Introductory description

A finance course for those on Management MSc Programmes to give the necessary financial and accounting knowledge to be able to analyse, interpret, extrapolate and produce financial data.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

This course will give a solid grounding to students concerning the finance of their own business, and the effects of their actions on the business' financial performance, as well as linking that performance to the supply chain in which the business sits, and appropriate means of allowing all supply chain partners to work in concert.
The areas covered are:

• How the actions of business operations affect the business financial performance;
• the design of, and good practice use of key performance indicators;
• the market’s view of financial performance;
• the use of finance in the supply chain to facilitate appropriate funding of working capital

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Critically assess a business' financial performance by integrating financial and business data to synthesise a clear opinion.
• Calculate, from novel datasets, the costs associated with the production of products or the provision of services
• Select, justify and apply appropriate methods to prepare and review budgets and forecasts
• Select and justify suitable forms of supply chain finance for a novel dataset
• Select and justify the use of relevant data for the effective use in decision making, and use that data to present clear decisions

Indicative reading list

Dyson, J.R.,(2020) Accounting for Non-Accounting Students, Tenth edition, Harlow, England: FT Prentice Hall. 1292286938
Goldenberg, D. 20160302, Derivatives Markets, Routledge. 9780415599016
Bamber, M., Parry, S. Accounting and Finance for Managers, 3rd Edition, Kogan Page. 9781789667516
Zhao, L. HuchzermeirA. Supply Chain Finance 978-3-319-76662-1

Subject specific skills

Analysis of complex data sets;
Presentation of analytical findings;
Ability to manipulate data concerning costing, budgeting, decision making and business financial performance.

Transferable skills

Critical thinking – ability to select and justify selection from a range of complex choices;
Problem solving – novel situations and datasets presented for analysis and critical comment;
Communication – presentations/exams;
Teamwork – team exercises;
Organisational awareness – business background and impact of financial choices;
Numeracy;
Commerciality.