News
More financial executives are getting raises – and the raises are bigger
More U.S. financial executives say they’re getting raises. And the pay bumps are getting bigger – a sign that, some say, is proof the economy is turning around. Also, raises in the future may increasingly be tied to performance, research indicates.As role evolves, CFOs must brush up on communication skills and strategic thinking
Chief financial officers of multinational companies say their roles are evolving beyond the finance function. As a result, finance chiefs need to develop more skills centred on strategy and communication.Decision on lessee model clears way for lease accounting project’s final act
Accounting standard setters agreed Wednesday on a lessee accounting approach, setting the stage for a lease accounting exposure draft in the fourth quarter this year.M&A expected to increase, but economic uncertainty could delay deals
Mergers and acquisitions of small and midsize companies are expected to increase in the coming year, but financing and valuation issues could limit deal volume, a recent survey of M&A advisers indicates.Enhancing value through sustainability: Tips for the finance team
Finance professionals can expect to play a bigger role in sustainability reporting, says Stephen T. Starbuck, CPA, the Americas leader for climate change and sustainability services at Ernst & Young, who offered some tips for the finance team at the AICPA’s International Business Conference in Washington.The look ahead: US, G20 could focus on euro-zone recovery
The European crisis, and how the US stimulates its economy, could be a focal point of a two-day G20 summit, which starts Monday in Mexico. US President Barack Obama has been pushing European leaders to work to resolve the crisis, citing stimulus programmes that the US government used in 2009.Embrace your inner negotiator
Regardless of one’s job title, being a good negotiator is, at a minimum, a differentiating factor that can help with career advancement. For certain positions, it’s the key to survival. Many people struggle to find the right mix of incentive, pressure, diplomacy and charisma to pull off a negotiation.How HR leadership can drive business performance
Maximising operational efficiency alone is not enough to keep up with quickly changing global business trends. Successful companies also managed to transform their workforces. Those companies have eight traits in common, PwC and HfS Research found.Manufacturers expect innovation, collaboration to drive sustained growth
Manufacturers are optimistic that they can combine product and process innovation with customer and supplier collaboration to create sustained but modest growth in an uncertain world economy.Execs less optimistic about hiring, US economy, AICPA survey shows
Hiring plans for the second quarter of 2012 fell from the previous quarter, and optimism about the U.S. economy declined, according to the AICPA’s Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey. Four of the 10 sectors represented in the report expect staffing levels to decrease over the next 12 months.The look ahead: US, UK manufacturing data could provide economic clues
Industrial production updates for many advanced economies come out this week. The data covers output of the manufacturing and mining sectors and of electric and gas utilities in the US and Europe and includes indicators for how the economies are performing.How to avoid enterprise-risk surprises
Researchers at North Carolina State University and speakers at the AICPA’s CFO Conference explain enterprise risk management and share best practices of how to prepare for risks that can cost you your business.Energy demand to outstrip China’s renewable energy efforts
Beijing is making every effort to boost the country’s renewable energy production, but by 2020 China is expected to emit 43% more carbon dioxide from burning coal than in 2010, a special report of the Economist Intelligence Unit projects.CFOs report difficulty finding accounting and finance talent
Finding qualified accounting and finance professionals is becoming increasingly difficult for executives, according to a recent survey. Staffing plans in accounting and finance are stabilizing after a busy end to 2011 and start to 2012 in terms of expected hiring and cuts.Data breaches emerge as tech sector’s fastest-rising risk factor
AÂ rash of recent hacking incidents at high-profile organizations such as Sony Corp. contributed to a big jump in the percentage of large, publicly traded U.S. technology companies citing potential data breaches as a major risk to their businesses, a new BDO report says.Risk management takes hold in the asset-management industry, but challenges remain
The US asset management industry invested significantly to improve risk management since the 2008 financial crisis, but risk managers still face big challenges.What your company needs to know about BYOD
Most U.S. enterprises with 1,000 or more employees have bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies allowing employees to use their own smartphones and other mobile devices to access corporate computer networks, new research indicates. What should your company be doing to prepare for BYOD?The look ahead: How will Greece, a slowdown in China impact US outlook?
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may provide clues about the health of the US economy when he speaks before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee on June 7th.New oil shock
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) highlights the risk of an oil price shock as one of the two key threats to global economic recovery this year, alongside the risk of a euro-zone meltdown.
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