"This report will not just make you understand the bad news and the good news, namely that the budget process is flawed and that far better alternatives exist. It will also make you realise that going Beyond Budgeting is about much more. It is about setting people free to respond to a business environment that becomes more dynamic, unpredictable and demanding every day"
Bjarte Bogsnes,
Project Manager for Beyond Budgeting, Statoil

Principles, lessons and best practice

Use this Report to understand best practice in identifying the scope for transformation - as well as the most effective way of implementing change. Find the answers to questions such as:

What are the kinds of benefits that can realistically be expected from re-engineering?

Is it best to take an evolutionary or radical approach to improving planning and budgeting?

What is the benchmark for effective planning and budgeting?

Who should lead planning and budgeting projects?

What alternative models are there to replace the annual budget?

Does control go out of the window when you abandon the budget altogether?

How can rewards be better tied to performance to avoid distorting behaviour?

What is the best way to ensure that planning and budgeting is aligned to strategic goals?

What are the business goals that should frame next-generation planning and budgeting?

How do you ensure you balance long- and short-term goals?

What does beyond budgeting really mean?

What are the dangers of shifting from budget-based incentives to alternative reward models?

What are the cultural pitfalls? Are there reliable ways of avoiding them?

How long does it take to overhaul planning and budgeting?

Is there a trade off between faster, leaner planning cycles and decision quality?

What role should senior managers play in the re-engineering process?

How do you gain company-wide buy-in to re-engineered planning and budgeting?