The Ethics Resource Center (ERC) wanted to know if the “American worker is becoming wary of more regulation” … so it compared a 2010 Gallup poll to its own survey data from 2009.

The conclusion? It sure looks that way.

The ERC’s 2009 National Business Ethics Survey data (collected during the middle of the year) showed that U.S. employees felt the following regarding business regulations:

• About the right amount: 21 percent

• Too much: 38 percent

• Too little: 41 percent

A January 2010 Gallup poll of U.S. workers shows that their feelings may be changing:

• About the right amount: 23 percent

• Too much: 50 percent

• Too little: 24 percent

That’s the latest “EthicsStat” from the ERC. Now for the inspiration … more

It appears that the economy is slowly and painfully inching toward a turnaround. Unemployment is holding steady at 9.7 percent, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While unacceptably high, the number represents a slight drop from earlier this year. The Bureau of Economic Analysis says that GDP grew at an annualized rate of 5.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009.

It all sounds great. And it is. However, a recovering economy can present its own challenges. Most significantly, if companies don’t continue to focus on working capital and cash flow management, they can end up back in trouble. more

Did you see the movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney? Those of you who have not seen it probably have heard something about it. It involves a professional with a job who flies in airline jets so much that hotels and airports become his life.

There are parts of this movie I relate to. I recently learned that with Delta Airlines I have traveled to the Moon and back eight times. In the last 18 months I have visited over 70 international cities. I am not as good-looking as George Clooney (who is arguably the Cary Grant of our era). But I did relate to a part of his character in the movie. That involved thinking rationally and always trying to make the best out of unexpected circumstances.

What does this have to do with enterprise performance management or the finance and accounting component of it? There is a connection. Few implementations of performance management methodologies ever go smoothly. There are always some hiccups or worse. For example, some projects run into input data quality and data management obstacles that adversely affect the modeling, calculated results, and output information. Some projects run into underestimated change management and behavior modification issues, including the natural resistance to change in people. Some projects are scoped too widely or narrowly. Some projects are underfunded, or the implementers are inexperienced. more