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


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

Internal Audit Function Checklist

Soft Controls Evaluation Checklist

Strategic Management Process Questionnaire

Strategic Plan Checklist

Human Resources Questionnaire

PESTLE Template

SWOT Template

Strategic Alignment Checklist

Corporate Governance Internal Audit Program

IT Back-up Recovery Procedures

Organisational Controls Readiness Checklist

Red Flags Checklist

IT Controls Evaluation Audit Program
 
Financial Manager

Project Cost Accountant

Roles and Responsibilities – Compliance Committee Role

Roles and Responsibilities – Advisory and Support Duty Parties

Stakeholders

Treasury Manager

Social Media Governance Role

 
Compliance Program

Corporate Rewards System Plan

Files, Documents and Records Management Action Plan Purchasing Action Plan

Social Media Governance Management Plan

Soft Control Action Plan

Manuals; Business Forms Manual

Business Management Controls System Manual

Corporate Policies and Procedures Manual

Corporate Staff Policies and Procedures Manual

Financial Policies and Procedures Manual

Production Operations Policies and Procedures Manual

Performance Frameworks; Performance Framework – BSC – Balanced Scorecard Framework

Performance Framework – GRI – Global Reporting Initiative

Performance Framework – MAF – Management Accountability Framework

Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators; Business and IT Continuity Management Performance Controls

Business Data Management Performance Controls

Business Intelligence and Corporate Espionage Performance Controls

Customer Sales and Production Management Performance Controls

Enterprise Governance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Financial Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Human factor Performance Controls

Internal Audit Performance Controls

IT Governance Performance Controls

Risk and Compliance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Roles and Responsibilities of Participants Performance Controls

Strategic Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Policies; and Business Ethics Policy

Business Intelligence Policy

Business Management Controls for Laptops and Smart Devices

Customer Service Policy

Information Sensitive Policy

Information Technology Policy

Internet and Email Policy

IT Back-up and Restore Policy Example

IT Security Policy

Privacy of Information Policy

Quality Management Policy


Data Quality Improvement Procedure

Detailed Accounting Procedures

Purchasing Procedure

 

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE FOLLOWING LINK:


 

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.)




 

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. It 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.  

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:
2. Business Continuity Audit Review
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
Internal Audit Function Checklist
Soft Controls Evaluation Checklist
Strategic Management Process Questionnaire
Strategic Plan Checklist
Human Resources Questionnaire
PESTLE Template
SWOT Template
Strategic Alignment Checklist
Corporate Governance Internal Audit Program
IT Back-up Recovery Procedures
Organisational Controls Readiness Checklist
Red Flags Checklist
IT Controls Evaluation Audit Program
3. IT Continuity Plan
IT Strategic Plan
Policy Documentation Examples
4. Advisory and Regulatory Third Parties
5. Cost Accountant
Financial Manager
Project Cost Accountant
Roles and Responsibilities – Compliance Committee Role
Roles and Responsibilities – Advisory and Support Duty Parties
Stakeholders
Treasury Manager
Social Media Governance Role
6. Compliance Action Plan
Compliance Program
Corporate Rewards System Plan
Files, Documents and Records Management Action Plan Purchasing Action Plan
Social Media Governance Management Plan
Soft Control Action Plan
7. Business Forms Manual
Business Management Controls System Manual
Corporate Policies and Procedures Manual
Corporate Staff Policies and Procedures Manual
Financial Policies and Procedures Manual
Production Operations Policies and Procedures Manual
8. Performance Framework – BSC – Balanced Scorecard Framework
Performance Framework – GRI – Global Reporting Initiative
Performance Framework – MAF – Management Accountability Framework
9. Business and IT Continuity Management Performance Controls
Business Data Management Performance Controls
Business Intelligence and Corporate Espionage Performance Controls
Customer Sales and Production Management Performance Controls
Enterprise Governance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators
Financial Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators
Human factor Performance Controls
Internal Audit Performance Controls
IT Governance Performance Controls
Risk and Compliance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators
Roles and Responsibilities of Participants Performance Controls
Strategic Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators
10. Business Ethics Policy
Business Intelligence Policy
Business Management Controls for Laptops and Smart Devices
Customer Service Policy
Information Sensitive Policy
Information Technology Policy
Internet and Email Policy
IT Back-up and Restore Policy Example
IT Security Policy
Privacy of Information Policy
Quality Management Policy
Data Quality Improvement Procedure
Detailed Accounting Procedures
Purchasing Procedure
 
FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE FOLLOWING LINK:
 
 
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.)
 
 
Included in this toolkit are:



2. 
Corporate Fraud Management Systems Audit Program

Corporate Policies and Procedures Checklist

Ethics Management Checklist

Financial Management Systems Checklist

Internal Audit Function Checklist

Soft Controls Evaluation Checklist

Strategic Management Process Questionnaire

Strategic Plan Checklist

Human Resources Questionnaire

PESTLE Template

SWOT Template

Strategic Alignment Checklist

Corporate Governance Internal Audit Program

IT Back-up Recovery Procedures

Organisational Controls Readiness Checklist

Red Flags Checklist

IT Controls Evaluation Audit Program


3. Job Descriptions:

4. Advisory and Regulatory Third Parties

5. t Accountant

Financial Manager

Project Cost Accountant

Roles and Responsibilities – Compliance Committee Role

Roles and Responsibilities – Advisory and Support Duty Parties

Stakeholders

Treasury Manager

Social Media Governance Role


6. pliance Action Plan

Compliance Program

Corporate Rewards System Plan

Files, Documents and Records Management Action Plan Purchasing Action Plan

Social Media Governance Management Plan

Soft Control Action Plan


7. Business Forms Manual

Business Management Controls System Manual

Corporate Policies and Procedures Manual

Corporate Staff Policies and Procedures Manual

Financial Policies and Procedures Manual

Production Operations Policies and Procedures Manual


8. Performance Framework – BSC – Balanced Scorecard Framework

Performance Framework – GRI – Global Reporting Initiative

Performance Framework – MAF – Management Accountability Framework


9. Business and IT Continuity Management Performance Controls

Business Data Management Performance Controls

Business Intelligence and Corporate Espionage Performance Controls

Customer Sales and Production Management Performance Controls

Enterprise Governance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Financial Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Human factor Performance Controls

Internal Audit Performance Controls

IT Governance Performance Controls

Risk and Compliance Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators

Roles and Responsibilities of Participants Performance Controls

Strategic Management Performance Measures and Compliance Indicators


10. Business Ethics Policy

Business Intelligence Policy

Business Management Controls for Laptops and Smart Devices

Customer Service Policy

Information Sensitive Policy

Information Technology Policy

Internet and Email Policy

IT Back-up and Restore Policy Example

IT Security Policy

Privacy of Information Policy

Quality Management Policy



 

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE FOLLOWING LINK:


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.)