The Performance Management Revolution

Chapter 12. A Model EPM Methodology

Most of the organizations that have had success with EPM started with a pilot or a relatively small project that could be implemented quickly and deliver substantial benefits to the organization. In selecting a pilot or a small project, it helps to focus on one or more of an organization's biggest pain points. This path ensures that EPM demonstrates its value quickly and achieves visibility with a large number of people in an organization, which helps garner early support.

Many organizations concentrate initially on the finance function when deploying an EPM pilot. This gives the wider corporate culture time to observe and adjust to the philosophical shifts EPM entails.

An example of a company that took this approach to EPM is Cox Enterprises, one of the nation's leading media companies and providers of automotive services, with 2006 revenues of $13.2 billion and 80,000 employees. Aided by an organization within Cox Enterprises that supports EPM projects in its various divisions, Cox Enterprises’ first foray into EPM was in its finance organization and focused on financial consolidations. With a handful of successful EPM finance‐related projects completed, the group soon caught the eye of the company's radio division, Cox Radio, Inc.

Cox Radio is one of the largest radio broadcasting companies in the United States based on revenues. Cox Radio owns, operates, or provides sales and marketing services to 80 stations in 18 markets. Its radio portfolio ...