Handbook Of Islamic Banking
Editors: M. Kabir Hassan and Mervyn K. Lewis
Cheltenham, U.K.; Northampton, Mass.: Edward Elgar, 2007
Call Number: RBUS 332.1091767 HAN

Islamic banking has expanded rapidly in the international banking and capital markets over the past thirty years. Yet, it is an area which is clearly misunderstood in many parts of the Muslim world and even in the west.

M Kabir Hassan and Mervyn K. Lewis, two leading international experts on Islamic banking and finance, present a collection of 25 papers to throw light on the institutions and practices in this field. Topics explored include governance and risk management, securities and investment, housing and structured financing, accounting and regulation, economic development and globalisation.

Islamic banking offers a wide variety of financial instruments and investment vehicles based on profit-and-loss sharing arrangements.

This book will be invaluable to all scholars, researchers and policymakers or anyone with an interest in this subject.

Business Fairy Tales
Author: Jackson, Cecil Wilfrid
Australia; New York: Texere / Thomson, 2006
Call Number: RBUS 657.950973 JAC

Companies have been known to exaggerate their earnings while keeping their debts under wrap, in an effort to boost their financial image.

If you are interested in reading about such financial frauds, this book is for you. It tells stories of all kinds of financial misconduct that have taken place in the corporate world.

The author picks each accounting prank and gives a detailed and engaging story of the company and the officials who committed the crime.

This is a useful book for financial analysts and students as it educates them to identify tell-tale signals early and take appropriate actions for reform.

The author is a Professor of Clinical Accounting at the University of Southern California.

Corporate Budgeting: Understanding The Budgeting Process With Financial Forecasting And Free Cash Flow Calculation
Author: Subbrayan, Radhakrishnan
Petaling Jaya, Selangor: Golden Books Centre, 2006
Call Number: RSEA 658.154 SUB

Financing is often an issue in firms and corporations. A businessmen need not be a qualified accountant or auditor but he needs to know how to keep proper accounts for his company.

This book is written for such businessmen who have little or no knowledge on company accounts. It explains and illustrates concepts like annual budgeting, cash flow, the operation of the financial system and many others in a very simplified manner. This is a useful book for CEOs, directors, managers of finance and accounts in companies.

The author, Subbrayan, has many years of experience in the field of business planning.

Tips and Traps For Writing An Effective Business Plan
Author: Balanko-Dickson, Greg
New York: McGraw-Hill, c2007
Call Number: RBUS 658.4012 BAL

A business plan gives prospective investors the facts about a concept and the ability to deliver. However, writing a business plan is one of the most difficult things that entrepreneurs have to do, especially when they have inadequate knowledge or experience.

This book by Balanko-Dickson provides step-by-step guidance in creating an effective plan that will work with a developing business. It includes worksheets, exercises, and sample forms for getting started.

Available at National Library Board libraries
Please check the availability of the materials at: http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg

Database articles:

More Firms Turning to Quick-Cash Financing Scheme
Author: Gabriel Chen
Source: Straits Times. 1 Oct 2007

Summary: Fast-growing small businesses in Singapore are turning to a specialised financing scheme known as factoring when they need urgent cash.

Industry watchers say the factoring market here - dominated by the likes of IFS Capital, DBS Bank, OCBC Bank and GE Commercial Finance - is projected to grow by 10 per cent a year in the next three years, on the back of the integrated resorts boom.

Retrieved from Factiva database Available at the National Library Board Libraries

Deposit Rates May Rise: GSB
Source: The Nation (Thailand). 26 Dec 2007

Summary: The Government Savings Bank (GSB) anticipates that banks may raise their deposit rates by 25 to 50 basis points in 2008, because of tougher competition. The Bank will be launching new financial products to attract depositors.

In the past, it had a tough time finding cheap funds, when it could easily attract depositors by issuing lottery-savings tickets. Now, depositors have more options to get returns on their money, so lottery-savings tickets would become become less attractive.

Retrieved from Factiva database Available at the National Library Board Libraries