From time to time, I come upon material that seems especially interesting and, more to the point, valuable. Here is one example: The 10Minutes series from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC), a Delaware limited liability partnership.

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We recognize how busy you are…

…so we are asking for just 10 minutes of your time to explore issues that we believe you’ll want to understand and act on in the near future.

Without mincing words, each 10Minutes piece is designed to distill key information and insights on a corporate, legal, or regulatory topic relevant to your business, helping you set your compass in a landscape that is often difficult to negotiate. If we can make the journey easier for you, it will be 10 minutes well spent.

Issues of 10Minutes will often be backed up by longer studies or white papers, available from this web site and in print. There we examine the issues in greater depth, for when you have more time.

To obtain more information about the firm and its resources, please click here.

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“10Minutes on sustainable cost reduction” from PWC

Companies are justifiably anxious to reduce costs. But the problem with many cost-cutting measures is that they are put into practice without considering their sustainability. Often, cost savings achieved in the short term eventually leak away. The failed cost reduction initiatives wind up damaging corporate infrastructure and culture, leaving companies struggling well after the recession ends.

Faced with a protracted period of sluggish demand and tight credit, companies are now asking, “What has to fundamentally change so our cost reduction efforts work today as well as in the future?”

Highlights

•  Traditional methods of cost reduction often fail over time
•  A strong foundation for cost reduction activities must be established before introducing game-changing transformational initiatives
•  There is no accountability, accuracy, or way to evaluate cost reduction efforts without clarity of operating cost drivers and linkages to financial plans
•  There are a number of steps companies can take immediately to move to sustainable cost reduction
•  If the spend culture isn’t addressed, cost reductions won’t be sustainable

To download the material, please click here.