 hours, we can find the expected time of completion.

(3 + (4)4 + 6)/6

25/6

= The task should be completed in 4.16 hours

The next step is to create a Gantt chart with the time estimates.  The Gantt chart is a visual representation of the amount of time each task in the project and slack afforded by completing tasks ahead of time.  Tasks are shown from their start to expected completion date and arrows link predecessor tasks together.  It is important to identify a critical path, which is the string of tasks that will take the longest time to complete.  This is essential in the project management process to determining the ultimate length of the project.  There is no slack time on the critical path and this path needs to be completed in the shortest possible time.  There are computer programs that can help you plan a Gantt diagram, but these charts can be created easily by hand.

For most businesses, a marketing plan is the key structure that will determine how they will get exposure to new clients and keep current clients up to date about their business.  A marketing plan template is a blank skeleton of a marketing plan that can be purchased from marketing companies.  Marketing plan templates are used as a shortcut for when a business does not have the funds or ability to create their own marketing plan from scratch.  They can be very helpful for creating a quick marketing plan that can be up and running in a short period of time.  

Before seeking a marketing plan template, determine if your business is capable of generating a marketing plan on their own.  Does your business have any experienced marketing professionals?  Can you develop a marketing plan?  Are you having trouble keeping contact with your client base or seeking new clients with the marketing you have already had in place?  If your business is like many that cannot develop their own marketing plan or have an inadequate plan, seeking a template may be right for you.  

The benefits of using a marketing plan template is that it lays out what you need for your overall marketing plan in a proven way that has worked in the past or for other companies.  You can always adapt a template to your specific needs, so the benefits of starting with a template can greatly outweigh starting from scratch, especially when you have not built marketing plans from scratch before.  

While a marketing plan template will save you time and give you the structure to develop your plan, you must consider the costs that will be required before you can access a marketing plan template.  You will need to shop around, as many companies are available with all different levels of marketing plan templates.  Very basic templates may be available for lower prices, however you must ensure that what you are getting is helpful.  You also must consider if you will require additional help developing your plan from the template.  This can all add up, so determine if your budget can hold all of the required costs of building your marketing plan from a template.  

Once you have selected your appropriate marketing plan template, you must get to work filling it in and modifying it for your business’ needs.  You may need to continue some marketing strategies that you already have had in place, so combine them with your new marketing template.  Bring in others to review your marketing plan to ensure that you receive both positive and negative suggestions about whether you marketing plan is complete.   

You will use your marketing plan template to create your marketing plan, however you should not feel restricted by the template.  You will need to expand or contract ideas in your chosen template and it should be very elastic to meet your business’ needs.  

Once your marketing plan is built and put in effect, you must actively monitor whether your plan is working and whether your template is the right for your business.  Check with your clients whether they are being attracted by your advertisements or noticing your updates.  If your marketing plan is not working or getting a positive return on your investment, you may need to modify or get a completely new marketing plan template.  Your marketing plan must always be changing and adapted to changes in your business or client base, so never keep your marketing plans stagnant for too long.

The following is an example of the key points a marketing plan needs to cover.  You may need to add or eliminate from the example provided in order to fit your business’ needs.

Personal Goals (Marketing Director): 

• List the goals you want to achieve as marketing director for your business. 

• List how you plan on accomplishing them.

• This is where you will list the numerical goals of your marketing plan.

• Reach 5,600 new clients in first quarter of 2012

• Seek to increase referrals for all of 2012

• This is where you will list how you will accomplish your goals

• Establish new billboard marketing plan in 2012

• Work on brand image in order to be better received in the immediate community

• List your long term goals as a result of your tactical goals.

• Achieve market share of clients by 2013

• Expand business into Market X by third quarter 2014

(Write a brief description of why you need a new marketing plan, what you plan to achieve, and what results you are expecting.)

(Write a brief description of how your new marketing plan will be received, who will receive it, the type of clients you hope to attract, and how long your marketing will last.)

(Write how you will evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing plan, how you will receive feedback, and what you will do with such feedback.)

During this time search engines became relevant and started to appear to help users find information quickly. The generic search engine utilized models to finance their own services, such as pay per click programs. The earliest search engines incorporated such techniques; however, they were later combined as companies like Yahoo purchased the first forms of search engines.

When the Internet became more comprehensive, search engine optimization techniques and more specifically the consultants that comprised the industry expanded their offerings to aid businesses through the implementation of advanced marketing or advertising techniques. As a result of this outreach, new agencies sprouted focused primarily on marketing and advertising through the use of search engines.

The term search engine marketing or SEM was developed in 2001 to include the spectrum of activities which were involved in performing SEO, submitting sites to various directories, managing the paid listings that search engines offer, and developing online marketing strategies for organizations, businesses, and individuals.

How can SEM help my site gain more exposure?

There are numerous programs and advertising techniques that enable creators and owners of blogs or websites to expand their market share. The goal of every Internet business or website is to gain more viewers and increase the number of absolute unique visitors that visit the page each month. To do this, the operators and owners of a website can embark on several strategies and marketing techniques.

That being said, the primary means to achieve more “hits” or webpage views is to generate a firm standing within search engines. To achieve this, operators of a website can either pay for access to such search engines or they can develop algorithms to achieve “first page results” on a search engine.

SEM enables a developer or owner of a website to utilize various means of marketing; each strategy is incorporated to become more relevant in regard to search engine inquiries and their respective rankings. The most popular websites in the world are Goggle, Yahoo and Bing; these sites, which are most notably web search engines, are visited by users to find information in an expedited fashion.

In essence, these sites are middle-men or intermediaries for information. As a result of their popularity, it is essential to engage in SEM techniques to make your particular website or page more relevant to these search engines. Relevancy in this regard, simply means that when a user types in a keyword, your site will rank towards the top of the aforementioned search engines. The higher your listing or favorability with these search engines, the more page visits you will receive.

Business financing refers to the process of a business obtaining loans, money or capital to finance their operation. Business financing is undertaken by the majority of businesses, regardless of size or the product they intend to produce. The initiative is common, because in a small business environment, the typical entrepreneur does not possess enough personal money to start a business.

For bigger companies, business financing is also common, because very few companies can afford to purchase equipment, office space and other resources essential to run a business without taking a loan or financing their purchases. Because business financing is so common, there are a number of ways to finance a business operation, including loans from banks, business to business financing, government grants or loans, private financing (borrowing money from friends and family), etc.

Business to business financing is a process entities use to raise funds without going through a ban, brokerage house, or lender. Business to business banking allows a company to secure external finances from other businesses, while creating strategic partnerships that will help secure a competitive advantage.  Business to business finance is undertaken in a variety of ways including: issuing bonds, selling stock or securing direct investments.

Larger organizations that are publicly traded have the ability to sell bonds to other companies. These conservative investments are a fundamental form of debt financing; the bonds, which yield fixed payments over a course of time, are purchased by other companies or institutional investors, thus injecting the business with liquid cash. In addition to issuing bonds, publicly-held companies can sell stock to public investors to raise funds. The majority of shareholders will utilize dividend reinvestment plans, which take the periodic dividend payment and use those funds to automatically re-invest money into the company. In this form of business financing, the buyer can maximize his or her investment by not touching the funds generated, while the business will not have to worry about paying out the dividend, allowing them a stream of financing to increase their overall economic value. 

There are a number of types of minority business financing procedures that an entrepreneur or private business owner can undertake to finance their venture. The primary type of minority business financing that is available are introduced by the federal or state governments, not for profit organizations and financial institutions. In order to obtain this form of business financing, the owner must generate a proposal stating why they need the money and how their company will benefit the community. The majority of grants are offered because small businesses offer numerous positive externalities to the communities in which they are located. Additionally, entrepreneurialism is encouraged in the United States; the ability to finance a suitable and beneficial business effort is typically possible in the United States of America.

 

International Relations Defined:

 

 

International relations, as a subject, refers to the study of relationships between countries, including the role of governmental organizations, broader state-structures, international nongovernmental entities and multinational corporations. International studies, as a result of its participants, are both an academic and public policy subject; International Studies can be either normative or positive for it seeks to analyze, as well as formulate foreign policy relations of particular entities. 

 

 

International studies is most often connected to a branch of political science; however, international relations also draws upon a diverse array of fields, such as economics, international law, philosophy, international law, geography, psychology, cultural studies, sociology, social work and anthropology. Furthermore, international relations will involve a broad range of issues including: state sovereignty, ecological sustainability, globalization, nationalism, nuclear proliferation, organized crime, human security, human rights, economic development, global finance and human rights. 

 

 

Theories behind International Relations:

 

 

International relations, as a study, can be divided into two camps: positivist and post-positivist. The former refers to theories, which aim to replicate distinct methods of the natural sciences by analyzing the impact of various material forces. This theory primarily focuses on features of international relations such as the size of a military force, the balance of power within governing bodies and interactions between states. A post-positivist study of international relations, at its foundation, rejects the premise that the social world can be observed in an objective and value-free method. Post-positivist international relations will also reject the basic ideas of liberalism and neo-realism on the grounds that the scientific method is not meant to be applied to the social world. 

 

 

The primary difference between the two studies of international relations is that positivist theories, such as liberalism, offer casual explanations concerning government actions, a post-positivist theories focus on constitutive questions, such as what is a government action and what is meant by power? A positivist theory will investigate why power is exercised, while a post-positivist theory will evaluate how power is reproduced, what it is made of and how it is experienced. Positivist theories include realism, liberalism, neoliberalism and regime theory while post-positivist or reflectivist theories include, international society theories, social constructivism, Marxism, critical theory. Additionally, international studies also can be carried-out or evaluated through leadership theories, including interest group perspectives, strategic perspectives and various political psychologies. 

 

Steuben Glass, a name that once evoked images of prestige and sophistication, appears to be vanishing for good. The former American icon known for its handcrafted crystal is shutting down its only remaining factory. 

The last factory, located in Corning, New York, is being closed on November 29th of this year—a week after Thanksgiving. As profits have become elusive, the prospects of reviving the century-old vanity brand seem daunting and exceedingly slim. 

Although the exceptionally transparent glass is still lauded, the company has struggled to find its footing—in 2008 Corning Inc. sold the business to Schottenstein Stores Corp, a retail operator based out of Columbus, Ohio. 

The company’s struggles can be attributed to innovation failures. Critics cite uninspiring designs, an overseas production shift and the inclusion of cheaper engraving methods into the manufacturing process as principal contributors for the company’s demise. 

The failure to innovate coupled with a generation-long slide in demand for fine crystal was perpetuated by the financial crisis that rocked the United States in September of 2008. The majority of the factory’s 60 workers will be laid off and Steuben’s flagship New York store will shut its doors once inventory is sold off.  

A number of businesses and financial analysts predict that the United States’ economy will grow only slightly in 2011, a bleaker forecast that was offered in July, when most entity’s called for a stronger improvement. 

In its quarterly industry survey of 70 corporate economists, the National Association for Business Economics found companies have truncated plans to hire new employees. Ironically, this same survey found that more firms are reporting higher sales than declining ones. 

The economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics expect scant growth, with approximately 82% predicting the GDP will increase by 2% or less from 2010. 3% believe the economy will actually contract, representing a seismic shift from July, when the majority predicted the GDP to grow by 2.1% or more and the Federal Reserve believed a jump by 2.5 to 3.0% was expected.  

The United States Commerce department is set to release initial GDP data for the third quarter on Thursday, the 25th. These muted expectations are taking a toll on hiring; a mere 29% of those polled said they expect employment to increase over the next six months—the lowest projection since January of 2010.