What is a Peace Dividend? A peace dividend is a concept that long-term economic benefit(s) can be derived from decreasing defense spending and allocating resources elsewhere. In simpler terms, a peace dividend refers to the idea that money spent less on arms and more to fulfill human needs would spur greater long-term economic growth. The…
What are Jobless Claims? Jobless claims, reported weekly by the U.S. Department of Labor, measure the number of people who filed for unemployment benefits. Understanding Jobless Claims There are two types of jobless claims: Initial Claims: The number of people that have filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. Continued Claims: The number of…
What are Economic Sanctions? Economic sanctions, also called restrictive measures, are penalties imposed by one or more countries against another country (or countries), its officials, a group, or individuals. Sanctions are imposed in an effort to create economic pressure, instill regime change, or dissuade certain policies, behavior, or activities. Understanding Economic Sanctions When dealing with…
What is a Supercycle? A supercycle is a prolonged period of strong economic growth, leading to sustained demand for commodities beyond what producers can supply. Supercycles can last years. Understanding a Supercycle There are different types of economic catalysts that can trigger a supercycle, with the key theme behind each catalyst being rapid industrialization and/or…
Bridging the finance industry skills gap There are times when companies try to draw a connection between their product offering and current trends, and it’s a tenuous stretch. For us, this is not one of those times. The growing skill gap among employees and job candidates is real, and the finance industry is not immune….
What is a Letter of Credit? A Letter of Credit (LC) can be thought of as a guarantee that is backstopped by the Financial Institution that issues it. One party is required to guarantee something to another party; typically, it’s payment, but not always – it could also be guaranteeing that some project will be…
What are Leadership Styles? Leadership styles refer to the behavioral approach employed by leaders to influence, motivate, and direct their followers. A leadership style determines how leaders implement plans and strategies to accomplish given objectives while accounting for stakeholder expectations and the wellbeing and soundness of their team. Leadership styles have been studied in various…
What is Trade Finance? Trade Finance is a broad term with many important sub-topics – all revolving around structuring transactions to de-risk as many elements as possible for the parties involved: sellers, buyers, and the finance community. Trade finance risks include (but are not limited to) payment risk, performance risk, and currency risk. Conducting business…
What is Performance Training? Performance training, also known as “Performance Based Learning (PBL)” is a strategy that trains employees to achieve their targeted performance goals and/or objectives. The personalized learning approach highlights the results to be achieved, enhancing and refining performance, and prioritizes practical, “hands-on” training over theory-based methods. In this framework, employees demonstrate the…
What is SWIFT? SWIFT is a vast and secure messaging system that allows banks and other financial institutions from all around the world to send and receive encrypted information, namely cross-border money transfer instructions. Based in Brussels, Belgium, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or SWIFT for short, was founded in 1973 by 239…
