this is the third issue of the international “Controller’s e-News”. The last one at the end of March met a positive response from different countries.
Also in the future we would like to inform our readers about the life and activity of the ICV work groups outside the German-speaking area as well, about controlling conferences, studies, publications and important particulars. You are kindly invited to send us information from your national controlling community to be published in the international “Controller’s e-News”.
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The Internationaler Controller Verein (ICV) has published a White Paper that sets forth the principles of modern budgeting and presents them as a practical alternative to the “beyond” and “better” approaches. The White Paper was presented by the ICV expert working group “Modern budgeting”, presided over by the Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ronald Gleich, Chairman of the Strascheg Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIIE) from the European Business School (EBS). The authors of the document emphasize that in future budgeting will continue to be an important instrument of managing the company and that its role will increase. The adjective “modern” is meant to indicate that the measures have to be adapted to the current challenges, and the concept “modern budgeting” essential for the rational company management and administration, indicates that the budgeting within a company should focus only on the core business that generates benefits and is of key importance for the management of business.

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Berlin-Brandenburg is one of the most active and successful German work groups (WG). Its members meet at least twice a year and plan their sessions and topics one year in advance.
The WG has dealt with the topic "Communication is more than talking". As this soft skill has become a "must have" for controllers, the ICV would like to offer website visitors the presentations of the preparatory team and the results of the work group during the meeting.

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The 3rd International Controllers’ Congress (June 18-19 in Poznań, Poland) will start on Thursday. It is organized on the central topic “Controlling in turbulent times – practitioners’ best tips”. The guest of honour will be dr Walter Schmidt – ICV Board Member, a specialist in IFRS, Intellectual Capital and strategies based on knowledge. Another prominent speaker will be dr Herwig Friedag – initiator of the ICV development in the new EU countries and internationally renowned specialist in Balanced Scorecard methodology. Among other speakers there are: Aled Joyce (BPP Manager, London), Witold Skrok (Managing Director, Alior Bank), Mikołaj Woźniak (Controlling & Risk Management Director, Volkswagen Bank Poland), Paweł Kiełczykowski (Finance & Administration Director / CFO, Schenker), Rafał Wilczyński (Economic Director & Proxy, PBG), Maciej Jaszczuk (Controlling Director, Rohling Poland), Dariusz Gulczyński (ICV Work Group Leader, Poznań & Economic Director, Przedsiębiorstwo Dróg i Mostów S.A.), Bogusław Krawczyk (Manager & Advisory, KPMG) and Przemysław Masłowski (Finance Controller, ZT Kruszwica, S.A.). One of the highlights of the congress will be the broadcast of the speech given by the “Founding Father of Controlling” – dr Albrecht Deyhle, during this year’s Controller’s Cogress in Munich.
It will be a bilingual congress (Polish & English). ICV members from those countries which do not hold regional conferences are very welcome.

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The 9th controllers’ meeting in Slovenia will take place on September 24th/25th in Ptuj (north-easterly from Ljubljana) in the Grand Hotel Primus. This year’s motto is “Meet the challenges of controlling”. Dragica Erčulj, the head of the ICV work group Slovenia explains: “We couldn’t avoid the crisis, because it is here. But we should think about and find opportunities and challenges in it. Think about how controllers and controlling could help.”  

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Contact Dragica Erčulj:

This year's edition of the conference „Controlling in the Baltic States" bears the motto "Challenges of controlling in the context of economic changes". The speakers come from Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Germany. The congress will take place on October 22nd in Kaunas (Lithuania), Reval Hotel Neris.

For more information:
Contact Ms. Aiste Lörgen:

The mood among senior managers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has soured considerably compared to the 4th quarter 2008. 63% expect further deterioration, whereas 30% find conditions to be just as uncertain as before. Only 5% have faith in an upswing this year. Regardless of country or industry, declining orders, lagging payment practices and financing problems are causing companies the most grief. Cost reductions and additional budget cutbacks are on the agenda of all managers surveyed, followed by freezes in hiring (83%) and investment (72%). These findings are based on the market study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. As part of the survey, more than 300 executives from Austria and the CEE (Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine) were queried on the effects of the economic crisis. The survey revealed that managers in Russia, the Ukraine and Romania were especially pessimistic, with managers in Austria and Poland being the most optimistic.

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According to the nationwide “Great Place to Work” competition, Horváth & Partners are among the 100 best employers in the country. The accolade is a reflection of the quality and attractiveness of the company as employer. The consultants are also held in high esteem on the international stage: only recently were Horváth & Partners listed for the first time in the Vault Guide to the 25 most sought-after consulting firms in Europe.

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In Romania controlling appeared first at the level of economic practice and only later on at a theoretical level. Nowadays, the position of controller or even a controlling department can be found in almost every major corporation subsidiary in Romania. In order to meet labour market demands, the Department for Continuous Education and Open Distance Learning within the West University of Timisoara has already just finished the 3rd postgraduate specialization course entitled “Controlling – a modern subsystem of management”. This initiative belongs to Associated Professor Ph.D Valentina Oargă, from the Management Department of the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration, and is coordinated by Professor Ph.D Nicole Bibu, Head of the Management Department, in its capacity of Course Manager. A future objective is the organization of a course designed to give more insight into the field of controlling, aimed at further developing the capacities acquired at the completion of the present course.

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Employers are expected to remain cautious about adding accounting and finance professionals in the third quarter 2009, according to the Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index. Five percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) expect to hire full-time employees during the third quarter while 8 percent anticipate personnel reductions. The majority of respondents (85 percent) say they plan to maintain their current staff levels.

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