Gary Cokins
Gary Cokins, CPIM
Gary Cokins (Cornell University BS IE/OR, 1971; Northwestern University Kellogg MBA 1974) is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, and author in advanced cost management and enterprise performance and risk management (EPM/ERM) systems. He is the founder of Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC, an advisory firm located in Cary, North Carolina at www.garycokins.com. Gary is the Executive in Residence of the Institute of Management Accountants (www.imanet.org).
Watch my hips, not my lips
Many organizations over plan and under execute. The managerial styles I admire are ones with a bias towards action. Not wild actions to run...
Could Beethoven have implemented business analytics?
Could the great classical music composer Ludwig Beethoven successfully implement business analytics in an organization? I was educated as an industrial engineer, and I do...
Accountants’ darkest time is just before the dawn
CFOs and their finance and accounting function have been distracted from being their coveted strategic partner role because they are mired with regulatory and...
Who are the animals of analytics-based enterprise performance management ?
Ever notice how the personalities and dispositions of animals often resemble humans? An organization's pursuit of adopting analytics-based enterprise performance management involves personalities of...
Ambiguity and uncertainty are your friends
If you are a business analyst or are responsible for enterprise performance and risk management, then ambiguity and uncertainty are your friends. Why? If...
Joseph Farrell (1935-2011) / cinema analytics pioneer
History reveals numerous examples of how blind influential executives and managers can be to breakthrough advances in their industry. For example, Digital Equipment Corporation...
2012 New Year resolutions for CEOs and executives
January 1st, New Year Day, is a chance for proposing changes. The tradition is to make resolutions such as to lose weight or exercise...
Why will analytics be the next competitive edge?
Analytics is becoming a competitive edge for organizations. Once a "nice-to-have," applying analytics is now becoming mission critical. An August 6, 2009, New York Times...
Can analytics make your work more fun?
I've been reading job satisfaction surveys and the sad truth is that a substantial amount of workers find their work boring and/or unfulfilling. While...
Planner, pioneer, or explorer – which are you?
In my mind, there are three different approaches you can take when it comes to living your life. You fall into one of three...
Who are more effective – Specialists or Generalists?
In the book The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us and What We Can Do About It, the...
In one eye and out the other
Managers and employees often rush to judgment when drawing conclusions and making decisions. They do not adequately appreciate how their decisions might be altered...
Analytics yield loss – from research to use
Why is there substantial degradation of academic research in converting its findings in applications such as business, health care, and government? I ask this...
Can analytics create people who can lead?
At a recent conference of The Association for Operations Management (APICS) where I was a presenter I attended a provocative talk by Alan G....
A Craigslist advertisement for analytics
Did you see the recent Craigslist website advertisement? It said: "Clueless managers seeking business analytics. Need to be easy to use and reliable. Impostors (e.g.,...
Start small. Think big.
Many organizations seem to have a problem getting started with performance improvement programs, initiatives, and projects including embracing business analytics. Is it analysis paralysis...
Moving from possibility to probability with analytics
What could possibly happen to your organization performance results? At the operational level sales order volume could be up or down. Prices of purchased...