Beyond Plastic: Trends in the Payment Card Industry Explore the credit card industry and its impact on consumers, business and the economy. How will the current economic climate affect the way people and businesses spend money and use credit? How will the change in our economy impact the growth of debit cards and other forms of electronic payments and technology? Beyond Plastic: Trends in the Payment Card Industry will answer these questions and more. It will explore how innovations in technology, payment programs, and new markets will lead the way in the new economy; what the new Consumer’s Rights and Responsibilities are and what they mean to you; the legal issues that will change the credit landscape; and how to protect against fraud and leverage payment technology to your advantage. Know who the big players are in the industry, how their decisions affect the global market, and how the credit wars will be fought and won. Discover new markets in developing nations and how this cultural shift will affect the face of credit cards and the electronic payment industry in years to come. Payment cards are the foundation of many small businesses in the United States. Without them in today’s world, most companies would never get the chance to exist. New markets will open; others will eventually disappear. Beyond Plastic: Trends in the Payment Card Industry provides a comprehensive take on where we have been in this industry, and a look to where we are going.