Real Business

Q: Is fiddling expenses – even for a £50 lunch – a sackable offence? There’s no evidence the employee in question has done this before.

Q: One of my peers suggested I ask my suppliers to re-pitch and bring new suppliers into the tender process. This sounds like a great way to improve service levels and potentially cut costs – but is it worth the backache?

Q: She's reliable, full of wonderful ideas and has been with the company for years. Only problem is: she drinks too much at events and behaves inappropriately. What to do?

Q: There is much insight to be gained from a good audit firm, yet we often end up with the junior dogsbodies and very little added value. Should I look for a new audit firm?

"Our country isn’t run by the government or its civil servants. We are controlled by consultants"

Behind every successful business leader is an unsung hero who deserves some credit.

With social services bound and gagged by red tape, local charities are stepping in to pick up the slack.

It might make Timpo’s cobblers more productive, but can everyone enjoy the “bonus buzz”? 

Hot lunch, sacking your son-in-law and starting out on the speaker circuit

New-fangled information technology is no match for the human touch. 

Courting the limelight, sponsoring your staff and a day at the races

How ex-prisoners can turn into star employees.

Breaking the bad news, cash control and bunny outfits

Take a peek at the future of British business. It’s strangely familiar. 

Firing friends, Christmas cheer and borrowing money