While it took a few years after the financial crisis for financial services start-ups to get their business models refined to the point where they can come to market they are here now, and these alternative financial services technology companies are becoming viable and increasingly common sources of financing for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Mountain Equipment Co-op CEO David Labistour says the fast pace of technological change across society has also changed the retail sector in profound ...

One would think that, as the global economy struggles to recover, businesses would be looking at all opportunities to expand, be more competitive, bring in more customers and reduce costs. Online retailing seems to make sense in this climate. Heck, I won't even go to a restaurant without first checking out menus and reviews online.

Most people interested in media, marketing and technology think of smartphones as the device that is putting the PC world to rest. Yes, personal computers are still pervasive, but the growth of smartphones has been exponential and astounding all in one breath.

More than ever before, IT is driving business competitiveness. It's all about the experience, the engagement and the features, and providing customers and employees alike with exactly what they need, at exactly the time they need. Here are some of the trends CA Technologies foresees as the biggest in enterprise IT this year.

The unthinkable has happened -- Apple's brand value has dropped for the first time. Meanwhile, equally improbable, BlackBerry is seemingly rising from the ashes. Yet, for their differences in fortune, the fates of both companies have been inextricably linked to the role played by CEO succession.

We surveyed 1,045 business people across Canada in virtually every industry segment. Some 87 per cent said they trust employees to adhere to their IT security rules and practices. In the same survey one in six employees admitted they do not adhere to IT security policies. So why is there such a disconnect between what employees and business owners say is going on and what is really going on, even in the face of losses?

Since going green no longer means having to forfeit beautiful packaging to sell a product in a way that is consistent with any brand's image, there is simply no longer any excuse for offering products in unsustainable packaging. In the new age of green packaging, sustainability and brand promise can now go hand in hand and beautiful packaging doesn't have to be ugly for the environment.

I remain amazed by the proliferation of personal devices in today's homes. Therefore it comes as little surprise that the impact of personal devices is hitting the enterprise. Let's face it, you can either to embrace personal devices in the workplace and proactively put security measures in place, or you can deal with the aftermath when employees will inevitably find their own work-around.

These days content is king. The consumer attention is moving away from blatant advertising and focusing more on content value. This article profiles Daniel Robinson, President and Founder of Antelope. When I spoke to Daniel, he was doing something that many marketers sought an answer for: The Real Value of Content.

While technology like smartphones, tablets and such seem at first glance to be aimed at the young and hip, it's those in need of replacement hips who will be the biggest winners as technology continues to transform our daily lives bit by byte. When you can Skype with your grandchildren, email your children or keep in touch with old and new friends via Facebook, you don't feel as isolated. For chronic diseases that afflict the elderly, like diabetes and heart disease, there are now so many easy-to-use apps and gadgets to monitor blood-sugar levels, blood pressure and more. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Such dismal click-through rates would seem to indicate that display ads don't work, but, in fact, a display ad can be very effective even when no one clicks on it. Frequently, a consumer will see an online display ad and then visit the advertiser's site hours or days later, often unconscious of having seen the ad.