Blog RSS Blog RSS Feed f0e42cf2-0a26-439c-b3af-f84d6b4cb0a9 <![CDATA[Long-Range Planning: Steps to Develop a More Effective Process]]>  
To benchmark the long-range planning process, Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF) worked with Ventana Research to solicit online survey participation during November and December 2012. The survey was designed for executives who have an interest in, experience with or are involved in the planning process.
 
In response to Ventana Research’s research, FERF has published an Issue Alert in order to drill down and isolate how financial executives can best utilize the research.
]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:24:47 GMT 64b91fd0-a0fe-4348-9985-c371289b5c86 <![CDATA[Social Media Research Interviews - Participate Today!]]>
In addition to the Social Media Survey, FERF staff would also like to interview FEI members regarding their companies’ social media practices and policies. If you are unable to be interviewed directly, you can also participate by simply answering 8 interview questions by e-mail, which should take less than 15 minutes to complete. The participation of FEI members is critical to complete this study.
 
 
 
]]> Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:53:26 GMT c27f0cff-eee6-4c49-8777-584c4ba8bcf3 <![CDATA[Enter to win a FREE one year FEI membership - Take the Social Media Survey]]>
Does Your Company Have a Holistic Approach to Managing Social Media Risk?

This month, our Social Media Survey looks at how social media has continued to evolve and change the face of business. It investigates governance issues, corporate policy, ethics, internal control issues and social media risk assessments. In exchange for your participation, when you complete the survey your name will automatically be entered into a drawing for one free year of FEI membership*!
 
 
 
]]> Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:04:02 GMT 6ff279bf-a424-4001-882d-20e6135e40c7 <![CDATA[Sustainability Goals & Reporting Project Interviews]]>  ]]> Fri, 31 May 2013 09:15:28 GMT 1aa90b7f-c93f-41ad-9451-059bebf4a98c <![CDATA[CFOs Lower Hiring Projections]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 12:09:14 GMT 8c519d49-358f-4a0e-8881-b0701ef93535 <![CDATA[CFO Quarterly Global Outlook Survey: May 2013]]>  
 
]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 13:08:17 GMT 6af7eca4-4bcc-49ac-8c19-790ba8653b90 <![CDATA[Social Media 2013 Survey - Participate Today!]]> Does Your Company Have a Holistic Approach to Managing Social Media Risk?
 
As a follow up to the November 2011, Social Media and its Associated Risks report, FERF, in collaboration with Grant Thornton, has launched the Social Media 2013 Survey, looking at how social media has continued to evolve and change the face of business. 
]]> Tue, 14 May 2013 09:42:18 GMT bdfecdbb-3748-4fa9-8758-03f90e016eee <![CDATA[Finance execs meet rising demands with three key strategies ]]> The demands on accounting and finance executives’ time are numerous and conflicting.
 
On one hand, companies are looking for the finance function to play an increased role in strategic business decisions. On the other hand, new regulations and increased complexity are adding to the basic accounting and compliance duties that demand attention from finance.
]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 09:57:35 GMT ca72de30-520e-4854-8879-c52fd9042661 <![CDATA[Accounting and Finance Staff Work Longer Workweeks in U.S. than Canada]]> U.S. management-level accounting and finance employees work an average of 48 hours in a standard week, while non-management staff work an average of 42 hours.
 
Their annual report, Benchmarking the Finance Function 2013: The Inner Workings of Accounting and Finance, from staffing company Robert Half and the Financial Executives Research Foundation, the research affiliate of Financial Executives International, focuses on six key areas: workforce management, accounting operations, financial systems, sourcing, internal controls and compliance. The results are based on a survey of the finance departments of nearly 200 public and private companies in the United States and Canada.
]]> Thu, 09 May 2013 10:16:07 GMT 8719bb3a-c2bb-4666-8b7b-369b83c21179 <![CDATA[Employee hours tracking system]]>  ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 14:06:53 GMT e5eb3e16-99b3-4c1b-ab91-5b14ec1eab3f <![CDATA[2013 Financial Executive Compensation Survey]]> How does your total compensation package and that of your staff stack up against your peers’ compensation? This research study aims to answer that question by presenting the results of our seventh annual survey of financial executives regarding their salaries, bonuses, long-term incentives and retirement benefits. As in years past, the survey was completed by senior financial executives rather than by human resources or executive search firm executives.]]> Mon, 06 May 2013 09:21:15 GMT 0f68c349-38af-45c1-beef-2fe3e50e805d <![CDATA[Most General Ledger Accounts Reconciled Manually]]> If you think automation is primarily being used to reconcile the general ledger accounts of public and private companies in the United States and Canada, think again.]]> Wed, 01 May 2013 09:24:54 GMT a8f5aadb-4370-4cd5-af72-ba5383a7d2b1 <![CDATA[Did you read your FERF Focus yet? What are you waiting for?]]> In this age of e-mail overload, it is not easy to filter out the noise and concentrate on what is important. FERF Focus, our new monthly e-newsletter will provide links to what we think is must-read research with actionable information for effective decision-making. It will also provide links to valuable surveys which will help members benchmark their own operations.]]> Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:11:13 GMT 6047bfa8-454d-440c-86a4-8eca5a506a98 <![CDATA[Conflict Minerals — a preliminary inquiry into an emerging compliance area]]> The recently issued conflict minerals rule mandated by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Act) and passed by the SEC in August 2012 has created a new frontier for a wide range of industries and companies, and presents challenges to financial executives. Because of significant uncertainty in the interpretation of many aspects of the rule, companies are unsure about complying now or later. There has been little consensus about what will be required for reporting and audits. Some interviewees criticized the final rule as being overly broad and burdensome, and they believe the SEC needs to provide interpretive guidance.]]> Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:23:19 GMT fbefb6c2-aac3-4cbc-ba04-c9870f04814d <![CDATA[Long-Range Planning: Steps to Develop a More Effective Process]]> Long-range planning is the formal quantification of the more conceptual strategic plan. It makes specific assumptions and expresses in numbers how a company expects its strategy will play out over time. Companies use long-range planning to determine the best strategy for succeeding in their markets and to ensure they have the assets needed to support their strategic objectives. This process includes planning the allocation of investments in those assets and identifying resources (both financial and otherwise, such as personnel with the appropriate skills) sufficient to support them.]]> Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:27:23 GMT 2d6cc225-b2f1-4499-b943-ce06dfe382a5 <![CDATA[Shared Service Model plan?]]> Here is a FELIX question from an anonymous FEI member.]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:59:15 GMT e24fb718-34ad-486f-a9ce-50b0df59c924 <![CDATA[Annual Audit Fee Survey has been launched!]]> As one of our most popular and valuable surveys, the annual audit fee survey helps FEI members benchmark their company’s audit fees and experience. Your participation provides valuable data for fellow FEI members, regulators and the press, and the survey documents current trends in audit fees.
 
Similar to last year, this survey has been designed for FEI members from private as well as public companies.
]]> Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:31:02 GMT 5413fc5c-409f-4e2f-af1d-c4d7fcaacf0b <![CDATA[Financial Reporting and Regulatory Updates for the Quarter ended March 31, 2013]]> Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF) has prepared a summary of proposed and final actions by the following U.S. and international standard-setting and regulatory bodies:
  • Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB),
  • Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF),
  • Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF),
  • International Accounting Standards Board (IASB),
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA),
  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
  • Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB),
  • Department of the Treasury (Treasury),
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
  • eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) and
  • Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
These alerts for Private and Public Companies highlight actions for the period January 1, 2013 through March 31, 2013.
]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:41:15 GMT a07388c0-9562-4215-a61b-e13a0949eb86 <![CDATA[Benchmarking the Finance Function 2013: The Inner Working of Accounting and Finance]]> A company’s accounting and finance departments, often referred to collectively as the finance function, have traditionally ensured the precision, accuracy and integrity of transactional processing, consolidation, reconciliation and financial statement reporting. These critical responsibilities are still the chief function of the finance team, but,   increasingly, accounting and finance professionals also are serving as full-fledged, strategic business partners to managers throughout the enterprise. ]]> Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:51:10 GMT 286ce93e-ec49-4e44-9441-43e331d42702 <![CDATA[Health Care Reform and Hiring Decisions ]]> The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the health care reform act, has a number of mandates that go into affect in 2013 and 2014. A recent Kforce article entitled, Will Healthcare Reform Affect Hiring Decisions, looks at how these mandates could influence hiring decisions. The article also references the Health Care Reform and its Effect on Corporate America FERF report.]]> Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:26:43 GMT 1b5c80f5-e32c-4378-961f-b92c3db8d119 <![CDATA[Capital Spending Thresholds]]> Here is a FELIX question from FEI member Paula Meads.]]> Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:48:17 GMT 830918e2-7965-4b85-bb54-9a9608dbb9e3 <![CDATA[CFO Quarterly Global Outlook Survey: U.S. CFOs Believe a Recovery is More than a Year Away, Revenue Growth and Expense Control Remain Top Challenges]]> According to the most recent quarterly survey conducted by Financial Executives International (FEI) and Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business, Chief Financial Officers entered 2013 with improved optimism toward the global and U.S. economies and their businesses, though most still believe a recovery is over a year out. While they still carry the burden of concerns around increasing revenue and controlling expenses, their capital spending is at a normal rate and they are not making drastic cuts to their workforce. Additional findings include detail cyber-attacks CFOs have faced, as well as CFOs plans to retain talent.]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:52:54 GMT 04431d13-5cca-4416-a741-26d4b8eebdb1 <![CDATA[February 11, 2013 American Accounting Association Conference Remarks from James Wall, Retired CFO Core-Mark, former Controller/Treasurer AirTouch Communications, FERF/FEI ]]> We recognize that peer reviewed research published in qualified academic journals is necessary to establishing the capabilities of academics to be eligible for tenure and other purposes.
 
Peer reviewed articles are, however, rarely if ever relevant to preparers. What preparers of financial statements need is practical research. 
]]> Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:07:02 GMT 3ae07152-af5e-4f66-9e4b-d74366f82abe <![CDATA[Contractual Severance Arrangements]]> Here is a FELIX questions from an anonymous FEI member.]]> Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:44:40 GMT c610045c-6f45-4deb-b9c2-db56eee996ca <![CDATA[The Last Mile of Finance]]> Much progress has been made over the past 20 years in the Office of Finance. The “lights-out” processes imposed by Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), general ledger and consolidation systems have dramatically reduced human errors and processing delays. However, the processes of reconciling, closing at local and group levels, and reporting continue to burden the Office of Finance.]]> Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:31:23 GMT