Sunday, May 19, 2013

New Book: Auditing and Improving Business Performance


New Book: Auditing and Improving Business Performance

 

Please check out my new book, at:


This book provides you, the business owner, board member, company director, senior manager, auditor, other stakeholder, etc., with a useful set of practical tools to assist and support you in reviewing and improving the performance of your small, medium-size or large company.

It contains:

1. A general business model of five dimensions: ‘C1’ for customers, ‘P1’ for people, ‘P2’ for property, ‘P3’ for production and ‘P4’ for performance.

2. Description of several performance-related aspects, such as: Measurement Culture, Vision, Mission and Strategy, Policies and Procedures, Management Support and Commitment, Performance Measurement and Management System, etc.

3. Eight business performance audit questionnaires with 100 questions for items described in 2 above.

4. Over forty performance measures for the functions of: Finance, Sales, Production Output, Management and IT.

5. An evaluation approach with a scoring scheme on the basis of the audit replies collected in 3 above.

6. Five business performance improvement recommendations.

7. Guidelines and control processes to consider in implementing the suggested improvement recommendations.

 

MORE DETAILS, at:


 

Thank you,

John Kyriazoglou, CICA, B.A (Hon-University of Toronto),

Business Thinker, Consultant and Author of several books

Editor-in-Chief for the Internal Controls Magazine (U.S.A.)

E-Mail: jkyriazoglou@hotmail.com                                                          

Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-kyriazoglou/0/9b/919

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Cyber Threat Security Mechanisms



By John Kyriazoglou

The following methods and techniques may be utilized for the analysis, design, implementation, assessment and evaluation of the cyber threat strategy and measures required to protect any type of organization.

1. Corporate Physical security: Guards, dogs, locks, cameras, video surveillance, etc.

2. Corporate administrative procedures: corporate governance policies and procedures like ethics program, risk management approach and procedure, personnel review and due diligence, segregation of duties, business data management files and data procedures, etc.

3. IT policies and procedures: passwords, access controls, hardware security, data validation rules within application software, back up procedures, offsite data retention capabilities, etc.

4. Corporate recovery mechanisms: business continuity policy, IT recovery process, backup procedures, offsite storage and testing procedures, etc.

5. Security trapping mechanisms: honey net and other trapping facilities, special security trapping and diversion tools and techniques, etc.

6. Business intelligence function.

7. Corporate anti-espionage techniques.

 More details may be found in my books:
(1) Printed Book: Business Management Controls: A Guide, www.itgovernance.co.uk.
(2) Printed Book: Business Management Controls: Toolkit, www.itgovernance.co.uk.               
(3) Printed Book: ‘Corporate Strategic and Operational Controls’
Direct Link: http://www.theiic.org/publicationsbookstore/bookstore2.html
(4) Printed Book: 'IT Strategic & Operational Controls’
Direct Link: www.itgovernance.co.uk/products/3066
(5) E-Book: ‘Implementing Management Controls for Small and Medium-Size Companies’
Direct Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z1WTOM
(6) E-Book: ‘Auditing and Improving Business Performance’
Direct Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088I8IVY
(7) Free E-Book: IT-Business Alignment (2 Parts)
http://bookboon.com/en/business-ebooks/it/it-business-alignment-part-i
http://bookboon.com/en/business-ebooks/it/it-business-alignment-part-ii

 

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Strategy Assessment Methods: GAP Analysis



 By John Kyriazoglou

 The following methods and techniques may be utilized for the analysis, assessment and evaluation of strategy of any type of organization. The evaluator may use only one method, or more than one, depending on his (or her) experience and situation.
These methods and techniques are: SWOT analysis, PEST Analysis (also known as PESTLE Analysis), Gap Analysis, Portfolio analysis, Value chain analysis, Delphi Method, Life cycle analysis, Screening strategic options, Financial analysis, Scenario planning, Critical success factor analysis, The five forces, Directional Policy Matrix, and Competitor Analysis.

Previous posts described SWOT and PEST. Other future posts will deal with the rest of these methods and techniques.

 
Gap Analysis

Gap Analysis is a method used extensively in the process of designing the strategy of an organization.  With the use of this method, the gaps between the present situation and the desired state are defined, in terms of processes, procedures, technology, systems, human resources, infrastructure and organizational structure.

The steps to achieve this are:

Step 1. Describe the business goals and objectives to be achieved. Describe where you want your whole business or business function or department to go. This could be a long-term plan for the company, or something more immediate for a particular business function. Consult with all managers involved, directly or indirectly, with the systems and procedures of the company or function.

Step 2. Select the basic performance metrics, quality and quantity criteria, which you will use to monitor your gap analysis work.

Step 3. Describe the existing business processes. This could involve all business processes of the company as a whole or the processes of a specific department or function. This description also includes identifying the IT systems utilized in the processes you document.

Step 4. Define the desired future performance position.

Step 5. Measure your current performance.

Step 6. Recognize the gaps between your existing and the future desired position. This involves identifying the gaps, which are the differences between your goals and the existing processes, and recommend remedies. A chart or summary table may be useful in showing the "to be" and "as is" cases.

Step 7. Design a strategy to achieve the desired position as described above by bridging all the defined gaps, and for all processes, procedures, technology, systems, human resources, infrastructure and organizational structure components identified.

Step 8. Execute the strategy described in step 7 to achieve the desired position by bridging all the defined gaps, and by improving the processes, procedures, technology, systems, human resources, infrastructure and organizational structure.

Step 9. Request feedback on a draft version of the gap analysis document. The review process might identify additional gaps and help build awareness and support for your recommendations.

Step 10. Monitor and report progress achieved.


Monday, January 14, 2013

Free Business Controls Toolkit-Demo


Free Business Management Toolkit-Demo

Please note that a free downloadable Business Management Controls Toolkit demo is now available for immediate download. It contains around 10% of the full toolkit (see description below), giving you sample documentation demonstrating the style and content of the full toolkit.

blog.itgovernance.co.uk


Toolkit: Business Management Controls Toolkit

This Business Management Controls Toolkit provides you with the performance measures and compliance indicators, the checklists and questionnaires, documents, plans, policies … extensive documentation that, tailored to your organization, will prove to be invaluable to your existing practices. This toolkit will demonstrate its unique design to structure and shape the business control practices in your organization. Included in this toolkit are: Checklists and Questionnaires; Documents; Management Plans; Policies; Procedures, etc.

Compliance Controls Framework

Corporate Fraud Management Systems Audit Program Ethics Management Checklist Financial Management Systems Checklist Internal Audit Function Checklist Soft Controls Evaluation Checklist Regards,

John Kyriazoglou, CICA, B.A (Hon-University of Toronto),
Business Thinker, Consultant and Author of several books
Editor-in-Chief for the Internal Controls Magazine (U.S.A.)
Member of the Board of Directors of Voices of Hellenism Literary Society (U.S.A.)
E-Mail: jkyriazoglou@hotmail.com
Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-kyriazoglou/0/9b/919
Blog: http://businessmanagementcontrols.blogspot.com/
SSRN Free Publications: http://ssrn.com/author=1315434

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Strategy Assessment Methods: PEST



By John Kyriazoglou

The following methods and techniques may be utilized for the analysis, assessment and evaluation of strategy of any type of organization. The evaluator may use only one method, or more than one, depending on his (or her) experience and situation.

These methods and techniques are: SWOT analysis, PEST Analysis (also known as PESTLE Analysis), Gap Analysis, Portfolio analysis, Value chain analysis, Delphi Method, Life cycle analysis, Screening strategic options, Financial analysis, Scenario planning, Critical success factor analysis, The five forces, Directional Policy Matrix, and Competitor Analysis.

A previous post described SWOT. This post describes PEST. Other future posts will deal with the rest of these methods and techniques.  

PEST Analysis (also known as PESTLE Analysis)

PEST analysis is concerned with the environmental influences on a business. The acronym PEST stands for the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that could affect the strategic development of a business. The acronym PESTLE stands for the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental issues that could affect the strategic development of a business.

 Political issues are factors and conditions that relate to how governments intervene in the economy. These include: Tax and customs regulations, laws (labour, environment, health, etc.), political stability, government spending, government organization and attitude environmental regulation and protection, government spending on research, etc.

 Economic issues are factors and conditions that relate to how the economy impacts a business. These include: economic growth, income distribution, foreign exchange rates, inflation rate, cost of capital, monetary policy, costs of exporting or importing goods and services, risk appetite of industry, energy cost, etc.

 Social issues are factors and conditions that relate to how the society impacts a business. These include: Health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, demographics, living and housing conditions, career attitudes, emphasis on safety, trends of fashion, etc.

 Technological issues are factors and conditions that relate to how the technology impacts a business. These include: Automation processes, production processes, IT systems and communication systems, communication infrastructure, research and development activity, rate of technological change, internet, etc.

Legal issues are factors and conditions that relate to how laws and regulations impact a business. These include: Data privacy law, consumer law, anti-trust law, employment law, health and safety laws and regulations, accounting standards and regulations, compliance laws, etc.

Environmental issues are factors and conditions that relate to how the environment impacts a business. These include: ecological and environmental aspects such as weather, climate, climate change, etc.

 

 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012


New Business Management Controls Books 

The following new Business Management Controls book and toolkit will help you to improve your business control practices and show you how to better create, implement and assess your own business controls. They will also show you how to develop more streamlined and successful working practices, and how to enable, facilitate and protect your business operations in a more effective way.

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE FOLLOWING LINKS:



 

More details of these follow.

1. Book: Business Management Controls: A Guide

This book describes the various types of controls in all core business functions and outlines several frameworks (including BSC) for designing and implementing those controls.

Part A describes the internal controls environment and the establishment of its major components.
Part B outlines the main types of strategic and operational controls, including financial, sales, production, IT governance, data management, business intelligence and corporate espionage.
Parts C looks at implementing these controls, and also discusses the role and approach of managers in protecting their company against various threats, while at the same time allowing it to achieve its core objectives.
Part D includes some illustrative case studies and suggests some additional areas where controls may enhance business operations, including business and IT continuity.

A selection of illustrative case studies, together with some key recommendations throughout the book, offer the reader further help and guidance on applying these controls within their own business, regardless of its size.

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE FOLLOWING LINK:


2. Toolkit: Business Management Controls Toolkit

This Business Management Controls Toolkit provides you with the performance measures and compliance indicators, the checklists and questionnaires, documents, plans, policies … extensive documentation that, tailored to your organisation, will prove to be invaluable to your existing practices. This toolkit will demonstrate its unique design to structure and shape the business control practices in your organisation. Included in this toolkit are: Checklists and Questionnaires; Documents; Management Plans; Policies; Procedures, etc.
3. Business Records Management Checklist

Compliance Controls Framework

Corporate Fraud Management Systems Audit Program

Corporate Policies and Procedures Checklist

Ethics Management Checklist

Financial Management Systems Checklist