More than two decades after ERP systems first appeared in the business landscape more than half of all CFOs say that they spend too much time on transaction processing. That was one of the startling conclusions from FSN’s research “The Future of the Finance Function Survey 2016” conducted among the 46,000 members of the FSN … Continued
After decades in which business applications have coalesced, the world now seems to be shifting into reverse gear, accelerated by the gradual demise of large ERP suites, the complexity of multi-vendor environments in the cloud and the fragmenting influence of the so called ‘Internet of Things’. At the same time there is unrelenting pressure on … Continued
Women are good for business. There should be more of them in finance leadership positions, but the solution isn’t merely to hire a few more female CFOs. It requires a well-considered, long-term strategy, otherwise companies could face expensive legislation to tackle the gender imbalance. At one extreme lies the quota system. It works fast but … Continued
Gary Simon, CEO, FSN says “Having been partially responsible for persuading businesses and CFOs to use email in the early 1980s I feel a little guilt-ridden saying that I would now like to get rid of it. But after 30 years I think it’s fair to say that email has run its course and the … Continued
The importance of the CFO as a business partner is well established, but as organizations in all industry sectors begin to confront the inevitability and rewards of digital business, the involvement of the CFO in marketing is becoming more pronounced. A recent EY survey[1] found that 54% of CFOs say that their collaboration with Chief … Continued
The role of technology in job destruction and creation has been a source of heated debate since the industrial revolution. Whether it is farm machinery, telecommunications or transport, rapid changes in technology have transformed economic development – on the one hand displacing outmoded ways of working and yet on the other spawning entirely new industries … Continued
Recent research by Open Matters with analysis by Deloitte points to the crucial importance of understanding ‘intangibles’ if investors and other stakeholders are to fully appreciate the way that companies create value. The findings, based on a 40-year analysis of Standard & Poor’s 500 Index companies, confirms the long-term trend that 80% of market capitalization … Continued
CFOs can no longer ignore the digital revolution. There isn’t a single market or industry sector that isn’t affected by the ravages of the digital revolution. And with intense competition for the top CFO positions, finance professionals that cannot demonstrate an acceptable grasp of the core technologies that are driving technology-infused business models and process … Continued
Many of us have been using business software for a number of years but few CFOs if any can say they have been excited by the experience. Yes, the software has become more functional, intuitive, graphical and intelligent but despite these advances, business applications are still too clunky and difficult to use. So how does … Continued
The role of technology in job destruction and creation has been a source of heated debate since the industrial revolution. Whether it is farm machinery, telecommunications or transport, rapid changes in technology have transformed economic development – on the one hand displacing outmoded ways of working and yet on the other spawning entirely new industries … Continued