Biz Tips

NEGOTIATING BUSINESS AGREEMENTS

To succeed in business, the individual must know how to reach effective agreement, settlement or compromise in order to achieve business goals and objectives.

Prudent Business Negotiation requires, goal setting before the process of negotiation begins and, the reaching of a legally binding and enforceable agreement at the end of the process.

Compliance with the requirements of the law transforms an agreement into a legally binding contract.

Understanding the law and the integral part it plays in the dynamics of the negotiation process is therefore vital.

Preparing for Negotiations

- Know what you want
- Know the other party – their capacity and authority
- Assess the other parties creditworthiness

The Negotiating Dynamics 
- Understand the business environment

From Negotiations To Agreement 
- Make sure there is clarity and a meeting of minds.

It is important to: 
- Do your homework and research before negotiating

Siddha Param
International Business Consultant

Biz Tips

BRANDING AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYMaximising The Profit Potential Of Intellectual Assets

INTRODUCTION
Branding
To maximise the potential of a brand name, a clear branding strategy is essential. 

The first step is to identify the company’s or businesses intellectual assets. 

The second step is to protect this intellectual asset by utilising the law. 

Once these have been done the company or business can exploit the commercial advantage through licensing, merchandising and franchising in the local and global markets. 

The success of a strong brand requires a policy for safeguarding the intellectual asset, dealing with brand disputes and parallel imports.


Protecting Intellectual Property
Most businesses and companies have intellectual property rights. 

Intellectual Property Rights include inventions, designs, a company or business name or trading name, a logo, brand name, marketing material and the content or design of a Web site, domain names, software, or content of documents or databases. 

Protecting these assets might protect a competitive edge which a business has gained, or might maximise the asset value of the business. This could contribute towards raising financial capital more easily. 


Siddha Param 
International Business Consultant

Biz Tips

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH
AGENCY & DISTRIBUTORSHIP

In expanding their business, manufacturers, exporters or importers of goods have several ways in which to arrange their supply chain by which their products reach the ultimate consumer.

The use of distributors effectively removes the risk expense of the supply chain from the manufacturer, exporter or importer. But this is at the price of loss of most of the control over the supply chain and a reduction in the margins received when selling to a distributor who requires remuneration himself in order to take on the risk and expense of distribution.

The use of agents is a middle way in that some of the risk and expense are borne by the agent, and the specialist marketing services of the agent are available to the principal on a basis (remuneration by way of commission) which provides the maximum incentive to the agent to act efficiently and effectively. However, the principal still remains as much in control as if he were negotiating directly with the relevant level in the supply chains.

Most of the issues concerned with agency and distribution revolve around the attempts of various jurisdictions to regulate the relevant relationships by law, particularly to ensure that such relationships are not used to restrict competition contrary to public policy.

Siddha Param

International Business Consultant