Saturday, January 31, 2009

Customer driven development

During four decades of machine development EMBA has always been faithful to the core design values that have become our trade mark. The quick-set capability and transport of the sheets with vacuum are important factors contributing to improved productivity and operational excellence.Development is also a question about adapting to the continuously changing environment with new challenges to our industry. It is difficult to believe that anybody could anticipate back in 1968 that we would have the oil and energy prices of today that seem to be here to stay. That fact and our increasing awarness of the impact we have on our environment is bringing new challenges to our industry and to our development work. Our customers are asking us to adapt to these circumstances and develop products that minimise the environmental impact and contribute to operational excellence.Our response is the 245 QS Ultima™ that features all the design innovations developed over four decades and complemented now with features contributing to lower energy consumption and paper utilisation. This new inline machine is designed for non-crush converting with vacuum transport of the sheets from the infeed unit all the way to the stacker. The industry norm to calculate with 15% ECT loss during converting is now eliminated. The bottom line will be reduction in paper costs in box converting and optimisation in design of corrugated boxes.When I look back to the achievements over the past 40 years by EMBA I am pleased to recognise that the evolution from the pioneering innovation with the 240 machine to today´s 245 QS Ultima™ is a result of dedicated customer driven development.
Esa Koski

EMBA Upgrade Programme

Machine Technology. Now you can keep using your EMBA for many more years and still benefit from the latest technical developments. Don’t stand behind in inline technology or production data processing – up-date your EMBA now.

Machine Performance. Using the EMBA UPGRADE programme, you can increase your EMBA’s productivity as well and reduce set-up time and win over your competitors.

Product Quality. Your EMBA will be able to comply with the continuously increasing market requirements. Up-scale your print quality, folding accuracy and cut back your tolerances by using the available retrofits for your machine type.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Furthering My Education Online

I was one of those people that always loved being in college; I would never have left if I had had any choice in the matter. But four years after I started I earned my undergraduate degree and it was time, as my parents emphatically reported, that I got a job. So it was that I left school and embarked upon my career which would lead me many states and twenty years away from the earning of my undergraduate degree. I always wanted to further my education – continue with what I started – but every year seemed to propel me mentally further from my goal and with my accumulation of responsibilities the reality of attending school just seemed to become cloudier and cloudier.
Perhaps I was just waiting for a more convenient time - which has apparently arrived with the advent of the Internet through which I can now make strides in continuing my education without having to change my whole life around in the process. What I am specifically looking at right now is the online business degree program through a highly ranked school with a great reputation in education.
Through this program I will complete ten courses in order to earn my online MBA – courses that are completed entirely through Internet learning. So no longer do I have to make the decision between continuing with my full time job and going back to school; with the online business degree program I am able to do both.
And because the school I chose has career services at the disposal of students, I can even explore the possibility of entering a new career field when my schoolwork is completed. The online degree programs available today have really given students the best of all worlds in terms of career and education; something that I am happy to have the opportunity to enjoy.

Finishing My Education with an Online MBA

A long time ago, in a college far, far away I earned my undergraduate degree in business; and feeling inspired by my accomplishment and bolstered by my newly acquired student loan, I immediately headed back to the classroom following graduation to start work on my MBA. This had always been my plan – to complete my degrees back to back before life stepped in and this kind of focused time and energy became less possible to spare. But only six months into my MBA program life stepped in anyway when my father died suddenly. My family was in a cloud of grief for years to come and with so many administrative, financial, legal, and – of course – emotional issues to sort out I was simply not able to continue with school.
Life continued as it somehow manages to do and before long I found myself in a career and soon with a family of my own. Many things had happened over the course of this time but I had never given up the hope of continuing my education and earning an MBA.
One night, while surfing the Internet, I decided to look into area schools that offered an MBA program thinking that if there was a school close enough I could juggle some night classes to get me back on track. But I found something better.
What I found was an online MBA program that would allow me to finish the education I had started but without having to actually attend a physical classroom. There were many online degrees to choose from including an online business degree, a Masters in Education, an online IT degree and even a degree in Nonprofit Management, among many others.
I am happy to say that I am finally going back to school. My online MBA program will deliver me the accomplishment that I have waited so long to achieve.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Financial Difficulties for MBA students as described in The Harbus

As jarring and troubling as the news has been for all of us here at HBS, for international students, the perspective is peppered with shifting expectations, challenged perceptions of America, and personal worries as the tightening of the credit markets leave many students wondering how they'll finance the balance of their education. The unfolding of the current financial crisis has all of us glued to our televisions, blackberries and newspapers as we try to adjust our career choices, goals and lives in general. It seems as if every day there is more news accumulating: another firm down, another horrible day in the market, increasing talk of the global repercussions of America's mistakes.

How our U.S. Financial Crisis is affecting MBA's

When Adrian Chan enrolled in an M.B.A. program at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology last year, he hoped to use the degree to jump industries, from information technology to investment banking.
Mr. Chan, who majored in finance in his M.B.A., pictured himself structuring derivatives or selling equities at a top-tier bank in his hometown of Hong Kong -- and earning a lot more than he did as a software developer in his past jobs at Amazon.com Inc., in Seattle, and Oanda Corp., in Toronto. Mr. Chan, who'll graduate in December into the worst financial-sector meltdown in recent history, is now perusing IT job ads.
"It's a much more competitive job market," he says. "The employers who are hiring want people with experience, and there's lots of experienced people who've lost their jobs and looking for work. For those of us switching careers, it's going to be much harder."

Wall Street Journal releases their 1st ever EMBA Rankings

Executive M.B.A. programs make a big promise: They'll turn up-and-coming managers into full-fledged leaders, showing them how to think strategically, inspire their staff and expand the business.So, which schools do the best job of delivering on that bold talk? That's what we set out to measure in The Wall Street Journal's first survey of executive M.B.A. programs.PODCAST: Hear more about unorthodox teaching tactics used by executive M.B.A. programs, as improvisation guru Bob Kulhan talks with The Journal's Emily Glazer.The Journal ReportSee the complete Executive M.B.A. Rankings report.Working with Management Research Group and Critical Insights, we asked thousands of students and hundreds of companies to rank executive M.B.A. programs in a host of categories, with a focus on how well they develop management and leadership skills. The result is a ranking of 26 schools world-wide that takes into account the rigor needed to build tomorrow's corporate leaders and C-suite executives.Topping the list: Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, which ranked No. 1, and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, which came in No. 2. The two schools have among the largest E.M.B.A. programs, with 406 students currently enrolled in Wharton's two programs and 843 candidates in the seven Kellogg programs, including four international partnerships and a satellite campus in Miami.

Why Obama being President matters

Henry Louis Gates Jr of the Harvard University history department is one of the most articulate and historical thinker of our times. I have always been so impressed by his ability to tactfully articulate the emotional temperature of the African-American struggle in the U.S.. Once again, at a time when my own words cannot convey what I'm feeling today, Prof Gates succeeds. Here's an excerpt...But we have never seen anything like this. Nothing could have prepared any of us for the eruption (and, yes, that is the word) of spontaneous celebration that manifested itself in black homes, gathering places and the streets of our communities when Sen. Barack Obama was declared President-elect Obama. From Harlem to Harvard, from Maine to Hawaii—and even Alaska—from "the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire … [to] Stone Mountain of Georgia," as Dr. King put it, each of us will always remember this moment, as will our children, whom we woke up to watch history being made. My colleagues and I laughed and shouted, whooped and hollered, hugged each other and cried. My father waited 95 years to see this day happen, and when he called as results came in, I silently thanked God for allowing him to live long enough to cast his vote for the first black man to become president. And even he still can't quite believe it!

Interview Lessons and 1st Impression Lessons

As this is not a political Blog, I will refrain from sharing who I voted for. Without question, this is indeed a moving time for our country and global allies. I was certainly moved last night and continue to be throughout this morning.Throughout the last several weeks, I was keenly aware of how Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin represented themselves and held up under numerous interviews. MBA candidates would do well to learn from their mistakes and strengths.
1) As Palin showed us, don't open your mouth about material you have no idea about and don't try to impress your interviewer to make them think you are smarter than you are. In Palin's interview with Couric earlier this year, we see a woman who made herself look like a fool by generalizing material she had reviewed when she really hadn't. She also lost her way several times as she answered some questions. In my opinion, Palin never recovered from this disasterous interview. Don't overlook this point. Palin is an experienced public figure and she clearly walked into an interview thinking she could outwit her interviewer. (Do a search on youtube for Couric and Palin interview and you'll see the disaster I'm referring to.)
2) McCain lambasted Obama over and over again throughout the last few weeks of his campaign. He made up some negative remarks that were highly debatable and to anyone who has a brain... completely wrong. For example, he called some actions by Obama socialist traits. The bailout package that McCain signed off on is clearly a socialist action by the government. The point I'm trying to make here is that one cannot think that saying negative things about another persons actions can be a good thing when one does not know the complete background knowledge of the one interviewing you. You could look really dumb. Always be careful when talking about the actions of someone else.
3) Be an amazing and astute listener. Obama showed himself to anyone who interviewed him to be a very good listener. When asked a question, he answered the question and went on to answer the intent of the question that showed his brilliance and tact. I can't say the same thing about his debating skills as I don't always feel that he answered questions well. But I can say that his personal interviews were models that all MBA candidates would be well advised to follow.
4) Give the interviewer a clear summary of who you are. Both McCain and Obama struggled very hard the entire campaign to help people understand what they are about and how their background shows the kind of person they will be in the future. McCain did this by using the term Maverick and using his war experience. Obama did this by telling you of his community outreach and why he was compeled to do it despite his Harvard background that would have easily led him to elitest. When admission folk refer to you in the future... they will be more compeled to support you if they believe in your compeling story. A story and not a list of your achievements is far more impactful.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

The MBA degree– a passport to an international

One of the international organisations, which has shown a real commitment to the of an MBA is the global healthcare company Bayer, headquartered in Leverkusen. Bayer recruits potential future MBA managers into a professional apprenticeship scheme, which encompasses sponsorship of an MBA at a school in the USA, UK, Spain or Singapore. Susann Blankenhagel from Dresden joined the scheme straight from MBA university and has now been sent by the company to study for an MBA at the Spanish business school, IE-Instituto de Empresa, which is based in Madrid. “One of the main reasons for MBA joining Bayer was because it offered the chance to work overseas,” says Susann, “so it was a real bonus to be able to MBA study for what is now recognised as the top international MBA business qualification.” Excessive, repetitive, or irrelevant key words in the content or code of web pages Deceptive or manipulative content or MBA construction to improve your site's search engine ranking, For more details on these errors and how to resolve them, visit our Site Diagnostics entry. Your web page may MBA contain unfocused content.If your web page contains a large amount of unfocused content -- multiple navigation bars, blog posts which are unrelated to one another, or a large amount of text not relevant to the specific page -- our system may display ads which are more relevant to the MBA extraneous content than to the primary content. In these cases, we recommend using our MBA section targeting feature to help our crawlers determine which content to emphasize or downplay. Your web pages are behind a MBA login. At this time, pages that require a login can not be easily visited by our MBA crawlers. Additionally, since these types of pages are not easily visited for approval and it is difficult for our MBA specialists to verify that pages behind a log in follow policies, we are unable to offer support for these pages. Another MBA German company that has developed a global business is Allianz, which now owns businesses in some 70 countries around the MBA globe. According to Michael Diekmann, Chairman of the Board of Management, Allianz sees MBAs as an important source of international management talent in the same way as Deutsche Post World Net. “In Germany, for example, top MBA graduates with prior work experience may enter the ‘Fast-Track’ MBA Management Development program in insurance, finance or IT”, says Diekmann. “This consists of assignments over three to four years MBA building towards a significant strategic management role. online MBA degree Earning an online MBA degree has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Many business schools have recognized this trend and now offer correspondence programs.The admission process for online MBA programs varies depending upon the business school. Many online programs do not require face-to-face interviews, but other application procedures are similar to traditional MBA programs.An online MBA program has several advantages. It is more flexible because applicants can customize their schedules according to individual time constraints. Online MBA programs offer geographical flexibility, allowing students to attend online classes. An online program will cause little disruption to the applicant? professional life, and is a prudent option for people who wish to enhance their skill set or who require focused training. Seasoned managers often cannot afford the time required by a full-time MBA degree; an online program can offer them exposure to new knowledge and theories without the inconvenience.Online MBA programs offer access to faculty in many different locations. The MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree that is awarded to students who have mastered the study of business. The MBA degree is thought to be one of the most prestigious and sought after degrees in the world. Students of MBA programs study the theory and application of business and management principles. This type of study equips students with knowledge that can be applied to a variety of real world business situations. Why Get an MBA Degree?

Advantages of an Executive Development MBA

The executive development program can be a good option for people wishing to further their existing knowledge and advance the career they have already chosen, including those people who already have an MBA. The executive development program offers advantages like:
Helping to improve or broaden existing skills.
Maintaining professional licensure.
Providing experienced managers with better knowledge or more exposure to the most recent developments in their industry or profession.
Providing additional training on a certain subject, or "refresher" courses for people who may be taking on more responsibilities or a higher position in the workforce.
Students can improve their skill set without undergoing a heavy time commitment.
Open enrollment, rather than formal application and admission is generally the rule.
Students can choose from specific areas that interest them and be taught by industry professionals or school faculty.
Most programs offer significant flexibility in both scheduling and location.
Short class duration equals reduced time commitment.

Use what to develop MBA?

"Case education" is the magic weapon that the MBA opens the mountain first ancestor Harvard college of commerce, "the most flexible and the most practical case teaching" is also usually seen as the only way of[with] MBA education and assessed a college of commerce good and bad of important standard.But opposite in history of west more than 100 years, Chinese market and business enterprises still not mature, the business enterprise contains in fall the rise and fall of business experience return not enough Chinese college of commerce to scoop out.The national industry and business management Master educates instruction committee an inquisition enunciation:The key problem in the Chinese MBA education BE, the case's education is weak;The student operates ability training shortage physically, the teaching high school student participates of the opportunity is little, teacher's strength isn't enough, the teaching escapes from physically.The reporter once went to a college of commerce to have a class, the teacher was surging not the hopeless situation prelect, student's listenning to all of lesson, dialogue and discussions politely isn't a lot of.But educate according to the MBA of west, the teacher seldom adopts the teaching method of this kind of"the full hall infuse", mostly what to adopt is an open classroom, then value very much and the student's exchanges, encourage student's classroom to lift to ask, query or announce commentary.The oral communication which trains a student expresses an ability and generalizes an ability to be put in the very important position.BE exactly come in sight of this, the famous master with foreign of the college of commerce time had allows by developing the MBA for oneself of internationalization;But the some college of commerce then adopts the bilingual teaching of"double yellow egg" type, working hard for grain of breaking through the medium west education.But want to invite famous master, not easy.The expenses is very high, can be treated as thing have a value, but take place dispute because of the salary problem even is a student's strike, also not rare.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

MBA IS WHAT

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration, and is a post graduate degree in business communication MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration, and is a post graduate degree in business communication. It is also one of the most sought after degrees in the world because of its value to people in business and administration. An MBA degree can benefit those in positions in business and management, especially those in executive and managerial positions. An MBA degree from a leading institution in the US has great value throughout the world and thus there are thousands of students from various countries who come to the US for the sole purpose of pursuing an MBA degree even though their own country may offer several MBA programs. Inject Script An MBA Program offers a range of benefits for the successful applicant, including: Business Knowledge: The MBA program and business schools give you valuable knowledge about business and all its related aspects. You learn about business strategies and concepts, not just on paper, but the training and internship required in an MBA course, teaches you how to use these skills in practical life and in day to day business operations. Leadership Abilities: An MBA degree involves rigorous training, assignments, reports, presentations, and group projects, all of which give you the necessary abilities to handle real-life business situations. This helps to set you apart from those who do not have such expertise and can make you a leader in your chosen field. Networking: The alliances that you form with your classmates and the network that you create is deemed as one of the most important and valuable things that an MBA program can give you. MBA graduates have often felt that the associations formed during the MBA course are resources that are invaluable and can be drawn upon for years after the MBA degree has been achieved. Anyone thinking of applying for an MBA program could benefit greatly from learning more about the program beforehand, and finding out what an MBA is all about as well as what MBA institutions are looking for in applicants. This site aims to teach you about various aspects of the MBA program, enabling you to make a more informed choice and to be more prepared for what to expect. What is an MBA An MBA is a post graduate degree in business communication. MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration An MBA is a post graduate degree in business communication. MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration and is a very popular course for business students the world over. The MBA program is recognized worldwide and is considered as a major step towards a successful business management career. An MBA degree is one of the most sought after degrees in the world because of its value to people in business and administration. Irrespective of the industry or profession that you are in, or regardless of the condition of the economy of your country, an MBA degree can benefit those in positions in business and management, especially those in executive and managerial positions. Eligibility for MBA While most schools and educational institutions that offer MBA programs have their respective criteria for getting into an MBA course, the two most significant factors that are common to most schools and MBA courses are: Age and Experience: The average age of students applying for the MBA is about 26-30 years. Most schools require their applicants to have 4-5 years of prior work experience before joining an MBA course. Since experience is usually believed to come with age, those under 25 are generally not accepted for an MBA program as it is assumed that such students do not have the required work experience. GMAT Score: Having a GMAT score in excess of 600 is essential if you wish to get into the A grade MBA schools. Although just a good GMAT score is not a guarantee for admission to an MBA program, it doeGlobal Appeal of MBA An MBA program strives to equip its students with all the necessary knowledge, theoretical as well as practical, which can benefit them tremendously in managerial and administrative jobs. This does not apply only to business, as is usually understood by most people, but can also benefit people to get into executive positions in the public sector and government jobs as well. This gives the MBA degree a global appeal and worldwide recognition. MBA in the United States The MBA program and degree was developed in the United States and was introduced in the early 1900s. Even today, an MBA degree from a leading institution in the US has great value throughout the world and thus there are thousands of students from various countries who come to the US for the sole purpose of pursuing an MBA degree even though their own country may offer several MBA programs. An MBA program in the US typically is of two years duration as it is felt that such time is necessary to learn everything that there is to know about business and administration. But across Europe, where the MBA course was first introduced in the 1960s, the program is usually of 1 year duration and can sometimes be completed in as less as 10 months. Evolution of the MBA Program Since its inception in the early 1900s and especially in the last two decades, the MBA program has evolved tremendously and has witnessed the following trends: Programs of shorter duration as a result of the highly competitive mature of the education industry and also in a bid to make the course less expensive, while at the same time not sacrificing on the quality of the course and the value of the MBA degree. MBA courses had always been full time courses, but in the last few years there has been an introduction of many types of MBA programs based on their structure. So now there are part time MBA courses, modular programs, international programs, distance learning programs, and even online MBA programs. Eligibility for MBA While most schools and educational institutions that offer MBA programs have their respective criteria for getting into an MBA course, the two most significant factors that are common to most schools and MBA courses are: Age and Experience: The average age of students applying for the MBA is about 26-30 years. Most schools require their applicants to have 4-5 years of prior work experience before joining an MBA course. Since experience is usually believed to come with age, those under 25 are generally not accepted for an MBA program as it is assumed that such students do not have the required work experience. GMAT Score: Having a GMAT score in excess of 600 is essential if you wish to get into the A grade MBA schools. Although just a good GMAT score is not a guarantee for admission to an MBA program, it does better your chances tremendously. MBA Career Opportunities Most degrees are obtained with the purpose of advancing your career prospects and job opportunities Most degrees are obtained with the purpose of advancing your career prospects and job opportunities. The same is the case with an MBA degree; the only difference being that an MBA degree is considered as the most valuable post graduate degree in the world and has exciting career opportunities. People take the MBA program in order to further their careers in their current jobs or to get a better job on the basis of their MBA degree. Even within your existing company and in your current job, you can notice the difference in your career prospects pre-MBA and post-MBA. With an MBA degree under their belt, employees have a whole new world opened up to them and are elevated to managerial positions on the strength of the additional abilities and knowledge gained through the MBA program. If you are looking for a change in careers, an MBA degree affords the following career opportunities: Marketing: People who are in charge of marketing the goods or services of any organization need to be able to create effective marketing strategies and convey their message to people efficiently. An MBA program equips its students with theoretical knowledge as well as practical marketing skills, which can help in getting jobs in the marketing field. With the MBA degree, you can look to become no less than a product manager responsible for marketing. Finance: Those in the field of finance need to be quick thinkers, have high energy levels to stay abreast of the financial markets, and most importantly, need to have patience to deal with clients and explain things to them. The finance courses in an MBA program are a great way to determine if you have what it takes to be a success in finance. If so, then there are a host of top jobs that you can get in this field. Government Jobs: People often live with the misconception that an MBA degree is only good for business because of its very name. But it can be very useful for a career in a government agency. Such jobs usually require you to be a big thinker and to be a team player. All this and more is learned in an MBA program. Government agencies have since long had a reputation of giving reactive responses that do not much translate into action. To change this image, government agencies are increasingly on the lookout for people who are doers and not merely talkers. Thus, someone with an MBA degree could have many career prospects in a government job. Personal Business: Those who have their own business are known to benefit tremendously from completing an MBA program. But what is even better is that an MBA degree can give you all the relevant skills and abilities needed to start your very own enterprise and become an entrepreneur, thus giving you tremendous career opportunities. Non-profit Organizations: An MBA degree can open up many jobs for you in non-profit organizations. Most people with this degree or those who are still pursuing this degree, do not give much thought to jobs in the non-profit sector as it is regarded as a ‘waste’ of their skills and abilities. But on the contrary, this is one sector that could benefit a great deal from having more people with MBAs involved in non-profit. As for the MBA graduate, it can be very rewarding, both financially and emotionally, to see that your talents are making a positive difference in the lives of many people. You get the chance to work for a worthy cause, while at the same time furthering your own career. This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as career opportunities for MBAs are concerned. Having an MBA degree gives you countless job opportunities, mostly in top level positions, and can help to further your career tremendously. The Value Of An MBA In the United Sates alone, in any given year, there are close to 300,000 MBA aspirants In the United Sates alone, in any given year, there are close to 300,000 MBA aspirants pursuing the MBA degree. Taking into account the thousands of students who take the MBA program all over the world, there surely must be something of great value that the MBA degree offers you. But is it really as worthwhile as it seems? Here’s a look at what an MBA can do for you and how valuable it actually is. Skills Acquired Through an MBA Program Business Knowledge: The MBA program and business schools give you valuable knowledge about business and all its related aspects. You learn about business strategies and concepts, not just on paper, but the training and internship required in an MBA course, teaches you how to use these skills in practical life and in day to day business operations. Leadership Abilities: An MBA degree involves rigorous training, assignments, reports, presentations, and group projects; all of which give you the necessary abilities to handle real-life business situations. This helps to set you apart from those who do not have such expertise and can make you a leader in your chosen field. Networking: The alliances that you form with your classmates and the network that you create is deemed as one of the most important and valuable things that an MBA program can give you. MBA graduates have often felt that the associations formed during the MBA course are resources that are invaluable and can be drawn upon for years after the MBA degree has been achieved. Career Prospects An MBA degree provides you with innumerable career opportunities in various fields. It is especially beneficial to get jobs in high level positions such as managerial and executive level jobs. Whether you are looking to further your career in your existing job or are looking to change your job and start your career afresh, an MBA degree can be very valuable in either scenario. The value of an MBA degree, on the whole, cannot be denied. But more importantly, anyone who has an MBA degree, or anyone who is in pursuit of one, has to determine how the degree can benefit them and should ask themselves what the value of an MBA is to THEM individually. You can do this by assessing how an MBA can help you in your chosen field and in jobs for which you have an aptitude. If an MBA can enhance your business skills and make them better suited to your particular profession or career choice, then it can be invaluable to you. Financial Value of an MBA An MBA degree from one of the top business schools in America could set you back by up to $100,000. This is by no means a small amount and is indeed one of the largest investments that you are likely to make in your life. So it is necessary to evaluate the value of an MBA, strictly from a financial point of view as well. So you need to ascertain the return on investment on the amount that you are likely to incur in pursuing an MBA and see if it is financially valuable to you. Calculate all the costs that are involved in pursuing an MBA, namely application fees, program fees, tuition costs, interest on any loans, cost of materials needed, travel costs related to training etc, test fees, and any other miscellaneous costs that you may incur. Once you have estimated the cost of your MBA, you need to assess the benefits of an MBA in terms of increased salaries, better wages, and more career opportunities to evaluate the monetary value of your MBA degree. What Makes a Good MBA Candidate This is what all applicants to an MBA program need to ask themselves when they apply to any school This is what all applicants to an MBA program need to ask themselves when they apply to any school to be admitted into their MBA program. Remember that the admissions officers and those professionals, who process your application, are also asking themselves if you will make a good candidate for their MBA program. As the MBA is a very intense program, not to mention very expensive, schools are looking out for those applicants who come across as having prior knowledge about the program and are also clear about what they want from the program. As an MBA aspirant, you too, should do your best to be perceived as the ideal candidate for an MBA. The following areas are where you need to make your mark and put your best foot forward. The Application for MBA Once you have decided on some schools for an MBA program, the next step is to apply to those schools. Your application is the most important aspect, which will determine whether or not you are accepted into an MBA program. People think of the interview as the tough part, but if your application does not make you stand out as a great candidate, then you may never reach as far as the interview. Here’s how you can better your MBA application: Have a really solid and complete application file. List down all your qualifications and your work experience in a way that complements them. Do NOT leave any part of the application form blank. The essay that is required with the application should be written sincerely and should be so compelling that the person reviewing your application finds it tough to put your essay down. Prepare for your GMAT test beforehand so as to have a high GMAT score in your application form. The letters of recommendation with your application should stand out from the others. Remember that only as little as 20% of all applications received by MBA schools, are actually considered further for the next stage in the admissions process. So make sure that you do the best possible job with your application so that it goes on top of the ‘in’ pile and does not get relegated to the ‘out’ pile. Interviews for MBA Programs If your MBA application is as good as it should be, then you may be short listed for the interviews. This is another critical aspect of the MBA admissions process and here the interviewer can physically determine how good a candidate you are for their MBA degree. Here are some tips to help you get prepared for the interview: Portray Yourself as Part of a Team: Convey what you wish to get out of the MBA course, but more importantly, tell what you will contribute to it as well. Most MBA graduates consider their classmates and other students to be a big help during the course. So present yourself as a quality student and a valuable team member. Be Sincere and Truthful: Do not give answers to questions that you think the interview committee wants to hear. They are great at their job and can easily differentiate among students who are being sincere and those who just give the ‘expected’ answers. So be honest about your expectations from the MBA course and why you have decided to pursue the particular program or school. Prepare Yourself: Make a list of expected questions and then decide how you will answer them. But do not prepare actual questions and answers as then they will seem rehearsed and not spontaneous. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) The Graduate Management Admission Council had developed a standardized test to assess overall skills The Graduate Management Admission Council had developed a standardized test to assess overall skills of aspirants who want to pursue an MBA degree as well as other business management courses. This test is known as the Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT as it is more commonly referred to. This test – the GMAT, was created so that business schools had a common measure by which to evaluate the abilities of applicants who wished to enroll in MBA courses and other management programs. The GMAT is a tool whereby admissions officers in business schools can assess the overall abilities of applicants and can also reasonably predict their future performances during the MBA program. What the GMAT Gauges The GMAT is a test which measures the overall skills and abilities if a person without testing specific data about any particular topic or subject. It is the measure of the analytical and verbal skills of a person and is not a test to find out knowledge about business or to test your skills at any particular job or in specific careers. The GMAT Format The GMAT is conducted in English and is a Computer Adaptive Test. Earlier it could be taken as a written test with physical pen and paper, but now it is available only in its computerized format. The test is divided into three sections, which are: Analytical Writing: This is the first section of the GMAT. It involves two tasks – 1) the analysis of any issue and 2) the analysis of an argument. The applicant has half an hour to complete each task, making this section of 1 hour duration. Quantitative Section: After the first section, you are given a five minute break, which is optional. After this break you have to begin the second section which is the quantitative section. In this section you have to answer questions on Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. There are a total of 37 questions with multiple choice answers and you can take a maximum of 75 minutes to answer all the questions and complete this section. Verbal Section: Another optional five minute break is available after the second section and then you come to the third and final section of the GMAT, which is the verbal section. Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction are the three areas in which you are expected to answer a total of 41 questions, again with multiple choice answers. Another 75 minutes is given to complete this section. When the test was available in its physical form, you could skip a question within any section and go back to it once you had completed the other questions provided you had time left. But with the introduction of the computerized version of the GMAT, you now do not have this option. GMAT Scores The GMAT gives four scores, analytical, verbal, quantitative, and the total score. Your score depends on the number of questions that you have answered, the number of correct and incorrect answers, and the level of difficulty of the questions. Each Computer Adaptive Test contains some trial questions in the test which are necessary for pre-testing of questions before use in GMAT. These trial questions appear randomly in the test and are not marked as such. The scores for these trial questions are not included in the overall score of the GMAT. GMAT scores are a very important part of your MBA application. So you should study the materials that are available for GMAT and give the test your best shot to get as high a score as possible. GMAT Study & Test Taking Strategies If you are aspiring to get chosen into an MBA program, then you will be required to take the GMAT GMAT Study & Test Taking Strategies If you are aspiring to get chosen into an MBA program, then you will be required to take the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). The GMAT scores are an essential part of your MBA application and could very well be the deciding factor in your getting chosen for the MBA program or not. So you need to prepare for the test and know how to take the GMAT so that you have the best chance of getting a good score. Here are some tips to help you out: GMAT Study Tips Become familiar with the format of the GMAT so that you know what to expect from the test and which areas to prepare yourself in. Look up sample questions and retired questions from previous GMATs. These are available online and in paper form as well. Although you will not be asked the same questions in your GMAT, reviewing the sample questions will give you a much clearer picture of the type of questions that you are likely to be asked. The Quantitative section of the GMAT tests your basic math skills. So if it has been a few years since you studied the subject, you may want to revise basic math topics so that your math abilities are up to date. The Analytical Writing Assessment section of the GMAT requires you to write two essays. So you can prepare yourself for this section by writing sample essays on topics that have been used in previous GMATs and also on other similar topics. There are many test preparation courses that you can join, which will help you in studying for your GMAT. All kinds of GMAT test preparation software and tools are available online for very low costs and sometimes even for free. You should take advantage of these tools that are great for helping you to prepare for the all important GMAT. Remember that although the GMAT is a test of your basic overall skills and not testing of a particular subject, you still need to study for it. Confidence is good but over confidence, which leads to cruising in for the test without any preparation, may cause you to regret your actions later. Start studying for your GMAT at least 4 weeks in advance of the test date. Test Taking Strategies Once you have prepared for the GMAT and are ready to take the test, you need to focus on the test and nothing else. Remain calm and do not be nervous (yes, easier said than done!). Here are some tips on taking the GMAT and some strategies to use while taking the test. You will be given the number of questions that have to be answered in each section and also the time available. Read these directions properly. Concentrate on the questions and read them carefully. Read all the answers properly too. Even if you think you have the right answer, read all the given answers. Each question has one correct answer and one that is almost correct. So see all the answers before submitting your response and do not gloss over any answer if you feel you already have the right one. To guess or not to? This is on everyone’s mind when taking the GMAT. Since your test score is lowered for every un-answered question, you may need to do some guesswork if you do not know the right answer. But keep in mind that wrong answers lower your test score as well. So try and eliminate at least one or two answers, (one answer is almost always obviously wrong) and then guess between the remaining two so that you have a better chance of your answer being correct. Once you have confirmed any answer, you cannot go back and change it. So think over the question and then answer it only after you have made your final decision. The quantitative section requires you to make calculations. Try and do only the simplest calculations mentally but use paper and pen for the tough ones. Mental math often results in incorrect answers in test situations. Keep the total time that you have for each section in mind and pace yourself accordingly so that you have enough time to finish the test. You are allowed to take only one test each calendar month. So if you quit a test or cancel it, then it is counted as a valid test but your scores are not. So be aware of this while taking the test. How To Choose The Best MBA Program For You With the rising popularity of an MBA degree as one of the best post graduate courses worldwide With the rising popularity of an MBA degree as one of the best post graduate courses worldwide, there are now practically thousands of business schools and an equal number of MBA programs available to those who wish to obtain an MBA degree. With such a huge and diversified choice, it becomes very difficult to know which program is right for you. Choosing an MBA course that serves your needs best is indeed a tough job. Here are some things to consider when deciding on an MBA program. 1) Your Expectations from the MBA Program No two MBA programs are absolutely alike and even though they teach you the same basics, they do not offer the same syllabus. So you need to ask yourself: Does this course give me the experience I am looking for? Does the syllabus include topics that are relevant to my chosen career? What electives does the program offer and am I interested in them? Is the content of the course suited to my needs? Do I have the required aptitude to successfully finish the course? Does the program offer practical training and real life experiences as well? 2) Your Physical Circumstances You need to assess if a particular MBA program is feasible in terms of: Does the structure suit you? Whether you can do the full-time two year course or you need a shortened course. Is the program in your area or will you need to travel daily? Are the timings of the course suitable for you? Are you free to join the course on its start date? 3) Financial Considerations An MBA program is an expensive program and thus you have to consider the financial impact of a particular program on yourself. Ask yourself: Can I afford the program fees? Will the living expenses, travel costs, and other expenses involved in the particular program put an immense financial burden on me? Will I have to borrow a loan to cover the costs and do I even want to? If I do take a loan, will I be able to bear the interest on the loan and how long will it be before I can repay it? 4) Impact on Your Lifestyle Will I be able to balance work and studying? Will I have to give up my job? How will a particular course affect my family life? Once you have asked yourself the above questions in relation to the different MBA programs that may interest you, you can determine which of those programs is best for you and positively addresses all the above areas in which an MBA program can impact you. Most people want to go in for an MBA program that is offered by the top A grade business schools and which have the highest ratings. If given a chance to enroll in such a program, they jump at it without considering how it can affect them, and later have to live with the consequences. Although an education from the top business schools cannot be compared to other programs, you have to decide which course is best for you according to the above guidelines. If you choose to enroll into an MBA program just because it is THE best one available, but are unable to stay with the program or complete the course, then even the best of programs will not do you any good. So determine which program is best for YOU and then make the most of it. MBA FAQ An MBA is a post graduate degree in business communication. MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration An MBA is a post graduate degree in business communication. MBA stands for Masters of Business Administration and is a very popular course for business students the world over. The MBA program is recognized worldwide and is considered as a major step towards a successful business management career. What will I gain from doing an MBA? An MBA program strives to equip its students with all the necessary knowledge, theoretical as well as practical, which can benefit them tremendously in managerial and administrative jobs. This does not apply only to business, as is usually understood by most people, but can also benefit people to get into executive positions in the public sector and government jobs as well. What skills will I pick up from doing an MBA? You will learn a range of valuable skills from the MBA program, such as: Business Knowledge: The MBA program and business schools give you valuable knowledge about business and all its related aspects. You learn about business strategies and concepts, not just on paper, but the training and internship required in an MBA course, teaches you how to use these skills in practical life and in day to day business operations. Leadership Abilities: An MBA degree involves rigorous training, assignments, reports, presentations, and group projects, all of which give you the necessary abilities to handle real-life business situations. This helps to set you apart from those who do not have such expertise and can make you a leader in your chosen field. Networking: The alliances that you form with your classmates and the network that you create is deemed as one of the most important and valuable things that an MBA program can give you. MBA graduates have often felt that the associations formed during the MBA course are resources that are invaluable and can be drawn upon for years after the MBA degree has been achieved. Who is eligible for these programs? While most schools and educational institutions that offer MBA programs have their respective criteria for getting into an MBA course, the two most significant factors that are common to most schools and MBA courses are: Age and Experience: The average age of students applying for the MBA is about 26-30 years. Most schools require their applicants to have 4-5 years of prior work experience before joining an MBA course. Since experience is usually believed to come with age, those under 25 are generally not accepted for an MBA program as it is assumed that such students do not have the required work experience. GMAT Score: Having a GMAT score in excess of 600 is essential if you wish to get into the A grade MBA schools. Although just a good GMAT score is not a guarantee for admission to an MBA program, it does better your chances tremendously. Will an MBA improve my career prospects? An MBA degree provides you with innumerable career opportunities in various fields. It is especially beneficial to get jobs in high level positions such as managerial and executive level jobs. Whether you are looking to further your career in your existing job or are looking to change your job and start your career afresh, an MBA degree can be very valuable in either scenario. With an MBA degree under their belt, employees have a whole new world opened up to them and are elevated to managerial positions on the strength of the additional abilities and knowledge gained through the MBA program. If you are looking for a change in careers, an MBA degree can be invaluable in careers such as: Marketing Finance Government

MBA and EMBA

MBA and EMBA the differences in the integration of the global economy, against the background In particular, China's accession to the World Trade Organization, Chinese enterprises are facing ever more complex and more competitive and tough challenges, Thus, the enterprise's senior management staff to acquire knowledge, and enhance the management capacity becomes more urgent. Degrees Committee of the State Council recently approved the first 30 domestic colleges and universities offer senior management MBA (EMBA ) education, which is vital for training senior management and a sound system were MBA education is of great significance. EMBA is the professional MBA degree education in a special form, both positioning differently. As the MBA entrance examination should be considered a foreign language, mathematics, This management experience to those rich but left the examination environment for many years of senior company set the threshold. Currently MBA is experiencing a younger age, high-examination often those graduating from university three years. Examination of the ability of young people. EMBA enrollment and written tests, interviews are cultivating their own units, significantly lowering the threshold. Of course, this does not mean that so long as the boss and manager can read EMBA, Tsinghua University recently had one willing to be 250 thousand U.S. dollars studying, but not for the boss door. State regulations, with undergraduate education, and eight years of work experience (four years or more management experience), large-scale enterprises serving the senior management staff before they could enroll. On the mode of teaching the two are quite different, MBA use "taught + + case analysis team to discuss" the way EMBA inspire more attention on the basis of courses and students with practical experience, it is more suitable for the real malls senior managers. Nanjing University will be enrolled in the current EMBA participants is limited to 100 people, hire foreign teachers will be in 50%%, which is basically from the United States Harvard, the University of Southern California professor, In those employed by foreign professors, 80%% are Chinese. with a view to enable students and teachers to do more and more "interactive." EMBA where "high price of tuition," the EMBA an impressive part is its "high price of tuition." According to international practice, the EMBA MBA tuition higher than doubled over, State Education Commission of the EMBA guide price of 200,000 yuan. EMBA and the local community also raised the price gap, 230,000 for Fudan, Qinghua 250,000. these costs do not include overseas training of transport, lodging and other expenses. Only a month EMBA courses from three to four days, so doing we EMBA standard charge of about 3,000 yuan = days. EMBA Why such high fees? Experts said that large and medium-sized enterprises as against the senior management personnel of the EMBA education, It aims participants decided that this is an elitist education is not for the purpose of universality. Teaching facilities, teachers, curricula are "elitist" and therefore have higher teaching costs many times the regular higher education. Reportedly, such as South EMBA class will recruit world-class master of the management and marketing masters and the industry eminent persons in teaching. According to international practice, teaching a course fee of 2,500 U.S. dollars. "Costly tuition" is a great master of the medium of payment. EMBA : of the educational system breakthrough According to incomplete statistics, China has at least 400 enterprises, more than 5,000 senior managers need to accept EMBA training. EMBA to the present standards of charges, in the next five years, there will be about 10 billion market demand. Such a huge "gold" sparked a powerful individual colleges and universities competing to the Nuggets. Since late August, the first allowed to operate domestic EMBA Education College Students for the start of World War. In Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong provinces adjacent to it, only one College of Nanjing University is sponsoring EMBA and therefore, in the East China region for the new students, schools with South effects and "location" advantage at a very advantageous position. It is reported that South School of Business recently received a telephone consulting daily in 100 () above, the main question was Enrollment examinations and teaching methods, and so on. Nanjing University Business School Dean Professor Zhao Shuming, China EMBA education colleges this year is just the pilot, Examination forms of change, the recruitment and training programs limited autonomy. has broken through the traditional education system to restrict people's psychological impact is inevitable. But its significance lies not in the so-called "high price of tuition fees", but means that the education system really start with the international "convergence" That is to train students right up to the school, students, school fees and the quality of teaching directly to the market and "Judgment." If EMBA students do papers, but to do enterprise management solutions practical issues on the topic, shows its market-oriented. Secondly, the EMBA heat up, but also help create a large number of senior professional management staff, change many entrepreneurs of the "official position". China's accession to the WTO, enterprises should participate in the international competition, senior managers of professional, and the international market is an inevitable trend, and EMBA in the education system to give a great push forward

Car Loans

RapidCarLoans.net is the online car financing company that aims to get you affordable car loan for either new or used car. All our auto finance program are designed considering all credit types, so it doesn't matter if you have bad credit, no credit or bankruptcy, you can still apply for our car credit program. Our team of automobile loan specialist will help you to get loan based upon your credit rating and financial earnings. We offer a wide range of car loans that suits your needs and budget.
Take a glance at the variety of car finance you would get at RapidCarLoans:
No credit issuesIt is a smart solution for people with poor credit, no credit and even bankruptcy to get their new car financed without any credit issues. As we have our network of subprime auto lenders that can help you getting low interest rates as compared to other lenders. Especially, bad credit auto loan can be a good way to improve your credit score.
Car Loans @ wholesale rates Low interest car loan enables you to get low interest rates thus reducing your monthly payment burden. Low rate auto loan can be the ideal solution to satisfy your automobile financing needs. We aim to offer you new or used car finance at low rate that is best suited to your requirements and pocket.
Cosigner & Credit check not a matter of concernCar loans without cosigner allows a borrower a chance to obtain a vehicle even with less than perfect credit without any headache of getting a cosigner. While no credit check auto loans helps those who for any reason have poor credit, financial problem or bankruptcy and need a car. In short, either no credit check or no cosigner car loans helps you ignore the credit problems and gets you vehicle loans at low interest rates.
Used car finance made easyFinancing for used vehicle is easier with our used car credit program. No matter if it is purchased from a private seller or a dealer. we finance for both the types. You get quick approval even with poor credit or no credit at lowest possible interest rates on old cars.
Car Refinance - Stop paying higher ratesOur refinance car loan program gives a second chance to lower your rates if you are already in the trap of paying high interest rate on your current auto loan with any credit situation. As it helps you reduce interest rates or a monthly payment, thus saving money over the span of the loan while making your monthly payments more affordable.
Drive your dream car to collegeObtaining an instant car loan online is the easy way for student with low paying jobs to buy new or used automobile. With our student car loan program you can get low rates and easy instalment even with no credit or bad credit and also without a cosigner.
RapidCarLoans.net makes the application process easy and hassle free. With our widespread network of lenders we would offer you low interest rates with guaranteed and instant approval wherein you can get your car loan approved within 48 hour of application. So get ready for the test drive!! Apply now and get your Free No Obligation Quote !!!

Better Car Loan Rates with Bad Credit

If bad credit car loan candidates go out in market only one or two lenders come forward to offer an auto loan, for them online financing can be a great time saver. As the online lenders have many subprime auto lenders in their network who offer many loans to accommodate different credit types and will helps you get the better interest rates. Thus, individuals even having a terrible credit history can get approved easily.

For the first time buyers getting a car loan is always an issue. As for a lender, the buyer is an unknown person who asks for a huge sum of money and the buyer can also not prove that he will pay it back with no lending history. Financing a new or used car requires some credit history for lenders to have an idea of the borrower’s credit habits. Thus when a car buyer with no credit history attempt to buy a car most finance companies hesitate to approve the loan application. But now with competitive marketplace, lenders are stepping up to help first time car buyers. Many a times automotive dealers take advantage of people with no credit history by charging higher interest rate. Although auto rates offered by online auto loan lenders to those with no credit history, are reasonable and generally lower than that offered by the dealership.
Now the market has provisions were you can get car loan even after bankruptcy. With bad credit type of loan, your interest rates are likely to be higher. However, a co-signer can help you getting better rates. Co-signers are required to sign the loan agreement in case of default on loan payments by buyers. Before few years it was impossible to get a car loan with bad credit and that too without a co-signer. But times have changed; now you can get a no cosigner bad credit auto loan with poor credit, no credit and bankruptcy.
If you have already got into the trap of higher rates on car loan, bad credit refinance loan can be the smart solution. As it helps you reduce interest rates or a monthly payment thus saving money over although the span of the loan and make your monthly payments more affordable. Above all, bad credit automobile loan can also improve your credit score.

Used Car Loans

Buying a new car is still out of the means of some people, and so used car is a great way for people with limited finance to be able to get a car outright, and thus used car financing have greatly empowered people. Used cars are more economical and therefore many people prefer buying used car which is a smart financial decision. But many a times people find it difficult to finance their old car with financial institution like bank. The reason behind is the declination in the value of car and even if they get loan, they end up paying higher interest rates.
However Rapidcarloans.net can get you more generous lending policies than ordinary banks and car dealer for your old car as we have network of online lenders through which you can compare your car loan rate and can get comparatively better rates even with bad credit. Bad credit is one of the major problem people faces while buying a used car. Due to bad credit, dealers offer higher interest rates and people with bankruptcy cannot even think of getting approved. But we can get your auto loan approved for a low interest regardless of your credit history.
Moreover you can get your loan approved within 48 hours of your application. Thus you don’t have to wait long for your approval and you can get a quick response. While we are talking about approval let me tell you about preapproved used car loan. Preapproved old car credit is a well known concept amongst the auto finance industry as it gives you the most options because you can decide how much you want to borrow and what rates you will accept. Thus it gives you an edge when buying a car.
Sometimes due to negligence, unknowingly you end up paying high interest rate or it may also happen that when applied you had a bad credit and due to that you had to pay high interest rate but now you have a good credit. So question arise in mind that can’t this mistake be rectified? And the answer is yes and for that automobile refinancing is the best option. Through car refinancing you lower your interest rate up to half from the interest you are paying right now and you enter into new loan which allow you to define terms with a new start which ultimately improves cash flow each month and you save on interest.
So in a nut shell, we will take care of all your financial need to buy a used car. No matter if it’s from a private seller or a dealer. You get quick approval with any credit situation and as mentioned before we have network of lenders so it will definitely help you get better rates on old cars.

Ninja Loan

Ninja loan is a loan or mortgage given to a person who has no income, no job, and no assets. Here, ninja or NINJA is short for "No Income, No Job or Assets". The phrase was coined by HCL Finance as a name for one of their finance products. They were especially prominent during the United States housing bubble of the 2000s but have gained wider notoriety due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis in July/August 2007 as a prime example of poor lending practices.

Traditionally, lenders wished to know something of the borrowers' background - their jobs, their wealth and so forth. In an age of perennially rising home prices, these tedious details could be dispensed with. It is not as though the absurd excesses of the mortgage market were some big secret. Lenders brazenly advertised "low-doc" and "no-doc" loans that required borrowers to provide little or no documentation of their ability to repay. As they pushed "ninja" loans, requiring no income, job or assets, "low-doc" and "no-doc" loans have proliferated.

A ninja loan is considered to be a type of sub-prime lending, often found in the mortgage market. While the specifics of any ninja loan can change, most offer the lender a low initial rate, which is then increased after a few periods of payment. The borrower is hoping for the value of their property to appreciate significantly, allowing them to repay the loan with the newly found equity. However, when the property does not appreciate, many borrowers cannot make the repayment. This makes the ninja loan a very risky proposition for lenders.

In 2004, when US interest rates were 1%, there were few problems in the sub-prime market. However, since then the Federal Reserve Bank has raised rates 17 times in a row. Defaults on ninja loans have become common and some sub-prime lenders have been driven to bankruptcy as a result.

The sub-prime difficulties are affecting the global financial system because these ninja loans do not just sit on US banks' books. They are sliced up, repackaged and sold on to hedge funds, pension funds and other investors around the world. This is why equity markets have taken such a battering recently. It is not too hard to understand why 70% of the country does not want to bailout either the homeowners, the lenders or the funds that bought this junk.

loan is the gold

When economic times are tough it is generally thought that the pawnbroking industry booms--after all gold and cheap loans are tempting for credit crunchers.
Lynda Damario, regional director of Albemarle & Bond said: "There are increasing numbers of people from all walks of life who are finding themselves in a situation where the banks are unable to help so our business is growing,"
That reluctance by banks to lend has helped earn the UK's biggest pawnbroker a 47 per cent rise in profits.
At a time when the price of gold is rising in value it is probably unsurprising that sales of second hand jewellery accounted for 75pc of the firm's total sales.
Harvey & Thompson, one of Britain's biggest pawnbrokers has seen business increase by 11 per cent in recent months and said this is all due to gold--and people coming in to sell their jewellery--not from people simply pawning items.
A spokeswoman for H&T, said that consumers are more aware of the idea of selling their possessions because of the popularity of online auctions. "It's the eBay effect. People are more aware now that they can raise cash by selling things they don't need."
Pawnbrokers give customers money in return for an object which is held as security until the customer pays off the loan plus any interest charges. No credit checks are needed and, once the item is valued and a rate of interest agreed, the customer can leave with the money. Jewellery and watches are 'pledged' most often.
According to the National Pawnbrokers Association, around 88 per cent of pledged goods are redeemed. But what if the worst happens and you are unable to pay for the item at the end of the loan period?
You can usually extend the length of time of borrowing. If you cannot do this, as a last resort, the pledge will get sold off, but it is generally not in the pawnbroker's interest to do so, particularly as many of them thrive on repeat customers.
"The credit crunch isn't positive for any pawnbroker because we lend money and make money from people repaying their loans. If the credit crunch continues it won't be good for any business."