CMA Management articles from August 2004

CMA Management archives from August 2004

Global convergence.(From the Editor)
August 1, 2004... Back in June, Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge made an address to the European Economics and Financial Centre in Paris that placed in sharp relief one of the critical issues the accounting profession faces worldwide. Dodge first...

IT Governance.(Taking Charge)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
August 1, 2004... In the last issue of CMA Management, we discussed a new book that suggests IT doesn't matter the way it used to--it isn't the competitive advantage it once was. And yet, if IT initiatives aren't managed properly, they can still cost companies...

Clearing the Hurdles.(Taking Charge)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
August 1, 2004... As any entrepreneur will tell you, starting a new venture is never easy. Developing the business, securing funding, and managing growth--each step comes with its own inherent challenges. Entrepreneurship is often that much more difficult for...

How Full is Your Bucket?(Taking Charge)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
August 1, 2004... For many years, psychologists focused on what is wrong with people. In the 1950s, Donald Clifton and his colleagues started asking what is right with people. Over the past five decades they have pursued the study of positive psychology. ...

CMA Nigel Jacobs named Firm Administrator of the Year by the Association for Accounting Administrators.(News and Views)(Brief Article)(Column)
August 1, 2004... Nigel Jacobs, CMA, CEO of Taylor Leibow Chartered Accountants, has been recognized for outstanding achievement by winning the prestigious Firm Administrator of the Year award presented by the Association for Accounting Administrators (AAA). ...

Howard Armitage, CMA, FCMA, receives prestigious 3M Teaching Fellowship.(News and Views)
August 1, 2004... Howard Armitage, CMA, FCMA, the director of the Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of Waterloo (UW), has received one of the 2004 3M Teaching Fellowships awarded annually by the Society for Teaching and...

Leadership key in maximizing visible minority talent.(News and Views)
August 1, 2004... Maximizing the talents of visible minorities requires ongoing leadership commitment in organizations, Canadian executives emphasized at a recent Leaders' Dialogue on Visible Minorities, part of the Conference Board of Canada's Leaders' Summit...

Combo Wi-Fi cell phone imminent.(High Tech)
August 1, 2004... Excitement has been building in some tech circles since late May when it was suggested that Motorola and partners Avaya Inc. and Proxim Corp. were almost ready to launch what they have dubbed the "enterprise phone." This new gadget can...

New B.C. International Financial Activity Act creates opportunities for Canadian and global companies.(News and Views)(International Financial Activity Act)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... On May 20, 2004, the government of British Columbia enacted the International Financial Activity (IFA) Act, which replaces the former International Financial Business (Tax Refund) Act. The new Act comes into force on September 1, 2004. The...

CMAs Sonia Draper, Ken Johnson win Sony digital cameras in 2004 CMA Management reader survey.(And the Winners are ...)(CMA Management magazine)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Sonia Draper, CMA, senior principal, international executive services with KPMG LLP in Calgary, Alberta, and Ken Johnson, CMA, regional director, finance & assets management with Health Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia, are the winners of the...

Balanced expectations: determining the best pension plan for your organization.(Human Resources)
August 1, 2004... Employers have a lot of variables to juggle when reviewing pension plans--challenging capital markets, funding shortfalls and an aging workforce with ambitious retirement plans, to name just a few. Different stakeholders also often have widely...

Strategic strengths: the role of the CFO is evolving, according to two new studies, and the management accounting skill set is perceived as that much more critical for maturing organizations.(Management Trends)(Chief Financial Officer )
August 1, 2004... Recent studies released by IBM Business Consulting Services and Accenture note that finance departments are going to play a greater strategic role in their organizations, and that many organizations aren't prepared for this change. This should...

Fitting in: executive integration is a major issue that continues to be overlooked by many.(Business Strategies)
August 1, 2004... Employers invest heavily to recruit the right candidates for senior management positions, but almost nothing is done to integrate newly hired executives, according to a new study by RHR International on executive integration in the private...

Open source: assessing the TCO picture; open source technology sounds like it's free but it isn't; like its commercial equivalent, it has to be implemented and supported. However, the total cost of ownership (TCO) has proven very positive for a number of Canadian organizations. And with the big IT players stepping up to the plate, adoption no longer involves taking a wild swing.(Total Cost of Ownership )
August 1, 2004... Open source has created a paradigm shift in the way software is provided. In simple terms, open source software is code that is put in the public domain with a series of provisos: any party is allowed to use and distribute the software at no...

Telecommuting transitions: telework arrangements can save employees time and companies money. A number of larger multinationals have adopted it in their operations but fewer than you'd expect. Yet it really does make sense. The challenge is doing it right, with the right people, on the right schedule. Here are a few recommendations.
August 1, 2004... Like so many innovative business management concepts, telecommuting is often hailed as a wonderful idea but remains under-used in real life. Employers across Canada talk about the importance of work-life balance but when it comes to actually...

Centre stage: CMAs bring financial and administrative expertise to the ballet.(Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Ballet BC)
August 1, 2004... Over the past 50 years, Canada's artistic institutions have changed substantially. While 40 years ago there may have been a few large cultural institutions, there are now a multitude competing for a market share. Such growth creates...

Selling your business: entrepreneurs don't usually like to think about giving up the business they spent so long creating, but that day eventually comes for a lot of Canadian small and medium-sized business owners. The challenge is to properly prepare yourself for the process and make sure you're able to do it on your terms. Here's how.
August 1, 2004... Shortly after he sold his Web design business, George Butters flew from Fredericton to Toronto and bought himself a Rolls Royce. Having invested almost seven years of his life into his former company, Butters says he needed some kind of...

Striking at the roots: the most common training challenges and how to overcome them.
August 1, 2004... Companies face numerous training challenges, and many of those challenges aren't obvious. They are easily overlooked, especially when companies are single-mindedly focused on finding immediate solutions to pressing deficiencies in their...

The essential middleman: CMA Darin McLean has built a successful business out of a supply chain necessity. Excellent customer service has kept the business thriving.(Profile)
August 1, 2004... The retail supply chain can be a challenge to maintain, especially in smaller Canadian business centres. No one wants to order too much merchandise but nor do they want to wait a week or more to get critical products from larger hubs in other...

The hazardous art: e-mail is an effective and efficient communications tool, but only when you use it correctly.(Information Technology)
August 1, 2004... When was the last time you wrote a personal letter, stamped and mailed it? A lot has changed with the expansion of the WorldWide Web and e-mail technology. It's simple just to punch in a note and send it across the world in seconds. This is...

Positioned for progress: key role seen for CMAs in federal government's comptroller general action plan.(Government Issues)
August 1, 2004... In the March 2004 issue of CMA Management, the article entitled "Comptrollership in the Martin Government" expressed skepticism about whether the new Martin government really grasped financial management issues. The position of Comptroller...

Supporting international standards: IFAC sets its strategic plan for 2005-2008.(Global View)(International Federation of Accountants)
August 1, 2004... In early July, the board of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) met in New York to discuss various aspects of the organization's strategic plan for the next four years. It was clear from the meeting that the organization and its...