Let’s Make a Trade
Barter used to mean swapping rice for a chicken,chicken for car repair.But with cash flow tight for many businesses in this economic climate,exchanging goods and services might be a trading method to consider as part of normal operations.“In times like these,cash is king,but barter is smarter," says Brian Hodgson,director of Hong Kong's Pacific Barter Company.Companies want to get rid of excess inventory and save cash.
Hodgson started his company in April 1997,just months before the crisis hit East Asia.“When we introduced the concept into the marketplace,people said:We don't want to barter,we have lots of money.Now with the slump,they are tlling us:‘We have warehouse full of things.Lest’s talk.'"With over 60 members,ranging from major international conglornerates to small and medium-sized local firms,Pacific Barter handles about $40000 in deals monthly out of Hong Kong an China.
Last month,Rudy Chan launched the Hong Kong operations of Australia-based Bartercard,the world's biggest trade exchange with 20000 members.Bartercard holders use“trade dollars" to purchase goods and services from other members.A security company for instance may buy $1000 worth of uniforms from a garment maker.The seller is credited with 1000 trade dollars by Bartercard,while the purchaser's account is debited the same amount.Straight swaps are not required.On joining,members are given a trade-dollar credit line.
Barter trade practice had been widely accepted in Asia long before the Asian financial crisis.
A、正确
B、错误
【正确答案】：B
【名师解析】:题目中提到了易货交易（barter trade）的概念，这是一种在现金紧张时企业之间交换商品和服务的交易方式。Brian Hodgson是香港太平洋易货公司的董事，他提到在经济困难时期，现金非常宝贵，但易货交易更明智。他的公司成立于1997年4月，亚洲金融危机发生前几个月。当时人们并不接受易货交易的概念，因为他们有很多钱。然而，随着经济衰退，他们开始寻求通过易货交易来处理过剩库存并节省现金。太平洋易货公司有超过60个会员，包括大型国际企业集团和中小型本地公司，每月在香港和中国处理大约40000美元的交易。
上个月，Rudy Chan启动了澳大利亚Bartercard在香港的业务，Bartercard是世界上最大的贸易交易所，拥有20000名会员。Bartercard的会员使用“贸易美元”来购买其他会员的商品和服务。例如，一家保安公司可能会从服装制造商那里购买价值1000美元的制服。卖方的Bartercard账户会记入1000贸易美元，而购买者的账户则会被扣除相同金额。不需要直接的交换。加入时，会员会获得一个贸易美元信用额度。
题目中说易货交易在亚洲金融危机之前就已经在亚洲被广泛接受，但这个说法是错误的。根据文中Brian Hodgson的描述，易货交易是在亚洲金融危机之后才被更多人接受的，因为人们开始意识到现金的重要性并寻求节省现金的方法。因此，正确答案是选项B，错误。
