[BC] The Cost of Streaming (Bean-counting)

[Mike McCarthy]

Well said Willie.  It might be rare that we fully agree in principal.  But 
we do here.

HOWEVER, my definition of a Bean Counter is a middle or low level 
accounting type which has little or no decision making power.  Strictly 
function over form.  I don't consider top level financial people "bean 
counters".  They're more like "COB/POD Counters" who focus on the immediate 
crop size, not the overall health of the field or the product the field is 
producing......if I might use my farmer father-in-law's analogy.

But in terms of their function within a given business unit, your analysis 
is accurate.  As I said before, a good financial person gives advice based 
on fundamentals of good accounting practice as well as business 
practice.  HOWEVER, the financial person might also be acting under direct 
orders from senior managers to execute their job in a certain 
way.  So....if the top guy wants results now, they must provide the data 
requested and act as directed to reach that goal.  Sad as it might be for 
those working at that company or business unit.  But that's the way it is 
today thanks to Wall Street's cut throat practices.

MM

At 04:59 PM 4/6/2008 -0400, WBRadiolists at aol.com wrote
>In a message dated 04/04/2008 3:12:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>vkuehn at bellsouth.net writes:
>
> > Sounds like a
> >  business plan to me.  (The founder probably has a BEAN COUNTER for an
> >  advisor or partner.)
>
>No... if they had a BEANCOUNTER, there would be no staff and no budget for
>promotion. Everything would have been cut-to-the-bone in order to maximize
>this-quarter's returns.
>
>A *GOOD* Financial Planner/Accountant is *Not* a BEANCOUNTER.
>
>The former knows the difference between long-term, successful
>Business Plans vs short-term,
>instantaneous-but-unsustainable-returns.
>
>The former grasps the long-term, the latter only grasps the
>short-term, and acts accordingly.
>
>If the stream was not bringing in any demonstrable revenue, the BEANCOUNTER
>would axe it... immediately, if not sooner. The Good Financial Planner would
>see it as a *Promotions Budget* line-item.
>
>Willie...