THE BUSINESS SCENARIO

The current business environment is particularly complex and changes constantly. Companies face numerous and varied obstacles and challenges that do however have one common denominator: the urgent need for a thorough adaptation to the new conditions imposed by the economic situation. In the context of this transformation there are three significant trends to be found among the many often-contradictory signals in this environment: The globalization of markets and its allies, trade and financial liberalization, are a widespread and irreversible phenomena, although their mechanisms and effects have not yet been sufficiently analyzed.

So that it is now necessary for businesses to consider into their decision-making processes an increased exposure to external competition, on the local market and in potential foreign markets; at the same time there is a wider choice of instruments for the design of commercial and business strategies. Stability, regardless of circumstantial economic or political events experienced by countries and regions, is now an accepted reality and is regarded politically as a value that is highly prized by the community. At the same time its presence implies that companies must develop a highly specialized financial and administrative management to be able to reach efficiency levels compatible with the new competitive standards on international markets.

Finally, growth, in addition to being an urgent social need, has become an objective promoted by governments and given priority by companies as an instrument to support their competitiveness. In this new scenario business actions must increasingly respond to a criteria of excellence in handling the dynamics for the operation in international markets: covering from the availability of relevant information for timely decision-making, to the measured and reasoned analysis of events to order, process and display data of technical
high quality.

In effect, the threats and opportunities faced by business on the new international scene cannot be observed from a distance, passively and with indifference. They must be technically monitored, analyzed and processed with appropriate decision-making criteria and projected to anticipate principal trends.