Business-to-business credit is an industry rooted in tradition, with established practices and principles passed down and shaped by generations of professionals. But today’s credit professionals are confronting challenges vastly different from those their predecessors faced, changing not only how they work but how they think about the future of credit.

Turkey’s inflation forecasts rise as the economy continues to face headwinds from an ongoing war in Iran and slowing domestic spending. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) raised its 2026 and 2027 inflation forecasts while cutting economic growth projections.

For recipient of the Certified International Credit Professional (CICP), Misty Menashe, CBA, CICP, credit and collections supervisor at LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. (Portland, OR), taking the International Credit & Risk Management Online Course (ICRM) revealed new facets of trade credit while strengthening her broader knowledge of business credit.

A customer that has paid on time for several years could start falling behind in an instant, as every business fluctuates as it responds to changing economic conditions. This seems to be the case in recent months, as credit managers have noted increases in payment delays and requests for new terms.

Trade finance, in its earliest form, was born out of necessity—a way to keep goods moving when trust between distant merchants was in short supply. What began as a strict economic policy in the 16th century has evolved into a multifaceted discipline that fuels business and economic growth worldwide.

When a customer doesn’t pay, it sends ripples across a company as it stifles cash flow, weighs on its receivables and strains the relationship. It’s hard to decide the right course of action for addressing these customers, but certain cases will have credit managers grasping for a solution that keeps them out of the courtroom. Despite a creditor’s wishes, sometimes there is no other path forward.

A customer’s ability to pay often depends on one or two parties above it, whether that’s the retailer taking most of a distributor’s volume or the lender funding a subcontractor’s project. The credit file covers the customer well, but not those parties, and by the time an upstream problem reaches bureau data, the customer has often been feeling it for months.

Time and time again, Singapore continues to exceed expectations. Powered by a high AI-related chip demand, its economy expanded 5.7% in the second quarter, surpassing a 5.5% target by economists polled by Reuters.

Whatever your role, having a personal assistant can make a big difference in your workday. Entrusting someone to book appointments, run errands or simply give you advice, gives you extra time to focus on the more demanding aspects of your job.