Business briefing series

Our co-produced Business briefing series is written for leaders and financial professionals working in organisations. The series looks at ‘20 issues’ on a range of contemporary and emerging topics.

• 20 issues on the increasing significance of corporate treasury

  

  '20 issues on the increasing significance of corporate treasury' (PDF 744KB)

  For different organisations, corporate treasury can encompass a number of different areas, including cash flow forecasting and management, loans, investment decisions and even risk management.

  In the wake of the global financial crisis, the corporate treasury function has become even more important in securing the financial future of an organisation. This publication discusses the challenges treasurers face, and offers guidance on all the different aspects a treasury function could incorporate.

  This paper discusses how organisations can maximise their use of the corporate treasury function, and why it is so significant.

• 20 issues on the business implications of a carbon cost (updated)

  

  '20 issues on the business implications of a carbon cost (updated)' (PDF 431KB)

  The Clean Energy Act 2011 passed by the Australian Parliament in November 2011, set out a path for Australia to transition to a low carbon economy.

  The introduction of a cost on carbon is set to affect businesses in many ways. This paper, originally published in March 2010, discussed what impact a proposed emissions trading scheme would have. Following the introduction of the carbon cost, effective 1 July 2012, businesses need to consider the practical implications, considering how the tax will be implemented.

  This paper, produced in conjunction with PwC, provides updated guidance on how to practically apply the new carbon price mechanisms that are being put into place.

• 20 issues on outsourcing and offshoring

  

  '20 issues on outsourcing and offshoring' (PDF 1085 KB)

  With communication opportunities available to organisations today, it’s becoming more and more common for companies to take a global perspective on how to conduct business. Outsourcing and offshoring is a potential option for organisations looking to grow their operations and networks.

  While the decision to outsource or offshore elements of a business is not easy to reach, for many organisations, it is an important option for improving their flexibility, driving innovation and ultimately achieving long-term sustainability.

  20 issues on outsourcing and offshoring, produced in collaboration with Ernst & Young, helps individuals determine whether outsourcing is right for their organisation and if so, how they can best apply it to their circumstances.
  

• 20 issues on building a sustainable business

  

  '20 issues on building a sustainable business' (PDF 720 KB)

  Sustainability is a serious consideration for businesses, and is no longer perceived as an environmental issue alone. The implications of this shift are significant, and subsequently, industry leaders are determining ways to embed sustainability throughout their business operations and strategic goals.

  This publication, produced alongside KPMG, examines how organisations can approach sustainability, discussing how to build sustainability into your strategy, how to implement the strategy, how to embed sustainability considerations into core business processes and how to create value through reporting.

  Does your business factor in sustainability when making long-term decisions? How can you ensure your business has a viable future?

• 20 issues on intellectual property

  

  '20 issues on intellectual property' (PDF 635 KB)

  Most business leaders are acutely aware of the importance of thinking creatively and innovatively in today’s market place.

  In order to ensure that businesses maximise the benefit of their innovative concepts, ideas and designs, it is vital to understand the best way to protect and manage intellectual property (IP) assets.

  The effective management of IP can benefit businesses in a number of ways, assisting them to build wealth and grow through commercialisation opportunities, develop a strong brand and business reputation and minimise the risk of copycats, which can ultimately erode market share.

  However, while most businesses are aware of the need to identify and protect their physical assets, they are a little less familiar with IP. In order to make understanding the topic a little easier, the Institute has partnered with IP Australia to provide guidance on this important issue.

• 20 issues for businesses expanding internationally

  

  '20 issues for businesses expanding internationally' (PDF 5.46 MB)

  In August 2010, China overtook Japan as the second largest economy in the world, and it is closing the gap on the United States.  The world is changing at a fast pace, driven by globalisation.  Throughout the global financial crisis, agile organisations continued their quest to participate in and prosper from the tremendous growth in the emerging markets. Very few Australian organisations can afford to ignore this growth momentum, nor the other benefits that can be achieved from investing in emerging and international markets.

  The Institute together with Ernst & Young have produced a thought provoking paper on the key issues to take into account when considering expanding your business internationally. The paper highlights a number of different issues ranging from finance, HR, tax and legal.

• 20 issues on IT as a strategic partner

  

  '20 issues on IT as a strategic partner' (PDF 646 KB)

  The coming years present considerable challenges for business leaders seeking to exploit IT and new technology innovations.

  Organisations looking to adopt new technology such as, social media, cloud computing and standard business reporting need to consider how these new technologies can help differentiate themselves from their competitors.

  During this time the challenge for business leaders has been dedicating the time to analyse and cut-through the many options available in order to find those that have the potential to impact the organisation more successfully.

  So is your business keeping up with the latest changes? Does new technology hold great promise? And is there real value to things like twitter and facebook on a professional level?