Managing the shifting balance and the opportunities that can be yours.(commentary)(Column)

The constant state of flux in the world's economy and the "hot" regions for services and manufacturing will always provide an exciting learning experience for the international credit professional should they be willing to keep up. Currently, some world economies are growing stagnant, or are becoming victims of their own success. "The world's economic balance is shifting from the rich, industrialized countries and more toward these emerging markets," said I.C.E. speaker Tina Sorrels, CICP, director of credit, AJC International, Inc.

Where are these emerging markets? What are the trends you need to watch? What is the pulse you need to keep you fingers on? Here are some of the hot topics:

Brazil. It is one of the BRIC countries--along with Russia, India and China, as stated in the article on page 54--poised to become one of the wealthiest economies in the world by 2050. The opportunities in Latin America in general were a focal topic at the recent FCIB I.C.E. conference in Chicago. How is your company managing its growth? Does it have a plan for growth? Small- and medium-sized companies have the greatest opportunity for growth through exporting, as discussed at I.C.E. The conference's experts provided attendees with a wealth of information and techniques to mitigate risk.

Outsourcing. Recently, in Strategic Global Intelligence, the newsletter provided by Armada Corporate Intelligence for FCIB members, one of the largest benefactors of the world's outsourced processes has been China, but already, due to climbing wages, a demand for better working conditions and rising transportation costs, some companies are moving operations to more economical regions such as Indonesia, Mexico, Latin America and even back to the United States and Canada. ...