The “Mental Map Matrix,” illustrates how we use mental maps. While the human decision-making process includes an incalculable number of variables, this simple model shows how we continue to create new mental maps and reinforce old ones. It starts when something happens to us or we experience a new event (box 1). The first thing we do is instantaneously scan our memory for any similar experiences (box 2). Generally at a subconscious level, we ask, “Have I had an experience like this?” (box 3). In most cases, especially as we get older and have more life experiences behind us, we’ll identify some experience that resembles the current situation. If we do, we then try to remember the outcome: “Was it successful for me?” (box 4). This is an internal value judgment. We make this judgment based on our psychology and personality at that moment in our life. Most likely we judge “success” by whether the outcome got us what we needed. If we judge the previous outcome to have been successful, we’ll duplicate the behavior (box 5) to match our mental map and will expect a similar outcome. The aftermath of the experience reinforces our mental map (box 6) as the “right” reaction to that experience.

Short term loans are offered by different lenders, ranging from trusted payday loan lenders to even colleges. Short term loans are due within a set amount of time, usually less than a year, depending on the lending institution you used to receive the loan.

Some colleges offer short term loans to students. The borrower must be a student and must be able to show that the loan can be repaid in a certain amount of time. If a student is expected to receive student loans or other student aid, the college may lend a higher amount.

Short term loans are offered by brick and mortar stores around cities or via the internet. These are unsecured, high interest loans that are usually due with the deposit of the borrower’s next paycheck. For example, a payday advance company may offer a loan and charge $30 for each $100 borrowed.

Banks also offer short term loans. These loans can have a maturity date as early as 60 to 120 days from the date of inception of the loan. Bank short term loans can also mature up to one to three years after the inception of the loan. The terms depend on the bank and the amount of money borrowed.

Many banks may also require collateral, depending again, on the amount borrowed. The smaller the loan, the less likely the lender or bank is to ask for collateral. The application process is also a bit longer because the bank will check the borrower’s credit to be sure the borrower has the ability to pay the loan back. They may also look at a borrower’s personal credit score to determine whether to grant a short term loan. Banks may offer short term loans for a lower annual percentage rate than a payday loan service.

If you read the cautionary literature handed out by nonprofit debt management agencies and by consumer advocacy groups, short term loans in any form may seem terrifying. However, they can provide a lifeline for you if extraordinary circumstances put you in the position of needing cash fast.

Thus we base our decision on the recollected memory of what has happened to us in the past. This knowledge transference occurs whenever we transfer an opinion about one type of person or group to another.

I was wrong. Despite documented evidence of the self-managed team’s success, the managers clung to their old perception.Moreover, their stubbornness proved to be a powerful influence on the director, who dismantled the self-managed team. The data regarding the team’s performance were kept from the rest of the organization simply because the managers refused to update their beliefs or disturb the status quo. They still believed the employees needed supervision or they would not work. When reality contradicted their beliefs, they preferred to suppress the data rather than change their mental maps.

Those with a past orientation operate in a closed paradigm—they view the world the way they want it to be. They’re unwilling to challenge their own assumptions and change their beliefs. They make decisions based on outdated mental maps. They are speaking and living in the past with old information.

Other advantages of synthetic CDOs are as follows:

• diversify away from frequent issuers in the bond market
• no restrictions in terms of volume
• ability to tailor maturity.

A synthetic CDO referencing investment grade CDS can be structured with much higher leverage compared to a high-yield CBO. The equity in a synthetic deal normally ranges from 2 to 5 percent, which equates to 20–50 times leverage. Equity in a high-yield CBO is around 10 percent on average (10 times leverage).

Example: Collateral pool No of reference entities: 100 Notional amount of CDS: Euro 5 million Total size: Euro 500 million The example details a possible tranching of a 500 million portfolio into four tranches. Losses in the portfolio up to 5 percent (Euro 25 million of losses in total) would result in a complete write-down of the equity tranche. Further losses in the portfolio in excess of 5 percent and up to 9.5 percent (losses of Euro 47.5 million in total) would then result in a write-down of principal in the mezzanine tranche. If each credit had a 50 percent recovery rate, each default in the underlying portfolio would result in a loss of Euro 2.5 million. Therefore, it would take 10 defaults to write-down the equity tranche.

• Investment grade CDOs (synthetic)
• Collateralized loan obligations/Synthetic balance sheet CLOs
• High-yield CBOs/Emerging market CBOs

A typical feature of collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) is that all loan collateral is typically in a senior and secured position in the borrower’s capital structure. Various covenants also serve to enhance the secured nature of loans. Loans are typically issued as floating rate instruments and have shorter average lives than high-yield CBOs. The single most important differentiating factor between loans and high-yield bonds is the senior secured nature of the loans (much higher recoveries and actually lower default probability). It shows the leveraged loan spreads.

Adjusting CDS spreads and loans in the investment grade universe for risk (default and recovery rate) and reward (loan pricing) shows that the CDS loan basis should be rather positive.

Beginning with the most senior class, the cash flows from the collateral are used to service the outstanding notes sequentially. Losses are allocated on the basis of reverse seniority. This basic structure is also known as a cash flow CDO because the collateral cash flows are used to sevice the outstanding securities. Every CDO has an asset side, generating its revenue, and a liability side, whose obligations need to be satisfied. The difference between them is termed the funding gap.

Now the focus has narrowed even further, with technology offering businesses the opportunity for mass personalisation. This is the ability to reach individual customers – targeting the right customers and then fulfilling their market needs – on a massive scale.