CMA Management articles from October 2006

CMA Management archives from October 2006

Education--always a competitive edge.(from the editor)(Editorial)
October 1, 2006... The importance of constantly learning and updating one's knowledge set can't be stressed enough. For CMAs, it's particularly important to have access to information on leading-edge strategic management accounting practices and concepts to deal...

International financial reporting standards workbook and guide.(New rules, new responsibilities)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... As Canada gradually moves towards full convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), accountants of all stripes will have to become better versed in the rules of international play. International Financial Reporting...

Riding Shotgun.(New rules, new responsibilities)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Over the past few years, CEOs and CFOs have been in the spotlight, and the public at large has come to better understand the important role these C-suite executives play in the development and success of an organization. Similarly, the profile...

Case Studies in Performance Management.(New rules, new responsibilities)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... For any organization to grow and progress, it's essential to turn plans and goals into results. Performance management (PM) is the framework for managing the execution of an organization's strategy. It allows organizations to track performance...

CMA Canada announces launch of new global knowledge resource for accountants in business.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... CMA Canada has played a pioneering role with accountancy organizations worldwide and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) to develop a global electronic knowledge resource for management accountants. This new global resource,...

CMA Management articles garner award of merit.(New and noteworthy information you can use)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Two articles originally published in CMA Management have been chosen to appear in a collection of award-winning international articles on topics such as performance measurement, sustain-ability and corporate social responsibility, and the...

Forum for small and medium entities identifies key market challenges.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... Earlier this year, more than 130 people from 35 countries attended the International Federation of Accountants' (IFAC's) first global forum focused entirely on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small and medium accounting practices...

Corporate reputation takes years to recover: study.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... Executives around the world believe it takes companies slightly more than three years (3.2 years) to recover from a crisis that damages their reputation, according to market research by Burson-Marsteller. The research, which is based on the...

IFAC strengthens international code of ethics.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... An important objective of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), an independent standard-setting board within the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), is to provide auditors with clear guidance on matters...

Investment managers bullish about future.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... The investment management sector will confront enormous challenges in investment performance, distribution and the recruitment and retention of talent over the next few years. But, despite these demands, investment managers remain bullish about...

Canadian VCs stay close to home.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... Canadian venture capitalists continue to stick close to home, with more than half (58%) of Canadian respondents to Deloitte's 2006 Global Venture Capital Survey citing they have no plans to expand investments outside the country over the next...

New software.(New and noteworthy information you can use)
October 1, 2006... Visit www.managementmag.com for more information on the following software and applications packages: * Sage Software's Sage Accpac ERP 5.4 * CyberMatrix Pro Schedule Version 6

Lifebook slims down.(HIGH TECH)(LifeBook Q2010 notebook)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Fujitsu Canada, Inc. recently announced the availability of the LifeBook Q2010 notebook, the slimmest and lightest 12.1 inch notebook on the market. At 2.2 pounds and only 3/4 of an inch thick, this notebook unites computing power with elegant...

Tracking potential: after hiring a new employee, the resumes of those who didn't quite make the cut are usually discarded. Don't allow your company to make this mistake--turn unused resumes into future hires through effective resource management.(human resources)
October 1, 2006... Ever receive an e-mail from a friend in which the offer is too good to be true? Maybe it's a message promising endless happiness, good luck, fame and fortune--but first you have to forward the message to your address book in the next 15...

Outsourcing agreements: to renew or not to renew? While it's tempting to re-enter a deal you're used to, consider all of the options before getting comfortable again.(business strategies)
October 1, 2006... Your multi-year outsourcing agreement is approaching the end of its term. Are you satisfied with your vendor and the services you received? Probably you are... and you're not. They've done many things well, but there were also problems. And...

Board processes and the quality of board decision making: sometimes good boards of directors make bad decisions, but it's difficult to understand why. By considering some theories in group decision making, it's possible to glean a few solutions to the problem.
October 1, 2006... Students of group decision making have written extensively about what determines the quality of group decision making. Of particular interest are articles that explore the general theme of how or why a group of smart people can make terrible...

Hedging strategies and GAAP: a marriage made in heaven? Canada's new hedge accounting rules create new ways in which to make sense of hedging activities in financial statements. Make sure you know where it works best.
October 1, 2006... As a consumer you may be loving the strong Canadian dollar. That vacation in Florida is a whole lot cheaper! As a finance professional, though, you may have wondered whether you need to revisit hedging. One of the guiding principles of...

Strategic focus--does your scorecarding system have it? According to preliminary results of an international scorecarding study, many organizations around the world aren't realizing the full benefits of their scorecarding systems. A failure to link the system to strategic planning may be the missing link between the winners and the losers.
October 1, 2006... Scorecarding systems are the subject of heightened interest in organizations wanting to improve their performance. These organizations approach the deployment of scorecarding systems from several directions. Some, spurred by Robert Kaplan and...

Navigating strategic change: Dorothy Rice, CMA, FCMA, demonstrates the value of strategic management techniques. She does so by championing them, from conception through to delivery. Her dedication has changed the way Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems does business.(Cover story)(Company overview)
October 1, 2006... A number of strategic management concepts have gained a foothold in business over the last 20 years but it's rare that you find a company implementing them across an organization in an effective, strategically-minded manner. The challenges are...

The productivity agenda: why the federal government is expected to get serious about lagging productivity growth.(government issues)
October 1, 2006... Just like individuals and families, there are choices to be made by nations between consumption and investment. And there are also choices to be made from a temporal perspective, ranging from immediate outcomes to longer-term outcomes. ...

Courting the bear once more: Russia proves an interesting puzzle for international business. Is it one worth solving?(global view)
October 1, 2006... When the Russian market first opened up in earnest for western investors, it was feted as the next business frontier. It has yet to fulfill its promise in many people's minds. Anyone interested in seeking business there should expect the...