Finance for Managers

What does the programme cover?Particularly in challenging and uncertain times, a full understanding of how your job impacts your organisation financially is critical.

With a strong international focus, we take you on a jargon busting journey through the full range of financial issues. This is not an accountancy course. The content and how we cover it is driven entirely by what you need to understand about finance in order to do your job effectively.

You will also have the opportunity for one-to-one discussions about specific financial issues you currently face.

What will I learn?
By the end you will be able to:

• Understand the impact of management decisions on your company’s financial performance
• Interpret financial data, in an international context, in order to make more effective decisions
• Communicate more effectively with financial colleagues/specialists
• Use a range of financial tools when making decisions.

Who’s it for?
We attract non-financial managers from every possible industry, function and country.

Programme Content

Our learning approach is very practical, interactive and always relates the financial issues back to the broader business context.

Our learning approach is very practical, interactive and always relates the financial issues back to the broader business context.

Measuring Business Performance (Financial Accounting)

• Key financial reports - profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statements
• Principles and conventions of financial reporting
• Profit and cash flow measurement and asset evaluation
• Key terminology

Financial Planning and Financial Analysis (Financial Accounting)

• The inter-relationship between key financial reports and business actions and plans impact these reports

Appraisal of own and competitors' performance (Financial Accounting)

• Interpreting financial reports
• Analysing trends in profitability, liquidity and stock market performance
• Evaluating a company's strengths and weaknesses
• Performance measures and financial ratios

Cost and profitability analysis(Management Accounting)

• Identifying different costs and revenues
• Contribution and break-even analysis
• Management information systems and budgetary control

Project evaluation (Management Accounting)

• Make or buy decision making and evaluating proposals e.g. changes to operating processes and product lines

Investment appraisal and Business valuation (Management Accounting)

• Appraising long-term spending and divesting decisions
• Discounting methods and net present value analysis
• Risk and uncertainty
• How to assess the value of a business
• Factors that drive an organisation's value

Programme Structure

Pre programme: You do not need to do any formal preparation. We do ask you to bring examples of issues you are currently facing – which shouldn’t take up too much time.

Pre programme: You do not need to do any formal preparation. We do ask you to bring examples of issues you are currently facing – which shouldn’t take up too much time. You will have access to the dedicated Finance for Managers extranet site prior to the programme.

Programme: You can expect individual and team work, videos, computer aided learning, discussions and presentations.

In the evenings you will be given re-cap questions to help you fully digest the day’s learnings

Post programme: Once you finish the programme you will be able to implement the action plans developed during the week.

You will also be given Steve’s must-have finance tool kit which includes: a screen saver to reinforce the messages learnt, his handy book of definitions, a pricing ready-reckoner as well as spreadsheets to appraise projects and calculate ratios.

Participation in this programme can lead towards the Ashridge Diploma in General Management.

What makes this programme different?

• There are no financial monologues and we keep it jargon-free
• Your parting gift of ‘Steve’s must-have finance tool kit’
• Access to Ashridge’s award winning Virtual Learning Resource Centre
• Virtual community facility to maintain valuable networks established on the programme
• The inspirational surroundings of Ashridge to stimulate your creativity and your ability to look at things from a different angle!