Integrated Business Planning (IBP) (and its forerunner Sales and Operations Planning or S&OP) have traditionally been perceived and managed as tactical, supply-chain centred processes. However, as I have outlined in various articles, IBP builds a number of enterprise capabilities which drive competitive advantage. With respect to the Finance function in particular, IBP represents a valuable enabler as outlined below. Key Roles for the Finance Function – Planning & Business

Organisations face an ever-increasing series of challenges in order to build sustainable and profitable business. These challenges are manifested in various aspects of business operations but especially in planning. As outlined in my previous article ‘Evolving S&OP for the Real World’, the VUCA [1] environment creates a requirement for businesses to plan strategically but also maintain the capability to flex dynamically to manage increasing levels of unpredictability and unc