CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future [Hardcover]

PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial & Cost Management Team (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

'If CFOs need a blueprint for the next millennium, this is it. A rational, comprehensive view of how to re-shape the corporation and the finance function for the challenges ahead.' Robert Hoffman, CFO Monsanto 'A provocative discussion of what the 21st century corporation needs - and how the CFO can provide it, designing the structure for global value creation, element by element.' Erik G Nelson, senior vice president & CFO Procter & Gamble 'CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future offers finance professionals clear, practical advice for meeting growing demands from management inside the corporation and the investment community outside.' Dudley Eustace, vice chairman & executive vice president Philips 'This book redefines the CFO's role in readiness for the corporate world beyond 2000. It presents a guide to what the CFO has to do to secure the corporation's future and his or her own career success.' Dieter Timmermann, CFO Braun AG 'Survey results, concise case studies and the CFO "checklists" that end each chapter make this a well-organized, quick and insightful read for anyone interested in the future of the financial executive.' Financial Executive magazine Business/Finance

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future explores emerging solutions used by finance executives pressed to streamline their businesses for the global arena and maximize value creation. Based on research involving more than 300 CFOs, and featuring more than 30 case studies, this practical book shows how to step in and make a difference - designing and constructing vital links from strategy to operational reality. It attempts to meet the need - for a comprehensive set of guidelines for finance professionals wanting to be ready for the next millennium's challenges.

From the Inside Flap

CFO Architect of the Corporation's Future 'A smart look at what it takes for the CFO to succeed as a change leader. This book tells how to shift gear and mindset to build shareholder value.' Colin Goodall, CFO BP Oil Europe All over the world, a new breed of chief financial officer is revolutionizing the traditional position occupied by the finance function in the corporation. Presiding over processes that cut across the business, today's best CFOs set strategy, lead crucial change initiatives and act as real partners in decision-making with their chief executive officers. CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future explores emerging solutions used by finance executives pressed to streamline their businesses for the global arena and maximize value creation. Based on research involving more than 300 CFOs, and featuring more than 30 case studies, this practical book shows how to step in and make a difference - designing and constructing vital links from strategy to operational reality. The PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial & Cost Management Team has compiled an authoritative, comprehensive guide to the role of finance in meeting the next millennium's challenges.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471975990
• ISBN-13: 978-0471975991
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst finance book ever!, April 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future (Hardcover)

"CFO: Architect of the Corporations Future" was the worst finance book I ever purchased. I was hoping to gain some concrete suggestions on financial stragtegy. Rather, I received a bunch of "touchy feely" suggestions on communications enhancement. Obviously, the authors' have no background in corporate finance.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A book that should deserve more attention, October 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future (Hardcover)

This is not a textbook on financial strategy and corporate finance. What it tells us is that CFO must tranform themselves into business partner and stop being bean-counters. If you do not want to be out-sourced to a shared service company, you;d better read this book. Of course, this book have shortcomings like most of the concepts like VBM, ABM & balanced scorecard are only briefly touched and because of this, the authors should have included further reference. Furthermore, some minor mistakes like getting the name of the CFO of Ericsson wrong (p13) caused me to doubt the credibility of the case studies. It's a pitty that this was not discovered during the re-printing of the book and such mistake came from an international accountancy firm like PWC.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent overview of changing the role of a CFO, nothing more, August 15, 2001

By 

Mark O'Neill (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CFO: Architect of the Corporation's Future (Hardcover)

CFOs should become more involved in choosing projects and start to help their co-workers in product development, etc. use financial tools to make decisions. There, I just told you the guts of the book. The rest of it lacks detail for something written by an accounting firm.

This book might be useful to a young person who is trying to decide whether they want a career in finance or not. Because it is trying to discuss how good companies will use their CFOs in the future. Or for that matter, someone just starting out in finance to see what types of jobs are out there.