How Online Study Can Boost Your Business Skills

People start small business for number of reasons. Perhaps you are skilled in providing a service or in a trade, and would rather do it for yourself than work for a company or you have a passion for a niche and want to sell products relevant to it. Maybe you have a great idea that you think could make a big impact in a certain market, or maybe you have something you do as a hobby like crafting and think you may be able to earn some money out of it. Because there are so many different types of people who go into small businesses these days, the skills that you have starting out may not be traditional business skills. You may be great at what your business actually does, but all that behind the scenes activities such as managing money, HR, marketing and so on may not yet come easily to you. Fortunately, there are number of ways you can pick up better skills online, in whatever areas of business trouble you most.

Online Degrees

Getting a fully fledged online business administration degree with a college like Arizona State University can be one way to really round out your business skills and become a competent entrepreneur. Getting an online business degree allows you to study in your own time, but also gives access to highly skilled tutors who can answer your questions, as well as giving you a very full coverage of all different areas of running a business.

How to Secure Business Premises with Additional Security Lighting

With rising number of computer hacking incidents all the attention is being paid to computer security of businesses. While there is a definite need for online security you should not forget the security of your buildings as well. It is equally damaging if you lose precious items from inside the building instead of online data. You also need to pay attention to the security of your employees who work in the building. Recent incidents of gun violence in the U.S. has increased the need for heightened physical security in and around the building. One of the easiest way to provide this security is by installing security lights to ensure that there is sufficient lighting in all the areas of the building so that the criminals do not take advantage of the darkness to harm your business. There are some important factors you should keep in mind when thinking about installing the security lighting.

Location

Where you install the lighting plays an important role in preventing theft and violence. You should ensure that the following areas are properly illuminated at all times.

1. Premise surroundings
2. Roads leading to the business premise
3. Parking areas
4. Vehicle entrances
5. Employee and visitor entrances
6. Loading docks
7. Outhouses and other surrounding sheds

Who is Liable If an Employee Breaks the Law off the Business Premises?

It is a known fact that some people who break the law, whether intentionally or not, from time to time, while they are doing their job. Some are also noted to be using company resources (such as a vehicle supplied by the company) during the act. In such instances, who is to blame – the offender or the company/employer for who the person is working for? Who is held legally responsible if an employee commits a crime or act, outside of his working premises? Let’s take a look at the facts.

Respondeat superior

There is a legal doctrine that has existed for quite some time now, known as respondeat superior, which is Latin for “let the superior answer.” This essentially means that an employer can be legally held liable for negative acts committed by any of its employees during the course and scope of his employment. Additionally, employers could be held liable for both negligent acts committed by employees, as well as intentional criminal acts. These employees could be full-time workers, part-time, or even independent contractors or temporary workers.

The important thing to note here is if the employee was deemed to be acting in the scope or course of his employment at the time of the act. If the employee was acting due to personal motives, then the employer will not be held liable. Let’s take a look at two examples (or scenarios) with contrasting results.

• Example 1 – A popular pizza restaurant offers a delivery promo, saying that your pizza will be delivered within 30 minutes; otherwise, the next order is free. The pizza delivery guy, in his haste to meet the deadline, hits a pedestrian while driving. The pizza company would likely be liable as a result.
• Example 2 –This same delivery guy uses the company vehicle after the restaurant closes and hits a pedestrian while on the way to a friend’s house. The company would likely not be held liable since the delivery guy was not acting in the scope of employment during the accident.