Submitting appropriate financial justification for investments in big-ticket capital acquisitions is an essential step, so managers should require it and prohibit any exceptions. Managers can help supervisors and front-line technicians understand the reasons for required financial justification, as well as the way a more disciplined process will benefit them and the company's overall performance.
World-class companies require capital-budgeting policies, and required governance and internal control processes help ensure investment decisions are financially justified and properly analyzed. These policies also ensure efficient use of a company's most treasured asset — its cash.
Now is the time for managers to take a fresh look at their organizations' processes for evaluating new capital investments. They can reach out to peer networks for examples of good capital-acquisition procedures and find an example that fits a company's culture.
Finally, managers can work with the organization's leadership team to implement a new system for big-ticket capital acquisition. To ensure the new system works effectively, they also need to pay attention to the people side of this change. An effective change-management plan is an essential step in achieving this goal.
Bruce Wesner is a managing principal with Life Cycle Engineering. He has more than 25 years of maintenance, engineering and management experience.
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