More than 15 years ago, the Harvard Business Review had already declared corporate planning and budgeting as all but dead. “Corporate budgeting is a joke, and everyone knows it,” the business magazine wrote in 2001. The polarizing article generated an enormous reaction. However, little has changed since then.

We’ve all come across checkpoints in our personal lives where we commonly think about or use phrases such as “let’s take a few steps back”, “I need to reset things” and “let’s start all over again”.

The corporate planning process is a controversial subject on which opinions differ widely. But experience has shown that an effectively implemented planning process brings companies a clear added value in many respects. Enterprises are helped to achieve their set targets or to take corrective action if unforeseen changes occur in the background conditions.

Forecast accuracy is often a subject of discussion. What are the issues met that can generate such level of discussion? 

A few days ago, I was looking through some blogs on LinkedIn when I came across a comment that suggested the purpose of budgeting was to set stretch targets. A number of people seemed to support this idea, although I personally have to disagree for two key reasons.

Working in FP&A is one of the most dynamic & challenging careers in the finance and business world. It appears that FP&A professionals wear multiple hats, performing tasks of a master of communication, a strategic leader, a resource allocator as well as a positive influencer. However, nowadays we experience a lack of mature theories and models facilitating FP&A professionals’ development.