Gary Cokins

Gary Cokins is the founder and CEO of Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC at www.garycokins.com located in Cary, North Carolina. He is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, and author in advanced cost management and performance improvement systems.

After earning an industrial engineering degree from Cornell University in 1971 and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Cokins began his career as a financial controller and operations manager with FMC-LinkBelt Corp. For 15 years, he was a consultant at Deloitte, KPMG Peat Marwick, and Electronic Data Systems (EDS), where he headed EDS's Cost Management Consulting Services. He recently concluded a 16-year career with SAS, a leader in business analytics and enterprise performance management software.

He was the lead author of the acclaimed An ABC Manager's Primer (ISBN 0-86641-220-4), sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). His Activity-Based Cost Management: An Executive's Guide (ISBN 0-471-44328-X) recently ranked as the best-selling book of 151 titles on the topic. His other books include Activity-Based Cost Management: Making It Work (ISBN 0-7863-0740-4) and Activity-Based Cost Management in Government (ISBN 1-056726-110-8). His latest books are Performance Management: Finding the Missing Pieces to Close the Intelligence Gap (ISBN 0-471-57690-5) and Performance Management: Integrating Strategy Execution, Methodologies, Risk, and Analytics (ISBN 978-0-470-44998-1).

Cokins participates and serves on a number of committees, including the AICPA, CIMA, CAM-I, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). He can be reached at gcokins@garycokins.com.

Articles by Gary Cokins
Should You Obey or Defy Orders from Executives?
Some inspiration for those who prefer to do what they believe is correct rather than what their managers demand.
The CFO's Expanding Role -- Reality or Delusion?
The CFO function is about to enter a golden age of business analytics and managerial accounting.
How are the CFO's Team and Triple Crown Horses Similar?
Are you a starter, a stalker, or a deep closer?
When Implementing a New Program, Start Small, but Think Big
Many organizations over-plan and under-execute. However, there is no single standard roadmap to implement a program or project. Getting to the destination is the goal, so it is better to be flexible, says Gary Cokins.
The Emergence of Business Analysts as Leaders
The scarcest resource in an organization is human ability and competence. But competency is not enough to be a leader. They need curiosity, imagination, and creativity. And the emergence of analytics is creating opportunities for analysts as leaders.
When Organizations are Resistant to Change
Too many companies are slow to adopt innovative methods and technologies, succumbing to aversion to risk, lack of vision or simply being too distracted.
Comparing Eastern and Western Management Styles
The barriers that have slowed down the adoption rate of enterprise performance management aren't technical, but rather ones that involve people, culture and human nature's resistance to change.
The Business Case for Creating a More Analytical Culture
Empowering employees with decision rights and the analytical tools to make them is a powerful engine for organizational improvement.
Which Type of Executive in Performance Management Are You?
Different executive mentalities and personality profiles emerge when instituting performance management methodology implementations: deep thinkers, pragmatists and motivators.
Creating an Environment for Good Decision Making
Chief executives can foster stronger strategy execution by clarifying decision rights and designing more effective information flows.
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT: Are You Turning a Blind Eye to Data Quality?
The pipe that feeds raw transactional data into performance management systems doesn’t get anything close to the attention it deserves. Garbage in, garbage out? Not quite, but the implications of poor data governance are disturbing, says blogger Gary Cokins.
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT: Cut Through the Confusion to Unleash the Full Power of Performance Management
Businesses are still seriously underestimating the power of performance management (PM) -- not surprisingly, since consensus is lacking on just about everything from the name of the discipline to its proper scope, says blogger Gary Cokins. It's worth getting this straightened out, though. PM may be a complex brew, but it’s a potent one.
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT: Analytics Can Answer "Why Can't ...?" Questions
Why can't airlines better alert their ground crews for plane gate arrivals, or cities improve the timing of their traffic lights? Often the solution to performance problems is already available: analytics software.
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT: Accountants: From Bean Counters to Bean Growers
How can accountants start creating value? The first step is to get out of denial, says BPM expert Gary Cokins.
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT: New Year's Resolution for Execs: Take Up Yoga
What can execs do to improve their companies' health? Start practicing yoga, suggests BPM expert Gary Cokins.

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