Beyond Budgeting: How Managers can Break Free from the Annual Performance Trap

Jeremy Hope & Robin Fraser

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In Circulation

The annual budgeting process is a trap. Pressured by fixed targets and performance incentives, managers focus on making the numbers instead of making a difference, meeting set goals instead of maximizing potential. With their compensation at stake, managers often resort to deceitful-even unethical behavior. In the end, everybody loses the employee, the company, and ultimately the customer. Now, finance experts Jeremy Hope and Robin Fraser reveal the results of an intensive study aimed at fixing the broken budgeting process. They argue that companies must abandon traditional budgeting contracts in favor of a radical new model that links performance measurement to evolving competitive benchmarks and shifts the firm's focus from controlling employee behavior to delivering customer value.

What will you learn from this book

  1. Adaptive Management: The book might advocate for adaptive management approaches that are more flexible and responsive than traditional static budgeting.

  2. Decentralization: Hope and Fraser could emphasize the benefits of decentralization in decision-making, allowing greater autonomy for departments or teams.

  3. Performance Management: They might discuss performance management beyond mere financial metrics, focusing on broader indicators and aligning them with organizational goals.

  4. Rolling Forecasts: The book might propose the use of rolling forecasts rather than fixed annual budgets, allowing for continuous adjustments based on changing circumstances.

  5. Responsibility and Accountability: Hope and Fraser could explore ways to establish responsibility and accountability without relying solely on budget-based targets.

  6. Customer Focus: Emphasizing a customer-centric approach might be a theme, aligning strategies with customer needs rather than just internal financial goals.

  7. Cultural Shift: The book might discuss the need for a cultural shift within organizations, encouraging collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

  8. Resource Allocation: Exploring alternative methods for resource allocation, such as dynamic resource allocation models, could be a focus.

  9. Leadership and Change Management: Hope and Fraser might provide insights into leadership strategies and change management techniques necessary to implement "beyond budgeting" practices successfully.

  10. Case Studies and Best Practices: The book might include case studies and examples of organizations that have successfully moved beyond traditional budgeting, illustrating best practices and real-world applications.

Language English
ISBN-10 1-57851-866-0
ISBN-13 9781578518661
No of pages 232
Font Size Medium
Book Publisher Harvard Business School Publishing
Published Date 01 Apr 2013

About Author

Author : Jeremy Hope & Robin Fraser

1 Books

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