For months now, economic prognosticators have been sending mixed signals on the potential global economic recovery. Recent stock market volatility has only added to this uncertainty. Yet, a new Saugatuck-BusinessWeek study of more than 400 global C-level executives  shows clear signs that most businesses are optimistic about economic growth.
The study, Shifting C-Level Business Priorities as [...]

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Robert Van Brederode of Ryan (a tax strategy firm that is an Ariba partner) shared his insights into the opportunity and risk posed by VAT at Ariba LIVE in Amsterdam. Robert recommends that companies look beyond income tax since there is “too much money involved” in VAT and customs duties to ignore them.

Justin Fogarty is [...]

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As recounted here on Supply Excellence and on Ariba Exchange (as well as on Twitter — #aribalive), this Ariba Live season held a host of insights into how companies big and small and from all corners of the globe are buying better, selling more efficiently, and managing cash more intelligently. Yet, one of the best [...]

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At the recent webinar, Assessing the CFO’s View of Procurement, an audience member asked a question that I’d like to share: What exactly is “spend under management?” Andrew Bartolini, VP and group director of Global Supply Management Research at The Aberdeen Group, answered the question as follows:
It’s an area that I’ve been focused on in [...]

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Cash is king, credit is scarce, and stubborn clouds of uncertainty refuse to dissipate. In this time, maintaining a strong balance sheet and an eye on cash flows is a prerequisite for business leaders seeking to master the twin near-term imperatives of viability and maneuverability.
Scrutiny on money flows outside the four walls of a company, [...]

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