If you're looking at trimming costs -- and who isn't? -- here are the processes that offer the biggest rewards for the least risk.

Your company stands a better chance of gaining ground on the competition during a downturn than when times are good. Preparing for the bad times is a strategic imperative, especially for your finance organization.

Managing enterprise risk still ranks low on finance executives' list of priorities. But it's a key differentiator of financially successful companies.

Smart companies are finding ways to fatten their bottom lines by managing profitability more effectively. A little more than 20 years after its arrival, activity-based costing may be catching a second wind.

Here's how best-in-class organizations get a grip on IT value creation -- at the point of maximum leverage.

Lean Six Sigma earned its reputation for rooting out costs and accelerating performance in the manufacturing industries, and now it's gaining popularity among services companies. Success can be elusive, though. A new report presents a simple technique that can help companies dodge the pitfalls.

While cost optimization should be a priority for all companies regardless of the economic cycle, the reality is that when times are good, it's on the back burner, and during a downturn, it becomes critical. Before handing out those pink slips, finance executives would be well-advised to take a holistic look at their organizations to ensure that any changes they propose are strategic and sustainable.

Too many business performance management (BPM) software initiatives run aground because of poorly defined initial objectives, according to Sanjay Sehgal, principal in Archstone Consulting's CFO advisory services practice and leader of the firm's business intelligence group. Sehgal talked with Business Finance to explain how companies can take their BPM vision from hazy to holistic.

Companies that are ready to invest in -- or upgrade -- BPM software can find up-to-date, detailed information about available BPM products and learn what they can expect from recent market changes.