The southwest corner of the office could boost your company's fortunes

Source: Joey Yap Private Limited.
Infographic on how directions can impact
life in 2018.

Dato’ Joey Yap, a speaker, author and Chief Consultant of Joey Yap Private Limited, a fengshui and Chinese astrology consultancy, has compiled a list of 2018 fengshui direction forecasts for a successful year of the earth dog.

In fengshui philosophy, different directions govern different aspects of an individual's life, with the location of the aspects changing every lunar year. The position of the front door - the door designated as the main door in the floor plans, which may not be the door which is used most often; where in the office a person sits and so on are said to affect their health, career prospects and relationships. Some of the concepts look very much to be common sense whereas others are more esoteric.

There are "good" directions and "bad" directions, as well as ways to encourage positive outcomes and mitigate negative ones. The individual's date and year of birth are also said to affect outcomes. 

In the following table Dato' Yap outlines which directions in the workplace - or home - can influence specific life aspects such as wealth (southeast), career (southwest), and health (west). 

For specific activation and mitigation a fengshui practitioner should be consulted. Different practitioners may offer different interpretations of the same situation; look at their track records to get an indication of their effectiveness.

Direction/location	Forecast for 2018
Southeast	Fruitful if activated as the main wealth sector of the year. Activation typically refers to bringing in an object of a certain element or things in a certain colour to be placed within the sector. Maximising sector benefits will increase wealth accumulation Professional pursuits will flourish in this sector Solid foundation will be in place for future promotions at work
South	Encourages scholarly and academic pursuits Boosts endeavours in humanities, literary and artistic fields Positioning the main door here will result in fulfilling journey for long distance travels Promotes a meaningful and fulfilling romantic relationship
Southwest	Profitable career prospects throughout the year Initiatives at work will be recognised by superiors Social influence will improve by using this sector as the office main door Causes minimal complications in the form of upheavals in the office
West	Turbulent energies will cause severe health complications Aggravation of existing medical conditions Expectant mothers may face pregnancy issues and babies may have poor health Negative energies can be suppressed by placing heavy metal objects
Northwest	Positive outcomes for career advancement Opportunities for travel and wealth accumulation Positive improvements in academic pursuits Promote relationships and social skills
North	Bears the most negative energy of the year Most inauspicious sector to begin endeavours with Avoid renovations or groundbreaking works in this sector Negative energy can be suppressed with heavy metal objects
Northeast	Promotes conflicts, arguments and heated disagreements Legal complications which lead to health problems due to stress Placement of oil lamps will suppress negative energies
East	Inflicts adverse effects on emotional and physical wellbeing Introduces a host of various illnesses Causes constant arguments that will impact your life Having the main door here means the occupants will be more prone to theft and burglary

Source: Joey Yap Private Limited.

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Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about how your animal sign will fare in 2018

In Dubai, Makani numbers help taxi drivers reach customers

Source: RTA. Cabs in Dubai are now linked to Dubai city via Makani.

The Dubai RTA’s Public Transport Agency has completed linking 4,500 taxis from franchise companies operating under the RTA with the Dubai Municipality's Makani System. The system uses unique coordinates, or Makani numbers, to locate buildings.

Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems, RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said: “Thanks to the sharp accuracy and the easy use of the Makani System as well as its 100% coverage of (the) Dubai Emirate, the system has played a vital role in executing booking and despatch orders by cab drivers. It has made it easy for clients to reach to their intended destinations in Dubai, thanks to its highly accurate positioning feature using interactive e-maps."

Benefits of the new arrangement include being able to make a taxi booking with a Makani number through a call to the Booking & Dispatch Center. The Booking & Dispatch Center can now communicate between the customer and the taxi, receiving booking requests and forwarding them to taxi drivers.

“This initiative brings back multiple benefits to RTA’s Booking & Dispatch System. It facilitates the dispatch of taxicabs to clients using Makani number, and eases the booking process for customers by just citing Makani number. It also reduces the number of complaints related to taxis and cab drivers such as the late arrival, and the poor knowledge of Dubai geographical zones on the part of drivers,” Shakri noted.

“The coverage of (the) Makani System of Dubai Municipality spans the entire Emirate of Dubai. About 137,000 addresses have been registered in the Booking & Dispatch System of taxis and 4,500 taxi cabs have been linked to the system.”