CEB Archives - CFO

High G&A Spending Tied To Greater Profits

Investor Relations

High G&A Spending Tied To Greater Profits

Spending cash to achieve strategic goals beats tight cost controls at the bottom line, research suggests.

By David McCann | September 6, 2017

Four Pitfalls Keeping Big Companies from Getting Bigger

Four Pitfalls Keeping Big Companies from Getting Bigger

Companies tend to be laden with bureaucracy, operate with a short-term mentality, condition managers to fear failure, and overstretch their teams, CEB says.

By David McCann | April 13, 2017

Budgeting Inflexibility Cripples Bottom Line

Budgeting Inflexibility Cripples Bottom Line

Companies should vary the budgeting model used for particular business units and functions, research shows.

By David McCann | August 25, 2016

Consultants Underperform Finance Staff on Decision Support

Consultants Underperform Finance Staff on Decision Support

Business units and functions are far more likely to value internally conducted financial analyses over those farmed out to third parties.

By David McCann | January 6, 2016

CFOs Frustrated with Return on FP&A Investments

CFOs Frustrated with Return on FP&A Investments

Some wonder if they should continue the investments, but what they really should do is to refocus their financial planning and analysis teams.

By David McCann | July 17, 2015

How to Stop Losing Your Talented Millennials

How to Stop Losing Your Talented Millennials

Finance departments should offer rotation programs, provide coaching, and shake up hiring criteria.

By David McCann | April 1, 2015

Think You Pay Employees Well? They Don’t

Workplace Issues

Think You Pay Employees Well? They Don’t

A CEB survey finds that nearly half of employees believe they are paid at below-market rates.

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert | January 13, 2015

Key to Growth: A License to Kill

Key to Growth: A License to Kill

One of the best ways to boost your company's capacity to execute new growth strategies is by killing legacy projects.

By David McCann | December 3, 2014

G&A Cost Management, Reimagined

G&A Cost Management, Reimagined

The nature of overhead costs has changed markedly in recent years, demanding a rethinking of how they're understood and managed.

By David McCann | October 28, 2014

For Ford, Finance Transformation Is a Way of Life

For Ford, Finance Transformation Is a Way of Life

While many companies see finance-transformation efforts as finite projects, to Ford it's just the way to 'do finance.'

By David McCann | June 10, 2014

How to Hire Influential Finance Staffers: A Case Study

How to Hire Influential Finance Staffers: A Case Study

Big railroad company CSX wins points for a unique hiring process that heavily uses a case study to find staffers with strong persuasion skills.

By David McCann | February 13, 2014

Is Finance-Cost Benchmarking Off Track?

Is Finance-Cost Benchmarking Off Track?

Comparisons should take into account company complexity, not just industry and revenue, one research firm contends.

By David McCann | February 7, 2014

Five Reasons Why Your Finance Transformation Failed

Five Reasons Why Your Finance Transformation Failed

You focused too much on finance costs and satisfying internal customers, thought of it as a finite project and relied too heavily on consultants.

By David McCann | February 6, 2014

Why Some Forecasting Can Be a Waste of Time

Why Some Forecasting Can Be a Waste of Time

A new survey shows companies are using only about half of the potential productivity involved in their budgeting and forecasting.

By Kathy Hoffelder | July 9, 2013

Finance Leaders Bemoan Talent Shortage

Finance Leaders Bemoan Talent Shortage

Corporate finance executives rate few of their direct reports as effective in the behaviors and skills that drive the finance function to excellent performance.

By David McCann | April 24, 2013