CMA Management articles from April 2007

CMA Management archives from April 2007

The constancy of change.(from the editor)
April 1, 2007... A few months back, one of our readers e-mailed to ask if we'd consider writing an article about the strong Canadian dollar--how different companies have been affected by it, and how they're adapting. Since that e-mail, the dollar has taken a...

Made to Stick.(Brief article)(Book review)
April 1, 2007... Urban legends stick. The Golden Rule sticks. But the last PowerPoint presentation you saw didn't stick. Why do some ideas stay with you and others you have to struggle to remember? And can we learn something useful from seeing what ideas do...

Strategic Product Creation.(Brief article)(Book review)
April 1, 2007... Are you satisfied with your ability to market new products? The effectiveness of your product creation organization? Your product position compared to your competitors? Continuous growth in a business requires that a company tackle these...

Living Into Leadership.
April 1, 2007... It's impossible to manage and regulate ethics. If the CEO of an organization chooses to manage that organization unethically, there may be opportunities to disclose those ethical shortfalls to a third party but an employee must inevitably...

IASB publishes draft IFRS for SMEs.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) recently published for public comment the exposure draft of its International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Entities (IFRS for SMEs). The aim of the proposed...

Organizations overly cautious on cost reduction.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... Almost two-thirds of companies set themselves cost reduction targets of no more than 3% per year, according to a KPMG International sponsored study by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Even these limited cost savings are proving difficult...

Audit committees take on broader oversight.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... As audit committees adapt to the heightened scrutiny and glare of the spotlight created by new regulations, they are also experiencing an evolution of their role to include broader oversight in matters of financial responsibility and risk...

Corporate Canada needs innovation: Conference Board.(New and noteworthy information you can use)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Corporate Canada as a whole is not being hollowed-out, the Conference Board argues in a briefing based on its Mission Possible: Sustainable Prosperity for Canada report. "Even as head offices and head-office employment continues to grow on...

Companies not hitting goals in emerging markets.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... Despite the size and remarkable growth of emerging markets, a surprising number of companies are falling short of achieving their business goals according to a recent study by Deloitte's Global Manufacturing Industry Group. Just 47% of the more...

New software.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... Visit www.managementmag.com for more information on the following software and applications packages: * Tenrox's Project Workforce Management Solution, Version 9.1 * New NetSuite E-commerce release

Holistic management of IT governance essential.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... While most organizations recognize the importance of IT governance, most don't have a holistic view that considers all its dimensions. According to a new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), IT Governance in Practice, the concept of IT...

IFACnet to expand SME resources.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
April 1, 2007... IFACnet, the global search engine for professional accountants, is being expanded over the coming months to provide additional resources, particularly for accountants working in small and medium-sized entities (SMEs). Eighteen members and IFAC...

Collaborative creation: the Windows Vista Tablet PC.(HIGH TECH)
April 1, 2007... Toshiba of Canada Information Systems Group (Toshiba Canada) recently announced the Portege R400 convertible Tablet/notebook computer. Highlighted by two world's first technologies, the Portege R400 is the product of a joint collaboration...

Skating on thin ice: contingency planning to replace top performers.(human resources)
April 1, 2007... Strategic planning is an accepted best practice in most organizations. Executives have well-defined plans for growing their market share, developing their products and building competitive advantage. But what about the people? It's just as...

Selling a private company--preparing for the sale: succession planning is important, even if a sale isn't in the immediate horizon. Consider these basics first.(management trends)
April 1, 2007... This article is the first in a three-part series on selling a privately-held company. Part one deals with pre-sale planning and preparation. Part two will address the business sale process and part three will cover some of the common mistakes...

Canadian dollar blues? The strong--albeit now weakening--Canadian dollar has affected Canadian businesses in a variety of ways. The key is to manage this challenge strategically. Here's how a few companies have done so.
April 1, 2007... Ask Michael dos Santos, CMA, FCMA, president and CEO of Montreal heavy machinery manufacturer Flextor Inc., how his company has managed to ride the wave of Canada's strong dollar with nary a scrape and he'll suggest that it was pure, dumb luck....

Sustainable suppliers, sustainable markets.(Company overview)
April 1, 2007... THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPUTATION AND BRAND VALUE ISN'T NEWS. BUT IT'S NOW CLEAR THAT REPUTATION IS CLOSELY LINKED TO THE SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ETHICAL PROFILE OF AN ORGANIZATION'S SPENDING. BUYING SMART ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOWEST COST--IT'S...

Black holes in organizations: many seemingly successful companies are affected by habits and routines that actually undermine their future potential. These are potential black holes--persistent behaviours that can gum up an organization's processes and workflows. Learn how to recognize and fight them.
April 1, 2007... Black holes are a powerful force that can cause great harm to organizations. Operating under management's radar, black holes are persistent and difficult to detect, which makes them difficult to eradicate. Like the lime build-up in water...

Calculating a creative niche: Susan Richards, CMA, brings art to strategic management--and boardroom walls.(Cover story)(Company overview)
April 1, 2007... "Creative accountant" could be considered a loaded description for a chief financial officer. Susan Richards, CMA, CFO of bitHeads doesn't mind it, though, as long as you're describing her strategic approach to business growth or her...

Strategic and streamlined: provincial governments in Canada need to encourage small business growth. Here's how two ministries are managing the challenge.(government issues)
April 1, 2007... The vast majority of businesses in Canada are small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In its federal budget submissions, CMA Canada has regularly championed the cause of support for SMEs. At the provincial level, however, it is currently...

Global warnings: pandemic planning is essential for business continuity, but many organizations remain complacent. Is your company ready?(global view)
April 1, 2007... "It's not a matter of if, but when." That phrase is fast becoming the mantra for the potential of an avian influenza pandemic. It's also a line popping up increasingly--and with greater urgency in recent months--with respect to business...