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Roadmap to Better Internal Control Management
Many organizations take an approach to internal control management that has defined intersections with risk, compliance, and audit processes. These organizations may use well-defined risk control matrices (RCMS) based upon standards of internal control but they’re focused on only executing…
How to Start Benchmarking
The goal of benchmarking is simple: To learn what works and how to avoid unnecessary mistakes. The challenge, and where the confusion comes from, is how to apply benchmarking as an effective management tool within an organization. Benchmarking has been a widely used management tool for…
What Great HR Shared Services Have in Common
APQC and ScottMadden partner to collect benchmarks on HR shared services organizations. In an email interview with APQC, ScottMadden explained why continuous improvement is important in HR shared services and shared advice for reaching peak HR shared services performance. After reading the…
5 Macro Trends Shaping the Finance Function
The finance function has become an early testing ground and organizational bellwether for process and performance improvements. In tracking the massive shifts and accelerated trends coming out of 2020, APQC has seen finance functions lead the way on global trends involving transformation,…
What Are the Biggest Barriers to Knowledge Management?
A knowledge management effort can fail for countless reasons, but the breakdown usually starts with a “people problem.” According to APQC’s research, the biggest barriers that hurt knowledge management implementations are awareness, time, and culture. People either aren’t aware of the tools and…
What Is HR Transformation?
HR transformation is a redesign of the HR function involving dramatic as opposed to incremental improvement. At its core, HR transformation is about creating an HR function that reflects and supports the broader organization and its strategic objectives. As organizations embark on major change…
How to Innovate Post-Disruption
One thing is certain in 2021: disruption persists. And another thing that is certain is our organizations must adapt and innovate to handle these challenges. So, while we may feel like we are on a never-ending roller coaster ride, the good news is that organizations are learning to innovate in new…
5 Virtual Collaboration Tools You Might Not (But Should) Know
APQC’s research on virtual collaboration shows that the biggest challenges are about people and processes—not the technology itself. That said, there are some really innovative and useful virtual collaboration tools out there. To get a pulse on the latest tech toys (and of much more, of course), I…
How Do You Conduct a Process Map?
Process maps are an excellent way to bring clarity to how work gets accomplished in the organization. Maps make processes tangible which helps visualize how a process plays out and interacts with other processes and systems. This visibility helps you coordinate improvement projects, choose measures…
Productivity Reimagined for the 21st Century
It’s going to take more than traditional productivity for organizations to thrive in the post-Covid 21st century. Customers, employees, investors, and our communities are now more than ever asking us to consider other “big picture” societal and environmental outcomes we produce. APQC has always…