Introduction to Finance: “Show me the money!”

The primary goal is to equip you with the ability to understand, analyze and interpret financial data, facilitating informed business decisions and strategies. You will learn about time value of money, measuring risk and return, capital structure, capital budgeting and structure, and international finance to understand the importance of financial management and its relations with business performance. Understanding business finance is essential for a business analyst as it enables you to make informed strategic decisions and recommendations. Financial knowledge helps in assessing a company’s health, evaluating investment opportunities, and understanding market trends. It also aids in budget planning, forecasting future performance, and optimizing resource allocation. By understanding financial principles, business analysts can better align business strategies with financial goals, contributing to the overall success and growth of the organization. This financial acumen is crucial in navigating the complex economic landscape of modern business.

Topics

1. The nature of finance. Finance for a business analyst. Agency problem

2. Business models & finance. Business Model Canvas. Understanding financial needs & constrains in a business life-cycle

3. Time value of money. Payback period, NPV & IRR

4. Financial markets & financial instruments. International finance. Risk, return & cost of capital

5. Understanding managerial decisions from financial statements & reports. Working Capital Management. Key financial performance metrics & ratios

6. Investment & capital budgeting decisions. Sources for financing investment. Capital structure decisions. IPOs & MAs

7. Linking business model & strategy to master financial performance. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Business performance & company value. Reporting financial performance to stakeholders

References

R. Patterson & M. Kicia (2006). Capital Where It Is Wanted. A Practitioner’s Guide to Financial Management. UMCS Press (selected chapters) RG-PDF

Osterwalder & Y. Pigneur (2009). Business Model Generation.

Any available book on corporate finance

Financial statements & reports

Selection of research papers & reports

International Institute of Business Analytics (IIBA®) (website)

Investopedia.com (website)

Trading Economics (website)

Professor

Mariusz Kicia

Bio: https://www.umcs.pl/pl/addres-book-employee,1154,en.html