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Discusses how innovative start-ups forced by lack of resources are coming up with great ways to get around the usual channels of distribution, the traditional advertising media, and the expensive outside agencies and marketing their products in-house. Shows why owners have decided to market in-house: control, flexibility, clutter, quality, and savings; Work-of-mouth marketing; Event marketing; Alternative distribution channels; Details.

Examines John Strazzanti's (GM and president of Com-Corp Industries) quantitative salary-review system which is an ongoing company dialogue that pays back much more than it pays out. Creating a review system to motivate employee and establish a fair and open standard of pay; Com-Corp's variety of instructional classes for employees; How the system works.

Presents a look at new ideas in suggestion boxes by surveyed CEOs. Make it easy; Change the concept; Provide a forum for follow-up; Stage a ceremony; Details.

Discusses how Jeff Bullington's dreams for diversifying his PC-subsystem-manufacturing corporation into optical computing were answered when a multinational corporation with similar interests asked him to produce a market-research report on optical electronics. Bullington, president of Radiant Technologies, searched for news of major research-and-development programs in technical papers and trade journals. Details.

Looks at Primetime Publicity & Media Consulting, a Mill Valley, California, Public Relations firm that charges only for the stories it places. Results-only PR; Primetime founded 10 years ago; Not for everyone; Primetime's approach: Make the reporter's job easier; Follow through; Know when to back off.

Offers a look at MarketPlace Business, a powerful new personal-computer program that allows you to take prospecting for potential customers into your own hands, rather than relying on a rented mailing list. Macintosh-based; Compact disc information on more than 7 million United States companies; Well suited for repeat mailings to CEOs; Reportedly better than 90 percent accurate; Four CD updates per year. INSET: Are sales costs killing you softly?.

Asserts that if you want to get the attention of a reporter, you've got to think like one. David Yale's book `The Publicity Handbook: How to Maximize Publicity for Products, Service, and Organizations'; Attending Meet the Media events sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA); To get the number of your nearest PRSA chapter.

States that deciding where to advertise has become more agonizing than ever. You can't rely strictly on a magazine's demographics; Gordon Gossage, head of sales and marketing at MathSoft, a Cambridge, Mass., software company; Gossage's own way of measuring the performance of a magazine; Not all leads are equal; The true cost of advertising; Which titles to keep.

Presents some of the results from an `Inc.' survey detailing the crucial role of the office manager (OM). Gearcon General Contractors; Inova Corp.; Landmark Systems; Jacumin Engineering & Machine Co.; Ideal Computer Services; Details.

Presents some of the results from an informal poll of 20 fast growing companies, which revealed some interesting variations on tried-and-true approaches to the end-of-the-year incentive. R.W. Frookies; American Power Conversion; J.A. West; Leegin Leather; Imtech; National Leisure Group; Details.

Examines how Snowden McFall, CEO of Brightwork Advertising, a Nashua, N.H. agency, doesn't wait until a payment's late to find out what went wrong, she introduces herself to customer's bookkeepers as soon as she lands new accounts. Approved invoice by fax; Details.

Tells how to go about finding a new bank when your old one can't meet your needs, using RHS Fertilizing/Spraying Systems as an example. Necessity of foreseeing the need for a switch in advance; How to research; Following up on research; Negotiations; Details.

Discusses how disagreements between employees and managers grow as sales multiply, and offers some interesting ways different companies deal with the problem. Talking in the mill tower at Access TCA; American Steel & Wire's use of a people's court; Company training of workers as mediators and ombudsmen; David W. Ewing's book `Justice on the Job'; `Getting Desputes Resolved,' by William L. Ury, Jeanne M. Brett, and Stephen S. Goldberg; Details.

Examines the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) increases in its industrial fine schedule. INSET: How to tap OSHA for free, by S.G..

Compiles `Inc.'s' list of regional next-day services.

Presents four responses from bankers, when asked the question of what unsettles them the most.

Presents a series of questions that should be taken into consideration when terminating your advertising agency.

Offers a look at how companies with sales of $4-20 million use their CPAs. Companies; CPA frequency; CPA requirements.

Summarizes the benefits of buying second hand trade-show exhibits and remodeling them for one's own use. Gives information on companies that specialize in recycled exhibits.

Looks at customer support services of 5 software publishers of various sizes. Charts their software type, hours, staff, types of phone lines and time needed to get questions answered.

Shows the `days sales outstanding' (DSO) medians for manufacturers for the last six years. Suggests tightening credit policies to shorten the DSO.

Tells how Laser Vision Centers, provider of laser equipment and medical-marketing services, uses a referral system to increase its sales. The firm uses independent sales reps of related products and pays them a finder's fee when sales are later made.