What's Happening On the Web
If a new study holds true, the Internet will soon become a font of IR information for Canadian shareholders - just as analysts and visionaries have said predicted in the U.S.
Wertheim + Co., a Toronto-based company, surveyed 116 publicly held companies, which are either members of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute and/or listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with 92 percent reporting that they will have Web sites by the end of this year. Of those, nearly all said there will be a specific section for investors.
Other findings:
- Most frequently included items are annual reports, quarterly reports, news releases, company history, stock quotes and charts;
- Other content includes e-mail links for information, IR contact names, speeches and fact sheets;
- Most Web sites are updated at least daily;
- The cost of establishing a Web site varies significantly, but most reported that costs come in under $20,000;
- A majority of respondents said Web sites are saving their companies time and money; and
- Most would not post information on their companies in a chat room or on a bulletin board, although some hadn't formed an opinion. (Partners in Communications, 416/594-1600)
Online Elections
... In other Web-related news, some facts about the Internet's power tomorrow night when elections roll around: "Web, White & Blue" findings show that 84 percent of Internet users said that they first used the Internet to get election information in 1998, and 61 percent say they will use the Internet as a primary media source in the Year 2000. The survey queried 500 users.
Web, White & Blue is an awareness campaign sponsored by the Markle Foundation and Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. (Web, White & Blue, 202/828-8832)
A Leisurely Look: Workplaces in the Future
Sometimes, a thing as simple as casual day can empower workers.
Considering that most employees don't enjoy the lengthy stints with companies they did decades ago because higher pay and upward mobility are key incentives for leaving, experts say that benefits will take many shapes and colors to keep employees satisfied.
Now, a study shows that within a decade, many hiring executives expect the suit and tie won't be required dress in the workplace. Management Recruiters International, in a national poll of 3,700 executives, discovered that 42.1 percent believe that the suit and tie will be phased out as normal work attire in the next 10 years. (MRI, 212/687-8999)