Updated COSO ERM framework ties in risk with strategy
The update of the 2004 framework highlights the importance of enterprise-wide risk management in strategic planning.
Strategy and governance
CFOs and sustainability—a growing relationship
There are powerful reasons why corporate finance teams should be key participants in their business’s sustainability journeys.
Building a more effective board
Corporate boards’ scope of responsibilities continues to broaden, and directors’ confidence that they have what it takes to tackle the challenges is lagging.
How family businesses can plan for the future
Family-owned companies struggle with strategic planning and succession planning. CPAs—as employees or outside advisers—can help.
Shaking up the board
It is essential that board makeups represent the customers the company serves.
What CFOs need to know about joint ventures and alliances
They’re hot business growth tools—but they demand cool-headed preparation before you put the hammer down.
What CFOs need to know about the rise of CVC funds
CFOs are key players when a company establishes a CVC fund because they are an integral part of allocating the money required to invest.
Brexit lesson: Focus on consequences, not cause in scenario planning
The Brexit referendum underscores the need for companies to be ready for upheaval through robust scenario planning.
What CPAs can learn from fighter pilots
Fighter pilots can teach controllers, CFOs, and other CPA executives how to out maneuver the competition.
Business practices that not-for-profits can’t afford to overlook
A strong foundation and structure can help not-for-profits reach their full potential. Appropriate business practices can help these organizations develop the governance, strategy, and fundraising prowess they need to survive and thrive.
Regulation: A moving but immovable target
Compliance requirements related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, are just one example of the regulatory changes keeping finance departments busy these days.
David E. Lechner, CPA, CGMA
David E. Lechner, CPA, CGMA, senior vice president and CFO of the University of Nebraska, says finance executives play a critical analytical role in strategic decisions in higher education.
Strategic planning for NFPs
Following these steps can help not-for-profits develop strategic plans that maximize effectiveness as they pursue their charitable missions.
Tips for a successful not-for-profit strategic plan
Bob Mims, CPA, CGMA, Ducks Unlimited’s controller and director of investments, discusses how a not-for-profit can create a successful strategic plan.
Staying focused at the top
Olivia Kirtley, CPA, CGMA, an accomplished corporate director with almost 20 years of experience serving on boards, talks about strategic, risk, and compliance issues that keep board members up at night.
Ingredients of an effective audit committee
The audit committee is a fundamental part of the corporate governance structure. But with changing demands being placed on it, what steps can companies take to ensure that the committee effectively safeguards stakeholders? A popular panel at the 2014 World Congress of Accountants in Rome explored the issue. Here are
Examine clichés in approach to innovation
Spot-and-react strategies are better than no strategies at all, but organizations should have a “rebellious instinct for change” in approaching innovation, entrepreneurship expert Luke Williams said. Williams, speaking Monday at the AICPA’s fall Council meeting in Boston, said entities should challenge their common practices in order to be leaders in
Nimble thinking takes the lead
Finance must, in certain cases, spend less time focusing on the past and more time seeking better predictions about the future.
The four D’s of better strategic planning
Instead of approaching business as a series of problems to be solved—say, how to cut down on spending, or how to keep employees from getting bored at work—organizations should take a more appreciative look at themselves.
Move over, strategy: Compliance needs you
The push continues for internal auditors to focus on strategic risks, but regulatory compliance duties are standing in the way, a new survey shows.
