The impact of changing oil prices on international traders gets a lot of press. Less covered in the media, yet just as important to corporate profits, are fluctuations in the value of the dollar and other major currencies.
Adopting a tactic widely used by 3G Capital, the Brazilian private investment group behind the recent merger of Heinz and Kraft Foods, a growing number of the world's largest food and packaged goods companies are asking their suppliers to give them as much as four months to pay their bills - even though they typically require payment from their own customers in 30 days.
The results of the seventh edition of Prime Advantage's Group CFO Survey of mid-sized manufacturers show continued optimism in the economy and positive growth expectations in several industries.
Senior executives at businesses of all sizes understand all too well that today's global economy is still not adequately protected against cyberattacks, despite years of effort and spending in the multibillion-dollar range each year. But until recently, many CFOs may not have been considered an integral part of an organization's security team or understood how to respond to security risks and the implications for their organizations. But times have changed and many CFOs are being called upon to help promote cyber security and identify threats.
Fragmentation in the healthcare industry's supply chain inhibits the ability to evaluate clinical efficacy of purchased supplies, as well as identify opportunities to improve efficiency.