Many icons risk being overthrown by the global financial crisis. Firms which once could be relied upon to make steady profits are now losing money and shedding jobs. The technology sector in particular has seen its fair share of doom and gloom as demand for electronics and computer products continue to decline, and Sony and Intel are the latest to tell their tales of woe. ┬á  For the financial year ending in March, Sony said it expected to make a net loss of $1.7 billion, making it the companyÔÇÖs first annual loss in 14 years.

While other technology firms have fared less well, technology services firm IBM brings light to the sector with a 12 percent increase on its latest quarterly profits and a rosy forecast for 2009.┬á  IBM boss Samuel Palmisano said it had been an "outstanding year," with IMBÔÇÖs net profit in the fourth quarter reaching 4.4 billion and a profit margin of 47.9 percent, up three percentage points from a year earlier.┬á The news boosted IBM's share price 4.5 percent to $85.64 in after-hours trading in New York.

Italian automaker agrees to take a 35 percent stake in the struggling American auto company; in return, Chrysler will get access to FiatÔÇÖs fuel-efficient vehicle technologies.  The deal, announced in a joint statement by the two companies, would allow Chrysler to use FiatÔÇÖs technology and vehicle platforms to build smaller and more fuel-efficient cars in its factories and sell them in North America.  Fiat would give Chrysler access to distribution networks in Europe and other parts of the world.

Gold standard┬áQueenston Mining has quality gold resources and is poised to exploit them, thanks to growing world demand and a consequent improvement in prices, CEO and president Charles Page explains to John OÔÇÖHanlon.  Gold may no longer underpin the economy, but when, as now, currencies flutter around like leaves driven in the wind, gold again begins to look like a very sound commodity to hold.

A touch of Europe┬áSparkling Hill Resort & Wellness Hotel seeks to bring a true European wellness center experience to Western Canada. As Keith Regan learns, the spectacular setting is expected to draw visitors from around the world.  The mountains of British Columbia are a long way from the wellness resorts found in rural Austria, but in the vision of the developers of the Sparkling Hill Resort & Wellness Hotel, the two fit together perfectly.

In the pipeline┬áPipeline construction is a tough industry, but for those who get it right, the rewards are enormous. Wes Waschuk tells Gay Sutton how a small family company has grown to become CanadaÔÇÖs largest oil and gas pipeline builder. Canada is in a fortunate situation, rich in oil resources at a time when the world is clamoring for security and continuity of supply. ÔÇ£Right now weÔÇÖre in a really exciting time for Alberta,ÔÇØ says Wes Waschuk, president of Waschuk Pipeline, headquartered in Red Deer, Alberta.

Turning a problem on its headConcern for the environment has led to a unique approach to road building in sensitive areas, as Jeff Daniels learns. When drivers traveling between the small towns of Washington and Chocowinity in North Carolina eventually gain access to the new Highway 17 bypass at the end of this year, their thoughts no doubt will simply revolve around the lower levels of congestion that the $192 million project has delivered. But this has not been just any old stretch of road.

In the pipeline┬áPipeline construction is a tough industry, but for those who get it right, the rewards are enormous. Wes Waschuk tells Gay Sutton how a small family company has grown to become CanadaÔÇÖs largest oil and gas pipeline builder. Canada is in a fortunate situation, rich in oil resources at a time when the world is clamoring for security and continuity of supply. ÔÇ£Right now weÔÇÖre in a really exciting time for Alberta,ÔÇØ says Wes Waschuk, president of Waschuk Pipeline, headquartered in Red Deer, Alberta.

All about culture┬áWardrop Engineering has been providing engineering services for infrastructure, energy and mining industries for over 50 years. Jaclyn Beck reports on the core values that keep the company going and growing. Like any fast-growing company, Wardrop Engineering continues to change as rapidly as it grows. Shayne Smith became its fourth CEO in early 2006 after 20 years with the company, and knowing that rapid growth requires careful management, he was concerned with maintaining its performance levels.

An eye to the sky┬áAs airports across the globe search for extra revenue opportunities, British ColumbiaÔÇÖs Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has a new master plan for airport development, reports Brendan A. Smith.