CMA Management articles from December 2002

CMA Management archives from December 2002

Balance and accountability. (From the Editor).(Editorial)
December 1, 2002... While much heat has been generated in the continuing debate on Enron, WorldCom et al., little light has been shed on how we can effectively minimize the recurrence of future corporate meltdowns. Some parties advocate stricter regulation of...

Corporate Boards That Create Value. (Media Bites).(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... This is a timely book that addresses a question that is on everyone's mind: with the new focus on corporate governance concerns, can boards of directors ever fulfill the responsibilities they carry? The authors of Corporate Boards That Create...

Demand and Supply. (Media Bites).(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... For more than 200 years, business has largely emphasized the supply side of economics laid out by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations. But the days of creating supply and then going in search of demand are now over. In fact, the equation has...

The Innovation Equation. (Media Bites).(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... This new book is a guide for managers and leaders in any organization on how to build innovation within teams and individuals. Companies today must innovate continually to survive, say the experts. Yet while many organizations talk about...

Green government. (News and Views).
December 1, 2002... In keeping with its mandate to promote renewable energy and energy conservation projects, the federal government recently announced two proposed changes to the income tax rules to enhance tax incentives for investments in renewable energy and...

Quebec's business advantages. (News and Views).
December 1, 2002... A KPMG study on the competitiveness of businesses ranks Quebec first in the G-7 countries from the standpoint of business start-up and operating costs. "We have good reason to applaud the findings," noted Deputy Premier and Minister of State...

FOR@C receives major funding. (News and Views).(Research Consortium in E-Business in the Forest Products Industry)
December 1, 2002... Based at Laval University, the Research Consortium in E-Business in the Forest Products Industry (FOR@C) recently obtained overall start-up funding of $9.5 million. The Consortium's goal is to become a Canadian and international focal point for...

High tech: projecting mobility. (News and Views).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd. has extended its digital imaging expertise in printing, scanning and digital photography into the portable digital projector market in Canada by introducing two new lightweight products. The HP Digital...

Critical skill sets: concentrating on certain aptitudes makes you a more valuable prospect. (Career Intelligence).
December 1, 2002... Traditional career and job search strategies are often ineffective for senior level executives. Concentrating on a few key skills, however, can make you more marketable and an appealing prospect whether you are looking for a position or not....

Succession planning in SMEs: studies confirm that the future of family-owned businesses is at risk. (Management Trends).
December 1, 2002... The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) observed in 1997 that the number of jobs in companies with 500 or more employees had fallen from 42% to 37.3%. Statistics published by the Quebec Department of Industry and Trade also...

Measure for measure: creating and managing shareholder value. .(Column)
December 1, 2002... Howard E. Johnson In recent years, the phrase "maximizing shareholder value" has become a baffle cry for managers and directors of both public and private companies throughout North America. With the determination to do just that, an...

Keeping score.
December 1, 2002... BY MEASURING AND IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF COMPANY BOARDS AND CEOs, CMA CANADA'S NEW MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICE GUIDELINE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE WILL HELP RESTORE INVESTOR AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN CAPITAL MARKETS. Note: The...

Charity's changed environment: volunteer sector accountability is catching up with management trends, using new tools to become more efficient and transparent.
December 1, 2002... Volunteer sector organizations play an important role in Canada's economy and communities through their involvement in a range of public benefits. Approximately 177,000 volunteer sector organizations in Canada provide community and social...

Sound visions: Dynamic women CMAs show how they have followed their dreams and made a difference in the corporate world.
December 1, 2002... CMAs are drawn to their work by a variety of desires--most focusing on meeting and achieving their personal targets for excellence in business and management. Canada's top women CMAs have played an important part in raising the bar for...

Systematic strategies: measuring the return on investment of your training programs, beyond the classroom and the bottom line, creates a learning environment that can make any company stronger.
December 1, 2002... Each year, small, growing businesses tend to invest more heavily in training as a percentage of payroll than their larger, corporate counterparts. Businesses invest a great deal of money, resources, and productive capacity in training and...

Living the better way: CMA Michael Roche charts the financial route for the Toronto Transit Commission. (Profile).
December 1, 2002... I treads like the plot of a movie: a dynamic young man finds a job in the mailroom of a large corporation, works hard and makes his way up to the position of Chief Financial Officer, responsible for a budget of close to a billion dollars a year...

RSPs -- despite market woes, they're still a safe bet: keep a grip on your investor emotions and you will come out on top. (Money Management).
December 1, 2002... This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to RSP contributions. This year, many investors are questioning whether this is still a good idea. With the corporate scandals, frauds and bankruptcies of the past 12 months, do we really want to...

Card-carrying members: simplifying purchasing with controlled access. (Information Technology).
December 1, 2002... With the advent of electronic data interchange (EDI) and the Internet, the speed with which data is collected and transported has increased dramatically in the past 5 to 10 years. Online banking has become commonplace for many householders....

The benefits of balance: the balanced scorecard is not yet embraced by Canadian municipal governments, but it could be exactly what they need. (Government Issues).
December 1, 2002... Municipal governments have worked under pressure from both provincial governments and their citizens to operate efficiently and effectively as well as to improve accountability. The balanced scorecard could be a valuable tool to help municipal...

Partners in technology: international agreements are fostering growth in the Quebec tech sector. (Global View).(Parc technologique du Quebec metropolitain)(Technopole Anticipa)
December 1, 2002... Parc technologique du Quebec metropolitain (PTQM) recently signed a partnership agreement with Technopole Anticipa in Lannion, France. Anticipa and PTQM chose to link services to promote exchanges between the two management groups as well as...