Michael Harrelson

With employee turnover rates high and projections that future demands for labor in the hospitality field will outstrip supply, employee benefits now have become vital.

Direct marketing now encompasses e-mail invites, text messages and social networking via Web 2.0-enhanced Internet sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Who says foolproof inventory control is only within reach of the larger chain operations with the cash flow to afford all the fancy bells and whistles?

Better control of inventory is vital in avoiding excessive costs, lower returns, outright theft and poorly served customers that often result on-premise.

Reason exists to be truly bullish about beer again: The craft beer and microbrew segment grows, helping generate the long-predicted comeback of beer.

Regional craft brews, local microbrews and other provincial favorites have been steadily gaining market share from the big domestic and imported brewers for the past few years.

The latest jukebox offerings suggest that the major providers of the software and hardware that power the digital age of bar music have only begun to get creative.