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IBM today unveiled new software that places the power of predictive analytics directly into the hands of business users for faster, more insightful decision making.

With three simple clicks, business users can now build a predictive model within a configurable web browser interface, and run simulations and “what-if” scenarios that compare and test the best business outcomes before the model is ever deployed into an operational system. Business users now have full control over the analytic process, enabling them to make accurate decisions in real-time, based on changes in strategy, customer buying patterns and behaviors, or fluctuating market conditions.

Starting today, IBM is delivering a new, configurable offering for the insurance industry, and another for marketing organizations within all business verticals. The first is designed to help identify fraudulent insurance claims, which account for approximately $30 billion in losses a year. The second manages every inbound customer and prospect interaction via call center, web, point-of-sale or email.

The new software, IBM SPSS Decision Management, combines predictive models, business rules and optimization to increase an organization’s confidence to automatically deliver accurate, high-value, high-volume decisions at the appropriate point of customer interaction.

For example, a retailer may need to decide which customers should receive information about a new line of products. The marketing manager can quickly build a model to identify the customers likely to respond – based on past purchasing patterns, demographics, responses to previous offers – and include those customers in the new product campaign. However, before deploying the results the business user can first “tweak the dials” using a simple web interface, and run what-if scenarios on the results. This ensures the campaign will yield optimal results by targeting only high-value customers.

For more information, visit ibm.com.

NSBA recently announced the 2010 Small Business Stars, 10 of the most influential, small-business friendly members of Congress, their staff, members of the Administration and the media. The awardees exemplified the kind of leadership small business needs and deserves.

While each of the Stars have made a significant contribution, two stand out as the most tireless, committed individuals advocating for the small-business community: The Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).

Senator Mary Landrieu

Having only assumed the chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee last year, Sen. Mary Landrieu quickly has established herself as a strong and vocal advocate for America’s small businesses. Whether fighting for the inclusion of small business in credit-card reform, eliminating the self-employment tax on health insurance, urging increased lending through SBA or standing firm against efforts to allow businesses majority owned by large venture capital (VC) firms unlimited access to the Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program, Landrieu has shown us that perhaps bipartisanship for the good of the cause isn’t dead just yet.

Senator Olympia Snowe

In her continued leadership role with the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Sen. Olympia Snowe’s collaborative efforts with Landrieu, and her predecessor, Sen. John Kerry have been instrumental in many key pieces of legislation. Her drive to keep health care reform affordable, provide an easier path for small-business retirement savings through SIMPLE cafeteria plans, and myriad other bills to strengthen the state of small businesses in the U.S. has earned her a reputation for getting the job done and being a tireless advocate for small business.

Since 1937, NSBA has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. A staunchly nonpartisan organization, NSBA reaches more than 150,000 small businesses nationwide and is proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization.

For more information, visit nsba.biz.

Wouldn’t it be great if the little guy, the small business owner, had the legal, financial and creative resources a quick dial away like the big companies? Of course it would. According to the world leaders in new networking think, getting your own expert panel doesn’t take a corporate payroll. All it takes is a little directed networking.

You may have already discovered” Dr. Misner, CEO of the world’s largest networking company, writes, that it’s next to impossible to keep up with all this information on your own. There is simply too much of it, and your own inclinations and time limitations steer you toward some kinds of knowledge but cause you to neglect others. You may be strong in marketing and business planning, but weak in personnel and legal matters.”

Misner’s company, BNI (Business Network International), has over 3,600 chapters, and reported making over two million business referrals last year. But Misner says building your own expert network isn’t about the numbers, but knowing where to go for the right information.

In lieu of specific knowledge (or actually knowing someone in a specific profession),” Misner writes, you must know in advance whom to contact and where to go to get the information you need.”

Misner explains that by categorizing your network, you’ll have a better bet at finding the knowledge you need when you need it. People in your profession, authors, trainers and consultants all ‘typically’ know certain packages of people and knowledge.

For more information, visit bni.com.