The world has changed, abruptly. The current credit crisis in the United States has shaken financial markets, undermined consumer and investor confidence, and is threatening economies around the world. Amid this turmoil, finance executives are attempting to assess the impact of the credit crisis on their companies' financing capabilities and overall business performance.

In this report, Meeting the Challenge of the Current Financial Crisis, PricewaterhouseCoopers has identified seven key steps that companies should take today. Taking these steps can help companies position themselves to successfully navigate the rough waters and emerge victorious — identifying and managing risk to survive today and capitalizing on market opportunities to gain and sustain competitive advantage over time.