Jepang Setuju Tembak Jatuh Roket Korut

Tokyo - Para pemimpin Jepang Jumat memberi izin bagi penembakan jatuh roket Korea Utara atau serpihan-serpihannya jika obyek itu mengancam menghantam negaranya, kata Menteri Pertahanan Yasukazu Hamada.

"Saya keluarkan keperluan perintah untuk itu setelah dewan keamanan pada pagi ini memutuskan akan mengeluarkan perintah penghancuran obyek tersebut," katanya setelah bertemu dengan Perdana Menteri Taro Aso dan menteri-menteri penting kabinet lainnya.

"Kami akan melakukan yang terbaik untuk menangani obyek yang terbang dari Korea Utara dalam rangka menjamin keamanan dan keselamatan rakyat Jepang.

"Kementerian pertahanan diperkirakan akan mengirimkan dua kapal perusak berperalatan Aegis di Laut Jepang (Laut Timur) dan pencegat Patriot di prefektur Akita utara dan Iwate, meskipun Hamada belum mengumumkan kepastian rencana tersebut.

Rezim Pyongyang mengatakan, bahwa pihaknya akan meluncurkan satu satelit komunikasi di atas wilayah Jepang pada awal April, namun Amerika Serikat dan negara-negara sekutunya di Asia mencurigai bahwa peluncuran itu adalah uji coba rudal balistik.

Tokyo, yang juga mengembangkan sistem pertahanan rudal dengan AS dalam beberapa tahun belakangan ini, sebelumnya telah memperingatkan bahwa pihaknya akan berusaha untuk menembak jatuh rudal atau serpihan-serpihan yang mengancam menghantam wilayahnya.

Korea Utara, yang telah mengumumkan bahwa peluncuran itu akan dilakukan 4-8 April, mengatakan bahwa pihaknya akan menganggap pencegat roket itu sebagai tindakan perang.

Perintah demikian adalah pertama kalinya dilakukan Jepang setelah pihaknya mengubah Undang-Undang Pasukan Angkatan Bela Dirinya pada 2005, dan mensahkan kemungkinan melakukan pencegatan-pencegatan rudal balistik.

Ditanya apakah Jepang berkemampuan untuk melakukan pencegatan rudal demikian, Hamada mengatakan: "Kami dengan jelas siap akan melakukan hal itu. Saya tidak khawatir atas apa yang kami bisa lakukan untuk itu.

"Korea Utara telah memperingatkan, bahwa roket pendorong pertama diduga akan jatuh di Laut Jepang di lepas pantai prefektur Akita utara, sedangkan yang kedua akan jatuh di Lautan Pasifik, antara Jepang dan Hawaii.

Jepang telah memperingatkan, bahwa suatu peluncuran yang dilakukan Korea Utara merupakan pelanggaran terhadap resolusi-resolusi PBB, dan menyerukan kembali agar Pyongyang membatalkan melakukan peluncuran, demikian AFP. (ANTARA News)

China Minta AS Tinggalkan Mental Perang Dingin

Beijing - China, Kamis, menyerang laporan Pentagon mengenai meningkatnya kemampuan militer China seraya menyebut kritik Washington atas tidak transparannya China sebagai bukti AS masih bermental Perang Dingin dan membahayakan hubungan kedua negara.

China mengeluhkan laporan tahunan Pentagon yang diterbitkan Rabu karena mengaburkan kebenaran dan meningkatkan usikan dalam hubungan antara kedua negara, demikian juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri Qin Gang dalam sebuah sesi konferensi pers.

"Kami sarankan Amerika Serikat menghormati fakta fundamental, mencampakan pikiran dan prasangka Perang Dingin, menghentikan menerbitkan laporan mengenai militer China dan berhenti menyampaikan tuduhan tak berdasar terhadap China, untuk mencegah lebih rusaknya hubungan diahtara kedua negara dan kedua angkatan bersenjata," kata Qin.

Laporan Pentagon pertama di era pemerintahan Obama ini muncul dalam minggu-minggu setelah kapal sipil China berhadapan dengan kapal perang AL AS di Laut Cina Selatan dalam satu konfrontasi yang meningkatkan ketegangan perihal aktivitas militer China dekat batas-batas pantainya.

Dalam laporan itu, Pentagon menyebut China bertambah maju dalam menutup akses pihak luar ke wilayah-wilayah lepas pantainya dan telah meningkat kemampuan nuklir, ruang angkasa dan perang elektroniknya.

Laporan itu juga memperingkatkan bahwa kegagalan Beijing untuk berlaku transparan dalam soal kemajuan sangat cepatnya dalam kemampuan militer, telah menciptakan ketidakmenentuan dan meningkatkan risiko keamanan.Adidaya Asia bisa saja menutupi keprihatinannya dengan meningkatkan transparansi melalui pembicaraan antar militer dengan Amerika Serikat dan dengan menerbitkan laporan dan dokumen pertahanan yang lebih baik, kata seorang pejabat Pentagon.

China menyatakan pihaknya hanya berupaya menciptakan perdamaian dan pertahanan serta menuduh negara lain telah membesar-besarkan ancaman China demi tujuan politiknya sendiri."China secara konsisten ambil bagian dalam penciptaan perdamaian dan menjalankan kebijakan pertahanan nasional yang defensif untuk memelihara perdamaian dan stabilitas dunia," kata Qin.

Laporan Pentagon itu juga menyatakan China telah membangun arsenal rudal jarak dekatnya yang diarahkan Taiwan, meskipun hubungan dengan negara pulau yang dianggap Beijing sebagai provinsi pembangkan itu tengah membaik.

Juru bicara Kementerian Pertahanan Taiwan Martin Yu menyatakan Taipe berharap, seperti halnya Washington, kejelasan dari rencana-rencana pertahanan tetangganya yang berkemampuan miiter sangat kuat itu.

"Secara mendasar kami berharap China bisa mempertahankan pandangan yang transparan dan bersikap positif dalam soal keamanan...Kepercayaan militer adalah sesuatu yang kami pikir memerlukan waktu lagi untuk membahasnya," kata Martin. (ANTARA News/Reuters)

Raja Saudi Serukan Persatuan Arab

Riyadh - Raja Saudi Abdullah menyerukan persatuan Arab dan Palestina di hadapan "agresi" Israel ketika ia membuka sidang Dewan Shura (konsultatif) baru kerajaan itu Selasa, seperti diberitakan AFP.

Berbicara satu pekan sebelum pertemuan puncak Liga Arab di Qatar, Abdulah mengatakan pada badan yang memiliki 150 anggota yang ditunjuk itu bahwa perbedaan di antara negara-negara Arab dan Islam telah dieksploitasi oleh Israel dan menyumbang pada "cuaca gelap" di kawasan itu.

Namun ia menambahkan bahwa perselisihan yang mendalam di antara kelompok-kelompok Palestina yang bahkan lebih serius ketimbang kebijakan Israel sebagai tantangan bagi persatuan Arab.

"Tantangan yang dihadapi negara anda, pada tingkat domestik dan tingkat negara-negara Arab dan Islam...minta sebanyak dua kali tanggungjawab dalam menghadapi tantangan karena tantangan itu muncul satu setelah yang lainnya, termasuk agresi Israel yang membuat kerusakan di tanah tersebut (Gaza)," katanya.

Kekhawatiran khususnya adalah "perselisihan Palestina di antara saudara-saudara yang lebih serius dalam membahayakan urusan kita saja ketimbang agresi Israel", kata raja, juga menunjuk pada "perbedaan Arab dan Islam yang menggetarkan musuh dan menyakiti teman".

Agresi 22 hari Israel yang mematikan terhadap Jalur Gaza pada peralihan tahun telah memperdalam perselisihan antara penguasa wilayah itu Hamas dan presiden Palestina Mahmud Abbas yang didukung-Barat.

Agresi itu juga menciptkan keretakan di dunia Arab antara pemerintah seperti Qatar dan Suriah yang menyuarakan dukungan pada Hamas, dan Arab Saudi serta Mesir yang berpihak dengan tegas pada Abbas.

Arab Saudi sejak itu mendorong keras rekonsiliasi Arab, menjadi tuan rumah bagi para pemimpin Suriah, Mesir dan Kuwait untuk pertemuan puncak-mini 11 Maret dalam upaya untuk menyelesaikan perbedaan sebelum pertemuan puncak Arab yang ditetapkan pada 29 dan 30 Maret.

Kerajaan itu juga telah minta berulang kali pada gerakan Islam Hamas untuk memperbaiki hubungan dengan pemimpin Palestina. (ANTARA News)

Obama: Cukup Satu Kali Masa Jabatan, Asal Berprestasi

Costa Mesa, California - Presiden AS Barack Obama, Rabu, mengatakan bahwa dia lebih memilih empat tahun (satu masa jabatan) memerintah dengan kinerja bagus ketimbang delapan tahun (dua kali masa jabatan) dengan prestasi medioker (biasa saja).

Obama mengutarakan hal ini untuk mengindikasikan dia hanya memicingkan mata (tidak terlalu berambisi) mengikuti pemilu 2012.Ironisnya, Obama dihadapkan pada pertanyaan mengenai rencananya untuk mengikuti lagi pemilu mendatang dalam satu peristiwa bergaya kampanye di California dimana saat itu dia menekan Kongres untuk meluluskan usulan RAPBN dari pemerintah."Saya kini sudah bekerja dua bulan, hal terakhir yang saya pikiran adalah dipilih kembali," kata Obama kepada rapat kerja dewan kota yang dihadiri 1.300 orang.

"Jika saya bisa berhasil melakukan hal yang saya nilai harus dilakukan dalam empat tahun, sekalipun itu berarti saya presiden untuk empat tahun saja...Saya lebih memilih menjadi presiden (berkinerja) baik dalam menangani masalah-masalah berat selama empat tahun ketimbang presiden (berprestasi) biasa-biasa saja (medioker) yang memerintah selama delapan tahun."Obama menegaskan bahwa para pemilih akan menilainya apakah dia bisa membuktikan janjinya mengatasi perekonomian AS yang lagi tersungkur dan melancaran reformasi yang fundamental untuk mendorong (perbaikan-perbaikan dalam) persoalan-persoalan seperti energi, pendidikan dan pelayanan kesehatan.

"Jika saya tidak mengatasi semua hal itu dalam empat tahun dari sekarang, maka saya kira anda akan bisa menjawab pertanyataan bahwa apakah saya layak dipilih kembali atau tidak," kata Obama.Obama sejak awal telah bertutur lantang dalam satu upaya bergaya kampanye politik demi meluluskan RAPBN raksasa melalui wawancara televisi yang rencananya akan diudarakan dalam program pilihan "Tonight with Jay Leno" dan "60 Minutes" beberapa hari mendatang. Sang presiden juga berencana menyelenggarakan acara jumpa pers yang ditayangkan di jam tayang utama televisi, Selasa (Rabu WIB). (ANTARA News/AFP)

IHSG Dibuka Naik 1,34 Persen

Jakarta ) - Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) menguat pada pembukaan Kamis, didorong membaiknya bursa Wall Street dan regional.IHSG naik 1,34 persen menjadi 1.340,538 poin atau naik 17,701 poin dan indeks LQ naik 4,294 menjadi 262.661 poin. Dirut PT Financorpindo Nusa, Edwin Sinaga di Jakarta, Kamis mengatakan, pasar modal ketika dibuka langsung menguat delapan poin, bahkan dalam 10 menit pertaman indeks kembali naik hingga 17,701 poin.

"Kami optimis indeks pada perdagangan siang nanti akan kembali menguat karena sentimen positif pasar cukup besar," katanya.Ia mengatakan, pembelian saham oleh pelaku pasar, terutama ditujukan pada saham industri otomotif yang naik cukup tajam seperti Astra Internasional dan United Tractor.

Kedua saham masing-masing naik Rp900 menjadi Rp14.300 per saham dan menjadi Rp5.750 dari sebelumnya Rp5.500 per saham. Pelaku pasar juga memburu saham perbankan seperti BCA, Danamon dan BRI, yang naik dalam kisaran Rp50 sampai Rp100 per saham.Selain itu, saham industri telekomunikasi seperti Telkom naik Rp150 menjadi Rp6.650 per saham dan saham Indosat naik Rp50 per saham. Edwin Sinaga mengatakan, pasar cukup ramai karena pelaku aktif membeli saham unggulan.

Pembelian saham oleh pelaku pasar itu terjadi setelah The Fed menyatakan akan membeli surat utang pemerintah AS senilai 300 miliar dolar AS, katanya. Pembelian surat utang negara itu akan melonggarkan likuiditas ketat pasar AS karena pasar akan kebanjiran dolar AS. (ANTARA News)

Ibu Menyusui Jarang Terkena Kanker Payudara

Bandung ) - Selain baik bagi kecerdasan otak anak, menyusui juga dapat mengurangi risiko terkena kanker payudara bagi sang ibu, kata dr Dradjat R Suardi, spesialis kanker payudara."Ibu menyusui dapat mengurangi risiko tekena kanker payudara sebesar 10-15 persen," katanya pada peresmian Yayasan Kanker Payudara Jawa Barat di Bandung, Rabu."Pupuk" kanker adalah hormon estrogen dalam tubuh.

Ketika masa hamil dan menyusui, muncul hormon progesterone. Hormon ini kemudian meningkat dan melakukan proteksi, sehingga hormon estrogen tidak lagi dominan,katanya.Ia menjelaskan, jika sang ibu menyusui setelah melahirkan, maka terdapat jangka waktu 27 bulan bagi sang ibu dimana hormon estrogen tidak dominan dalam tubuh. Dikatakannya, bahwa dalam jangka waktu tersebut, risiko ibu terkena kanker payudara berkurang.

Meskipun pupuk kanker berasal dari hormon estrogen, tidak berarti kaum pria terhindar dari risiko kanker payudara. Dalam tubuh pria juga terdapat hormon estrogen meskipun kadarnya tak sebanyak yang terkandung dalam tubuh wanita."Laki-laki itu juga punya kelenjar payudara, hanya saja tidak berkembang seperti perempuan," katanya lagi.Risiko pria terkena kanker payudara adalah sebesar 1 persen.

Gejala-gejala yang timbul pada pria yang terkena kanker ini serupa dengan wanita, seperti munculnya benjolan di payudara dan keluar cairan dari puting. Umumnya gejala kanker payudara pada pria lebih mudah dikenali dibandingkan dengan wanita."Kalau ada benjolan pada payudara lelaki akan lebih muddah terlihat, karena payudara mereka tidak berkembang seperti perempuan," tambahnya.(ANTARA News)

How To Write A Successful Business Plan

Whether you are planning to start a brand-new business, expand an existing company, or get financing for a business venture, you will need to write a business plan. A business plan not only lends your business a sense of credibility, but also helps you to cover all your bases, increasing your chances of success.

Although writing a business plan can be a lengthy, intimidating project, it is not necessarily difficult. Here is an overview of how to write a successful business plan.

What to Include in Your Business Plan

Your business plan needs to demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of running your business. To that end, the standard business plan has nine major sections, covering everything from your business’s mission statement to a detailed financial analysis.

Executive Summary

The first – and most important – section of your business plan is the executive summary. This section is so important that it should literally be the first thing the reader sees – even before the table of contents! However, it should also be written last, as you’ll have a better understanding of the overall message of your business plan after you’ve researched and written the other sections.

One of the most important parts of the executive summary is the mission statement. The mission statement is only three or four sentences long, but it should pack the most punch out of everything else in your business plan: Those four sentences are responsible for not only defining your business, but also capturing the interest of your reader.

The rest of your executive summary should fill in the important details that the mission statement glosses over. For instance, your executive summary should include a short history of the business, including founder profiles and start date; a current snapshot, listing locations, numbers of employees, and products or services offered; and a summary of future plans and goals.

This section is a candidate for a bulleted format, which allows you to list main points in a manner that is easy to scan. Avoid using too much detail – remember, this section is a summary. A page or two is usually sufficient for an executive summary.

Market Analysis

The next section of your business plan focuses on market analysis. In order to show that your business has a reasonable chance for success, you will need to thoroughly research the industry and the market you intend to sell to. No bank or investor is going to back a doomed venture, so this section is sure to fall under especially close scrutiny if you are looking for financing.

Your market analysis should describe your industry, including the size, growth rate, and trends that could affect the industry. This section should also describe your target market – that is, the type or group of customers that your company intends to serve. The description of your target market should include detail such as:

• Distinguishing characteristics
• The needs your company or product line will meet
• What media and/or marketing methods you’ll use to reach them
• What percentage of your target market you expect to be able to wrest away from your competitors

In addition, your market analysis should include the results of any market tests you have done, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Company Description

After your market analysis, your business plan will need to include a description of your company. This section should describe:

• The nature of your business
• The needs of the market
• How your business will meet these needs
• Your target market, including specific individuals and/or organizations
• The factors that set you apart from your competition and make you likely to succeed

Although some of these things overlap with the previous section, they are still necessary parts of your company description. Each section of your business plan should have the ability to stand on its own if need be. In other words, the company description should thoroughly describe your company, even if certain aspects are covered in other sections.

Organization and Management

Once you have described the nature and purpose of your company, you will need to explain your staff setup. This section should include:

• The division of labor – how company processes are divided among the staff
• The management hierarchy
• Profiles of the company’s owner(s), management personnel, and the Board of Directors
• Employee incentives, such as salary, benefits packages, and bonuses

This goal of this section is to demonstrate not only good organization within the company, but also the ability to create loyalty in your employees. Long-term employees minimize human resource costs and increase a business’s chances for success, so banks and investors will want to see that you have an effective system in place for maintaining your staff.

Marketing and Sales Management

The purpose of the marketing and sales section of your business plan is to outline your strategies for marketing your products or services. This section also plans for company growth by describing how the growth could take place.

The section should describe your company’s:

• Marketing methods
• Distributions methods
• Type of sales force
• Sales activities
• Growth strategies

Product or Services

Following the marketing section of your business plan, you will need a section focusing on the product or services your business offers. This is more than a simple description of your product or services, though. You will also need to include:

• The specific benefits your product or service offers customers
• The specific needs of the market, and how your product will meet them
• The advantages your product has over your competitors
• Any copyright, trade secret, or patent information pertaining to your product
• Where any new products or services are in the research and development process
• Current industry research that you could use in the development of products and services

Funding Request

Only once you have described your business from head to toe are you ready to detail your funding needs. This section should include everything a bank or investor needs in order to understand what type of funding you want:

• How much money you need now
• How much money you think you will need over the next five years
• How the money you borrow will be used
• How long you will need funding
• What type of funding you want (i.e. loans, investors, etc.)
• Any other terms you want the funding arrangement to include

Financials

The financials section in your business plan supports your request for outside funding. This section provides an analysis of your company’s prospective financial success. The section also details your company’s financial track record for the past three to five years, unless you are seeking financing for a startup business.

The financials section should include:

• Company income statements for prior years
• Balance sheets for prior years
• Cash flow statements for prior years
• Forecasted company income statements
• Forecasted balance sheets
• Forecasted cash flow statements
• Projections for the next five years – every month or quarter for the first year, with longer intervals for the remaining years
• Collateral you can use to secure a loan

The financials section is a great place to include visuals such as graphs, particularly if you predict a positive trend in your projected financials. A graph allows the reader to quickly take in this information, and may do a better job of encouraging a bank or investor to finance your business. However, be sure that the amount of financing you are requesting is in keeping with your projected financials – no matter how impressive your projections are, if you are asking for more money than is warranted, no bank or investor will give it to you.

Appendices

The appendix is the final section in your business plan. Essentially, this is where you put all of the information that doesn’t fit in the other eight sections, but that someone – particularly a bank or investor – might need to see.

For instance, the market analysis section of your business plan may list the results of market studies you have done as part of your market research. Rather than listing the details of the studies in that section, where they will appear cumbersome and detract from the flow of your business plan, you can provide this information in an appendix.

Other information that should be relegated to an appendix includes:

• Credit histories for both you and your business
• Letters of reference
• References that have bearing on your company and your product or service, such as magazines or books on the topic
• Company licenses and patents
• Copies of contracts, leases, and other legal documents
• Resumes of your top managers
• Names of business consultants, such as your accountant and attorney

Writing a Successful Business Plan

Despite the quantity of information contained in your business plan, it should be laid out in a format that is easy to read. Just like with any piece of business writing, it is important to craft your business plan with your intended audience in mind – and the bankers, investors, and other busy professionals who will read your business plan almost certainly won’t have time to read a tedious document with long-winded paragraphs and large blocks of text.

Business plans for startup companies and company expansions are typically between twenty to forty pages long, but formatting actually accounts for a lot of this length. A strong business plan uses bullet points throughout to break up long sections and highlight its main points. Visuals such as tables and charts are also used to quickly relay specific information, such as trends in sales and other financial information. These techniques ensure that the reader can skim the business plan quickly and efficiently.

Think of your audience as only having fifteen minutes to spend on each business plan that comes across their desks. In that fifteen minutes, you not only have to relay your most important points, but also convince the reader that your business venture merits a financial investment. Your best bet is a well-researched business plan, with an organized, easy-to-read format and clear, confident prose. (by: Jason Kay)

How to Successfully Navigate Your Business through an Economic Downturn

An economic downturn is a phase of the business cycle in which the economy as a whole is in decline.This phase basically marks the end of the period of growth in the business cycle. Economic downturns are characterized by decreased levels of consumer purchases (especially of durable goods) and, subsequently, reduced levels of production by businesses.

While economic downturns are admittedly difficult, and are formidable obstacles to small businesses that are trying to survive and grow, an economic downturn can open up opportunities. A well-managed company can realize the opportunity to gain market share by taking customers away from their competitors. Resourceful entrepreneurs capture the available opportunities, from an economic downturn, by developing alternate methods of doing business that were never implemented during a prior growth period.

The challenge of successfully navigating your business through an economic downturn lies in the realignment of your business with current economic realities. Specifically, you, as the business owner, need to renew a focus on your core clients/customers, reduce your operating expenses, conserve cash, and manage more proactively, rather than reactively, is paramount.

Here are best practices that will help you to successfully navigate your business through an economic downturn:

Goals:

The primary goal of any business owner is to survive the current economic downturn and to develop a leaner, more cost-effective and more efficient operation. The secondary goal is to grow the business even during this current economic downturn.

Objectives:

• Conserve cash.

• Protect assets.

• Reduce costs.

• Improve efficiencies.

• Grow customer base.

Required Action:

• Do not panic… History shows that economic downturns do not last forever. Remain calm and act in a rational manner as you refocus your attention on resizing your company to the current economic conditions.

• Focus on what YOU can control… Don’t let the media's rhetoric concerning recessions and economic slowdown deter you from achieving business success. It´s a trap! Why? Because the condition of the economy is beyond your control. Surviving economic downturns requires a focus on what you can control, i.e. your relevant business activities.

• Communicate, communicate, and communicate! Beware of the pitfall of trying to do too much on your own. It is a difficult task indeed to survive and to grow your business solely with your own efforts. Solicit ideas and seek the help of other people (your employees, suppliers, lenders, customers, and advisors). Communicate honestly and consistently. Effective two-way communication is the key.

• Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate! The value of a strong negotiation skill set cannot be overstated. Negotiating better deals and contracts is an absolute must for realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions. The key to success is not only knowing how to develop a win-win approach in negotiations with all parties, but also keeping in mind the fact that you want a favorable outcome for yourself too.

Recommended Best Practice Activities:

The Nuts and Bolts… The following list of recommended best practice activities is critical for your business' survival and for its growth during an economic downturn. The actual financial health of your particular business, at the outset of the economic downturn, will dictate the priority and urgency of the implementation of the following best practice activities.

1. Diligently monitor your cash flow: Forecast your cash flow monthly to ensure that expenses and planned expenditures are in line with accounts receivable. Include cash flow statements into your monthly financial reporting. Project cash requirements three-to- six months in advance. The key is to know how to monitor, protect, control, and put cash to work.

2. Carefully convert your inventories: Convert excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory items into cash. Consider returning excess and slow-moving items back to the suppliers. Close-out or inventory reduction sales work well to resize your inventory. Also, consider narrowing your product offerings. Well-timed order placement helps to reduce excess inventory levels and occasional material shortages. The key is to reduce the amount of your inventory without losing sales.

3. Timely collection of your accounts receivable: This asset should be converted to cash as quickly as possible. Offer prompt payment discounts to encourage timely payments. Make changes in the terms of sale for slow paying customers (i.e. changing net 30 day terms to COD). Invoicing is an important part of your cash flow management. The first rule of invoicing is to do it as soon as possible after products are shipped and/or after services are delivered. Place an emphasis on reducing billing errors. Most customers delay payments because an invoice had errors, and therefore, will not pay until they receive a corrected copy. Email or fax your invoices to save on mailing time. Post the payments that you have received and make deposits more frequently. The key is to develop an efficient collection system that generates timely payments and one that gives you advance warning of problems.

4. Re-focus your attention on your existing clients/customers: Make customer satisfaction your priority. A regular review of your customers' buying history and frequency of purchases can reveal some interesting facts about your customers' buying habits. Consider signing long-term contracts with your core clients/customers which will add to your security. Offer a discount for upfront cash payments. The key is to do what it takes to keep your current customers loyal.

5. Re-negotiate with your suppliers, lenders, and landlord:

i) Suppliers: Always keep your negotiations on the level of need, saying that your company has reviewed its cost structure and has determined that it needs to lower supplier costs. . Tell the supplier that you value the relationship you have developed, but that you need to receive a cost reduction immediately. Ask your supplier for a lower material price, a longer payment cycle, and the elimination of finance charges. Also, see if you can buy material from them on a consignment basis. In return for their price concessions, be willing to agree to a long-term contract. Explore the idea of bartering as a form of payment.

ii) Lenders: Everything in business finance is negotiable and your relationship with a bank is no exception. The first step to successful renegotiations is to convince your lenders that you can ultimately pay off the renegotiated loan. You must point out to your lenders why it would be in their best interest to agree to a new arrangement. Showing them your business plan and your action plan that includes your cost-savings initiatives, along with "the how" and "the when" of the implementation of your plan is the best way to achieve this goal. Explain to them that you will need their cooperation to insure that you can survive, as well as, grow your business during the economic downturn. Negotiated items include: the rate of interest, the required security to cover the loan, and the beginning date for repayment. A beginning date for repayment could be immediate, within several months or as long as a year. The key is to realize that your lender will work with you, but that frequent and continual communications with them is critical.

iii) Landlord: Meet with your landlord. Explain your need to have them extend the term of your lease at a reduced cost. Make sure you have a clause in the lease agreement that entitles you to have the right to sublet any or all of the leased space.

6. Re-evaluate your staffing requirements: This is a very critical area. Salaries/wages are a major expense of doing business. Therefore, any reduction in the hours worked through work schedule changes, short-term layoffs or permanent layoffs has an immediate cost saving benefit. Most companies ramped up hiring new employees in the good times, only to find that they are currently overstaffed due to slow sales during the economic downturn. In terms of down-sizing your staff, be very careful not to reduce your staff to a level that forces you to skimp on customer service and quality. Consider the use of part-timers or the current trend of outsourcing certain functions to independent contractors.

7. Shop for better insurances rates: Get quotations from other insurance agents for comparable coverage to determine whether or not your present insurance carrier is competitive. Also, consider revising your coverage to reduce premium costs. The key is to have the right balance-to be adequately insured, but not under or over insured.

8. Re-evaluate your advertising: Contrary to the other cost-cutting initiatives, evaluate the possibility of increasing your advertising expenditures. This tactic realizes the advantage of the reduced "noise" and congestion (fewer advertisers) in the marketplace. The downturn period a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and create additional demand for your product/service offerings.

9. Seek the help of outside advisors: The use of an advisory board comprised of your CPA, attorney, and business consultant offers you objectivity and provides you with professional advice and guidance. Their collective experience in working with similar situations in past economic downturns is invaluable.

10. Review your other expenses: Target an across-the-board cost-cutting initiative of 10-15%. Attempt to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Tightening your belt in order to weather the downturn makes practical, financial sense.

Proactively managing your business through an economic downturn is an enormous challenge and is critical for your survival. However, through well-planned initiatives, an economic downturn can create tremendous opportunity for your company to gain greater market share. In order to take advantage of this growth opportunity, you must act quickly to implement the above best business practices to continue realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions.

Copyright © 2008 Terry H. Hill

You may reprint this article free of charge in your newsletter, magazine, or on your website, provided that the article is unedited, and that the copyright, author's bio, and contact information below appears with each article. Articles appearing on the web must provide a hyperlink to the author's web site, http://www.legacyai.com

Terry H. Hill is the founder and managing partner of Legacy Associates, Inc, a business consulting and advisory services firm. A veteran chief executive, Terry works directly with business owners of privately held companies on the issues and challenges that they face in each stage of their business life cycle. To find out how he can help you take your business to the next level, visit his site at http://www.legacyai.com To download a copy of this article, click on this link: http://www.legacyai.com/Article_Downturn.html. (by: Terry H Hill )

Bakrie Gandeng Malaysia Ekspor Versaboard ke Timteng

Jakarta - PT Bakrie Building Industries, salah satu unit kelompk usaha Bakrie menggandeng Tech Air Corporation sebuah perusahaan Malaysia bidang konstruksi untuk mengekspor versaboard ke Timur Tengah.

"Karena jumlah dan nilainya yang sangat signifikan, ini sekaligus menandakan dimulainya babak baru bagi PT Bakrie Building Industries," kata Komisaris Utama PT Bakrie Building Industries, Bobby Gafur Umar, di Jakarta, Selasa.

Ia mengatakan, pihaknya sebagai perusahaan yang memproduksi berbagai jenis bahan bangunan sejak 30 tahun silam segera melanjutkan rencana ekspornya.

Bersama Tech Air Corporation Malaysia yang juga merupakan perusahaan di bidang konstruksi dan distribusi bahan-bahan bangunan pihaknya akan menyepakati kontrak ekspor selama dua tahun.

"Nilai kontrak sekitar Rp350 miliar dan ekspor akan ditujukan ke beberapa negara di Kawasan Timur Tengah," katanya.Krisis finansial global yang sedang menimpa saat ini justru tidak menjadi halangan bagi PT Bakrie Building Industries untuk menggarap pasar potensial di kawasan Timur Tengah yang dikenal sebagai wilayah petrodolar."Ini juga membuktikan bahwa kelompok usaha Bakrie dapat tetap eksis di tengah krisis," katanya.

Untuk tahap pertama, CEO PT Bakrie Building Industries, Anton Sukartono, mengatakan, pihaknya akan mengekspor versaboard senilai Rp50 miliar ke beberapa negara di kawasan Timur Tengah yakni DUbai, Abu Dhabi, dan sekitarnya.

"Pada tahun kedua nanti ekspornya akan mencapai hampir Rp300 miliar dan akan menembus pasar di negara-negara Qatar, Kuwait, dan beberapa negara lain," katanya.Versaboard merupakan lembaran calsium silikat yang efektif untuk digunakan sebagai plafon dan partisi bangunan.Anton mengatakan, versaboard yang dihasilkan perusahaannya hingga kini merupakan andalan di pasar dalam negeri bahkan dibandingkan pada 2007 pasarnya saat ini telah meningkat 200 persen.Sementara itu, CEO Tech Air Corporation, Ahmad Ghazali, mengatakan, pihaknya yakin kerjasama dengan Bakrie akan mendatangkan keuntungan bagi kedua pihak terutama pemasaran ke Timur Tengah yang prospektif.

"Untuk tahun pertama, kedua, dan seterusnya akan terus meningkat. Kami melihat prospek Bakrie sangat besar dan mampu untuk memasok kebutuhan dan permintaan di wilayah Timur Tengah," katanya.Menteri Perindustrian, Fahmi Idris, mengatakan, Bakrie Building Industries telah mengambil langkah strategis dengan menggandeng Tech Air untuk masuk ke pasar Timur Tengah.

"Ini langkah strategis karena situasinya memang cocok sekali di mana keduanya memasuki pasar dan wilayah baru yaitu Timur Tengah yang tidak terlalu terkena dampak krisis finansial global," katanya.(ANTARA News)

BEI Hentikan Sementara Perdagangan Saham Indy Dan Ptro

Jakarta ) - Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI), Selasa, memutuskan untuk melakukan penghentian sementara (suspensi) perdagangan efek PT Indika Energy Tbk (INDY) dan PT Petrosea Tbk (PTRO) di seluruh pasar mulia sesi I perdagangan 17 Februari 2009 hingga pengumuman lebih lanjut.Menurut Kepala Divisi Perdagangan BEI Umi Kulsum, suspensi tersebut dilakukan untuk mencegah terjadinya perdagangan yang tidak wajar atas efek tersebut dan untuk memperoleh penjelasan informasi, menyusul pemberitaan media masa 17 Februari 2009 mengenai akuisisi PT Petrosea Tbk oleh PT Indika Energy Tbk.

"Saat ini Bursa sedang meminta penjelasan lebih lanjut kepada PT Indika Energy Tbk dan PT Petrosea Tbk," katanya. (ANTARA News)

Security tightened for Hilary Clinton`s visit (English News Service)

Jakarta - National Police (Polri) Chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri has asserted that security would be tightened in accordance of existing procedures during the visit of the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Indonesia."Security measure for Hillary's visit will be made in accordance with existing rules and procedures," the police chief said after a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the presidential office here on Monday.The National Police chief said the number of security personnel to be mobilized during Hillary's visit would be adjusted with her activity in Indonesia.

"Certainly the number of security personnel will be adjusted with Hillary's activity," Bambang Hendarso said.Asked how many foreign security personnel would be involved, the National Police chief said all of them would be from Indonesia.Hillary, the former US presidential candidate from Democrat Party, accepted President Barack Obama,s offer to be the country's secretary of state.

The former first lady of the United States would make her first visit to a number of countries in Asia, including Indonesia, in February this year.Hillary is scheduled to visit Indonesia from February 18-19 after visiting Japan, and from Indonesia she would continue her visit to South Korea and China.While in Indonesia, the US secretary of state would meet her Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirayuda, and to make an honorary call to President Yudhoyono. (ANTARA News)

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Indonesia Heavyequipment Alokasikan Investasi Rp12 Trilun

Jakarta) - Perusahaan yang bergerak dibidang penyewaan peralatan berat (heavy equipment) dan pembuatan tabung gas, PT Indonesia Heavyequipment, telah mengalokasikan dana investasinya senilai Rp12 triliun untuk membantu menaikkan harga saham di Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) yang kini sedang melemah. "Kita ini cukup sedih melihat hampir semua saham yang termasuk saham unggulan harganya berguguran, sehingga perusahaan pribumi seperti ini, ikut terpanggil untuk memulihkan kembali pasar saham ke arah yang normal," kata Komisaris Utama PT Indonesia Heavyequipment, Edy Joenardi di Jakarta, Kamis. Saham dibidang tambang, seperti, Bumi Resources, Antam, Timah dan Gas, punya peluang besar untuk naik karena terkait dengan jumlah produksi yang tidak sebanding dengan permintaan. Permintaan dan peluang pasar di dalam negeri dan ekspor cukup tinggi, sedang jumlah kapasitas produksi terbatas. Kebutuhan akan minyak mentah dan di dalam negeri ke depan cukup besar. Demikian juga peluang ekspor juga masih terbuka lebar, karena tidak mungkin pembangunan industri akan terhenti. Oleh karena itu, kata Edy, pihaknya pada tahun anggaran perusahaan 2009 telah mengalokasikan sedikitnya Rp6 triliun untuk investasi dibidang saham dan obligasi sedang sisanya akan diarahkan ke sektor riil. "Keterkaitan harga saham dan pertumbuhan di sektor riil cukup dekat. Karena itu pihaknya dalam melakukan investasi portofolio telah membagi dua sektor, yakni saham dan sektor riil," katanya. Edy Joenaidi yang didampingi Direktur I-Capital Internationl, Lucky Bayu Purnomo terheran, mengapa bursa efek Indonesia, selalu tergantung kepada investor asing dan pergerakan bursa di luar negeri.Harga saham di BEI, tidak selalu linier dengan kondisi perusahaan lantaran ada istilah "goreng- menggoreng" oleh investor asing dalam usaha mencari keuntungan cepat dan sesaat. "Jika para pengusaha pribumi ini menyadari dan punya rasa nasionalisme yang kuat, mestinya mereka tidak rela jika banyak saham milik Badan Usaha Milik Negara/BUMN dibeli oleh investor asing, termasuk saham bidang tambang," katanya, seraya menambahkan, bangsa Indonesia itu masih mengidap mental minder terhadap pihak asing. Edy yang mengaku sebagai kader Partai Golkar, ingin berbuat nyata, "Beri bukti bukan sekedar janji." Untuk membuktikan ungkapannya itu, PT Indonesia Heavyequipment selain mengalokasikan dananya dibidang saham dan obligasi saat pasar sedang turun, juga mengalokasikan sekitar 25 persen keuntungannya untuk keperluan CSR/corporate social responsibility atau tanggung jawab sosial oleh perusahaan. Meskipun situasi ekonomi tahun 2008 kurang kondusif, pihaknya masih membukukan keuntungan sekitar Rp800 miliar lebih dan dari situ sekitar 25 persen telah dialokasikan ke CSR. (ANTARA News)