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The details on Australian companies, which are adopting information technology tools to boost business success, are presented.

The reasons behind the sluggishness in the growth of Australian information technology sector are presented.

The details on business success of chief executive officers of companies such as Medtamic, who adopted strategic planning, are presented.

The likely trends in the consumer electronics and information technology industry in 2006 are discussed. These industries are bringing changes in workplaces with their gadgets and iPods. Business enterprises in Australia are now adopting new technologies to retain younger staff that is well-versed in these technologies.

The findings of Business Review Weekly survey, on cost expenditures of information technology companies in Australia and New Zealand, are presented.

An overview on the growth of top 10 best Australian companies such as Ethan Group, which made to Business Review Weekly Fast 100 list in 2005, is presented.

The growth in exports by Australian information technology companies is discussed. Selling software and information technology services overseas is full of risks. But Australian businessmen are taking up such challenges and coming out with flying colors.

The advantages of mobile devices for sales executives of small and medium-size enterprises are examined.

Business enterprises often confront situations where they have to take tough decisions, which, if not taken could mean the death of the organization. Such tough decisions call for compromise in ethical values but are still inevitable.

Australia's former luminaries like Allan Fels, former chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Ian Penman, former chief executive of the Australian Compaq and Richard Alston, former Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts discuss their lifestyles after disappearance from limelight.

Australian architects are in demand in all parts of the world for their skills and commitment. Back home, however, they struggle to keep afloat. The reasons for exodus of Australian architects are obvious even though the construction industry in Australia is in dire need of their services.

The Australian service industries has for the last 30 years beaten the manufacturing industries in the domestic growth as well as in the exports. In the recent years especially the knowledge based professionals like lawyers, architects and engineers have brought in huge revenues and international acclaim. The growing Australian professional services exports are discussed.

The star performer among the big four accounting firms in the year 2003-04 is KPMG. The firm recorded 11.5% growth, raising its revenue from $540 million to budgeted revenue of $602 million. The performance of the four firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG and Deloitte is analyzed. A list of the top ten accounting firms and the top 100 accountants is also presented.

Deloitte is unable to keep pace with its rivals- in terms of revenue and clients. The differences between management and leadership in its Melbourne and Sydney offices have resulted in the exit of many prized auditors and staff. The big three auditor firms are PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG and Ernst & Young.

The potential deficiencies in the procedures that CPA Australia, the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAA) and the National Institute of Accountants (NIA) follow to manage the professional behavior of their accountant members are examined. The concerns of the accountant members on these deficiencies in the wake of the proposed Federal Government's new corporate law reform (CLERP 9) are discussed.

The consequences of running a Lake House restaurant together by a couple, Allan and Alla Wolf-Tasker, are described. The strengthening of the emotional bond is suggested to be one of these consequences.

Rod Smith, the national audit partner of Deloitt wants to double or more the number of Deloitte clients within three years. 20 companies are examined wherein audit fees have risen by 9.6 percent and non-audit fees have fallen to 32.7 percent.

Australia committed itself to adopt international accounting standards by January 2005 along with all European Union countries in July 2002. 29 of the 49 Australian standards would be affected and three new standards would be introduced.

Frequent business travelers face big challenges when it comes to maintaining a work life balance. It is suggested that visiting a hotel gym or turning towards sports related activity such as mountain track could avoid stress related to travel.

The intense competition, deal-making and reshaping of the accounting profession in Australia, and the top ten accounting firms are listed. The analysis on these accounting firms reveals that most of the high-growth firms do not expect to easily maintain their growth rate.

More and more global accounting firms are seeing problems from regulators and lawsuits.

CPA Australia reform proposals for financial reporting are being criticized by many who feel that the current regulatory system already works well and only needs minor modifications. The main CPA proposal involves simplifying the overall structure of financial reporting to produce greater transparency.

Arthur Andersen is struggling to deal with the aftermath of several auditing crisis in Australia and the US. Experts say that the company is mostly self-insured and that the many claims being mounted against Andersen may very well deplete the company of its resources.

The adoption of customer relationship management by telecommunications companies, banks, insurance companies, utilities and retailers is examined.

Silicon Valley, CA, is the heart of the global technology business and many Australians were lured here in the 1990s. Some have achieved success, but for others it has been hard to survive and the fall in the value of technology stocks in early 2001 has led to failure.

The increase in management buyouts (MBOs) in Australia, funded by venture-capital specialists, in the years from 1998 to 2000 is discussed, with focus on the large amount of funding still available for investment by fund managers.

Venture capital firm Allen & Buckeridge is profiled. At the first closing of its third fund, the firm has raised A$65 million from six super funds.

The Playford Centre is one of the new business incubators that specialize in helping fledgling companies to establish and develop. An analysis of Australia's business incubator sector is presented.

Australia's consultants are set to face very challenging business conditions as the 21st century begin. There will be particular problems for consultants who lack latest business tools.

The 1999 Small Business Awards in Australia include Compumedics, Coilmaster and MAUS Business Systems. The industries include medical equipment, waste disposal and groceries distribution.

Joe Skrzynski and Bill Ferris are founding directors of Australian Mezzanine Investments, a venture capital company. Both directors are planning to establish a $300 to $400 million management buyout fund in partnership with Castle Harlan, a New York venture capital company. Since 1988, Skrzynski and Ferris have established four investment funds, made 25 investments, and raised $204 million from institutional investors.