No comments about MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING: Concepts and Empirical Evidence plus Supplement: Executive Chapter Summaries and Solutions to Chapter Problems.

No comments about Management Accounting.

No comments about International Credit and Collections: A Guide to Extending Credit Worldwide.

No comments about Advanced Management Accounting.

No comments about Advanced Management Accounting.

2 comments about Financial Crime Investigation and Control.

1. This is one of the few books about auditing and compliance that is written for general business managers instead of auditors. To be sure, the material represents an excellent training tool for auditors and compliance specialists who need to develop a company-wide awareness program as one tier in a comprehensive initiative. However, the main message in the book, and the approach it presents, is based on the fact that the responsibility for deterring fraud extends well beyond auditing and compliance. Indeed, the most effective deterrent is an aware management and workforce that is vigilant at all levels.

   Three objectives of this book are: (1) serve as a primer on financial fraud, its impact on organizations and common exposures, and (2), give mangers who may not be trained in auditing guidance and techniques to investigate fraud if they find themselves tasked with doing so (a particularly common occurrence in small-to-medium businesses), (3) provide a comprehensive framework for detecting, investigating and dealing with fraud.

   The full range of topics are covered and are presented without the professional auditing and compliance jargon, which makes it easy for general business professionals to understand. I like the way the authors addressed ethics, and especially like the chapter on whistleblowing (see "Merrill Lynch: The Cost Could Be Fatal" by Keith A. Schooley for a realistic view of how tricky this can be for all parties). In addition, I thought that the integrated approach that defines clearly articulated policies and procedures, and roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders is a critical success factor to making it all work. The reason is, like security, fraud control requires a defense in depth that depends on no single element of that defense. I also found the two appendices (A-Forensic Statement Analysis and B-An Introduction to Data Mining as a Fraud Risk Management Tool) invaluable.

   For whom will this book be most useful? Managers, regardless of functional area or specialty, will gain insights into causes and steps to prevent fraud. It will also provide basic tools for investigating suspected fraud.

   Professional auditors or compliance specialists will find a viable approach to developing and implementing a company-wide initiative that will significantly reduce fraud.

   Corporate and IT security specialists will find a wealth of material that will support their own detection, investigation and action procedures, especially for the IT security specialist who is trained in forensics.




2. This book was purchased in error and after reading about 1/2 of it the first weekend I found that it was a keeper. Being both a student and a professional I found this book to be geared towards the professional manager who needs a general overview of fraud and the effects of fraud. I found that it was an easy to understand book that did not dive too much into the technical issues, only the practical issues at hand. I'd say it was a must-read for any manager who does not have much background in auditing.

1 comments about Managerial Accounting.

1. When purchasing any texts for school, please do not cheap out on paying for faster shipping. Trust me, it will be in your best interests to get 1 day shipping. I waited a little over 2 weeks to get 1 text and the book was being shipped within state.

1 comments about Management Control In Nonprofit Organizations.

1. The book is very comprehensive and uses very good learning methodology. One can find all that is important in the area of management control. I can highly recomend the book to anyone interested in this field looking for a methodological guide to management control.

5 comments about Building Public Trust: The Future of Corporate Reporting.

1. A very timely and thoughtful work. It's quite easy to criticize our current system of financial reporting both in terms of stakeholder value and human consequences. The nightly business journals do their part by documenting the day's dismal financial calamities. Mr. Eccles takes the next step by offering concrete proposals for building an infrastructure to improve corporate transparency and investor confidence. We hope that all members of the Corporate Reporting Supply Chain will accept this work as a starting point for on-going discussions of this important topic.



2. In the current marketplace, its refreshing to see men of stature like Sam DiPiazza and Robert Eccles taking a step in the right direction. If you are an investor, if you have money in public companies, this is a book you must read!



3. Kudos to the authors and their editorial team for managing to publish this quickly enough to become part of the debate. With luck, some of what the authors have to say may even become part of the solution.



4. There is a bitter irony to the heads of PriceWaterhouseCoopers issuing a publication about inspiring trust in the public in large corporations in the wake of Enron and Worldcom scandals when PwC constantly undermines the trust of its own employees. With an infrastructure that makes it nearly impossible for employees to find their own project work and employment practices that left thousands of employees without a job and insufficient experience to get another one (while still continuing to hire new employees), PwC does a horrible job on taking care of those who work for them. In addition, they are just another example of a company that engages in the same shady, conflict-of-interest business practices as Arthur Andersen, yet they just have not been caught yet. Yet, here they are, trying to issue some sort of definitive work about restoring public trust. If a company like this shows no understanding of how to take care of their own employees, how can one even remotely think that they have any business providing a framework of how to take care of the public.



5. There is a bitter irony to the heads of PriceWaterhouseCoopers issuing a publication about inspiring trust in the public in large corporations in the wake of Enron and Worldcom scandals when PwC constantly undermines the trust of its own employees. With an infrastructure that makes it nearly impossible for employees to find their own project work and employment practices that left thousands of employees without a job and insufficient experience to get another one (while still continuing to hire new employees), PwC does a horrible job of taking care of those who work for them. In addition, they are just another example of a company that engages in the same shady, conflict-of-interest business practices as Arthur Andersen, yet they just have not been caught yet. Yet, here they are, trying to issue some sort of definitive work about restoring public trust. If a company like this shows no understanding of how to take care of their own employees, how can one even remotely think that they have any business providing a framework of how to take care of the public.

1 comments about Essentials of Sarbanes-Oxley (Essentials Series).

1. I was somewhat disappointed with this book. Not much new material. Some background, nice intro to SOX. Goes into some detail on specific sections. Covers industry frameworks, e.g., COSO, COBIT, but this has been covered elsewhere.
   
   Would have hoped to see a thorough discussion of PCAOB and SEC developments designed to minimize cost and effort of SOX compliance - the current buzz. For example, on May 24, 2007 the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board voted to adopt Auditing Standard No. 5, which has serious, and current, SOX compliance implications.
   
   The "Essentials of Sarbanes-Oxley" is essentially a warmed over helping of SOX. Not entirely appetizing. Check out Jill Gilbert's book "Sarbanes-Oxley for Dummies" which is a wonderful SOX appetizer, or Michael Ramos (several books) if you hunger for even more.