Business Credit articles from March 2003

Business Credit archives from March 2003

NACM calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2003... MARCH March 10, 2003 Audio Teleconference: Advanced Letters of Credit Presenter: Buddy Baker, ABN AMRO Bank For more information, please contact the NACM Meetings Dept. March 16-18, 2003 NACM's Annual Legislative...

We've only just begun. (Credit Column).(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Not long ago, someone asked me whether I would be happy when my year as Chair was over. So many different thoughts ran through my mind: I thought about all of the goals I had set for the Board to accomplish on behalf of the membership and about...

Payment: good to the last drop! (Communique).
March 1, 2003... Preserving lien and bond rights may help protect your company from late payment and nonpayment, so make sure not to waive these rights for unpaid work. Before you start work, ask for as much information as possible that will help you assert...

Credit scoring basics. (Feature Article).
March 1, 2003... Introduction The current state of the economy is one of the factors that has perked up corporate America's interest in credit scoring. The downsizing of credit departments and associated layoffs has left many companies with too few people...

Keeping a staff motivated through training and development. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... When you think about training, you think about the reasons why you train someone. Those reasons can range from a new-hire needing training on how the department and/or company operates, to introducing a new concept to a workgroup or a new...

Landlords: is the security deposit from your tenant really secure? (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... Landlords routinely demand and generally receive large security deposits to back long-term commercial leases. A large security deposit is often the backbone of a commercial lease transaction; however, landlords and their counsel may be dismayed...

Applying statistical methods to the loss reserve calculation: who doesn't want a 1,000% ROI on a six-month project? (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... This article addresses an opportunity in the utility industry for significant benefits, Building on the concepts put forth in "Scoring the Account Lifecycle," this article will articulate why a company should take the logical next step beyond...

Crunch time: retreating from risk is not an option, so credit managers make sure they have the best tools for analyzing it and applying the results. (Feature Article).
March 1, 2003... Granting commercial trade credit is contact a sport. For many corporations in a soft economy, like football teams in the playoffs, it's time to get physical." It's the credit manager's job to see that the company gets banged up--but not too...

Confidently evaluate small businesses with credit scoring. (Feature Article).
March 1, 2003... Small businesses continue to be a growing and powerful segment of the American economy with approximately 22 million small businesses in the United States. Small business is defined as those businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Eight out...

A great reputation speaks for itself.(Company Profile)
March 1, 2003... For more than 50 years, Robert Half Finance & Accounting has been the world's first and largest recruiting firm specializing in the placement of accounting and finance professionals. Listed below is a sampling of positions available through...

Letter of credit issuer not entitled to payment of surplus funds drawn by beneficiary. (Credit Column).
March 1, 2003... Introduction A letter of credit can be an effective device to secure payment of an obligation. A letter of credit beneficiary obtains payment by presenting all of the documents required by the letter of credit to the letter of credit...

Receivables management: moving beyond transactions. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... Most businesses do not consider themselves lenders. Interestingly, the business of granting extended terms to a customer or supplier is generally not viewed the same as granting credit in the financial services industry. The reason? Businesses...

A survival guide for leaders. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... Steering an organization through times of change can be hazardous, and it has been the ruin of many a leader. To avoid the perils, let a few basic rules govern your actions--and your internal compass. Think of the many top executives in...

Moving credit into the front office: how credit risk scoring drives revenues. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... Introduction Among the myriad of challenges facing credit organizations in 2002 and beyond, one stands above the rest: the seeming conflict passed down from upper management to increase top line revenues, while simultaneously cutting back...

Application of scoring systems in trade credit assessment. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... As a result of the current economic downturn, credit managers are facing a tough, increasingly inflexible credit environment. Business bankruptcies are at historically high levels, with the number of slow paying accounts increasing 10 percent...

International standards will smooth credit management. (International Section).
March 1, 2003... Credit managers may soon reap the benefits of the thirty-year struggle to achieve international accounting and reporting standards. In the long fight for international standards for accounting and financial reporting, more progress has been...

At a glance: worldwide credit conditions.(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... At a glance: worldwide credit conditions. Fay Hansen ECONOMIC GROWTH GDP % change from previous quarter Q1 02 Q2 02 Q3 02 Q4 02 U.S. 1.2 0.3 1.0 0.2 Canada 1.5 1.2 0.8 -...

Canadian rates. (Credit Briefings).
March 1, 2003... The Bank of Canada kept rates at 2.75% at its January meeting but warned that higher inflation may prompt it to raise rates before June, when most economists expected the bank would act. Inflation hit 3.9% in December; well above the bank's 2%...

UK growth drops. (Credit Briefings).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... UK GDP growth for 2002 fell to 1.7%, its lowest level in ten years, down from 2% in 2001 and well below earlier forecasts. Growth dropped sharply in the fourth quarter, with the preliminary estimate showing growth of only 0.4%, down sharply...

Brazilian rates. (Credit Briefings).
March 1, 2003... With price pressures growing, the Brazilian Central Bank raised its reference interbank lending rate by 50 basis points to 25.5% in January. The Bank also raised its inflation target for 2003 to 8.5% from 4.0%, reflecting deep difficulties...

World GDP. (Credit Briefings).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The International Monetary Fund forecasts world GDP growth of 3.7 per cent, led by China. The world GDP increase for 2002 was 2.8 per cent According to Chinese officials and economists, China's gross domestic product may rise more than 8% in...

War risks. (Credit Briefings).
March 1, 2003... Areas forecast to become high risk in the event of U.S. strikes on Iraq are Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, according to Control Risk Group. The high-risk category means that there is a probability that foreign...

Hot spots: Ireland. (International Section).
March 1, 2003... Dr. Belcsak is president of S.J. Rundt & Associates, Inc. Telephone: 973/783-5206; fax: 973/744-3073; e-mail: info@rundtsintelligence.com; web site: www.rundtsintelligence.com. Ireland will remain a growth leader within the European Union,...

Unleash your team's true leadership potential. (Credit Column).
March 1, 2003... What has the strongest impact on your company's success? The economy? The market conditions? Current events? In reality, it's none of those things. Regardless of outside factors, your company will only be as successful as you allow your...

Name an oxymoron: business ethics. (Selected Topic).
March 1, 2003... Okay, so maybe it isn't the best oxymoron, but you have to admit the perception of international business practices is not exactly "Snow White" clean. Additionally, with the multitude of Enron, Tyco and dot-corn disappointments over the past...