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August/September 2008 |
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Features |
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Market turbulence challenges Canadian companies
Part 1 of 2: Know the warning signs of distress
It’s a frightening time to be in business in Canada. Market turbulence, which has been garnering daily headlines, is expected to intensify across all sectors. From automotive and forestry to fishery and gas services, the business landscape is evolving rapidly, and no company can afford to ignore the changes and their potential impact.
By Ramesh Swamy, CMA
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IFRS: A Perfect Storm of collateral impacts for CMAs
Rather than being an ideal time to plan retirement, especially if you have already survived Sarbanes Oxley implementation and rationalization, the downstream collateral impacts of new or more detailed financial disclosures may make this an ideal time for CMAs, who possess the strategy, management and accounting skills necessary to smooth the transition.
By Colin Shaw, CMA
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Harnessing eco-control to boost environmental and financial performance
The growing importance of environmental issues in business has prompted companies to put effective environmental management systems in place. The use of eco-control tools can improve both the environmental performance and financial performance of organizations. A study of Canadian manufacturing firms illustrates this concept.
By Jean-François Henri, CMA and Marc Journeault, CMA
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August/September 2008 |
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Disclosing the invisible: Publishing intellectual capital statements
Intellectual capital elements such as the right skills and knowledge, a respected brand and a good corporate reputation, strong relationships with key suppliers, the possession of customer and market data, or a culture of innovation set enterprises apart.
by Bernard Marr
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Team player with a winning attitude
Court Carruthers’ motto is quite simple: “Treat your employees as if they are your most important customers.” As president of Acklands-Grainger, Canada’s largest supplier of industrial, safety and fastener products, Carruthers is a recent recipient of The Caldwell Partners’ annual Top 40 Under 40. He credits his success to the 2,200 Acklands-Grainger employees who have helped him improve the company’s operations, customer service and bottom line.
By Arda Ocal
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| Columns |
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Human resources
A dying talent war: Why training is the real deal. While gaps, skills deficiencies and pressing needs undoubtedly exist, the big fears of talent shortages proposed by experts and analysts have not materialized. This was the subject of a recent HR 2007: The Battle for Talent conference put on by The Conference Board of Canada.
By Arupa Tesolin
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Management trends
What gets measured gets done. Management support coupled with simple indicators and consistent measurement helped steer a company with multi locations in Ontario and Atlantic Canada on the right track.
By Santoso Sugianto, CMA
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Business strategies
WCS: Proof of concept. Developing a warehouse distribution centre to accommodate direct selling can bring difficulties and challenges.
By Thomas R. Cutler
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Book review
Understanding conflict in the workplace. A review of Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader by Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan. Published
by Jossey-Bass.
Reviewed by Patrick Buckley, CMA
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Money management
Consider trusts for estate planning. While trusts and wills may seem trivial when you’re healthy, an illness or accident can put your financial and personal life in a state of disarray.
By Michael Low, CMA
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Information technology
Governments and the World Wide Web. Governments are using the Web to reach out to citizens and companies the same way that private companies do.
By Jacob Stoller
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Government issues
Watching the waistline — The thickening of the Canada-U.S. border. The difficulty of convincing the United States that Canada can be trusted to do its part to provide a secure border should not be underestimated. There are measures the Canadian government can adopt to reduce the thickening of the Canada-U.S. border.
By Alan Young
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Global view
Canada’s Intellectual Property Office helps entrepreneurs protect their marketable ideas. Changes in the intellectual property realm over the years have been significant as technological sophistication and international trade have pushed Canadian firms to more closely safeguard their intellectual property.
By John Cooper
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Departments |
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Media bites
Tools for achieving business excellence
- A Complaint is a Gift
- Personality not Included
- Coaching Corporate MVPs: Challenging and Developing High-Potential Employees
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News and views
New and noteworthy information you can use
- Canada winning the global fight against fraud: Ernst & Young
- Scotiabank and Berkeley Payment Solutions bring prepaid Visa cards to the Canadian marketplace
- Global sourcing on the rise
- Snapshot: Creativity in the workplace starts in the classroom
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