Research | REL

REL provides intelligence and insight on how companies can achieve corporate ambition through the liberation of cash. We are dedicated to providing senior executives with fact-based performance metrics and best practices through proprietary research publications. Executives realize that in a volatile era, there is no substitute for cash. No matter how much revenue you recognize or how many assets you have on your books, the simple and enduring truth is that the only enterprises that survive are those that generate enough cash to keep their operations running.

The Working Capitalist

The Working Capitalist - Autumn 2011 newsletter features research and analysis on new and emerging issues related to working capital management. Download

Discovering the cash tied up in your working capital

Plan and implement steps to release cash from your working capital. Achieve a sustainable and improved working capital management. Download

Winning by the Numbers: Following the right metrics can boost working capital efficiency

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are easy to derive and understand, and they help executives track the health of the entire business. While KPIs can indicate how well a specific area of the business is operating, they do not necessarily explain why the business is succeeding or struggling. Download

Flush with Cash: Putting your cash reserves to work in procure-to-pay

U.S. companies now sit on cash reserves of about $2 trillion. One of the best investment around is using that cash to drive better purchasing and better payment practices through... Download

Five Steps to Improve Cash Flow

Executives realize that in a volatile era, there is no substitute for cash. No matter how much revenue you recognize or how many assets you have on your books, the simple and enduring truth is that the only enterprises that survive are those that generate enough cash to keep their operations running. Download

Top 5 Mistakes When Extending Supplier Payment Terms

In response to the challenging economy, many companies are extending supplier payment terms. However, if done incorrectly, this action can cause more problems than it solves. Learn the top five mistakes that companies tend to make. Download

Using Incentives for Optimization

Inventory reduction initiatives are usually initiated centrally, by the finance, treasury or supply chain department. In order for these initiatives to be effective, those responsible for implementing the directive, such as sales staff, need to be incentivised to improve their inventory management performance. Download

Dynamic Credit Risk Management: Key Enabler of Profitable Sales

The underlying philosophy of the credit department is always to set the right balance between minimizing bad debt losses and enabling profitable sales. A dynamic credit risk management is key to solve this problem. Find out more about dynamic credit risk management, definition, key components, how to implement and manage such program. Download

Buffer and Suffer: Why a good forecast beats safety stock

Ideally, a forecast prepares you to meet customers demand without leaving a lot of extra inventory in the warehouse. However, because most forecasts are not very reliable, you will probably keep some safety stock on the side. Relying on safety stock proves to be an expensive strategy. Download

2011 REL Working Capital Survey

REL's annual Working Capital Survey demonstrates that, all too often, companies ignore working capital management or create short-term and artificial fixes. Download

Optimising Your Inventory Is Science, Not Art

Optimal inventory levels can be determined with a high level of precision by taking a systematic and scientific approach to inventory optimisation. Download

Don't be a SLOB: Slow moving or obsolete

One of the core concepts of effective inventory management is the trade-off between the levers of cash, cost and service. To apply these levers, a good starting point is an analysis of existing inventory levels. Download

From source-to-settle: Freeing cash from accounts payable

Releasing cash from your accounts payable requires more than managing cost savings or completing audit actions. It demands a clear understanding of where the money goes, a holistic review of your entire S2S process, a re-engineering of that process, and finally, the creation of a new set of metrics that ensures the process continues to function at a high level and even improve. Download

Managing cash flow when your raw material supply is seasonal but your sales are not

In a business strongly driven by supply, learn how to be successful in an inventory reduction program without damaging the shareholders' return. Download

Hoarding Cash Yet Leaving Trillions

The REL 1000 cash management surveys found that companies are hoarding tremendous amounts of cash. In 2010, the U.S. 1000 companies had $853 billion, up 6 percent from the previous year and up an eye-opening 74 percent since 2005, while the Europe 1000 companies had €649 billion, up 18 percent from the previous year and 57 percent since 2005. Download

As the Center of World Trade Shifts So Will Working Capital

General wisdom holds that any future growth would occur across a set of emerging economies commonly referred to as the BRICMK markets. To seize this opportunity one needs to understand the impact of expanding in emerging markets on companies net working capital (NWC) performance and how companies are managing processes to adjust this change. Download

Learn about effective working capital and cash management