Managing Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Finance - Essay Example It could also be defined as a financial a and quantitative statement prepared and approved prior to a defined period of time of the policies to be pursed during those periods. Beyond Budgeting (BB) is an alternative that is more adaptive and devolved. It replaces the budgeting model with a more adaptive and devolved alternative. Criticizing budgets is not new. But to define a set of principles, that guides leaders towards a new management model, that is lean, adaptive and ethical, is (Robin Fraser, Jeremy Hope). A budget is a too static instrument and locks managers into the past - into something they thought last year that it was right. To be effective in a global economy with rapidly shifting market conditions and quick and nimble competitors, organization have to be able to adapt constantly their priorities and have to put their resources where they can create most value for customers and shareholders(Juergen H. Daum). In order to do that, they need the right concepts, management processes and tools, concepts such as the Beyond Budgeting Management Model. The introduction of new management instruments such as the Balanced Scorecard, which help to better align the entire organization with corporate strategic objectives and to focus it on the essentials, has created the right foundation. Because if corporate strategy and the objectives are clear for all people in an organization, one can principally react faster to changing market conditions. But then the fixed budget comes into their way and prevents them from really doing the right things. Though what is often missing is a more flexible operational planning and control model. The Beyond Budgeting model wants to fill exactly this gap. NEEDS FOR BEYOND BUDGETING The management system's task is to institutionalize decisions through management processes on strategy adjustments, but also on adjustments of operational enterprise activities and resource utilization plans. This should enable the enterprise to continually control and optimize its short and long-term success in a dynamically changing enterprise environment. TECHNIQUES The goal setting technique: It should be based on agreeing external benchmark based targets, not on negotiating fixed targets. This is focusing mangers on beating the competition and not on meeting the budget. If the market goes up, a manager is still challenged to do better than competitors. The motivation and rewards technique: It should be based on recognizing and rewarding team-based success. Today, no single person can act alone in achieving specific targets for an organization. To reward people individually for reaching specific targets will create tension and mistrust in the organization, which is a recipe for bad performance. The strategy and action planning technique: It should be devolved to operating mangers and made continuous. It should not be managed centrally as an annual event. Only this way a company is able to use the know how from the people at the customer front to adapt fast and constantly to changing market needs. The resource utilization technique: It should be based on local access to resources (within agreed parameters), not on the basis on allocating them through annual budgets. Only this way frontline managers are able to act fast in front of threats and to