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Automotive reports
Two publications to examine at the same time, in related areas, is an unusual luxury for the reviewer. As one expects from Financial Times Automotive Reports, they are highly readable, cover a wide range of up-to-date data and show a broad range of case studies. Beyond those general comments, they both have their positive and negative aspects.
Banker to the Poor
This book brutally dismembers the sacred cows of conventional money-lenders and the social classes they infest. Yunus invented micro-credit, which frees the very poor from exploitation by issuing extremely small loans. He began in a small village in Bangladesh, and the resulting bank now has 12,000 employees and has lent $2.5 billion.
UK will meet Kyoto


The UK is the only country in a five-nation group that will meet targets to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases set out in the 1997 Kyoto treaty, according to a study by the Dutch government. France, Germany, Sweden and Italy were all behind schedule.
NHS in PFI pullout


The National Health Service has cancelled four private finance initiative hospitals, claiming the schemes would not be value for money. The cancellations, worth around £12 million each, could cost the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds.
No change for levy


Chancellor Gordon Brown failed to amend the climate change levy on business energy use in his pre-budget review, despite being warned by industry that it would shave £80 million a year off the profits of manufacturers that had to pay it in full.
New venture for GM


General Motors and CNF, a £4.3 billion global supply chain services firm, have formed a joint venture called Vector SCM (supply chain management) to oversee the automaker’s £3.6 billion global transportation budget.
Questionable links


Dotcom executives are more shady than their counterparts in other industries, according to a survey by risk management firm Kroll Associates.
Lead times slashed


Car maker Daimler/Chrysler claims it has cut lead times by 92 per cent and product costs by 17 per cent by purchasing goods through automotive exchange Covisint, which it owns in partnership with Ford, General Motors and other car makers.
Car makers link up


French car maker Renault and Japan’s Nissan have formed a joint purchasing venture to make savings in their combined £36 billion purchasing budget. Renault, which bought 36.8 per cent of Nissan in 1999, said the new organisation would initially handle about 30 per cent - around £10 billion - of the two companies’ annual purchasing spend.
E-m@rket Dominance
Brian Ash and Tom Lambert McGraw-Hill, £19.99 Rating: 3/5
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