Stories by Roy Harris

Companies wanting to use deals as a way to enter growth markets, or build their presence when they're already there, this year face risks and rewards well worth contemplating.

Especially when explaining engagement in risky, rapid-growth markets, studies find need for better communication, says Ernst & Young.

Those "soft" finance department requirements are tops in an Accountemps survey, ahead of functional and strategic planning capabilities.

Survey among managers in various areas shows only 21% in finance and accounting expecting higher incentive pay for 2011, compared with 42% in human resources.

Uptick in Tatum monthly results isn’t enough to lift the pall, as numbers remain close to recessionary levels.

'Soft' skills are top in an Accountemps survey, ahead of functional and strategic planning capabilities.

Software giant Oracle is acquiring RightNow Technologies Inc. for $43 a share, or a total of about $1.5 billion, to expand its Internet-based offerings and offer a challenge to customer relationship management powerhouse Salesforce.com.

The appraisal of business conditions among mid-sized US company CFOs slipped in August after a lonely one-month July uptick, according to index numbers provided by Tatum. Expectations about how business conditions will change over the next two months also dipped in August.

IPO Watch sees danger that hot first-half rate -- with $24.3b of proceeds -- could ice over because of market volatility.

The familiar game of musical CFO chairs may be on again at Oracle Corp.

Intensifying debt picture with economic pressures on CFOs of leveraged firms, new study finds