Our perspective on managing the financial crisis

Liberating cash: Reducing working capital levels Well-capitalized companies are positioned not only to survive the financial crisis today, but also to emerge victorious and thrive when skies turn blue again. Establishing and adhering to tight working capital standards enables a firm to continue its operations with sufficient funds to both satisfy maturing short-term debt and meet upcoming operational expenses.

Demystifying supply chain finance Faced with increasing pressure to meet short term liquidity needs, companies are looking inward for ways to release trapped cash from operations. In this paper, PwC explores a type of SCF in which a third party financier provides liquidity to suppliers by leveraging their buyers' higher credit rating.

10Minutes on bolstering corporate liquidity This edition of 10minutes provides PwC's insights on strategies companies can use to meet their short-term liquidity needs, as well as develop a long-term approach to bolstering liquidity -- which will be critical for managing performance in an extended economic downturn. This publication also suggests that a permanent re-pricing of credit risk could mean companies will be operating in a much different business environment.

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TS insights: How the economic slowdown leads to added financial reporting complexities
The global recession has left an indelible mark on the economy through shaken credit markets, volatile debt and equity prices, government bailouts for ailing industries and the revenue and earnings declines reported by a vast array of companies. Early indicators of a potential end to the recession notwithstanding, pundits are predicting a long and painful post-recession recovery to follow. While financial reporting can be complex even in the best of times, many transactions and the attendant reporting issues can be even more daunting during troubled economic times and the recovery period that follows.

Meeting the challenge of the current financial crisis
The world has abruptly changed. The credit crisis in the US has shaken financial markets, undermined consumer and investor confidence, threatening economies around the world. We've identified seven key steps that companies should take today to position themselves to identify and manage risk to survive today and capitalize on market opportunities to gain and sustain competitive advantage over time.

Planning for the unknown
Effectively identifying and managing emerging risks requires a systematic and disciplined approach. In this article, you will read about the five step approach PricewaterhouseCoopers recommends.

Making sourcing decisions in an economic downturn
PricewaterhouseCoopers believes that alternative service delivery models, such as outsourcing and offshoring, provide significant opportunities in difficult economic conditions. We recommend taking additional care to assess and understand the complexities of an increasingly volatile market. Only then can executives make effective decisions that will stand the test of time.