“IBM announced a major enhancements to its performance management software designed to help CFOs and finance managers accelerate the adoption of business analytics and drive smarter decisions for better business outcomes. The new analytic finance solutions can reduce customer planning cycles in half and reduce reporting cycles from days to minutes. C-level executives today are looking to Finance to provide more accurate data more quickly, to aid in risk management and forecasting decisions, and to help drive the bottom line. As a result, Finance departments are under increased pressures with higher demands for real-time data production and analysis, increased regulation on reporting and compliance, and reduced budgets.”
“Whether you’re a CEO, CFO, CIO, or CTO, the ability to analyze large volumes of data from multiple sources and to improve decision making at all levels is critical to success,” said Bashar Kilani, Business Unit Executive, IBM Middle East, IBM Software Group. “Business intelligence that provides detailed reporting and analysis, made relevant with real-time response, enables forward thinking organizations to better understand and respond to events, enabling them to perform smarter, and ultimately to gain competitive advantage.”
Intelligent Data Management and Analysis For A Smarter Planet
IBM helps businesses gather real-time data for efficient analysis. The up-to-date insights inform actionable business solutions.
CFOs At The Center Of Enterprise Information
By: Carl Nordman, Director, IBM 2010 Global CFO Study
As the CFO and Finance builds strong competency internally, increased understanding of the drivers of business performance gives Finance a unique ability to understand the Financial consequences of alternative strategies and explanations of historical performance to help guide future decisions.
Finance is, in many regards, the hub at which three things converge - Financial Data, Operational Data and Risk. This unique position provides Finance the ability to develop an integrated information management and delivery system for the enterprise that combines all three - creating a very powerful analytical platform.
Finance’s role in determining the right analytics starts with serving as advisor and fact-based voice of reason with business constituents and the Executive Suite on what Analytics best convey the relevant drivers of business performance and the predictive qualities of various analyses.
This reputation is historically strengthened when Finance can consistently convey two things:
1. Finance itself is operating with strong governance, controls and standards in place contributing to the production of a single version of the financial truth
2. Finance has a strong track record of providing meaningful and on point analytics that have proven to indeed be insightful, timely and accurate.
CFO Library
Welcome to the compendium of IBM literature developed for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The insights that follow are aimed at aiding CFOs to balance current priorities of financial control, risk and performance while they also plan and implement new approaches and technologies to help ensure their enterprises’ future success. Scroll down to view the complete Library list.
Social Media Today | ROI: How to Measure Return on Investment in Social Media
What follows is the entire version of my recent post on Mashable, “The Maturation of Social Media ROI“ by Brian Solis
Over the years, Social Media experts attempted to redefine ROI for a new era of influence. While some introduced alternative philosophies for measuring the nuances tied to social media, others wondered aloud whether ROI simply wasn’t necessary as the tools and methodologies for analyzing yields didn’t yet exist. And furthermore, by focusing on justification and metrics, we were distracted from the primary objective of building relationships and cultivating dialogue.
The debate over ROI inspired certain brands to cannonball into popular social networks to join the proverbial conversation without a plan or strategic objectives defined. At the same time, the lack of ROI standards and established authorities, unnerved many executives, preventing any form of experimentation until their questions and concerns were addressed.
But that was then and this is now.
In 2010, we enter in to a new era of social media marketing, one based on information, rationalization, and resolve.
WNS - Blogs - Why should CFOs care about diversity in their teams?
Today, companies in almost every sector operate at a global level; therefore it is critical that they understand the true meaning of diversity when managing employees from a variety of cultures and different geographies. This is as true for the CFO’s office as much as for any other function. As the former chairman and president of P&G, A. G. Lafley, once said: “At P&G, we simply cannot create brands and products to improve the lives of the world’s consumers unless we understand and value the diversity of our consumers, customers, suppliers and employees around the world. Diverse organizations will out-think, out-innovate and out-perform a homogeneous organization every single time.”
“A company’s chief financial officer (CFO) is the c-level executive responsible for managing the financial risks of a business. The CFO is responsible for financial planning, record keeping, and reporting financials to higher management. Most chief financial officers are professionally qualified accountants, though some companies have hired MBAs without such qualification.”
IBM is leading clients and investors worldwide toward new avenues of growth and opportunity. Launch feature to learn more Download PDF (via IBM 2009 Annual Report)
How Do CFOs Add Value To The Organization? Watch highlights from the 2010 IBM Global CFO Study.
