Guide to financial management

1Defining a successful business 2 Business structures-- 3 The role of the finance department-- 4 Financial statements and accounting systems-- 5 Accounting concepts and principles-- 6 Investors-- 7 Treasury management-- 8 Cost to serve-- 9 Product pricing and profitability-- 10 Portfolio management-- 11 Investment appraisa-- 12 Business planning, budgeting and reporting-- 13 Cash flow forecasting-- 14 Operational ratios and measures-- 15 Stockmarket and investor measures-- 16 Working capital management-- 17 Published reports and accounts-- 18 Accounting complexities--

Managers are constantly expected to make decisions that reflect a full understanding of the financial consequences. In the absence of formal training, few people are prepared for the responsibilities of dealing with management reports, budgets, and capital proposals, and find themselves embarrassed by their lack of understanding. ; ; This book is a practical guide to understanding and managing financial responsibilities. Each chapter examines actual tasks managers have to do, from "how to assemble a budget," "how to read variances on a report," to "how to construct a proposal to invest in new equipment," exploring the principles that can be applied to each task, illustrating practical ways these principles are used, and providing guidance for implementation. ; ; Guide to Financial Management will help readers understand financial jargon, financial statements, management accounts, performance measures, budgeting, costing, pricing, decision-making, and investment appraisal. This third edition has been fully revised and expanded with detailed examples from 100 leading businesses around the world.