Functions of Finance Manager

The twin aspects, procurement and effective utilization of funds are crucial tasks faced by a finance manager. The financial manager is required to look into the financial implications of any decision in the firm. Thus all decisions involve management of funds under the purview of the finance manager. A large number of decisions involve substantial or material changes in value of funds procured or employed. The finance manager, has to manage funds in such a way so as to make their optimum utilization and to ensure their procurement in a way that the   risk, cost and control are properly balanced under a given situation. He may not, be concerned with the decisions, that do not affect the basic financial management and structure. The nature of job of an accountant and finance manager is different, an accountant’s job is primarily to record the business transactions, prepare financial statements showing results Continue reading

Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Total Quality Management (TQM)

Business Process Reengineering (BPR) Business process can be defined as a set of logically related tasks performed to achieve a defined business outcome. It is a structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specified output for a particular customer or market. Improving business processes is important for businesses to stay ahead of competition in today’s marketplace. Over the last 10 to 15 years, companies have been forced to improve their business processes because customers are demanding better products and services. Many companies begin business process improvement with a continuous improvement model. The Business Process Reengineering (BPR) methodology comprises of developing business processes are simplified rather than being made more complex. Job descriptions expand and become multi-dimensional – people perform a broader range of tasks. People within the organization become empowered as opposed to being controlled. The emphasis moves away from the individual and towards the team’s achievements. The Continue reading

The Concept of Fringe Benefits

The human concept of labor has been recognized widely in the industrial world. The employer, though not bound, provides several benefits and services to the employees, working in the organization to maintain and promote the employees’ favorable attitude towards the work and work environment, because maintenance of favorable attitude towards the work and work environment, because maintenance of favorable attitude is an essential part of motivation and high morale. Such benefits and services, being a part of wage and salary administration, include all expenditure incurred to benefit employees over and above regular wages and direct monetary incentives related to output and are generally referred to as fringe benefits. The real wages of workers are increased by the benefits provided by the employer and thus, they are regarded as supplement to their wages. Many years ago, benefits and services were labeled ‘fringe’ benefits because they were relatively insignificant or fringe components Continue reading

Case Study: Causes of the Recent Decline of Tesla

Tesla is a pioneering company that was founded in 2003 by a group of innovative and driven engineers. For years electric cars had a stigma for being worse than traditional gas-powered vehicles. The general public believed that a high-quality electric car could not exist. This is where Tesla stepped in, the firm quickly went to work crafting a high-end electric car and released the revolutionary Roadster sports car. The Roadster was considered a major feat because it could travel very far on a single charge unlike many other electric cars. The Roadster was a very physically attractive car that helped make the idea of riding around in an electric sports car seem like a sleek and cool thing. The Roadster served as Tesla’s coming out party and launched the company to major fame as people began to take notice. Tesla’s next mission was creating the Model S. The Model S Continue reading

Choosing Business Strategies and Tactics

There are a few steps that have to be taken to ensure that the choice of Business Strategy made by an organization is sound. Firstly there should be the realization that resources and capabilities have to searched for and located and the search has to be systematically made over each of the functional areas including Marketing, Production, Sales and Finance. After this is done, the feasibility of using these resources individually or collectively has to be determined. This is a serious exercise and should involve senior and top management. A firm may have manufacturing skills in plenty, but if the challenge facing the company is to increase market penetration, priority will have to be given to strengthening the marketing and sales functions and provide them with the lions share of the operating budget to achieve the company’s aims. Another requirement to kept in mind, is that skills and capabilities identified Continue reading

Components of Learning Process

Learning is an important psychological process that-determines human behavior. Learning can be defined as “relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience or reinforced practice”. There are four important points in the definition of learning: Learning involves a change in behavior, though this change is not necessarily an improvement over previous behavior. Learning generally has the connotation of improved behavior, but bad habits, prejudices, stereotypes, and work restrictions are also learned. The, behavioral change must be relatively permanent. Any temporary change in behavior is not a part of learning. The behavioral change must be based oh some form of practice or experience. The practice or experience must be reinforced in order so as to facilitate learning to occur. The components of learning process are: drive, cue stimuli, response, reinforcement and retention. Drive:  Learning frequently occurs in the presence of drive – any strong stimulus that impels Continue reading