Cost Reduction and Control Best Practices: The Best Ways for a Financial Manager to Save Money, 2nd Edition

Preface

The United States is currently experiencing one of the strongest economic environments and profit rebounds of the past 20 years. Nonetheless, most businesses are still targeting areas in which to further streamline costs and ultimately set the stage for a resilient bottom line during the next downturn. Because of the strength of the current rebound, though, most top executives have altered their cost-control focus. How can they—and you—be certain about what to focus on next?

The appropriate focus can virtually be assured when you have the security of knowing that you are implementing the cost-control strategies recommended by your peers and other leading experts in the field. This is the purpose behind IOMA’s Cost Control and Reduction Best Practices, and the reason we created it four years ago.

As your company’s main line of defense against the rising tidal wave of costs, this guide will ensure that you are focusing on what exactly has to be done. There is no substitute for making decisions on a scientific basis, and this book ensures that you will not waste time and money by using strategies based on “soft” grounds—intuition, guesses, or the latest management fad. With this guide you will be able to identify the no-nonsense, balanced, and practical strategies for controlling costs that are being targeted and used nationwide by thousands of companies in areas such as HR, compensation, benefits, purchasing, outsourcing, use of consultants, taxes, and exports. These best ...