SALARY NEGOTIATION 

Salary negotiation is an art. When you get a clear job offer from a potential employer that is the right time to negotiate a suitable remuneration package. At this stage the company has already invested considerable time and resources on you and is convinced of your worth. At this point of time, to recruit you becomes the goal of the employer and the employer would be very much willing to spend more on you, probably much more than what he might have thought of in the beginning of the interview.

 The prospect of negotiating the compensation package may be an exciting possibility for many people whereas it can be a frightening thing for many others. If you are not confident of extracting the best results out of the negotiations, the mere thought of discussing a package would cause discomfort and distress in you. Here are a few tips that help you put up your case more effectively and confidently. 

Know your worth 

It is for sure that the person negotiating with you on behalf of the employer clearly knows your worth. Therefore, you should have an idea about the value of your work before you start discussing the package. It is a good idea to use different sources including your friends and Internet to get enough information about the prevailing salary levels for comparable positions in the region. If you have some idea about the difference in the cost of living between cities, it would make your job easier. In a company, there are different positions at different levels and each position carries a different value. If you are able to get information about the worth of the position of your interest, you will obviously have an edge in the process of negotiation. This can be done by using your own network or by picking up relevant information that may drop in during the course of the interview. 

Set Your Target 

Setting a goal for you is very important in a negotiation. Some people do not bother about this important aspect. They either keep their target very low or do not set one at all. Studies on negotiation have shown that people who set clear goals and pursue them aggressively walk away with the best packages. 

Set a walk-away price

 As far as your financial requirements, family responsibilities and liabilities are concerned, you are the best judge. If your circumstances make it impossible for you to accept anything below a certain amount and still you feel that the position offered is worth accepting, do send out a signal that you are inclined to accept it. In fact, your walk away salary in a negotiation depends on two things. Firstly, your financial needs and secondly the worth of the alternatives available to you. If you don't have any other better offer with you, then climbing down one or two steps will be worth considering.

Understand the role of fairness in the process 

The principle of fairness strikes a chord with almost every employer, although there are different perceptions about what exactly fairness is. Agreeing to a package that both you and your employer feel fair and reasonable is very important because an employment is an ongoing relationship that works both ways. For example if you come to know after a few months into the new job that you are getting much less than what people at comparable positions are getting, your zeal for the new job will decline. Similarly, if your boss feels that you browbeat him into an unreasonable package, he could easily become acrimonious toward you in future. 

An important factor here is that you should be able to justify your every demand in terms of fairness. For example, if you are demanding something much more than most other people in the organisation, you should be able to support your demand by citing your plus points like your long experience, proven track record of roping in big clients or your ability to take the company to greater heights. Sometimes, it is quite likely that your justifications do not have anything to do with you personally, and everything to do with the prevailing market value of your work. Sometimes, you may be just demanding a salary that is in line with others' holding similar positions in the organisation. Suppose your negotiating counterpart concedes to your demands, then he is liable to justify the same to his boss. Therefore, it is fair on your part to identify what your employer considers fair.

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE 

Globalization has affected almost every aspect of human life in this century, but the most obvious and observable effect is in the corporate environment. Here comes the importance of the modem business executive who has the requisite manners decency and propriety to project a positive image of self and that of his company an executive should not feel out of place in any way. For example, if his dress does not suit a particular occasion, this is enough to embarrass him. Then there are work place etiquettes, letter writing and telephone manners which are very essential to create a good impression.

Workplace etiquette 

Workplace etiquettes include the way you interact with your colleagues and newcomers, the way you project the image of your company and the way you communicate with your clients including knowing your limits to avoid unwanted intimacy with clients. Employees are expected to have a clear idea about their respective roles and should show respect for others. The unwritten rule is that seniors should be considerate, accommodative and should delegate work fairly while subordinates should treat their superiors with respect. 

When a new employee joins the company, he/she should be introduced to other colleagues. While it is essential that a new entrant should be given a proper briefing about his job profile, it is desirable that he should be told about even seemingly insignificant things. On the other hand, newcomers should seek help and guidance from others if they feel that they haven't been briefed properly. This way they will get a chance to know others. Yet one has to be precise and to the point, while asking someone else to do something. Care should be taken to ensure that lengthy personal discussions are avoided. 

Professional norms 

Employees should abide by certain professional norms. These include a helpful attitude to visitors, maintaining punctuality and completing their tasks with a sense of responsibility. Employees should see that office facilities like telephones, stationary items etc. are not misused just because they are at their command. In today's world, employees should have a wider perspective about etiquette. They should know the basic principles of global etiquette. They must know what is acceptable and popular in different cultures and also have knowledge about different standards of hospitality practised in different societies. For example a modern executive should know the importance of a simple gesture like handshaking in different countries. While this is very common in countries like Germany, Italy and France, the English and the Scandinavians are not so enthusiastic. 

Business correspondence 

Writing letters is very important in business and written correspondence forms part of the records. Letters should start with a proper salutation. If the addressee's name is not known, you can start with Dear Sir/Madam. However, make it a point to find out the name as early as possible. If the addressee is a woman, it is desirable to ascertain as to whether she likes to be addressed as Miss, Mrs. or Ms. Doctors, Professors and people with ranks should be addressed accordingly. Always keep the letters brief and to the point to make them more effective. Lengthy letters running into many pages should be avoided as far as possible. If situation demands a lengthy letter, ensure that the pages are properly numbered indicating the reference number and date on each page to avoid a subsequent mix up. Use a semi-formal and friendly language. Business letters should be prompt and timely. Always use short and crisp sentences. Always abide by the principle 'One idea in one paragraph'. Never use a referee's name without his knowledge and consent. 

Telephone etiquettes

 One should be very careful while communicating over telephone. Always speak politely, slowly and briefly with utmost clarity. Sometimes, you may have to spell some terms for clarity. Never get into a heated argument over phone. Stay cool and calm letting the other person to express his views without any disturbance from your side. Always call at an appropriate time. First of all, introduce yourself and tell the person at the other end as to whom do you want to talk to. Making important business calls at the far end of a day is not right. 

If you call and an unknown person comes on the line, politely ask his name for future reference. If you call a person at an inconvenient time, respect his feelings and fix another time. Always be ready with all relevant details before you dial. If you are finalizing some deal, scribble down the important points for future reference. In case of dialing a wrong number, always say sorry before hanging up.

Always give your number and the name of your company when you receive a call. But no need to tell your name till the caller gives you a proper introduction. If the call is coming at an inconvenient time, politely tell the caller about it and ask for a suitable time when you can call back If the caller is interested to talk to some-one else, request the caller to wait before you start transferring the call to the concerned person.

 It is always important to keep a record of the messages received on telephone. Particulars like date, time, name of the caller, company's name, contact number, purpose of calling, whether they would ring again or they should be contacted etc. should be noted down. Ensure that you have all the relevant information with you before you call. Always confirm that the other person has understood your point very well. Always note down important facts during the conversation and send a follow up communication in writing to set the records straight.

In fact business etiquettes have other dimensions as well. In today's world we cannot limit etiquettes to a few aspects of life. Rather these include personality development, introduction and interview strategies, table manners, travelling manners and of late Internet and mobile etiquette. Finally, what we are trying to achieve is to set up a healthy and acceptable code of conduct that can make a better image for you and for your organization in the corporate world.

Australia's horticulture exports make up approximately 13% of the total value of production. After wheat, horticulture is the second largest rural production industry in Australia, with fruit and nuts comprising 52%, vegetables 31% and nursery or ornamental crops 17% of the gross value of production. Australia's main advantage in this field is that it is close to the populous and developing market of Asia. 

Oranges, table grapes and apples are the most important fruit that dominate the Australian horticultural exports. Oranges are grown commercially in all states of Australia except Tasmania. They are grown in areas along river Murray in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, the Riverine region of New South Wales and the Central Burnett region of Queensland. Grapes too are grown commercially in Australia, with 60% grown in Victoria and 20% in New South Wales. Its main export markets are Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Around 25,000 hectares of area in Australia is under the production of apples and pears. They are mainly grown in the outer areas of Melbourne and the Goulban Valley in Victoria, the Batlow, around Donnybrook and Manjimup in Western Australia, the Adelaide Hills in South Australia and around Stanthorpe in Southern Queensland. 

From asparagus to zucchini squash all types of vegetables are grown in Australia. About 75% of the total value of production is constituted by potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and lettuce. The fresh market potatoes are harvested in the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland and the majority of them are produced in Southern Victoria. The Riverine region of New South Wales can grow even two crops per year.

The Australian per capita expenditure is low as compared to the United States and the Netherland. So, they spend relatively little on cut flowers. Still the main supply of the cut flower and nursery industries is in Australia itself. The main importers of cut flowers of Australian natives and South African proteaceae are Japan, the United States and Western Europe. Western Australia is the main exporting state along with Victoria and New South Wales. Out of the total SAUS500 million world productions of Australian native flowers only 20% is grown in Australia. 

The horticulture industry is the fastest growing industry in agriculture in Australia. 20% of the total employment in agriculture is within the horticulture industry. Presently it is a $7 billion industry.