Given the financial difficulties our country is facing, most opinions seem to have one thing in common (and perhaps that is the only thing, given the diversity): we have spent too much for decades and now we are paying the price.
When the crisis hit, it had a deeper impact on those who were most vulnerable: those who had not created a financial cushion to cushion the effects of the crisis, whether they were states, companies or families.
Eventually, those with political responsibilities may be able to do more, but what the rest of us can do for the financial health of the country (and simultaneously for our own) is to earn more and spend less, both individually and within our organizations.
Like the most forward-thinking states, good companies today have no major problems; many are even expanding, either by taking advantage of the general cheapening of resources (except capital), by buying up domestic or foreign competitors, or by benefiting from the bankruptcy of less effective competitors who have left gaps in the market.
So, while many companies are just busy surviving, others are already preparing for the future and taking steps to create the cushions that will allow them to survive the next crisis, wherever it comes from. Strong companies are working to become even stronger. They do this by looking at opportunities on both sides of the income statement: increasing sales and optimising costs.
Every euro saved in costs, provided it has no negative impact on the quality of the goods or services provided by the company, is a euro available to build a protective cushion, whatever form it may take. Anyone who has ever experienced financial difficulties at some point in their life knows that it is easier to sleep without worries than with them.
Knowing this, it is always healthier to have built a comfortable financial cushion so that you can continue to sleep well, even in turbulent times such as those we are currently experiencing.
