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TAKE NOTE

GEEKS TO THE RESCUE

It’s a sign of the times. As computers and software come to the aid of small businesses across the country, making everything from sales reports to inventory control easier to manage, the ranks of business owners who quickly get over their heads in technology grows, too.
Not to worry. Best Buy, the consumer electronics chain, plans to add 600 Geek Squad agents this year to service small business customers. The store finds itself perfectly positioned for the times ahead. With a goal to sell new technology to consumers and small businesses, it will have the experts ready to help when things go wrong.

BILLIONAIRE’S CLUB GETTING CROWDED

The number of billionaires around the world rose by 102, this past year, to a record 793, and for the most part the rich keep getting richer: their combined wealth grew 18 percent to $2.6 trillion, according to Forbes magazine.

Stock market gains of 108 percent in Russia, 54 percent in India and 38 percent in Brazil between February 2005 and February 2006 had much to do with the increase, the magazine reported.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates remained atop the list at $50 billion (up from $46.5 billion) followed by investor Warren Buffet who saw his fortune fall by $2 billion to $42 billion.

BRAINS, NOT JUST LABOR, BEING OUTSOURCED

It used to be just simple, assembly-type jobs were outsourced to foreign countries, but that’s changing. A study released by the National Academies in February suggests research work at corporations is being sent overseas to fast-growing economies with strong education systems (read that: China and India).

In a survey of more than 200 multinational corporations on their research decisions, 38 percent said they planned to change “substantially” where their research centers are located over the next three years.

The report found that multinational corporations were global shoppers for talent and want to nurture close links with leading universities in emerging markets to work with professors and to hire promising graduates.