CFO Article Archive: Strategy and Operations |
Deloitte writes and compiles a regular stream of CFO-centric content and timely features, including research, topical digests, perspectives, and insights and technical analyses, in a special section of CFO Journal, an online publication from The Wall Street Journal.
The articles below and others are available in PDF. Also see our CFO Insights bi-weekly thought leadership.
Lessons from the lab: It takes more than “Dr. No” to create value
Ajit Kambil, global research director for Deloitte's CFO Program, discusses how incoming and established CFOs can overcome being perceived as naysayers and instead be viewed as value creators.
Capital expenditure planning: Using metrics to monitor effectiveness
Understand how using a common set of metrics across both capital planning and operational planning can help increase the effectiveness of capex programs and the ability to monitor them.
From CFO to CFO: The power of data analytics
Frank Friedman, CFO of Deloitte LLP, discusses how data analytics is changing the contributions finance can make within an organization and the need for a different type of talent.
Taking the emotion out of capex decisions with a planning framework
CFOs are being challenged to make capital work harder. Learn leading practices for building a capital expenditure planning framework and bringing greater objectivity to investment decisions.
Conflict mineral rule: A silver lining for CFOs?
Although the SEC's Conflict Mineral Rule presents new compliance challenges, read why efforts to comply with the rule may provide CFOs insights for cost-saving opportunities.
Trends in global capital markets point to potential rise in issuance
Trends in global capital markets are discussed in this article from “Global Capital Markets Perspective,” which looks at nine financial instruments across major regions around the world.
Health care cost management: Ways CFOs can get ahead of the curve
Learn ways CFOs and companies can reduce the costs of their employer health care plans while contributing to employees' improved health.
Closing the gap between management and investor views of company performance—two case studies
Read two case studies on steps management took to help narrow a gap between their perceptions of a company’s value and those of investors and analysts.
For insurers looking to reduce costs, size and consolidated finance operations matter
Deloitte's 2012 Individual Life & Annuity Operations Benchmarking Studies. found that cost consolidation of finance, offshoring and outsourcing can be effective ways to reduce insurers’ cost structures.
From CEO to CFO: Building a strong foundation for tomorrow’s growth
Joe Echevarria, CEO of Deloitte LLP, discusses three areas where financial leaders need to be looking in order to set the stage for tomorrow's growth and CFOs' unique opportunity to shape future successes.
Command and control: Managing supply chain risk
Globalization and other trends are making supply chains more complex. Learn what global companies are doing to help improve supply chain visibility, flexibility, resilience and control.
How CFOs can close the gap between management and investor views of company value
As CFOs take on larger roles as chief communicators it’s important to understand any gaps between management's and investors' perceptions of the company's value and close them before misperceptions spread.
As the importance of social business grows, so does the need for C-suite support
A report from MIT Sloan Management Review in collaboration with Deloitte found CFOs only half as likely as CEOs to view social business tools as important to their organizations.
Making decisions that matter
Leading organizations recognize that CFOs and CIOs are two executives with the knowledge to help their organizations improve decision-making. Learn about the opportunities for these two leaders to collaborate.
Three strategies for thriving under Dodd-Frank
To thrive In the post Dodd-Frank era, financial institutions may find benefits in creating an enterprise-wide regulatory 'air traffic controller,' restructuring the business and increasing transparency through analytics.
Weighing cash deployment options using decision support tools
When facing cash deployment options, decision support tools and financial modeling can help with comparing alternatives, making trade-off decisions and reassessing strategy as conditions change.
How CFOs can prepare for the new world of health care
Paul H. Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, offers CFOs insights on the ACA’s potential impacts on cost, revenues and compliance, as well as opportunities and challenges.
Sustainability: Why CFOs are driving savings and strategy
Sustainability has become a valuable weapon in a CFO's cost-cutting arsenal, according to a Deloitte study. Learn why, and how to extract more value from sustainability endeavors.
Outsourcing expands as a standard business strategy at many companies
A Deloitte survey shows that outsourcing continues to grow as a standard business strategy. CFOs can play an important role to steward the value of outsourcing and help achieve efficiencies.
A review of the SEC’s final rule on conflict minerals
Read about the SEC’s final rule on conflict minerals, including differences between the proposed rule and final rule, reporting and disclosure requirements, and related developments.
How CFOs can use scenario planning as a strategic tool in an uncertain economy
Frank Friedman, CFO of Deloitte LLP, discusses how he employs scenario-based planning, together with econometrics, to foster a continual assessment of strategic actions to be taken.
The four phases of building a scenario-based planning model with econometrics
CFOs can build scenario-based planning models with econometrics to establish action-oriented processes to prepare for, and respond to, a range threats, from market challenges to global paradigm shifts.
Water stewardship: A Matter of business value and risk
Global competition for water is poised to become a high-profile risk. Learn how organizations can proactively manage risks, including identifying risk metrics and brand leadership issues.
A CFO’s guide to scenario-based planning using econometrics
Scenario-based planning using econometric analysis can help CFOs develop strategies for addressing and adapt quickly to unexpected threats, from competitive shifts to economic and political volatility.
Building a treasury organization for a carve-out
When forming a new company from a carve-out, “blueprinting” can help in establishing a treasury organization with the core capabilities needed for Day One readiness.
Turning customer analytics insight to action: How CFOs can lead the way
CFOs are ideally positioned to lead their organizations in leveraging analytics to create lasting and profitable customer relationships and help drive profitability.
Building a framework for working capital improvements
Overhauling supply chain management can be a rich source of working capital improvements. Learn how top-performing companies make working capital work harder and the stages of a working capital improvement program.
Working capital and supply chain: Lessons from the leaders
A survey of 20 leading companies found that improving working capital performance requires balancing customer service and level of finished goods inventory, high forecast accuracy and relatively low SKU count.
Why water is a CFO issue
Water scarcity has the potential to disrupt business and supply chain operations and increase costs. Understand why water stewardship is a CFO issue and steps for developing a water strategy.
How to be effective in the global economy and the boardroom: CFOs offer lessons learned on the journey
Blythe McGarvie, former CFO of two companies, and CEO of Leadership for International Finance, discusses what is needed to be a successful leader in a global organization and the boardroom.
What’s keeping CFOs awake and what they’re doing about it
Leading CFOs are focusing on capital deployment and strategic growth to help their companies weather the economy and are reshaping their finance teams to adapt to greater demands.
Trade patterns of the future: A look at emerging markets’ potential impact on supply chains
Supply chain disruptions have highlighted the downside of relying on a few economies, causing some companies to explore emerging trading networks, such as Africa and the Middle East.
Navigating change: How CFOs can effectively drive transformation
CFOs can navigate transformations more effectively by understanding the sources of resistance to change and using practical tools to diagnose and navigate change efforts.
The last mile of finance
Learn how finance professionals are using new technologies and innovative approaches to increase the efficiency of global finance organization processes In the “Last Mile” of Finance.
Top 10 concerns keeping CFOs up at night
Gleaning information from Deloitte's CFO Forums, CFO Signals surveys and Transition Labs, CFO Insights discusses CFOs' core concerns that threaten the performance of finance.
How CFOs are using cash and the choices ahead
As companies turn toward M&A to accelerate growth, CFOs are being asked to play a far more prominent role in evaluating prospective transactions by both CEOs and corporate boards
The CFO at the center of strategy - a conversation with Frank Friedman, CFO of Deloitte LLP
Frank Friedman, CFO of Deloitte LLP, discusses how he has expanded the position since taking office and what CFOs can do to make their transition successful and effective.
Sustaining superior business performance
Research into the behaviors of companies with superior performance indicate that there are attributes of stability and change that can be systematically associated with success or failure.
Convergence: A transforming business model for the life sciences industry
Convergence is helping to transform the life sciences industry, and CFOs have a major role to play in the process, as discussed by R. T. "Terry" Hisey, vice chairman and U.S. Life Sciences leader for Deloitte LLP.
Turning strategic ambiguity into strategic clarity
Strategic ambiguity causes CFOs major stress, according to several Deloitte CFO Signals™ surveys. CFOs can address strategic ambiguity by leveraging data and the planning and performance management cycles.
How to perform due diligence on international business partners
A Deloitte Forensic Center report discusses steps companies seeking to conduct business internationally can take to perform effective due diligence on international business partners and help avoid common pitfalls.
A strategic guide to adjusting your corporate footprint
Assessing and realigning an organization's footprint can be costly and time consuming. Companies that do so can realize short-term financial benefits and likely better position themselves for success.
Developing an energy management strategy
Managing energy strategically can help not only to reduce costs but also to mitigate and manage risks, as discussed in Deloitte Insights.
Reverse globalization: A potential solution to commodity price volatility in the supply chain
In a globalized manufacturing environment, some firms are seeking risk-adjusted supply chains that are more nimble and resilient to uncertainty and are moving to a more localized production model or near-sourcing.
How CFOs can help boards measure the impact of sustainability programs
As the tracker of corporate performance, CFOs can help their boards ensure that sustainability programs build shareholder value and have metrics linked to the business.
Cost-cutting practices in today’s business environment
A survey of Fortune 1000 executives, conducted by Deloitte Consulting LLP, showed 80% of respondents expecting to pursue cost improvements.
Growth strategies: What can work in emerging markets?
CFO Insights discusses the challenges companies face in emerging markets, which growth strategies have tested to be most effective and ways CFOs can tailor their strategies to achieve success.
From CEO to CFO: Achieving growth in a low-growth economy
In challenging times, CFOs often counsel caution with respect to innovation; yet forces reshaping markets worldwide are creating opportunities for growth, and caution should not blind us to the growth we need.
Capitalizing on cash to increase shareholder value
Viewing the cash allocation process as part of a long-term strategy to meet the organization's and shareholders' needs is perhaps the most critical starting point in developing a cash deployment program.
Five ways to improve management reporting
Despite the plethora of data, CFOs may not get the insights they need for decision-making. Effective management reporting focuses on the trends and business drivers that affect performance and value creation.
"As One" — A new and practical way to lead
James Quigley, Senior Partner, Deloitte LLP, and former CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited discusses the book, As One, leadership archetypes and ways executives can build shareholder value.
How CFOs are reshaping supply chains
To address supply disruptions, CFOs are helping standardize supply chain strategies and operations and can use data analytics to integrate supply chains with business units.
The role of the CFO in an analytics-driven organization
Analytics can enable experimentation from which CFOs can quickly learn, allowing them to scale rapidly around priority areas, while also helping them understand the marketplace and identify opportunities for growth.
What cloud computing can do for business
When determining an approach to cloud computing, businesses should take into consideration cost, flexibility, enablement and other factors for an effective strategy.
Countering energy price increases with an energy management strategy
Developing an enterprise-wide strategy that treats energy as a manageable asset can help improve the efficiency of facilities and operations and offset the effect of future energy price increases.
Innovation: Can you improve the odds of success?
Companies looking to improve innovation should focus on areas where 'disruptive innovation' is possible, according to Michael Raynor, author of The Innovator's Manifesto: Deliberate Disruption for Transformational Growth. Finance also can help foster an environment for innovation.
The CFO and shareholder value: Communicating effectively with stakeholders
When creating a shareholder value program, CFOs can play a key role in setting the right tone and cadence of communication around progress, which can be as critical as the program itself.
How CFOs can boost margins with pricing management
Pricing management employing business analytics can shift the focus from sales volume to profit margins to help create a competitive advantage and sustainable benefits.
Developing an effective pricing strategy
Tune in to this episode of Deloitte Insights to learn how companies can increase profitability through an effective pricing strategy.
Building shareholder value programs: The role of finance
Shareholder value programs can transform a business, its decision-making and management processes down to business units and functions to unlock value for shareholders.
Cost reduction trends and strategies: Insights from Deloitte's biennial cost survey
Effective cost reduction often requires a focus on strategic and structural improvements, e.g., redesigning a company's operating model, consolidating operations to achieve economies of scale, and rationalizing product offerings and markets.
The Innovator’s Manifesto: Deliberate disruption for transformational growth
Watch Deloitte Insights to learn how business leaders of new businesses can apply the theory of disruption to deliver dramatic improvements in the survival rates of those businesses.
How—and why—CFOs can lead business data analytics
CFOs and their finance teams can use business analytics tools, which provide real-time insights across the value chain, to raise their influence in operational decision areas outside of core finance functions.
CFOs staying focused on growth despite external turmoil and doubts over company strategy
A majority of CFOs responding to Deloitte’s CFO Signals™ 3Q 2011 survey indicated concern that their strategies were not defined well enough or able to adapt to changing business environments.
Mid-market business leaders count on productivity to spur business in flagging economy
Despite concerns over bleak macroeconomic conditions and financial markets’ instability, a majority of middle-market business leaders expect productivity to help drive improvement across a range of metrics.
How to create value from project portfolio management
Project portfolio management can help CFOs deliver enterprise-level project performance, helping to them address project effectiveness, identify problems or even terminate a project.
CFOs need to do more to embed sustainability into business strategy, survey finds
CFOs have an opportunity to take a larger role in shaping their companies’ strategic response to sustainability issues, according to a survey released by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.
Shift index: Long- and short-term impacts on global economies
According to the “Shift Index,” a study by Deloitte LLP’s Center for the Edge, digital technology, public policy and other forces will impact how organizations achieve long-term growth and profitability.
From CEO to CFO: Winning the triple crown of corporate performance
A few companies have achieved the “triple crown” of business performance--superior revenue growth, profitability and shareholder returns--demonstrating three skills necessary to win.
Business strategy in an uncertain economy: Grow for today or grow for tomorrow?
As companies decide between growing their current business or growing beyond core operations, what’s key is where to look for growth: familiar territory or far afield. Each has its benefits and challenges.
Analytics for insurers: Hindsight, insight and foresight
For insurers, applying analytics and getting maximum return on the implementation is a complex process that requires support from the top down, including CFOs.
Leveraging analytics in the banking industry
Learn how banking organizations can leverage data to gain insight, improve decision-making and find growth through the application of business analytics.
Leveraging sustainability initiatives for finance transformation
As sustainability requirements evolve, the finance function has a central role in supporting sustainability—a role that is expanding.
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