HCKT Hackett Group Inc

The latest Cash Masters Survey from CFO Asia and REL offers hints on how to prepare for a slowing economy. As Warren Buffett likes to say, you don�t know who�s been swimming naked until the tide goes out. Although this latest CFO Asia/REL Consulting Cash Masters Survey covers 2007, a happier time for the APAC 850 (the 850 largest Asia Pacific companies in terms of sales), it may offer a few hints about how to get your business suit ready for what promises to be one of the corporate world�s highest, driest periods in decades. The reason is that the Cash Masters survey ranks companies by their cash conversion efficiency (CCE)�free cash flow from operations over sales. Overall, REL found that the cash conversion efficiency among the APAC 850 last year averaged 9.5 percent, 1.1 percentage points higher than last year in absolute cash terms, and 4.8 percentage points more than in 2006. Although still less cash-conversion efficient than Western companies, Asian growth kept pace. Click Here to Link to Full Text of Article or visit the following URL: http://www.cfoasia.com/archives/200811-09.htm About REL REL, a division of The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT), is a world-leading consulting firm dedicated to delivering sustainable cash flow improvement from working capital and across business operations. REL�s tailored solutions balance client trade-offs between working capital, operating costs, service performance and risk. REL�s expertise has helped clients free up billions of dollars in cash, creating the financial freedom to fund acquisitions, product development, debt reduction and share buy-back programs. In-depth process expertise, analytical rigor and collaborative client relationships enable REL to deliver an exceptional return on investment in a short timeframe. REL has delivered work in over 60 countries for Fortune 500 and global Fortune 500 companies. More information on REL is available: by phone at (770) 225-7300; by e-mail at info@relconsultancy.com; or on the Web at www.relconsultancy.com.