How businesses look up in a downturn
Find out how successful UK businesses are beating the recession

The recession has taken its toll on the UK economy with SMEs especially finding it very tough, with cash flow problems. But others have bucked the trend and found ways to maintain a healthy cash flow position and a healthy business growth.

As signs of economic growth begin to appear and the economic outlook improves, Natwest wants to give you valuable competitive intelligence through insights into the corporate strategies used by successful SME businesses in the UK to beat the downturn.

We're offering you our latest business strategy report - 'Recession strategy - an insight from the SME market' - produced in partnership with Ipsos MORI.

The recession strategy report includes detailed SME related business analysis, with case studies highlighting how successful SMEs have overcome cash flow problems such as the increased risk of bad debt. It also considers the use of business planning tools to support cash flow solutions, drive growth and improve business growth.

Business Intelligence 2009 report snapshots

Click on the links below to view snapshots of the report chapters:

  • The impact of the downturn on SMEs

    How has the recession impacted on SMEs over the past six months? A look at how small businesses can proactively address the challenges of the recession – such as poor cash flow and bad debt – as a way of driving future growth. The case study features a distribution company who restricted bad debt to just 0.01% of turnover.

  • How SMEs have dealt with the recession

    This chapter looks in more detail at the impact of the recession, both positive and negative, and how SMEs have responded to falling demand with measures such as price cuts and redundancies. The case study focuses on a specialist engineering firm who grew turnover by 1000% in just 12 months.

  • Finance in a recession

    Here, the focus is on the issues surrounding cash flow management. The chapter discusses different tools available to SMEs to protect and enhance cash flow position during tough times. The case study features a technology company who pursued an investment-led strategy to drive growth and business success.

  • Confidence in the future

    What does the future hold for the UK's SME sector? And what can SMEs do to ensure they are part of the economic recovery? Views are mixed but overall, economic confidence is returning.

  • UK economic outlook

    Professor Graeme Leach, Chief Economist of the Institute of Directors, considers the possible nature of economic recovery, in the face of a tight fiscal policy stance. While recovery is anticipated, marked regional and sector-specific differences are likely.