Strategic Finance articles from April 2007

Strategic Finance archives from April 2007

Persistence and procrastination.(Perspectives)(Column)
April 1, 2007... Message from the Chair * Would you think highly of a person who deferred taking action? How do you feel about the person who, after an initial attempt, lets the momentum lapse? Of course, these aren't behaviors of highly effective...

The Ph.D. shortage.(Top Line)
April 1, 2007... Our roles and responsibilities as accounting and finance professionals continue to evolve, yet soon there won't be enough specialized accounting educators to prepare students for this constantly changing work-place. For example, there are 50%...

Not for sissies.(Best Practices)(hazards of anger and usage of patience in business )(Column)
April 1, 2007... Can anger be a good thing? Last month in this column we wrote that anger is our enemy. Have you ever been swept away by anger? Ever find yourself screaming, slamming doors, even throwing something? Your harsh language may have caused people to...

The Human connection.(IMA)(impact of human connection on business)
April 1, 2007... As we continue to see changes in the way we do business, it's important to remember the foundation upon which business was built--before technology became part of the workplace. That's face-to-face human contact. Now PDAs, webinars, podcasts,...

How good is your ethics and compliance program?(Ethics)(U.S. Sentencing Guidelines)
April 1, 2007... Actions to implement the 2004 expansion of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) for organizations have further heightened organizations' interest in meeting the standards for maintaining a comprehensive ethics and compliance program. The USSG...

CFO turnover keeps escalating.(NEWS)(chief financial officers)
April 1, 2007... A study last month by Duke University and CFO magazine corroborates the information in this issue's cover story. Apparently, job pressure is driving CFOs out of their positions sooner than ever, and this, combined with shorter CEO tenures, is...

Top 10 technology concerns.(streetwise)
April 1, 2007... For the fifth consecutive year, information security management heads the list of the AICPA's Annual Top Technology Initiatives. These technology initiatives are expected to have the greatest impact in the coming year. Information Security...

More Excel, Please.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... I just came on board with the IMA in December 2006 and have been very impressed with everything I've received so far. Since December, I've passed one part of the CMA exam, and I am currently studying for my next part. In reading the March...

Problems with 404 guidance continue.(GOVERNMENT)
April 1, 2007... Once you get past the various versions of "good try" that begin the comment letters from business groups to the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) on their proposed changes to...

Bankruptcy taxation.(BOOKS)(Book review)
April 1, 2007... No one likes the idea of needing to go through bankruptcy, but if you find that the need arises, whatever the reason, one of the first places to look for guidance on the tax aspects of bankruptcy is Grant W. Newton and Robert Liquerman's...

The weekly lament.(SMALL BUSINESS)
April 1, 2007... EVERY WEEK SOMEWHERE (everywhere?) in the United States the lament is heard: How am I going to meet payroll this week? It's the single biggest concern for many small businesses. If they can't pay their employees, the employees will quit,...

Struggling to survive: facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, CFOs need to redefine their role and initiate a paradigm shift in the way they manage the finance function.(Cover story)
April 1, 2007... The spiraling complexity and velocity of doing business have dramatically altered the role of the CFO. What was once an attractive career destination and a prestigious senior management position has degenerated significantly. Intensifying...

How SOX and C-TPAT: impact global supply chain security.(International/Supply Chain)(Ernst & Young L.L.P.)(AFL-CIO)
April 1, 2007... In a letter from the AFL-CIO to Wal-Mart's accounting firm Ernst & Young, LLP, the AFL-CIO raised concerns regarding Wal-Mart's internal financial controls over inventory moving through its international supply chain and regarding its security...

Be prepared! What management accountants need to know about the new audit Risk Assessment Standards.(Risk)
April 1, 2007... Management accountants develop and contribute information critical to financial statements, which outside auditors then use to conduct their independent examination. The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) recently issued a package of Statements...

The future of travel & expense: you'll be able to analyze all of the data around your spending at the point of procurement instead of reimbursement.(Technology)
April 1, 2007... Companies are certainly aware of the expense and hassle of business travel today. According to Aberdeen Group, travel and entertainment (T&E) expenses account for 8% to 10% of total operating expenses. Rising costs impact the entire...

Take two! Accounting students can take one part at a time and pass both the CPA and CMA exams within nine months after graduation with this 10-step streamlined process.(Certification)
April 1, 2007... When someone learns you are in the accounting profession, invariably the next question almost always seems to be, "Are you a CPA?" The designation of Certified Public Accountant is undoubtedly the most widely recognized credential associated...

Tools of the trade.(brief)
April 1, 2007... Hewlett-Packard's TouchSmart IQ770 PC combines a 19-inch-wide touchscreen, a wireless keyboard and mouse, and the new Vista Home Premium operating system from Microsoft. The key-board stores out of the way in a shelf under the console, and the...

Newsstands in the sky.(Tech Forum)
April 1, 2007... LIKE IT OR NOT, it looks like we are moving closer to the time when much of our publishing will be done on glass or plastic screens. One sign of the accelerating migration away from paper is the way newspapers and magazines are shoring up their...

The global ledger for financial services.(XBRL)
April 1, 2007... Picture a tent with a steel vault door. We know what's wrong with that image right away, yet that's exactly what banks are like when they have spreadsheets pulling together their financial and tax data. The financial services industry is a...

Beyond Checkmate.(End Note)
April 1, 2007... When Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget was formulating his cognitive development theory, he spent a lot of time observing the play of children. He assumed children developed understanding of themselves and their surroundings through play. In a...