Strategic Finance articles from May 2006

Strategic Finance archives from May 2006

Managing the costs of expatriation: they may be greater than you think.(Fletcher Core)
May 1, 2006... Fletcher Core, the world-renowned manufacturer of snowboards and snowboard equipment, is considering global expansion. The Colorado-based company's products have become quite popular in Europe. Fletcher analyzed this popularity by combining the...

Making the move to the executive ranks: now is the time to prepare.(Careers)
May 1, 2006... The impending retirement of a mammoth wave of workers in the Baby Boomer generation in the coming years has prompted well-publicized predictions of widespread labor shortages. The good news for those remaining in the workforce is that they are...

How do they make those things?(www.madehow.com.)
May 1, 2006... Sometimes, how a product is made is as interesting or problematic as coming up with the idea in the first place. Say someone gave you a technical drawing for a fastening device, explained how it worked, and then gave you a schedule for...

IMA strengthens commitment to ethics through new online course.(Institute of Management Accountants)
May 1, 2006... The recent, well-publicized scandals at WorldCom, Enron, and elsewhere have heightened public awareness of the need for greater attention to ethical concerns in corporate America. Many companies have responded by creating new positions of...

Creating an ethical culture: values-based ethics programs can help employees judge right from wrong.(MCI Inc.)(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... WHILE THE FATE of former Enron leaders Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling is being determined in what has been labeled the "Trial of the Century," former WorldCom managers are in jail for pulling off one of the largest frauds in history. ...

Light the fire within.(executive effectiveness)
May 1, 2006... "Champions aren't made in gyms," said heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, whose dominance transcended his sport. "They are made from something they have deep inside--a desire, a dream, a vision." Ali is pointing to the mechanism that transfigures...

John B. Pollara named IMA chair-elect.(Institute of Management Accountants)
May 1, 2006... John B. Pollara, CMA, has been named IMA Chair-Elect, which means he will become IMA Chair in 2007-08. William L. Brower, Jr., CMA, CFM, is IMA Chair for 2006-07. The IMA Board of Directors announced John's nomination on February 25, 2006, and...

The first sign of spring.(changes in accounting profession)
May 1, 2006... There's an old joke I remember from my days as a full-time public accountant. It went something like, "How can you tell the first sign of spring?" The punch line was "An accountant sharpening his pencil." To bring the quip into current...

Seeking sox software? Here are some things to consider.(Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
May 1, 2006... The ongoing debate regarding the impact technology has on efforts to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is accelerating at companies of all sizes. Over the past 18 months there have been significant changes to the...

Falling into line: here's some advice on how to develop an Effective Compliance Program and avoid some common pitfalls.(ANNUAL CONFERENCE TOPIC: Risk Management)
May 1, 2006... IN today's hazy, ambiguous regulatory environment, financial executives have yet another daunting set of tasks to perform. They need to determine exactly how much money to invest to develop a comprehensive corporate governance function. There...

Can you ace 10 tough job interview questions?(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... The way you handle those difficult questions you're asked during an interview can land you the job or perhaps leave the hiring manager less than impressed. You need to be prepared and have the right attitude, Richard Bayer, chief operating...

Funding continuing education.(accounting staff)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... As the demand for skilled accountants keeps growing, some companies are offering all kinds of benefits to recruit top candidates. But a recent survey by Robert Half Finance & Accounting shows that many are overlooking one particularly...

Congress takes up complexity in financial reporting.(United States. Congress)
May 1, 2006... Robert Herz, chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), didn't show up at the House Financial Services Committee hearings on March 29 with a bulls-eye on his back. But representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and...

A handbook for new controllers.(The Controller's Guide: Roles and Responsibilities.)
May 1, 2006... The job of controller has become more complex in recent years. Acquisitions, financial structuring, and managing relations with analysts and investors command increasing focus. At the same time, the accounting scandals such as Enron and...

A new beginning for SMAs.(Statements on Management Accounting)
May 1, 2006... As part of its mission to provide leading-edge research relevant to its members' needs, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA[R]) is issuing Statements on Management Accounting (SMAs) once again. SMAs provide the global financial...

Total Web development.(tools of the trade)(Macromedia Inc.)
May 1, 2006... Macromedia's Dreamweaver 8 is the Web design software at the center of Macromedia's Studio 8 Suite, which includes Flash Professional 8, Fireworks 8, Contribute 3, and Flash-Paper 2. The complete toolset is everything designers need to manage...

Writing a Web.(Tech Forum)
May 1, 2006... CREATING A WEBSITE is as simple as typing a few lines and tapping the publish button. Creating a website is complicated; it requires a variety of skills and is relentless in the demands it places on the owner. Both of these statements are...

The lead singer gets a chorus.(XBRL (Document markup language).)
May 1, 2006... Over the last year, the U.S. Government's principal proponent of XBRL, Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox, has been singing the praises of interactive data. Through his initiatives, the SEC has recently stepped up its...

Increasing the relevance of undergraduate accounting education.(Academic Corner)(Column)
May 1, 2006... Educators struggle to make accounting interesting and relevant to undergraduate accounting students. Having worked in manufacturing, service, professional services, and university settings, I understand firsthand the required skill sets for...