Characteristics of Project Financing

Project financing involves non-recourse financing of the development and construction  of a particular project in which the lender looks principally to the revenues expected to  be generated by the project for the repayment of its loan and to the assets of the project  as collateral for its loan rather than to the general credit of the project sponsor. Project financing is commonly used as a financing method in capital-intensive industries  for projects requiring large investments of funds, such as the construction of power  plants, pipelines, transportation systems, mining facilities, industrial facilities, and heavy  manufacturing plants. The sponsors (the sponsor(s) or developer(s) of a project financing is the party that organizes all of the  other parties and typically controls, and makes an equity investment in, the company or  other entity that owns the project)  of such projects frequently are not sufficiently  creditworthy to obtain traditional financing or are unwilling to take Continue reading

Organisation Structure – Meaning and Types

An organisation structure is a set of planned relationships between groups of related functions and between physical factors and personnel required for the performance of the functions. The organisation structure is generally shown on the organisation chart. It shows authority and responsibility between various positions in the enterprises by showing who reports to whom. Organisation structure lays down the pattern of communication and coordination in the enterprises. Though organisation structure is very important, it is not an end in itself. According to Peter F. Drucker, “Organisation is not an end itself, but a means to end of business performances and business results. Organisation structure is an indispensable means; and the wrong structure will seriously impair business performance and may even destroy it. Organisation structure must be designed so as to make possible the attainment of the objectives of the business for five, ten, fifteen years hence.” Process of Organizing Organisation Continue reading

Compliance or Legal Risk in E-Banking

This is the risk to earnings or capital arising from violations of, or nonconformance with, laws, regulations and ethical standards. Compliance risk may lead to diminished reputation, actual monetary losses and reduced business opportunities. Banks need to carefully understand and interpret existing laws as they apply to Internet banking and ensure consistency with other channels such as branch banking. This risk is amplified when the customer, the bank and the transaction are in more than one country. Conflicting laws, tax procedures and reporting requirements across different jurisdictions add to the risk. The need to keep customer data private and seek customers’ consent before sharing the data also adds to compliance risk. Customers are very concerned about the privacy of their data and banks need to be seen as reliable guardians of such data. Finally, the need to consummate transactions immediately (straight-through processing) may lead to banks relaxing traditional controls, which Continue reading

The Literature Review in Research

Once the research problem is identified and its delimitation made, review of literature is carried out. Sometimes literature review helps in problem identification. But this may be referred to as research reconnaissance. Literature  Review means a review or study of literature relevant to the study taken up by the researcher. The literature may be i) research reports, ii) research papers, iii) reference books, iv) periodicals covering issues relevant to the topics of research, v) government policy notes and reports on issues relevant to the topics, vi) relevant statutes, case laws and legal pronouncements, vii) scholarly text books, etc. The literature may be published or unpublished (but must be  authenticated), local, national and global, individual or organizational, periodic or one-time and so on. Read More:  How to Write a Good  Literature Review Objectives of Literature  Review Review of research report is done to know what research works have already been done Continue reading

Keiretsu – The Japanese Business Network System

The cooperation may be witnessed in highly competitive business environment. Tata and Fiat have arrangements in relations to cars. Such cooperation is not necessarily restricted to the organizations producing or dealing in same product or services. They may identify some common interest for cooperation between them. A cold drink manufacture may enter into arrangement with a chain of restaurants to offer its beverages to the clients of restaurants. Lately, various credit card companies are entering into arrangements with other businesses to launch co-branded credit cards. Such arrangements help in reaching greater number of customers. The benefits of cooperation are also seen in Japan, where large cooperative networks of businesses are known as Kieretsus. Keiretsu, also known as Kigyo Shudan, is an umbrella term that describes various highly complex and interdependent relations. These are formed in order to enhance the abilities of individual number businesses to compete in their respective industries. Continue reading

Foreign Currency Accounts

While dealing in any transaction in foreign currency, be it a purchase of commercial documents, retirement of a bill of exchange under a letter of credit or a remittance, a bank must have accounts (normally current accounts) in foreign currencies with its overseas correspondents through which the transactions in relevant — Currencies can be put. The balances of such foreign currency accounts — debit or credit — are taken into overall financial position of the banks involved. These accounts are known as ‘Nostro’ Vostro’ and ‘Loro’ accounts. ‘Nostro’ accounts mean current accounts of banks maintained in the books of their branches or correspondents in foreign centers in terms of the latter’s currency. For example, in order to meet its requirements for transactions in pound sterling, AB Bank, Cochin maintains an account in pound sterling with its correspondent in the UK, say XY Bank, London. Such an account would be designated Continue reading