A purpose of FP&A is to help people acquire insight into how organizations function. People acquire insight from a variety of sources; they can acquire insight by reading reports, talking to people, or walking through facilities. A reason people choose a certain source to acquire insight is accessibility and as a result FP&A practitioners should make their insight accessible.
Karl Kern
Karl Kern has a BBA degree in Accounting from Temple University, and an MBA degree with a concentration in Finance from Babson College. After graduating from Temple University Karl started a career where he has established a reputation as a problem solver. Karl’s reputation as a problem solver is based on his ability to create as well as implement initiatives that have helped organizations increase revenues, decrease expenses, and improve cash flows.
Karl’s ability to create as well as implement initiatives is due to being a well-read individual with exceptional organizational skills and passion. It is Karl’s passion that guides him to improve the lives of not only himself but also those around him.
Author's Articles
A definition of quality is “a distinctive characteristic possessed by someone.” The work of FP&A practitioners focuses on thinking and learning about how financial activities – earning revenues, incurring costs, generating cash flows – affect organizations. The thinking and learning about this relationship require a mindset that creates results.
There are many definitions of culture. From a business perspective I like the definition of culture as “the beliefs and behavior that determine how people interact and handle transactions.” I like this definition because it includes the word “transactions.” Transactions are unavoidable within businesses.
An important characteristic of FP&A practitioners is a commitment to continuous improvement. There are a number of ways for FP&A practitioners to commit toward improving their work. For me, one of the ways I commit to continuous improvement is reading books.