NewsFactor Business

Kenexa Enhances Interview-Assessment Solution

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:24:51 -0500

WAYNE, Pa. (June 29, 2009) -� Kenexa (NASDAQ:KNXA), a global provider of business solutions for human resources, today announced the latest version of its Kenexa Interview Builder� assessment solution. This release provides a powerful online reference library of more than 3,000 questions that increase interviewers' accuracy and efficiency in choosing the best employees. Kenexa Interview Builder also provides a range of job analysis tools, job description templates, interview guides and competency profiles.

Cost-effective recruitment and retention of the right talent has taken on critical importance in the currently weakened economy. Kenexa's updated solution provides corporate recruiters and hiring managers with better tools and training for identifying, hiring and retaining the best employees, which reduces employers' hiring costs. The updated version also helps organizations comply with fair and ethical hiring policies by bringing a higher degree of standardization to interview question development and scoring, ensuring that all candidates are asked appropriate questions and scored on the same criteria.

This Web-based solution significantly improves the interviewing process for specific job roles and positions, producing a more accurate measure of candidates' fit as well as their impact on future business results. It enables the quick and efficient creation of interview question sets and interview guides that can be customized to specific job descriptions and responsibilities within an organization. Once created, the guides can be downloaded, printed or e-mailed and used multiple times by anyone in the organization. Built into the enhanced solution are 20 ready-to-use interviews developed by Kenexa, in addition to the more than 3,000 behavioral, situational, attitudinal and job knowledge questions that organizations can use in custom interviews.

"At Kenexa, we believe that when you multiply the right individual by the right environment, success is inevitable. Kenexa Interview Builder enables employers to find the right employees for their organizations, supporting business success," said Rudy...

ZHMICRO Unveils Linux Visual '09 IDE

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:25:03 -0500

Plano, Texas, 2009-06-19 -- ZHMICRO LLC, a leading provider of enterprise software development tools based on the C++ Software Development Language, today announced availability of the new Linux Visual '09 IDE (Integrated Development Environment). ZHMICRO has created a familiar but easier way for software development organizations to create Mobile, Desktop, and advanced Enterprise Applications that meet todays cost and time sensitive requirements. This Linux version is the only "Complete" IDE available in the market today and has all the same features and functionality as the Z++ Visual '09 Windows version. Its features include a built-in Text Editor, Debugger, Compiler, Memory Leak Detection, and many other features that focus on simplifying the software development process allowing Developers greater ease in the creation and building of complete end to end solutions. A complete list of these features are available at http://www.zhmicro.com.

"This latest product release of the Linux Visual '09 continues ZHMICRO's commitment to provide Software Developers with a truly "Complete" Linux IDE that is feature rich, easy to use, and gives Software Development Organizations a "One Stop" solution that allows them to greatly reduce their development costs and make the most efficient use of their development resources," said Daniel Hatton, VP of Mobile Sales, ZHMICRO LLC.
ZHMICRO's Visual '09 (Windows and Linux) offers a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) which gives a software developer unmatched capabilities by extending the capabilities of C++. When used with the Z47 Virtual Processor, applications written with Visual '09 are capable of running on multiple Desktop and Enterprise Operating Systems such as Microsoft Windows, LINUX, and UNIX as well as Mobile Operating Systems such as Palm, Windows Mobile, and Pocket PC. This combination of applications written with Visual '09, and the use of the Z47 Virtual Processor, allows for the rapid development of Enterprise, Desktop, and Mobile...

Proxio Announces 23,000 New ProxioPro Members

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:19:13 -0500

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 30, 2009 �- Proxio, the first international MLS and global referral network for real estate professionals, today announces partnerships with three major multiple listing services (MLSs), resulting in over 23,000 new members for ProxioPro�. Joining the ProxioPro� network to maximize on international market opportunities are the Hilton Head Island MLS in South Carolina, Regional MLS in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and the Realtor Association of Miami Dade County, also in Florida.

"Our members understand the large opportunity that exists in international real estate today, however they do not have the time or resources to travel extensively. Proxio has removed this roadblock and enables us to connect our members to thousands of real estate professional around the world to forge lasting, lucrative business relationships. We truly believe that Proxio's services increase the income potential of each of our REALTORs�," says Martha Bullman, CEO of the Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County, the largest Realtor association in Florida and the 5th largest in the United States.

Proxio's global marketing and networking platform provides MLSs with a simple and inexpensive way to take their services to the next level. Each member is provided with a detailed profile so he or she can create a professional online presence, network one-to-one with outbound or inbound referral agents, and participate within communities of agents with similar interests worldwide. Property listings are automatically loaded and translated into 11 languages for MLS members, providing them with a way to share inventory globally and serve diverse clients.

"Some MLSs and Associations are very progressive in providing additional services to members to help them grow their businesses," says Janet Case, Proxio's CEO. "In this market, agents need every tool they can get. We are delighted to be partners with Hilton Head Island MLS, Regional MLS in Florida and...

CyberShift Releases Paper on Absence Management

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:45:30 -0500

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (June 29, 2009) � CyberShift, a global provider of workforce management and expense management software and services, today announced the availability of its newest white paper titled "Time is Money: How Organizations Can Effectively Monitor and Manage Absences to Improve Productivity and Mitigate Risk." The paper shares insight on how automating absence management can help organizations better manage employee absences, thereby improving efficiencies, reducing operating costs and mitigating risks.

All organizations must deal with worker absences, whether planned or unplanned. In today's economy, with fewer resources available, absences have an even more profound impact on productivity. By utilizing an automated workforce management solution with absence management capabilities, organizations can analyze data and identify frequencies or patterns of absences, determine why absences are happening, and proactively optimize scheduling.

"Employee absences cost organizations money in direct payroll expenses as well as lower productivity and diminished morale. By automating the tracking of absence occurrences, employers are better equipped to proactively ensure the right people are at the right job at the right time. In certain vertical markets such as retail and healthcare, proper scheduling and absence management means customer expectations and patient needs can be met," commented Morn� Swart, vice president of Product Management at CyberShift.

Automating absence management can also ensure better compliance with a multitude of federal, state and local regulations, union rules and company guidelines.

"The time and money cost savings associated with properly administering FMLA and other rules and regulations is a benefit to most organizations. A workforce management system, like CyberShift's Workforce Management 3G suite, can track multiple types of leave, centralize absence-related data and help employers to manage policies and effectively comply with laws and regulations," Swart said.

CyberShift's Web-based Workforce Management 3G rules-based platform delivers fully integrated solutions for all aspects of workforce management. Its time and attendance...

Conservative Approach Helps Tech Stocks Shine

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:13:33 -0500

Tech stocks are finally working to redeem themselves from the 2000 tech-stock bubble.

While the broad market stumbles out of its credit-induced stupor that started in 2007, tech stocks ironically are one of the areas of strength by being fiscally sound. "Tech companies took a conservative posture," says Ryan Jacob of Jacob Internet fund. "Tech has been a place you could see some growth without as much risk."

As a result, tech stocks are:

*Beating the other benchmarks by a mile. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite is up 16.4 percent this year, trouncing the 3.8 percent drop by the Dow Jones industrials and 1.8 percent gain of the Standard & Poor's 500. The Nasdaq's 45 percent rise from the March 9 bottom and 20 percent gain during the second quarter also outshine the S&P and Dow during the same period.

*Topping the sectors. The tech sector is up 28.8 percent over the past six months through Monday's close, says Capital IQ. Tech's rise this year tops the runner-up, materials, and its 18.6 percent gain.

*Finding a varied supporting cast. It's not just one barnburner tech stock lifting the tech indexes. Of the 50 best S&P 500 stocks this year, 14 hail from the information technology sector, says Capital IQ. Only one other sector comes close, consumer discretionary, also with 14. But one of those top consumer stocks is online retailer Amazon.com, considered a tech by some.

*Finding leadership within leadership. Internet stocks are doing even better than tech at large. The USA TODAY Internet 50 is up 27.2 percent this year and the e-Consumer 25 subindex 34.2 percent.

Investors have been keen on tech stocks, especially during the worst of the credit crunch, largely because the companies have been reluctant to use debt. "These businesses produce so much free cash flow, there's no reason to go out and...

Despite Online Content, Netflix Is Still Renting Strong

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:23:40 -0500

At tech.usatoday.com, Jefferson Graham takes you behind the scenes at Netflix in Fremont, Calif., where it processes and redistributes nearly 200,000 DVDs daily.

It's 7 a.m. here at the Netflix shipping facility that serves half of California.

Most of the nearly 200 associates are nearing the end of their 4 1/2-hour shift. Since 3:30 a.m., they have ripped open about 175,000 red envelopes, inspecting each returned DVD to make sure the correct disc was returned, then cleaning and boxing them up to go to the automated sorter.

Within a flash, each Netflix subscriber will get an e-mail announcing a disc's return, along with a notification later that day of what's coming next.

For 10-year-old Netflix, what's next is Internet delivery. Netflix envelopes and radio ads tout "free" online movie viewing for subscribers. Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings doesn't think his 58 distribution centers are in immediate danger of becoming obsolete, but he knows that day will come.

He believes DVD rentals have four to nine years to keep growing, despite inroads in Internet delivery of movies to set-top TV boxes and other video-on-demand options.

"Over the next five years, there will still be a lot of consumers who don't have broadband and prefer the simplicity of discs," he says. "A lot of people say DVDs have seen its best days, but we see it as a growth product."

Indeed, in the midst of a recession, Netflix has reported record subscriber growth and revenue at a time when DVD sales fell 8 percent in 2008 and are projected to fall 9 percent this year.

Netflix says it has 10.3 million subscribers, up from just over 8 million a year ago. It reported revenue of $394 million in the first quarter, up from $326 million in the year-ago quarter and $360 million in the fourth quarter.

Citigroup analyst Mark...

Chrysler Financial To Cut Nine Percent of Work Force

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:28:48 -0500

Chrysler's former financial arm said Tuesday that it will reduce its work force by about 9 percent, or more than 300 employees, as it restructures operations after losing its preferred lender status with the automaker.

GMAC Financial Services is now Chrysler's leading lender for financing Chrysler vehicle purchases and dealer inventories, a move prompted by President Barack Obama's auto task force.

From the beginning of the 2008 fourth quarter, Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler Financial -- which is separate from Chrysler Group -- provided loans for about 62 percent of Chrysler dealers and about 50 percent of its customers. Privately held Chrysler Financial is owned by Cerberus Capital Management.

The company said Chrysler's switch to GMAC, tight capital markets and a continued decline in auto sales have hurt the company's business portfolio, leading to the work force reductions, said the company in a statement.

Chrysler Financial employs about 3,900 people. About 111 of the cuts were made Tuesday at the company's headquarters and eight business centers. A customer service center in Overland Park, Kansas will close Aug. 31, eliminating 240. The company's retail credit acquisition activities will be consolidated into a business center in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

"While these were difficult decisions to make, they are necessary in light of our declining portfolio," said Chrysler Financial Chairman and CEO Tom Gilman, in a written statement. "We have made every effort to limit the number of job losses and to ensure the affected employees are treated fairly."

This is the second time in recent months Chrysler Financial has cut its work force. In March, the company eliminated 80 people.

According to Chrysler bankruptcy court filings, the level of financing provided by Chrysler Financial began to tumble in October 2008. Chrysler Financial received a $1.5 billion loan from the bank bailout program in January and said it would use the...

Alice.com Grasps the Woes of Buying Toilet Paper

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:33:55 -0500

If shopping for household essentials like toilet paper and soap isn't your favorite activity, a new Web site might eliminate the task -- while saving you cash.

The recently launched Alice.com lets people buy all manner of necessities from different manufacturers. There are about 6,000 items to choose from so far. The site keeps an eye on the products you use, and reminds you when it's time to replenish your stock.

Because Alice is run as a platform for manufacturers to connect directly to consumers, rather than as a traditional online retailer, founders Brian Wiegand and Mark McGuire say they can keep prices low and ship all items for free.

Of course, Alice benefits, too. Manufacturers pay the company for prime placement on Alice.com or to have samples, coupons and other marketing pitches offered to customers.

Wiegand and McGuire's last startup, comparison shopping site Jellyfish.com, was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2007 and has since been incorporated into its new search engine, Bing.

Their idea for Alice sprung from what Wiegand and McGuire saw as the lack of easy ways to buy household necessities online. As McGuire jokingly tells it, "we really wanted to sell toilet paper on the Internet."

Alice, which is based in Madison, Wis., isn't the first to offer these types of products over the Web. Drugstore.com Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. are competitors, and Amazon offers a "subscribe and save" service.

But Alice is streamlining things by letting manufacturers sell straight to shoppers. Product makers decide what to sell, set prices and collect all the proceeds from sales. Alice stocks products in a centralized warehouse, where workers pack the stuff up and ship it to buyers.

"We're really allowing manufacturers to be retailers and they don't have any of the hassles of that," Wiegand said.

A U.S. Outsourcing Deal May Add American Jobs

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:34:45 -0500

Even Snapple, an American iced tea maker with a homespun image, is outsourcing work to an Indian company. But in unusual twist, the deal may increase jobs in the United States.

The brand's parent company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, said Tuesday it had signed a new, five-year contract with HCL Technologies, a major information technology and outsourcing company based in Noida, India. HCL will manage Snapple's computer networks -- but may be hiring in the United States to do it.

HCL said Tuesday that Dr Pepper Snapple would be its "anchor service desk customer" in a facility in Raleigh, North Carolina, that would eventually employ 500 people. With the new deal, HCL is continuing to "bring on new staff at our new facility in North Carolina," Shami Khorana, president of HCL America, said in a statement.

Indian IT and outsourcing companies have been increasing their use of "onshoring," or putting jobs in a client's home market, as political pressures build to grow jobs in countries hard hit by the economic slowdown.

Onshoring is being directly promoted in some markets. The Australia Computer Society, a trade group, said this month it was trying to help its members win back work that had gone overseas.

HCL said in August of last year that it would invest $3.2 million to open a North Carolina facility. At that time the company employed 3,000 workers in the United States and also had operations in China, Ireland and Poland. HCL employs over 60,000 people worldwide, the bulk of them in India.

Other information technology companies, like Tata Consultancy Services, have set up huge overseas operations. T.C.S., as it is known, now employs about 12,000 people outside India, according to the company's latest annual report.

Terms of the HCL and Dr Pepper Snapple deal were not announced. HCL beat out I.B.M. for the contract.

Jobs Is Back, But Apple Is Tight-Lipped

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:35:42 -0500

Steven P. Jobs, Apple's co-founder and chief executive, has officially returned to work after a five-month medical leave. But for some investors the issues raised by Apple's secrecy about Mr. Jobs's health problems and liver transplant are likely to linger.

"Steve is back to work," Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesman, said Monday. "He is currently at Apple a few days a week and working from home the remaining days."

As was the case with Mr. Jobs's leave, his return to work was accompanied by only minimal disclosures.

Mr. Dowling declined to say whether Mr. Jobs's role had changed or to discuss the chief executive's health. He also would not say when Mr. Jobs had first returned to work at Apple. Mr. Jobs was at work on the corporate campus a week ago, according to a person who saw him there.

The Apple chief's official return comes just before the self- imposed deadline for his medical leave. When Apple announced his leave in January, the company said he would be back at work by the end of June.

Mr. Jobs underwent a liver transplant about two months ago, but word of the operation did not surface until this month. Last week, a hospital in Tennessee confirmed that he had had surgery and said his prognosis was excellent.

News of the operation rekindled a controversy among shareholders and corporate governance experts about Apple's scant disclosures about the health of Mr. Jobs, a survivor of pancreatic cancer. His return to work is not likely to quell the debate.

"We don't know much," said Charles M. Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. "We know he is back at work and that he had a transplant. Given how important he seems to be to the value of this business, we ought to...