The Essential CFO

By Bruce Nolop
Wiley, 349 pages (print version)

Nolop has extensive experience in corporate finance and it shows in this pithy work. He examines how the CFO role has expanded dramatically in breadth, complexity and criticality in a decade, with a particular emphasis on how CFOs are partnering with CEOs in strategic areas. There are useful sections on determining capital allocations, managing capital structures and implementing complex transactions. Nolop is also interested in the role CFOs can play in corporate transformations and sees the emerging frontiers as the development of risk management and dealing with external stakeholders.

Business Reports for Busy People

By Greg Holden
Career Press, 288 pages (print version)

Given the importance of business reports, it is surprising how little they feature in professional education. This book goes some way to rectifying this, examining the features of the most commonly used business reports including Policies and Procedures, HR Assessments, Disciplinary Reports, Progress Reports, Situation Summaries, Meeting Minutes and a host of others. The chapters – 30 of them – are short and practical, and templates and guides are provided.

Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control

By Martin Biegelman and Joel Bartow
Wiley, 411 pages (print version)

This book, the second edition of a 2006 volume, covers a lot of ground. It provides some useful information about the warning signs of fraud and how internal fraud can be addressed. The book is designed with the US regulatory system in mind (there is some material on the British legislative framework), but the sections of practical advice can be read on their own. In particular, the chapters dealing with fraud data mining, the latest technological tools and the importance of clear procedures are useful, and there is also a good list of best practice examples.

Building Social Business

By Muhammad Yunus
Public Affairs, 256 pages (print version)

Yunus is known for his ground-breaking work on micro-finance as an answer to poverty in developing countries and in this book he extends the theme. His focus is on businesses that have been created by micro-finance programs or have developed as offshoots of corporates. In these “social businesses” profits are reinvested to create a self-sustaining entity. Some of these companies have been operating for decades and there is an interesting chapter on lessons learned and improvements made. Not every social enterprise works as planned, but the success rate is high enough to make a real difference.

E-books can be viewed online via CPA Library. Contact CPA Library on 1300 737 373 or email cpalibrary@cpaaustralia.com.au

This article is from the October 2012 issue of INTHEBLACK magazine.