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Intuitively, many business managers recognize that their decision window has been shrinking with each passing year. Information dissemination has become real-time and on-demand. What is required is an analytical approach that enables management to monitor and measure the development of the important strategic drivers and make decisions with confidence. Learn why ad hoc reporting is failing to fill the gap, the changing role of the modern finance leader, and the three new approaches to attaining deeper financial analytical insight.

As private equity firms make their operations, and those of the companies they invest in, more technologically savvy, they're finding that true digital transformation requires a shift in mindset.

Many institutional investors have shed their skepticism and are dipping their toes into the crypto market, adding exposure through crypto funds, futures, and other emerging investment options. However, the world of crypto investing is still relatively uncharted territory. It is important to understand what cryptocurrencies are before investing or accounting for them. Organizations that take a step-by-step approach to due diligence and gain experience with small, low-risk projects involving cryptocurrencies may find they present exciting, new opportunities.

The demand for executive level talent is extremely acute in the technology sector. Consequently, we expect to see larger year-over-year increases that will outpace other industry sectors. The median TDC (total direct compensation) levels will likely become more aligned with the recent excellent economic performance the sector has experienced. To stay ahead of these issues, technology companies and boards need to consider strategic compensation structure, including total rewards package, employment agreements, performance-based equity grants, and succession planning.

True disruption—the kind that marks lasting paradigm shifts in the predominant way things are done—is more than a technology story. It’s a virtuous circle in which technology spawns changes in market and competitive dynamics, and vice versa. To stay on the right side of disruption, businesses need to anticipate the signals and adapt and reinvent themselves before disruption upends them. For the middle market, that means establishing a digital strategy that balances the long-term vision with realistic short-term goals.

Digital transformation: innovation’s holy grail. For some organizations, digital transformation is in their DNA. The adaption to—and adoption of—emerging technologies to further business goals comes instinctively to them. For the majority of middle market companies, however, digital transformation requires a lot more foresight, consideration, and planning. Companies that begin their journey today are much more equipped to continue evolving tomorrow. The challenges will be great—but the rewards, greater.

Choosing a technology platform is a time-consuming process leading to a critical decision. You need to be confident that the platform supports your multi-year benefits strategy, and that the HR technology vendor you select will meet your needs today—and in the future. When it comes to choosing the right vendor and solution, it is crucial to ask the right questions.

The Internet of Things (IoT), a network of easily deployed sensors and smart devices, combined with advanced analytics platforms and cloud services, has the potential to disrupt and strengthen products and services across multiple industries. Looking to the future, the amount of data produced by IoT usage is expected to hit 4.4 zettabytes by 2020, up from just 0.1 zettabytes in 2013.

No one can predict with certainty which areas of financial technology (FinTech) will lead to the next significant wave of disruption. However, there are several growth catalysts for FinTech, including the rise and practical application of artificial intelligence, distributed ledger technology, or DLT (that is, blockchain); and the wide adoption of mobile technology. Advances in FinTech are poised to lead future generations of growth across capital markets, the financial services value chain, and developing economies.

While major cyber incidents and data breaches at large corporations capture global headlines, middle market companies are starting to recognize that they are often the prime target for cybercriminals. With generally limited resources, middle market organizations must place a premium on awareness and benchmarking to help mitigate the threat of cybersecurity attacks and to comply with data privacy regulations.