The economic cycle is changing and companies must take care to workers and be more productive to address the new year. Gabriel Villarrubia, Managing partner of business performance of services KPMGProposes several measures:

1. As a starting point, review and adjust the calendar year. It should prioritize and choose the projects most useful in terms of economic viability, social responsibility position.

2. Focus on what it can do better. Leadership products and services, uniqueness or innovation, good customer management, cost efficiency … must be good at all but to improve competitiveness is need to further strengthen the strengths of the organization.

3. Markedly different from that of everyday innovation: finding new and better ways of working. It is not only to make large investments in R & D, but to think differently and be constantly generating good ideas regarding the management of labor.

4. Restructure and flexible fixed costs. To do this, by introducing Cost reduction programs is key to correctly identify where and how to make a reduction of costs and how they can modify the cost without deterioration of management.

5. Increase asset productivity. Organizations need to optimize their assets and find them the most. To do this we must analyze the situation and eliminate non-performing assets or those which are insufficiently productive.

6. Adopt a conservative attitude on the finances. Avoid aggressive financial management and investments. The market will become volatile and credit, currency markets and the overall economic situation is more expensive.

7. Identify and motivate key managers for the company. Without people, there are companies, and in times of crisis, inescapably identify the key management team has to retain at all costs, encourage him and teamwork. It is a differential value.

8. Extend and expand markets. Although it seems a contradiction, the hard times to help companies find new market segments that would otherwise not seek or are forced to pass once the expansion projects that often postponed. If the target market narrows, we must immediately expand.

9. Build social profitability and sustainability. We must integrate the three pillars of current development organizations: economic growth, social progress and environmental aspects. This should create opportunities for professionals to develop their skills and attitudes of the most effective way possible. A long-term vision is key to achieving this goal.

10. Have a positive thought and think the best is yet to come. Times of crisis generate new opportunities for those who are able to work and better position themselves and for those who are able to anticipate and have acted accordingly.

Prosper in a crisis is difficult but not impossible. Many companies have, as evidenced by success stories in past recessions.

* Kellogs maintained its marketing budget in the Great Depression of the 30s and its main competitor, Post, did not. Kellogg’s came to dominate the market for 50 years.
* Barclaycard doubled its advertising spending in the recession of the early ’90s, while his competitor’s 50% cut. Barclaycard tripled its brand awareness while Access fell by half.
* Google survived the crash of punto.com in early 2000, and went significantly strengthened through the continuous innovation and a strong investment.

And as also demonstrated in the cases of successful current crisis:

* Hyundai has introduced a new model in the U.S. upper class vehicle in the midst of the crisis. Both prices ($ 13,500) as the Marketing CampaignHave been aggressive ( “Give it back if you lose your job during the next year”). The results were clear:
o Many customers are changing their old BMW, Audi, Lexus or Mercedes for a new Hyundai Genesis
o The market share has risen from 2.1% in 2008 to 3.7% in 2009
o Total sales rose 14% in full crisis (2008 to 2009)

The lesson is clear: use the crisis to:

1. Adapt e innovate
2. Focus on the customer
3. and aggressively promote

Darwin put it well in his theory of evolution: “survival of the fittest not, but the one most adaptable to change.”

How to combine the look to the future with the financial strangulation, reduced income, increased costs and increased delinquencies? Julia Prats, IESE professor makes some interesting comments on the global strategy and management in times of crisis in the journal Insight.

In summary:

* You always have to go look for new opportunities and especially in crisis situations.
* What is working now does not have to keep running longAnd therefore must be brought forward.
* The first thing to do is be clear where we are: Our opportunities, aces, strengths.

Prats details some proven strategies that managers are often applied to identify new opportunities to enable their companies weather the crisis and emerge strengthened. In some ways, are as simple as playing in a Online casinoYou just have to know when you click on the correct keys. How to identify opportunities?

1. Recombined in different ways what we already have: people, product, presentation, etc..
2. Act fast: Analyze and implement new opportunities quickly.
3. Providing new opportunities from the management team, which requires them to work longer hours and out of the comfort zone.
4. Having a positive vision for the future while being realistic about the current situation.