An accessible beginner’s guide to the fundamentals of audit and assurance Audit and assurance is a basic and vital aspect of the financial world and a key element of all professional accountancy programs. Whereas professional training on the topic frequently immerses students in too much detail while glossing the basics, this book begins with the fundamentals and expands to cover the details in a more measured way. With practical examples and end-of-chapter examples, External Audit and Assurance Essentials breaks down a difficult and challenging field of professional accounting.
Practical-nontechnical-solutions to the problems of business forecasting Written in a nontechnical style, this book provides practical solutions to common business forecasting problems, showing you how to think about business forecasting in the context of uncertainty, randomness and process performance. Addresses the philosophical foundations of forecasting Raises awareness of fundamental issues usually overlooked in pursuit of the perfect forecast Introduces a new way to think about business forecasting, focusing on process efficiency and the elimination of worst practices Provides practical approaches for the non-statistical problems forecasters face Illustrates Forecast Value Added (FVA) Analysis for identifying waste in the forecasting process Couched in the context of uncertainty, randomness, and process performance, this book offers new, innovative ideas for resolving your business forecasting problems.
Calling all mamarazzis! Every camera-toting mom will want this guide! Moms, if you can't seem to take enough great photos of the children in your life, this is the book for you. Now you can learn how to photograph children with the style, clarity, color, and beauty you see in professional photographs. This fun guide combines humor with solid know-how to show you how to compose shots, handle cameras from basic compacts to advanced dSLRs, take portraits or candids, create prints that impress, and even work with kids! Packed with beautiful examples and written in a down-to-earth style from one mom to another, this book will help mamarazzis everywhere take better photos. Moms are one of the fastest-growing segments of the camera-toting demographic, and the blogosphere has a term for them, mamarazzis Mixes information, inspiration, and fun for women who want to take better photographs of the children in their lives Explains how to set up a camera and use the controls on basic compacts up to advanced dSLR cameras Covers shot composition, determining settings, exposing images correctly, the essentials of printing images, how to process for clear and bright color, and more Includes stunning examples of portraits and candids of children Become a better mamarazzi with this fun and informative guide!
Inside the risk management and corporate governance issues behind capital structure decisions Practical ways of determining capital structures have always been mysterious and riddled with risks and uncertainties. Dynamic paradigm shifts and the multi-dimensional operations of firms further complicate the situation. Financial leaders are under constant pressure to outdo their competitors, but how to do so is not always clear. Capital Structure Decisions offers an introduction to corporate finance, and provides valuable insights into the decision-making processes that face the CEOs and CFOs of organizations in dynamic multi-objective environments. Exploring the various models and techniques used to understand the capital structure of an organization, as well as the products and means available for financing these structures, the book covers how to develop a goal programming model to enable organization leaders to make better capital structure decisions. Incorporating international case studies to explain various financial models and to illustrate ways that capital structure choices determine their success, Capital Structure Decisions looks at existing models and the development of a new goal-programming model for capital structures that is capable of handling multiple objectives, with an emphasis throughout on mitigating risk. Helps financial leaders understand corporate finance and the decision-making processes involved in understanding and developing capital structure Includes case studies from around the world that explain key financial models Emphasizes ways to minimize risk when it comes to working with capital structures There are a number of criteria that financial leaders need to consider before making any major capital investment decision. Capital Structure Decisions analyzes the various risk management and corporate governance issues to be considered by any diligent CEO/CFO before approving a project.
The six core strategies to elevate any business-and how to implement them-made simple What do the world's most successful companies and organization have in common? And what can you actually take away and use from their examples? Distilling the best fundamental business strategies, trusted advisor and strategist John Spence helps you take a hard look at your business and together develop specific plans and action steps that will allow you to dramatically improve the success of your company. Delivered in Spence's approachable and straightforward manner, Awesomely Simple reveals the six key strategies that create a foundation for achieving business excellence: Vivid Vision, Best People, A Performance-Oriented Culture, Robust Communication, A Sense of Urgency, and Extreme Customer Focus. Filled with case studies and clear action items, includes easy-to-follow guidelines for implementing the strategies in any organization no matter its mission or size After concisely breaking down each strategy, Spence gives specific examples, tips, tools, discussion questions and exercises for how to execute them successfully A perfect resource for business leaders, Awesomely Simple will help you turn ideas into positive action and achieve lasting business success.
Unique guidance for cutting costs regardless of economic conditions—without reducing headcounts Successfully reduce costs in the area of indirect spend and watch your bottom line grow. Managing Indirect Spend provides you with the knowledge and tools necessary to get it done with an overview of: the challenges faced when sourcing indirect spend categories; strategic sourcing process; tools that can help drive savings, and examples based on real world experience. This how-to guide clearly covers specific sourcing engagements and provides the details needed to source effectively. Includes sections covering the process, the tools, real-world examples, guidance through specific sourcing engagements and the information needed to source effectively Presents guidance for achieving the object of strategic sourcing: cost reduction Shows how effectively managing indirect costs can provide a huge impact on bottom line growth Covers all areas of Market Intelligence (MI) With tools, real world examples, and workable guidance, Managing Indirect Spend provides insider guidance for big bottom-line growth through effective management of indirect costs.
Leveraging Big Data and 21st century technology to renew cities and citizenship in America The Responsive City is a guide to civic engagement and governance in the digital age that will help leaders link important breakthroughs in technology and data analytics with age-old lessons of small-group community input to create more agile, competitive, and economically resilient cities. Featuring vivid case studies highlighting the work of pioneers in New York, Boston, Chicago and more, the book provides a compelling model for the future of governance. The book will help mayors, chief technology officers, city administrators, agency directors, civic groups and nonprofit leaders break out of current paradigms to collectively address civic problems. The Responsive City is the culmination of research originating from the Data-Smart City Solutions initiative, an ongoing project at Harvard Kennedy School working to catalyze adoption of data projects on the city level. The book is co-authored by Professor Stephen Goldsmith, director of Data-Smart City Solutions at Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor Susan Crawford, co-director of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg penned the book’s foreword. Based on the authors’ experiences and extensive research, The Responsive City explores topics including: Building trust in the public sector and fostering a sustained, collective voice among communities; Using data-smart governance to preempt and predict problems while improving quality of life; Creating efficiencies and saving taxpayer money with digital tools; and Spearheading these new approaches to government with innovative leadership.
Lead change through strategic alignment of project and process performance Practical and filled with expert advice, Strategic Project Portfolio Management: Enabling a Productive Organization presents a clear framework for your organization to complete impactful strategic projects. Providing executive-level guidance to build a powerful and efficient process from initial adoption to portfolio alignment, this essential resource contains case studies from small to global multinational organizations, arming you with the insights to ensure your strategic projects are given the resources they need to deliver business impact. This important guide Shows executives how to align their projects and processes with their business strategy for compelling competitive advantage Provides cases from best in class organizations, showing how they were able to achieve results by using processes outlined in the book Reveals how technology is the key to developing new collaborative platforms and innovative work management environments that have not been possible until now Defines a framework for assessing project portfolio management competence within your organization and driving momentum for compelling improvements Explores how to go beyond project portfolio management to a holistic work management system Strategic Project Portfolio Management: Enabling a Productive Organization offers the practical recommendations, guidance, and real world insights you need to immediately begin driving better project management strategy.
Proven techniques to master the art of the cold call Cold calling is not only one of the fastest and most profitable ways to initiate a new sales contact and build business; it's also one of the most dreaded—for the salesperson and the recipient. Smart Calling has the solution: Art Sobczak's proven, never-experience-rejection-again system. Now in an updated 2nd Edition, it offers even smarter tips and techniques for prospecting new business while minimizing fear and rejection. While other books on cold calling dispense long-perpetuated myths such «prospecting is a numbers game,» and salespeople need to «love rejection,» this book will empower readers to take action, call prospects, and get a yes every time. Updated information reflects changes and advances in the information gathering that comprises the «smart» part of the calling Further enhances the value and credibility of the book by including more actual examples and success stories from readers and users of the first version Author Art Sobczak's monthly Prospecting and Selling Report newsletter (the longest-running publication of its type) reaches 15,000 readers, and Smart Calling continues to rank in the Top 20 in the Sales books category on amazon.com and has sold over 20,000 copies Conquer your fears and master the art of the cold calling through the genius of Smart Calling, 2nd Edition.
The first complete, expert guide to securities and investment fraud Filled with expert guidance for detection and prevention of all kinds of securities fraud and investment misconduct, Securities Fraud helps you identify red flags of fraud and offers practical ways to detect and prevent it. Written by a Wall Street professional with three decades of experience spanning the most critical period of our financial markets This book challenges classic fraud theories, describing how to dismantle information silos that permit fraudsters to conceal their activities. Begins with an overview of the evolution of securities regulation and the impact of securities fraud Offers real cases and examples which illustrate recurring themes and red flags Provides the first guide of its kind to offer a complete look at the various kinds of securities fraud and investment misconduct Securities Fraud is the essential guide you need for a bird's-eye view of fraud that may be taking place even now within your own organization and with your portfolio.