Regulation
The time and money costs of regulatory compliance, abetted by a reliably steady flow of new tax and accounting rules, pose a challenge to competitiveness. Current political and legislative uncertainty only adds to the complexity of the decisions confronting management. Additionally, you can explore all of PwC's publications covering current business issues and industry trends.
PwC 2012 State of the Internal Audit Profession Study
PwC’s 8th annual examination of the internal audit profession, focuses on this rising importance of risk management and internal audit's contribution by taking a closer look at how stakeholders and board members view critical risks and the role internal audit could be playing.
The Future of revenue recognition
Revenue, or the “top line,” is a closely monitored measure of an entity's growth and market share. The FASB and IASB are currently in the process of replacing existing revenue guidance with a new global accounting standard for all revenue transactions. How will this change affect your business?
Making over healthcare
While there’s still a great deal of uncertainty around the specifics of healthcare reform, one thing’s clear: The healthcare industry in the US will never be the same. And 2011 is shaping up to be a makeover year for healthcare providers, health insurers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, and employers. But what are the most significant issues in play? A recent report identifies six.
Seeking shared agendas with governments
By helping create jobs in the private sector and by investing in infrastructure, governments can help create an environment conducive for growth. In fact, almost half of CEOs surveyed say that improving the country’s infrastructure and fostering a skilled workforce should be government’s top priorities. But how can CEOs enter strategic and collaborative relationships with governments to pursue their own growth agendas?
How credible is your sustainable reporting?
CEOs and boards know the benefits of corporate responsibility reporting included increasing profitability, reducing supply chain risks and costs, and garnering sustainability ratings and recognitions. Overall, companies need this information to drive operational efficiencies and facilitate innovation. Ultimately though, to win stakeholders’ trust, companies need to be credible with respect to sustainability. How do they achieve it?
Rebooting Your IT Strategy: Using IT to Accelerate Your Business
In light of the pressures that new regulations and evolving business models bring about, how are financial services industry CIOs leveraging their IT organizations to reap benefits and stay competitive?
The future of lessee accounting
As early as 2014, in the US and internationally, leases could be required to appear on companies' balance sheets, which will impact debt and earnings metrics, and some companies' ability to borrow or spend capital PwC looks at the issue, and how procurement, IT, tax, treasury, operations, HR, finance and accounting can all be affected.
Trust but verify: From transparency to competitive advantage
“Trust but verify” was a slogan used during the Cold War to describe the basis for transparency in political relationships. Today, the term can be used to describe a strategy for narrowing the “trust gap” not between nations, but between companies and stakeholders. Whether you are trying to prevent a trust-eroding event or repair the damage after one has occurred, transparency is key. But it's not the only factor of a successful solution. You need credibility to back up the promise of transparency. What can companies do to achieve both?
Defining the lead director role
A new role emerged as a result of recent corporate scandals: the lead director, whose main function is to foster greater transparency and accountability among senior leadership. Beyond that, there's been little consensus regarding the responsibilities a lead director should assume. Here we take a closer look at how the role should be defined and what its key offerings are to an organization.
Understanding the Dodd-Frank Act
Touted as a bill that will completely overhaul the financial regulatory system, the Dodd-Frank Act creates new regulators, regulates new markets, brings new firms into the regulatory arena, and provides new rule-making and enforcement powers for existing agencies. It will have enormous impact on both financial and non-financial services firms. Here we examine the Act in detail, offering you key guidance to better understand its reach and impact.
The rise of the public-private partnership
The benefits of PPPs can be compelling. Public-private partnerships don’t simply provide much-needed capital for projects; they can also serve as models of efficiency and reliability and be champions of high levels of accountability and transparency. In addition, PPPs can be cost-effective and time efficient. But are PPPs applicable to all capital projects? We break down the issues in greater deal in this edition of View.
US financial reform
The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (The Dodd-Frank Act)ushers in a new financial regulatory architecture. Of chief concern to business leaders: How will The Act affect my company's ability to fund its needs, maintain liquidity, earn competitive rates on cash and investments, manage commodity and financial risks through derivatives, and provide financing to my customers?
Point of View: Slowing down the pace of standard setting
While convergence of FASB and IASB standards is an important step toward achieving a single set of high quality global accounting standards, can the 2011 deadline be met given the multitude of convergence projects that go with it?
Trust and transparency
What actions are companies taking to restore, sustain or enhance trust in business? We take a closer look at this and identify some potential benefits of those actions, like better risk management, operational innovations and sources of companies' next competitive advantage.
Health reform
Companies will need to re-examine their benefits strategies in the wake of Congress’ passage of the most substantial change to the health system since Medicare. How can agile companies prepare for the major changes coming their way, since the new healthcare bill will affect all employers regardless of size?
Facing new risks in the boardroom
For boards of directors, the current economic environment has brought its own share of issues. With the ups and downs of the financial markets, corporate scandals, and the public push for greater regulation, directors are facing new challenges. With uncertainty prevalent in the current climate, do board members feel capable of meeting their responsibility to oversee significant, high-level risks?
Fighting corruption
Corruption is considered a global epidemic that costs the economy more than $1 trillion annually, according to estimates by the World Bank Institute. In recent years, public and private sectors around the globe have begun working together to change that situation, attempting to level the playing field for citizens, nations, and businesses. Here, we give an overview of their efforts.
The cleantech revolution
Driven by ecological and political concerns, and fueled by stimulus dollars, smart-energy infrastructures are becoming realities. As PwC’s US Cleantech leader Tim Carey observes, interest and support for these infrastructures are growing, and opportunities for a diverse group of partners are emerging at a rapid pace. But some companies are missing out on opportunities they didn’t know existed. Are you among them?
Financial reporting
For many companies, financial reporting is a fundamental part of doing business—and it is an issue that has been at the fore during the recent economic crisis. What are the most pressing financial reporting concerns for US companies? And what larger role do they see financial reporting playing in our nation’s economic stability? We explored these questions in our recent Management Barometer, which surveys executives on their business outlook and other hot topics.
Are you prepared to combat corruption— and seize emerging-market opportunities?
How do you ensure your code of business conduct standards regarding corruption is met by your employees and your third-party providers, such as agents, sales consultants, distributors, and vendors? Is your company prepared to combat global corruption risks—and seize emerging-market opportunities? Read our latest issue of The View for a look at some of the best ways to address these issues.
Focusing on healthcare value
The healthcare problem certainly isn’t new. But the recession, ongoing healthcare market changes, and the lingering prospect of healthcare reform have increased the pressure US businesses are feeling. Employers realize this means reevaluating their current methods, as well as asking themselves, Are we maximizing the value of our healthcare dollars? Are we having a positive impact on our people’s health and their performance? Here we discuss the challenges and solutions that proactive companies are pursuing this year and in the future.
Tax policy in challenging times: 2010 tax legislative outlook
This PwC publication offers a preview of the challenges facing the Congress in 2010, including economic growth and job creation, expired tax provisions, international tax reform proposals, deficit reduction, tax-related priorities such as health care reform and climate change, and other tax policy matters of importance to today's business leaders.
Compensation
PwC looks at how new federal guidance refines the pay-for-performance compensation model for all public companies, not just banks and financial services institutions.
Maximizing internal audit
In this business brief, PwC shows how enhancing Internal Audit's role can help you reduce risks, optimize costs, and execute your growth strategies.
Combating corruption
We look at how prosecutions and fines are increasing under the FCPA, UNAC regulations, and anti-corruption compliance strategy. We also discuss using forensic due diligence and corporate intelligence to expand into foreign markets.
Off-balance-sheet arrangements
New reporting requirements for off-balance-sheet arrangements will impact financial reporting as well as current and future business ventures, financing, financial metrics, operations, stakeholder communications, internal controls, and IT systems.
International tax increases
PwC analyzes the proposals to change the taxation of US multinational corporations in President Barack Obama's proposed fiscal year 2010 budget.
Point of view: Fair value accounting: A proposal to improve fair value accounting
PwC explains the benefits and challenges of fair value accounting for measuring the value of financial instruments
The Obama plan for health reform
PwC presents an overview of the possible impact the Obama proposals for healthcare reform could have on businesses In the coming year, large employers could face major changes in this area proposed by President Obama and members of the Democratic Congress.
Transitioning to IFRS
With mandatory IFRS transition likely to begin in 2014, companies need to look at how management will communicate with investors post-transition; how some companies may need to change their business practices with customers and vendors; and how the change to IFRS will affect compensation. Here, PwC offers in-depth overview of the issues.
Fair value in financial reporting
Fair value is the best available method for financial instruments but its limitations and challenges should be carefully evaluated before expanding its use beyond where it's applicable today. PwC has some guidance you can use.
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