A credit line is a ready source of financing, made available by a bank, that allows you to draw funds up to the limit of your line at any time and in an instant. The line is typically available for your use for a year, after which you can then apply for a renewal.
So what […]

If you believe that the customer should always come first, you may want to think again.
Which is more important: the Customer or the Organization?
If you ask this to the typical MBA-graduate manager, the answer would most likely be “The Customer.” It sounds like a right answer. After all, isn’t the corporate mantra typically “the customer […]

Hello! If you are here because you have just participated in our SME Insight and Intel MBA Roadshow 2007 event, welcome to you!
Head on to the Downloads section in order to download copies of the presentations. And do browse down to read our blog, where you may be able to pick up some additional insights!
And […]

Sometimes, admitting to your biggest weaknesses can be a source of strength.
Classic example: Avis, the number two car-rental firm in the US, saying “We’re number two, so we try harder.” This became a strong selling point for Avis because it gave credibility to their claim of having better service.
And then there’s the classic Volkswagen ads […]

What’s the difference between research and intelligence?
Technically, market intelligence is still part of the domain of market research. But there’s a very important distinction between the two.
Market research is scientific and purposive. It seeks to discover something about the market, and the researcher then devices scientific ways to arrive at this information. You know what […]

Most Philippine companies treat salaries as confidential pieces of information. And there’s good reason for this: for one thing, other companies will have a harder time pirating your people if they don’t know what their going rates are.
But it’s also possible that you’re keeping employee salaries confidential because some employees get “special treatment” over others… […]

A decade or so ago, a new local foods company began a big advertising campaign, promising that “Coming soon, a whole new range of products” would be seen in the grocery shelves. They wanted to be everywhere, selling all things from catsup and condiments to canned fruits and packaged foods.
And then silence. Nothing came out […]

Here’s a strange proposition: you can find out what the state of the economy is by checking on the sales of branded hotdogs.
Reason? When the economy goes down, certain foods that are at the border of being staples and being indulgences will tend to be sacrificed. Among these are branded hotdogs.
And when the economy picks […]

Could it ever be wrong to offer too much quality to your market?
It is. So if you’re a perfectionist and you insist on offering nothing but the best to your customers all the time, read on.
First of all, we’re not saying that you shouldn’t offer quality products and services! Far from it! In fact, kudos […]

In our January/February issue, we talked about creativity as a strategy. This becomes a particularly essential tool if you happen to be in the manufacturing sector.
Let’s face it, almost all manufacturing is now being done in China (and soon, Vietnam) because of their cost and logistical advantages. China is aggressively attracting producers from all over […]