Answer:  Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a technology used to place limitations like, access to or copying of, onto digital content (eBooks, music, etc.). You as the publisher or author of the ebook can determines the level of restrictions applied to an eBook. This includes how many times an eBook can be downloaded for a single purchase, and the number of devices (computers, eBook readers, etc.) to which the eBook can be transferred.

Encrypted or copy-protected eBooks can only be read on authorized computers or hand-held devices a limited number of times. An unencrypted or not copy-protected eBook can be transferred to personal computers or reading devices an unlimited number of times.

Lulu.com offers Digital Rights Management for eBook publishing, however you have to agree to their revenue sharing scheme. And e-junkie.com offers an easier but less stronger solution where you can limit the number of downloads of the ebook.

If your ebook is high value, then you can even send it to the buyer by email attachment after purchase. You can set the expecation on the order/payment page that its not an instant download but it will come by email within 12 hours. You must give your phone number in such cases to give confidence/credibility to your message.

We suggest US-based visitors to contact your Representative or Senator, and its International customers to donate to organizations like EFF, to ensure that broad opposition to this proposed legislation rings loud and clear. Many prominent Internet companies participating in the protest are listed here: SOPAstrike.comMore information about SOPA/PIPA

• S.968 – PROTECT IP Act at OpenCongress.org
• H.R.3261 – Stop Online Piracy Act at OpenCongress.org
• Take Action Checklist
• VoteForTheNet
• Fight for the Future
• A video explaining PIPA
• A technical examination of SOPA/PIPA

Blackout in the news

• CNN
• National Post
• Al Jazeera

Blog and other media:

• Copyblogger
• Consumerist explains that these bills are far from dead.
• Mashable: SOPA Will Take Us Back to the Dark Ages and Why SOPA is Dangerous

Answer: Here is a list of basic questions they will are very likely to ask you:

• Have you ever been in sales before? If so, what was your closing ratio?
• What do you know about our company/products/industry?
• What is the most difficult problem you have ever solved?
• Explain a time when you have worked effectively under pressure.
• Explain something that you have attempted and failed. What did you do next?
• How do you feel that your personal or academic background fits with the position that you are seeking?
• What do you believe will be the biggest challenges of this position?

The demand-supply situation for job is highly favorable towards the employers, i.e., htere are more candidates than jobs. Try to share examples from your past work, and if possible, ask the intervieweers to call your previous managers, or references on the phone. Positive references help a lot in all kinds of job interviews, from entry level jobs to the senior  executives, and company board positions.

All the best!

In an interview with ET Now, Jim Rogers, Chairman, Rogers Holding, talks about the correction in global markets besides giving his views on commodities and India. Excerpts:

Q1: Global markets are correcting and everyone is saying it is because of Korea. Would you endorse that thought?

First of all, global markets should be correcting about this time because they have been pretty strong recently and there is always some reason to correct. This time, it looks like it might be Korea. Whenever you have threat of war, usually everything goes down at first, then you have to figure out what to invest in after the initial collapse. In my view, the thing to invest in is commodities because if there is going to be war, it is always good for commodities and if there is no war, then commodities will rally like everything else.

Q2: So what did you make of today’s sell off and the news coming out of Korea? Do you think it was just a trigger point for people to unwind positions in the market and do you think stepping into December from a near term perspective, there would still be some selling pressure that will continue?

Yes, we have had very strong markets in the past 2 or 3 months in the West anyway and whenever you have strong markets, something always comes along to call for correction. There is always some surprise and again, I have no idea what is going on in Korea, but just that nothing else is the reason for the correction, it could have been rain in Spain that could have caused the correction and the markets always find a reason to correct after they have been strong for a while and this is certainly a good reason to correct. If suddenly World War III is about to breakout, a good reason for the market to correct. I do not expect World War III to breakout by the way.

Q3: Buy on rumors and sell on news and we have seen that happening once again. Immediately after the QE2, blueprint was out, commodity has corrected and dollar actually has reversed. Do you think this is a short term phenomenon? Everyone took Mr. Bernanke for granted that he will continue to print money, there was too much of forward buying which happened before the QE2 final announcement and now the excesses are getting flushed out?

Yes. No matter what happens, America is going to continue to print money. Unfortunately that is all America knows to do, it is not the right thing to do, it is not good for the world, but that is all America knows to do.

If there is war, they are going to print money. If there is not war, they are going to print money and so whenever there has been money printing, the result has been that you should have your money in real assets. It has been a pretty clear thing throughout history. The real assets are the only way to protect yourself. Real assets are basically the only way to protect yourself in time of war.

Read the rest of the interview here.

Today in 2010, due to the global recession since 2008, there is a much higher supply of commercial real estate than its demand, and hence the prices are attractive and can be negotiated hard by interested buyers.

We expect that commercial real estate prices may correct by 10-20% in 2011 depending on the country and city. In general one can’t go wrong with buying commercial real estate (office space, rather than shopping malls) in big cities if the time frame is 5-10 years.

The risk-reward is more in commercial property than in residential property. Commercial real estate returns can give attractive over 5-10 year period; much better than you would get from residential real estate of the same proportion.

Location is very important in commercial real estate. Our experience has been that “it is better in general” to have a small space at a busy city-center/downtown place, than to a big space at a suburb.

London and New York are two cities that will deliver good returns despite recession if you can invest for 5-10 years. Irrespective of where you are in the world, see if you can invest in commercial property in high growth cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc. These cities can deliver 5x returns in 10 years.

Buying, selling and evaluating commercial real estate is a complex process. If you are an investor, or an aspiring investor, banker or real estate professional, acquire a better understanding of commercial real estate by learning key terminology and quantitative concepts.

Commercial real estate is made up of all property that is for sale or rent. It does not include residential buildings. The property will appreciate as long as people are selling things and offering services to the public – using a brick and mortar set-up.

Given the low interest rates of today for 10-20 year loans, one can purchase commercial property on attractive terms.

Commercial real estate is characterized by six principles:

1. location
2. financing
3. timing of market cycles
4. leasing
5. ownership structure and
6. external factors.

From the perspective of the developer, lender and investor, there are five basic types of commercial real estate: office, industrial, retail, multi-family, and hotel.

Leasing commercial real estate is a process – a lot of ideas and knowledge that combine into a successful lease agreement that meets the needs of all the parties involved. Lease documents will likely contain new provisions to modify the established rent on day one of the lease.

Just like passing the gas station, the price of construction changing from one day to the next will force landlords to increase rent between the execution of the lease and the move in day.

But supply eventually begins to outstrip demand, causing rents to fall and capital values to tumble. Finally, a period of relatively little construction – like that experienced by many Western countries for the past several years – leads to under-supply and a rise in prices.

You could take up commercial real estate for either reselling after appreciation or for renting out to, say, retailers.

Office building leases can also be simple month to month rentals. Office centers also have facilities such as FedEx, UPS and other delivery companies that you may need and therefore good to know where they are located as well.

Please Note: The increasing use of the Internet for work and e-business is a factor to keep in mind. It reduces the demand for commercial real estate and probably shifts the demand to higher quality residential real estate. So you have to select locations that will remain important in the coming years. Commercial real estate is a long-term investment so please do your homework and find a property that can make you money over the long haul.

About the Author:  Shankar AVSB runs MyOrbit Online, of which MyOrbit.tv is a part. He is a real estate investor and follows real estate industry developments across America, Europe and Asia.  He is also leads 7Avenues, a private equity with ventures in Retail, Farming, Financial Services and MarketStar Capital, an investment services company. He can be contacted from here.

UK HMRC at melting point

There are a million pieces of unanswered post. It will be taking 3 months to answer them, which itself might increase the problem further if a person has to pay back taxes with interest.

The UK HMRC contact centers are severely under-staffed, and that fact comes out from numerous press reports of people having to wait for a long time just to be able to speak to a tax officer to understand any discrepency in the tax numbers they have with them vs what HMRC is asking from them.

The average tax payment due is about £1400 and about 1.4 million people will receive letters from HMRC by Christmas.

So if you are in the UK and frustrated with not having any response from the HMRC, now you understand that many others are facing the same, and that the staff at HMRC are stretched to the limits already.

As long as you keep the communication from your side intact, it should be okay.

Michael Pento, senior economist at Euro Pacific Capital, and Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist with Miller Tabak, debate the issues in this clip.

I strongly disagree with Michael Pento, who says a depression should be encouraged in America. His view that the govt. should be as impotent as possible, is one of the most funny statements in the recent months. The need is to increase the money supply, not decrease it. The asset prices (home prices) will automatically fall down gradually in the coming years, based on demand-supply, but it will avoid a crash. Today is not the time to trim the role of the Govt.

If anything can prevent America from depression with deflation, it is the US Govt taking the lead with offering new economic stimulus packages – for infrastructure, for education, for vocational training, etc. Fiscal policy levers/incentives must be used to spur private sector growth, where in the govt. either becomes a buyer or actively sources buyers through export opportunities.

The need is for the govt. to take charge and play a major role. US businesses alone can’t do much. In addition, taxes on the rich must be renewed, not removed. Unless job growth happens, no real economic recovery is possible.
-Shankar

When a business finds the right sales staff, it will see how sales can help it expand to a new level.
“It’s integral if you want to grow your business to a more substantial agency that you understand how to successfully ramp up a salesperson,” — Jenny Dibble, owner of SearchMarketMe.

PayPal is the undisputed leader in online payment service providers. Google has tried to build market share for its Google Checkout over the last two years but feedback from my customers and business partners is that Google Checkout is still not their preferred online payment mechanism.

Most other online payment service providers are limited in their appeal, and are used by specific niches of customers. For example, there are some payment providers for online pharmacy transactions and online betting transactions. These are large industries however as the legalities are not the same or favorable in all countries, therefore such payment providers are able to offer a solution that is needed by the companies in these industries.

Escrow.com deserves a mention. It is a very useful site for business transactions, and their fee is very nominal for the value of the service that enables totally unknown parties to conduct business transactions.

Overall, there is no serious competition to PayPal today. PayPal has built a large market share due to its easy payment sending and receiving options. On October 3, 2002, PayPal became a wholly owned subsidiary of EBay. Over the last 7 years, EBay has acted as the perfect growth platform for PayPal creating about 10 million of PayPal users worldwide.

PayPal’s total payment volume, the total value of transactions, was US$ 60 billion in 2008, an increase of 27 percent over the previous year. This $60 billion of 2008 represented nearly 9 percent of global e-commerce and 15 percent of US e-commerce. In fact, at an analyst day on March 11, 2009, eBay CEO, John Donahoe announced that PayPal could be a larger driver of revenue than EBay marketplaces business. So clearly, there is a huge demand for safe and easy online payment systems like PayPal, which has become the market leader with a big lead over the competition.

The economics of owning a popular online payment system are very attractive.

Online payment sites don’t pay interest on money held in the user accounts. A majority of active user maintain some working capital for day to day transactions. While the numbers are not available in public domain, we can do some rough math. PayPal has about 10 million users, and assuming an average money balance of 100 USD per user, that’s a billion dollars of interest free capital or float that PayPal maybe enjoying at any given time. Good acquisition by Ebay!

It is surprising that over the years, Amazon has not taken any major step in this direction to grow or acquire a payment system like PayPal. So where can competition come from? From social networking sites.

One of the major changes in the Internet landscape since 2002 is the rise of giant social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Each of these sites has millions of regular users. And a site like Facebook can develop its own payment system and virtual currency, which makes it possible for a marketplace to grow. We already see hundreds of third party applications on Facebook, and many of them sell low cost items. A virtual currency can be a powerful solution. I believe Facebook is already working along these lines.

There is also value is trying to solve one specific problem of international trade – the problem of varying currency conversion rates. If a large payment site can create some form of protection against currency rate changes, by using its own virtual currency in the marketplace that could be a powerful innovation that can nurture and grow a wide variety of international trade. On this front, PayPal and EBay are best placed to make something possible. A virtual currency in a global marketplace is the next big milestone for online payments. It will take extensive collaboration with banks and financial institutions, and we will have to wait and see who will take up this big challenge.

About the Author:  Shankar AVSB is the Director of MyOrbit Online, a London based Internet business with over 100 websites in different industries. He closely follows Internet business and online payment systems for conducting international trade and has advised numerous companies in improving their online business. Shankar is also the CEO of 7Avenues Private Equity, which runs ventures in Retail, Supply Chain, Services and E-Business. He can be contacted from here.

According to marketing guru, Phillip Kotler, the mantra of marketing is creating, communicating and delivering Value to the Target market at a Profit.

Creating value for the product or service is called product management. Product management is creating or innovating products or services. For example P&G decided to make some funny thing on each Pringle (a potato chip), the scientist could not find a solution internally until they discovered cookie maker in Italy who printed funny things at his cookies. This is called open innovation or open technology used for product management which means ideas are taken from where ever the companies can.

Communicating the value is called branding or brand management. Brand managing or brand building means packaging a product or service. Branding means communicating a promise to the customer, creating excitement and interest about the product and differentiating it from the rest. The brand represents the company for what it stands for and inspires everything that the company does or acts. Brand comprises of an emotional element generally aiming for mind share and heart share of the customer. There is new direction now aiming for the spirit share of the customer. It is a share of something that’s little more than narrow to one’s own interest .It is about being caring and is appreciated for intending to care about the shape of the world. So according to Phillip Kotler creating an emotional relationship is more than limited to the persons own nurturing his or her ego.

Delivering value to the target customer is called customer management. Simply sending direct mails or messages to a database of customers is not customer management. Dealing with customer requires meeting/actually communicating with the customers and knowing them really beyond the data base. Customer database is best utilized to get help from the customer for co- creating product and the advertisement for the company. You are delivering value to customers when they are finding your products and services are seen as a great choice and good value for money/time.

So an effective functioning of Product management, Brand management and Customer management can give desired results.