article thumbnail

We Can’t Study Short-Termism Without the Right Metrics

Harvard Business

Similarly, considering greater accruals (which represent the difference between reported income and operating cash flows) to measure short-term orientation has its difficulties. It assumes that a smaller proportion of cash flows in earnings indicates a myopic firm.

Metrics 30
article thumbnail

Why We Need to Update Financial Reporting for the Digital Era

Harvard Business

Since then, we interviewed several chief financial officers (CFOs) of leading technology companies and senior analysts of investment banks who follow technology companies. Business students are taught to value a company based on the discounted amounts of future cash flows or earnings.

article thumbnail

A Blueprint for Digital Companies’ Financial Reporting

Harvard Business

In a follow up HBR article , we interviewed several chief financial officers (CFOs) of leading technology companies and senior analysts of investment banks and distilled seven key insights from those discussions. The level and trend of a company’s top-line metric is an advance indicator of the success of its business model.