CMA Management articles from June 2002

CMA Management archives from June 2002

Profits and losses. (From the Editor).
June 1, 2002... The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) recently released E-Business and the Accountant, a paper that's meant to outline the risks and opportunities offered by Web-supported business. The paper raises a couple of salient points --...

Effective marketing. (Focusing Business Assets).
June 1, 2002... This French-language work was written for students and managers looking for a more accessible approach to the study of consumer behaviour, so that they can meet their objective of focusing on customer needs -- to understand them, satisfy them...

A Practical Guide to the Balanced Scorecard. (Focusing Business Assets).
June 1, 2002... For years, literature that explains what the balanced scorecard is and why organizations should implement it has been circulated. This book -- A Practical Guide to the Balanced Scorecard -- shows how to implement the balanced scorecard. Cam...

The Busy Fool Meets Father Time -- Time Management in the Information Age. (Focusing Business Assets).
June 1, 2002... Beware: people who steal your time won't give it back. This is the overall message behind The Busy Foal Meets Father Time: Time Management in the Information Age, by Paul Meldrum and Kirk Atkinson. The book creates three fictional characters to...

HR technology focus affects shareholder value. (New and Noteworthy Information You Can Use).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new Watson Wyatt study is sending a clear message to companies about their HR technology investments -- make sure they have teeth. According to the company's 2001 Human Capital Index (HCI) study, companies that focus their HR technology...

Multinationals see M&A pace picking up. (New and Noteworthy Information You Can Use).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Senior executives of large multinationals in the U.S. anticipate an increase in mergers and acquisitions in their industries within the next 12 months, and nine in 10 forecast higher mergers and acquisitions activity in the next two years....

IT knowledge lags behind needs. (News and Noteworthy Information You Can Use).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... More companies are embracing Internet-based processes. The problem is, they can't fix them when they break down. According to an Ernst & Young survey, many businesses admit that it takes them longer to restore their IT systems and Web-based...

Executives cagey on outsourcing. (News and Noteworthy Information You Can Use).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Cost cutting is now a top priority for Canadian executives, but most are hesitant about taking the next step -- outsourcing services. While they acknowledge that outsourcing can help them save money, executives fear the effect this might have...

High tech: Customs automation on the Web.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... MSR Inc., a developer of Customs automation solutions, recently launched the MSR Visual Tariff Web service (www.visualtariff.com). The service helps businesses that import or export cope with changes at the border, like mandatory classification...

Keys to a successful career transition: whatever the reasons for a career transition, thorough preparation is essential for success and satisfaction. (Career Intelligence).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Returning to the job market after losing a job or being on maternity leave, deciding to become self-employed or even switching employers can be a formidable task if you make the wrong decisions. Industrial psychologist Andre Filion, from...

Small business support: accounting software frees the entrepreneur from after-hours tedium. (Management Trends).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Small business accounting has leapt light-years ahead of the days of ledger books and columns of handwritten numbers recorded and tabulated at the end of each business day. The first significant step forward came with the proliferation of...

Reconciliations: fundamental value, premiums and Enron. (Business Strategies).(management and accounting standards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Previously in Management we have examined some myths of shareholder value. This month, we attempt to reconcile fundamental value with market value. A recent study from the Boston Consulting Group *, The Continuing Relevance of Investor...

Who's minding the store? The Enron collapse focuses the spotlight on corporate governance and management processes.
June 1, 2002... The media has thoroughly dissected Enron's accounting practices and the culpability that Arthur Andersen shared in the dissolution of the firm. But these practices are simply the first element in a series of more substantial problems --...

Redistributing the wealth: integrated profitability reporting judges product values at TD Canada Trust.
June 1, 2002... Sometimes the value of a product is simple to establish -- if it sells well, it's a good investment. In a complex organization, however, getting an accurate read on a product's contribution to a company requires a more thorough approach. ...

Forecasting clear skies: manufacturers can get bogged down by unrealistic production plans. Switching the focus of forecasts to specific constraints can streamline operations and improve the company's bottom line.
June 1, 2002... Working with forecasts poses a challenge for many businesses, but the problems don't usually lie in the quality of the forecast. It's the way they are used to manage businesses that is problematic. Forecasts should be used to plan capacities...

Let's make a real deal: looking beyond price in mergers and acquisitions.(business valuation)
June 1, 2002... Corporations involved in mergers and acquisitions often focus primarily on getting the best price when negotiating the purchase or sale of a business. However, the best price, being the lowest price in the case of the buyer and the highest...

Fast times at Cognicase: over the last three years, the company has completed nearly 50 acquisitions and partnerships. With efficient integration, the results have been more than satisfactory.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The Montreal-based company Cognicase is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and its growth continues to surprise, especially in the much maligned IT sector. The company specializes in the integration of e-business and Internet/wireless...

The apple of their eye: two young entrepreneurs have turned a long-standing family operation into a viable business for the future.(Vergers Lafrance)
June 1, 2002... At the turn of the last century, Eric Lafrance's great-grandfather, Wilfrid, began to plant apple trees on his farm in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, in the Oka area near Montreal, which has become famous for its orchards. Back then, most apples were...

Armed for success: Major Luc Richard, CMA and peackeeper, takes finance know-how to the front lines. (Profile).(Bosnia-Herzegovina)
June 1, 2002... It's 10:30 a.m. The air is cold and the sun is peeking up over the mist that has covered the Bosnian plains since dawn. Major Luc Richard, CMA, is getting ready to board a Griffon helicopter belonging to Canada's Bosnia-Herzegovina helicopter...

Emergency planning: where to keep your important papers. (Money Management).(home and hearth)
June 1, 2002... Suppose you had five minutes to collect your most important possessions and flee to safety. Would you know where to find your vital personal papers like insurance policies, identification records and proof of home ownership? Are they all in one...

Strengthening the links in the chain: Montreal's Tecsys takes the lead in supply chain management applications. (Information Technology).
June 1, 2002... According to a recent report by AMR Research, a Boston-based IT analyst firm, the Web-based supply chain management market grew 257% from 1999 to 2000 and represented 13% of the SCM software market. All indicators point to continued strong...

Sunny prospects: Quebec entrepreneurs who want to break into southern markets now have help in Florida. (Business Travel).
June 1, 2002... The Quebec government recently opened an office in Miami, Florida -- the Bureau du Quebec a Miami (Quebec Government Office in Miami), or BQM. It's the latest addition to the province's series of North American offices, joining the General...

Tools for the workplace: federal initiative promises to boost innovation and collaboration. (Government Issues).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A recently launched federal government Innovation Strategy promises to help chart a course for economic growth and social development over the next 10 years. It sounds promising, but reaction from two of Canada's national business organizations...

Fighting fraud: a new European study suggests fraud is wide-spread. (Global View).(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The Enron scandal and other high profile corporate investigations demonstrate that fraud is perhaps more prevalent than we once thought. A new European study certainly bolsters this view. The survey of 536 leading companies, conducted by...

New software.
June 1, 2002... Visit www.managementmag.com for more information on the following software packages: * Appgen's MyBooks Professional Financial Management Software for small- and mid-sized businesses. * Oracle Corp.'s Oracle Small Business Suite...