Strategic initiatives for cost reduction

The graph below was created using Google’s graphing tools.

This horizontal bar graph shows the percentage of companies responding to a Deloitte survey that are implementing the strategic initiatives described in the graph.

The Deloitte survey is “What’s Next?  Deloitte’s Second Biennial Cost Survey.  Cost Improvement Practices and Trends in the Fortune 1000”.  Click here to access the report (PDF file).

A principle conclusion reached in the survey report is that more emphasis should be placed on strategic, long-term approaches to cost management versus short-term, quickly implemented cost reductions.

Decision methods for capital projects by small companies

The graphs below were created using Google’s graphing tools.

The first bar graph shows four broad categories of capital expenditures and how many of the surveyed companies indicated the category as being their largest capital expenditure during the previous 12 months.

The second bar graph shows the percentage of surveyed companies using one of three planning methods for making capital decisions.

The data in the graphs are based on a Gallup Organization survey of more than 750 small companies for the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation.  The results of the survey are found in a 2006 report written by Morris Danielson and Jonathan Scott.  Small companies surveyed have fewer than 250 employees.  The report can be read by clicking here (PDF file).

The data in the graph and in the report should be useful to small company decision-making related to capital projects.

Percentage of companies offering various benefits

The graph below was created using Google’s graphing tools.

This horizontal bar graph shows the percentages of US companies offering 4 categories of benefits.  Interesting 33.3 % of companies offer no benefits.

This data is based on a US Census 2007 survey of US companies.  You can gain access to the survey data by clicking here.  The percentages represent those companies responding that they offer the identified benefit.

This data should be useful to job seekers for realizing many companies offer no benefits.

Source of capital for start ups with employees

The graph below was created using Google graph tools.

This horizontal bar graph shows the sources of capital for startup companies (firms) with employees.  The data in the graph is from a US Census survey conducted in 2007.   Findings from the survey can be accessed by clicking here.

The data shows how much startup companies rely upon the owners (or owners’ family and friends) capital.  Only about 25 % of the time did companies receive capital from non self/family/friend sources.

Challenges in merger integration

The graph below was created using Google’s graphing tools.

This horizontal bar graph shows challenges that more than 250 top European executives reported having in the integration of mergers that they were involve with.

These results are from a 2009 survey of the executives conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.  The results are in a report entitled “Post Merger Integration Survey – 2009”.  You can gain access to this report by clicking here (PDF file).

Recognizing prevalent merger integration challenges should help those involved in upcoming mergers focus their plans in the right direction.

How nonprofits cut budgets in difficult times

The graph below was created using Google’s graphing tools.

The horizontal bar graph shows 9 actions that nonprofits took to reduce their budgets during the difficult US economic period in 2009 and 2010.  

The data in the graph was collected in a survey conducted by GuideStar.  2011 responses were received from nonprofits.  The graph shows the percentage of responses that indicated they reduced budgets by the actions shown.   GuideStar’s report “The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector” can be assessed by clicking here (PDF file).

A question about the data is why more nonprofits did not reduce their operating hours, which would seem a preferable strategic option.  Reducing operating hours would avoid layoffs (layoffs are a very poor strategic action) and achieve many of the other results, e.g. reducing employee wages using hourly wages.

Problems discovered while complying with Sarbanes Oxley

The graph below was created using Google’s graphing tools.

This horizontal bar graph shows problems that survey respondents reported discovering while complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley regulation.  More than 400 audit and financial officers responded to a 2011 survey, conducted by Protiviti, on costs, time, effort, and processes in their companies related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

The survey results are reported in a Protiviti report entitled “2011 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey”.  This report can be accessed by clicking here (PDF file).