Financial Executive back issues from June 2008:
Financial reporting--what do investors really want?(president's page)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Financial reporting deliberations have been going on for centuries. I can imagine that even Egyptian pharaohs would periodically ask their accountants to change the methods of reporting their tallies. As a result of the monumental expansion of capital markets in the last century, financial ...
editor's page.(International Financial Reporting Standards)(Editorial)
Jun 01, 2008; ... As Bruce Guptill and William McNee of Saugatuck Technology write in our cover story, in just a few years, Software as a Service (SaaS) has moved rapidly beyond its initial point-solution "outsourced application function" phase to become an important source of broad-based business ...
Survey underscores changes in pharmaceutical firms.(CFO ROLE)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Ernst & Young research underscores a number of important changes in the role of the CFO and the finance function in driving the success of pharmaceutical companies. With many multinational pharmaceutical companies welcoming a new CFO to their organization over the past two years, the ...
Now, there's one unhappy ERP customer.(SOFTWARE SYSTEMS)(Waste Management Inc. (Houston, Texas))(SAP AG)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Stories abound about large corporations that have been less than thrilled with installed enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, designed to tie together applications and databases over vast networks. But suing the vendor if you're unhappy? That's what Waste Management Inc ....
Most desirable regions for foreign investment named.(M&A ACTIVITY)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Despite perceived risks, China, India and South East Asia were identified by 57 percent of deal-makers surveyed as the most attractive destinations globally for M&A activity over the next 18 months. The survey, commissioned by Marsh, Mercer and Kroll, M&A Beyond Borders: Opportunities and ...
Captive structures not put to best use, Marsh says.(INSURANCE)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008; ... A survey by insurance broker and risk adviser Marsh Inc. finds that captive insurance companies are significantly better capitalized than required by current levels of risk assumption, but many are not optimizing their captive structure. Marsh says its report, Next Generation ...
Advice on shareholder queries.(GOVERNANCE)
Jun 01, 2008; ... While the proxy season may be largely passed for major corporations, annual meetings are still on many calendars. BDO Seidman LLP has compiled the following list of topics that corporate management and boards of directors should be prepared to address in this proxy season and beyond: ...
In quotes.(in brief)(Quotation)
Jun 01, 2008; ... "You made a promise that you'd deliver, and you missed three weeks later." --Legendary GE CEO ...
Maximizing it's economic value called vital.(TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Research from the Hackett Group finds that companies that are top performers in IT Business Value Management (IT BVM) also outperform their peers across a wide range of financial and profitability metrics, including net profitability, return on assets and return on equity. IT BVM ...
Groundswell: winning in a world transformed by social technologies.(bookshelf)(Book review)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. By Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. Harvard Business School Press, 286 pages, $29.95. While the Internet morphs constantly, the rise of so-called social technologies--personified by blogs and sites like YouTube, ...
Just enough anxiety: the hidden driver of business success.(bookshelf)(Book review)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Just Enough Anxiety: The Hidden Driver of Business Success. By Robert H. Rosen. Portfolio, 258 pages. $24.95. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pyschologists are probably better equipped than most mortals to detect and treat anxiety, so it's appropriate that author ...
The milkshake moment: overcoming stupid systems, pointless policies and muddled management to realize true growth.(bookshelf)(The Milkshake Moment: Overcoming Stupid Systems, Pointless Policies and Muddled Management to Realize True Growth)(Book review)(Brief review)
Jun 01, 2008; ... The Milkshake Moment: Overcoming Stupid Systems, Pointless Policies and Muddled Management to Realize True Growth. By Steven S. Little. John Wiley & Sons, 195 pages. $19.95. This informal, highly personal paean to corporate creativity evolved from Little's own ...
Top financial reporting and audit concerns for preparers at private and public companies.(financial reporting)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Financial Executive Executive Editor Ellen M. Heffes asked FEI member preparers at two private companies, two large multinationals and one mid-size public company to address the following question: What do you view as your top three challenges over the next 3-5 years related to financial ...
'Ideal' acquisitions need effective evaluation.(private companies)
Jun 01, 2008; ... An economic lull can be an ideal time to purchase a business. However, it's also a time to be more critical conducting due diligence to determine why a business is for sale and whether the acquisition would be beneficial in the long run. It may be tempting to buy a business or organization ...
Turbulent markets create ARS management challenges.(treasury)(auction-rate securities)
Jun 01, 2008; ... The $330 billion auction-rate securities (ARS) market is currently in disarray. If they are part of your portfolio, you must be considering ways to deal with them. Many corporations thought these securities were as good as cash and managed their investments accordingly. Now, ...
Economic winds gusting from the North: Canadian companies are finding new value in the U.S. market, and more deals are being done in a broader range of industries. But the sour U.S. economy may be keeping some Canadian buyers on the sidelines.(DEALS)
Jun 01, 2008; ... For much of the last decade, Canada has been informally known in cross-border merger and acquisition circles as the home of the willing acquisition target. A combination of buyer-friendly takeover laws, a strong U.S. economy and the presence of highly desirable natural resource companies ...
IFRS conversion promises change for CFOs & finance departments.(ACCOUNTING)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Wish you didn't have to do lease accounting using the strict Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rules? Well, you may get your wish, and soon. But, it may be a case of not being thrilled with what you get. Lease accounting is not all that is changing. Indeed, in a ...
Turning round employee turnover: recognizing that employee turnover directly impacts financial results, companies are searching for strategies to confront the problem. Two consultants discuss turnover's costs, causes and cures.(TALENT MANAGEMENT)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Personnel turnover in organizations is a normal and expected phenomenon, something that all organizations experience at some level and something that is seldom problematic. Consider, however, if a manager has five employees and one of them quits during the year, he or she has to replace ...
Tracking the impact of CSR: researcher, author and business school professor Geoffrey Heal talks about topics in his new book and offers opinions on various socially responsible practices and their effects, in the U.S. and overseas.(SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY)(Geoffrey Heal)(Corporate social responsibility)(Interview)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Recent years have seen a series of books about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate environmental initiatives. A new addition to the list is When Principles Pay: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line (Columbia Business School Publishing). Author ...
SaaS sets the stage for 'cloud computing': software as a service has come far in a few years, adding new functionality and depth. In time, say a pair of technology researchers, users will move beyond SaaS to "cloud computing," the delivery of IT and business functionality in a utility environment.
Jun 01, 2008; ... In just a few years, Software as a Service (SaaS) has moved rapidly beyond its initial point-solution "out-sourced application function" phase to become an important source of broad-based business functionality and competitive advantage. SaaS is now found in all aspects of ...
Climbing the learning curve from GAAP to IFRS: moving from U.S. GAAP to International Financial Reporting Standards will largely impact the way accounting is taught--all the way from the university level to continuing education at the corporate level, and is seen as a joint challenge for the constituencies involved.(ACCOUNTING EDUCATION)(generally accepted accounting principles)(International Financial Reporting Standards)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Imagine you've been teaching and studying French for many years. Then, you get the word that before long you'll be dropping French and using Italian. They're both Romance languages, yes--but the idioms and idiosyncrasies in one are vastly different from the other. That's ...
Avoiding product recalls.(QUICK STUDY)
Jun 01, 2008; ... As advances in technology continue to make it easier to collaborate with companies in emerging markets, the number of U.S. firms undertaking some form of dispersed manufacturing with global outsourcing continues to rise. When properly managed, such arrangements can be a powerful ...
Making positive choices in a downturn: understanding the signs that a company may be in distress and considering a sale or merger are important to a career. So is being proactive, weighing opportunities and keeping your current job while you explore other possibilities.(YOUR CAREER)
Jun 01, 2008; ... In light of current economic conditions and their direct relation to financial markets, financial executives are facing increased difficulty in making prudent career decisions. Unfortunately, none of us has a crystal ball to refer to when considering a career move. [ILLUSTRATION ...
Earnings navigating in choppy waters.
Jun 01, 2008; ... I In today's climate of economic worries, investors get spooked at the slightest event or comment. Consider what happened in April when General Electric Co.'s failure to make its numbers brought down the broader market for a day. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What can ...
Health savings accounts ramp up.(HEALTH INSURANCE)
Jun 01, 2008; ... THE GROWTH OF HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, OR HSAs, HAS BEEN SLOWER THAN SOME EXPECTED SINCE THEIR INTRODUCTION IN 2004. HSAs MAY BE A GOOD OPTION FOR MANY COMPANIES, BUT THEY NEED TO BE FULLY EXPLAINED TO EMPLOYEES. Since health savings accounts (HSAs) were made available in 2004, ...
GRC SOFTWARE.(technology tools)(governance, risk and compliance (GRC) management solutions )
Jun 01, 2008 ... OpenPages, a provider of enterprise governance, risk and compliance (GRC) management solutions that optimize business performance, has introduced a hosted offering of its application suite it is calling OpenPages Hosting. This is the first Software as a Service (SaaS) offering from ...
Automated controls.(technology tools)(CheckFree Corp.)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... CheckFree, a provider of information technology services to the financial industry, has launched CheckFree Account Certification [TM] an automated financial reporting control framework that helps organizations implement a sound financial governance strategy and helps ensure compliance ...
Audit software.(technology tools)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... RedRover Software Inc., a provider of productivity tools for spreadsheet quality control, has announced the release of its flagship product, RedRover Audit. The company calls it "a powerful yet simple-to-use spreadsheet auditing tool that operates as a complement to Microsoft Excel." ...
Budgeting and forecasting.(technology tools)(Whitebirch Enterprises Inc)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Whitebirch Software Inc., a provider of business planning, forecasting and budgeting software, has released Whitebirch Planning 7.0, which it says offers "valuable new tools that make it even easier to customize planning models to meet the unique financial and/or operational requirements ...
Governance and risk.(technology tools)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Axentis, a provider of comprehensive and widely deployed governance, risk and compliance (GRC) management solution, has announced an enhanced release of its Legal & Regulatory Management Suite. The suite, designed to help organizations meet the U.S. Sentencing Commission's seven elements ...
Bipartisan push emerges for major tax reform.(washington insights)
Jun 01, 2008; ... With the 2008 elections just around the corner, the Democratic-controlled Congress has initiated dialogue on several key issues. Tax reform, "cap and trade" for carbon emissions and capital markets are some of the hottest topics that DC's politicos are buzzing about. But it is tax reform ...
People.(fei news)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Steven Wolfe has joined FEI as Director of Membership. He will be responsible for leading membership recruiting, retention and day-to-day membership operations. He has extensive association background--most recently as Director, Membership Development & Marketing for the National Coffee ...
Austin G. Les.(names in the news)(RAM Energy Resources's chief financial officer)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... FEI Members: You are invited to contribute news about career moves and changes. Email Executive Editor Ellen M. Heffes, eheffes@financialexecutives.org. * G. Les Austin (Tulsa Chapter) has joined RAM Energy Resources as Senior Vice ...
Daniel G. Cross.(names in the news)(chief fiancial officer for Adea Inc.)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Daniel G. Cross (Dallas Chapter) was named Global CFO for Adea Inc., a Dallas/Fort Worth-based global business and ...
Stephen L.Cummings.(names in the news)(Chief financial officer of the Lumira Capital Corp. )(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Stephen L.Cummings (Toronto Chapter) was named CFO for Lumira Capital Corp. in Toronto. Lumira (formerly MDS Capital Corp.) is a venture capital firm that specializes in ...
Frank Grayeski.(names in the news)(TBA Global)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Frank Grayeski (New York City Chapter) was named CFO for TBA Global, and will be based in the firm's New York City office. TBA Global is a privately held company that ...
Robert DeSantis.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Robert DeSantis (Connecticut/Westch-ester Chapter) has joined Plainfield Asset Management as Managing Director and CFO. Greenwich, Conn.-based Plainfield is a ...
Kevin D. Gunderman.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Kevin D. Gunderman (Edmonton Chapter) was named Controller for BioWare Corp., in Edmonton. BioWare is ...
Matthew M. Loar.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Matthew M. Loar (Silicon Valley Chapter) was appointed CFO of Emeryville, Calif.-based Neurobiological Technologies Inc., a ...
Chuck McBride.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Chuck McBride (Los Angeles Chapter) was appointed Executive Vice President and CFO for Synthetic Genomics Inc. in La Jolla, Calif. The ...
Wallace Patzke Jr.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Wallace Patzke Jr. (Northern Florida Chapter) has retired from Florida Rock Industries and formed Eagle Financial Consulting of North Florida. Based in ...
Matthew J. Pfeffer.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Matthew J. Pfeffer (San Francisco Bay Chapter) joined MannKind Corp., of Valencia, Calif., as Corporate Vice President and CFO. MannKind focuses on ...
Nimal Rodrigo.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Nimal Rodrigo (Edmonton Chapter) joined Synodon Inc., in Edmonton, Alberta, as CFO. Synodon provides various data sets to energy ...
Keith Sawottke.(names in the news)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2008 ... Keith Sawottke. CPA (Arizona Chapter), was appointed CFO of Zaio Corp., in Scottsdale, Ariz. Zaio is a technology and database company that maintains a secure ...
Dale wallis.(balance sheet)
Jun 01, 2008; ... Dale Wallis gets inspired by reading biographies of successful people to learn what they did to be successful, and especially when they over-achieved in some area through perseverance and positive thinking, or when they came from humble roots to achieve extraordinary success. ...