Synopses & Reviews
Getting an MBA degree is costly and time-consuming. And if all you need is MBA-level coverage of a particular subject, it might not be worth the effort. For busy executives and business leaders who need to master the essentials of finance and accounting—or just brush up on the basics—The
Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting, Fourth Edition is the ultimate resource.
Now in an entirely revised and updated edition, this bestselling reference is packed with in-depth, authoritative coverage of crucial topics in finance and accounting. Professors Grossman and Livingston have assembled the best contributors on the subject, with chapters from top professors and practitioners in finance, accounting, and law. These expert contributors provide clear, jargon-free explanations of key finance and accounting topics to help business professionals demystify even the most complex subjects.
Packed with valuable and practical information that is applicable to virtually any business, from the smallest start-ups to the largest corporations in the world, the Fourth Edition covers all the vital basics you need to know:
Analyzing business profitability
Understanding financial statements
Performing a break-even analysis
Computing the cost of capital
Managing foreign currency exposure
Taking your company public
Building a successful e-business
Evaluating a merger or acquisition target
Maximizing information technology resources
Planning capital expenditures
Calculating a business valuation
Making sense of Sarbanes-Oxley
And much more
Plus, the Fourth Edition includes entirely new chapters on discounted cash flows, capital structure, corporate governance and financial reporting integrity, outsourcing, and careers in finance and accounting. And, for the first time, a new Portable MBA Web site offers free tools and resources—including handy downloadable guides, summaries, and spreadsheets. Whether you're starting a new business or just taking on new management responsibilities, this comprehensive resource includes fifty percent new material, making this edition an essential resource for efficient and effective enterprise management.
Synopsis
The 4th edition of this classic reference work gives students a comprehensive overview of the basics of finance and accounting, without incurring the considerable time and expense of a formal MBA program. The 4th edition is completely revised and expanded, with approximately 50% new material, and explains how to apply basic finance and accounting principles to an entire range of businesses, from the smallest start-up to the largest corporations in the world.
Each chapter of the book has been written by an outstanding expert, some of whom are full-time practitioners, and others are business school professors with substantial real world experience who also serve as part-time management consultants. Most of these professors are on the faculty of Babson College, which year-after-year is at the top of the annual list of leading independent business schools compiled by U.S. News and World Report.
Synopsis
The most comprehensive and authoritative review of B-School fundamentals—from top accounting and finance professorsFor years, the Portable MBA series has tracked the core curricula of leading business schools to teach you the fundamentals you need to know about business—without the extreme commitment of time and money it takes to earn an MBA degree. The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting, Fourth Edition covers the core methods and techniques you would learn in business school, using real-life examples to deliver clear, practical guidance on finance and accounting. The new edition also includes free downloadable spreadsheets and Web resources.
Whether you run your own business or work in management at a bigger company, this reliable, information-packed resource shows you how to understand the numbers, plan and forecast for the future, and make key strategic decisions. Plus, this new edition covers the effects of Sarbanes-Oxley, elucidates new ethical accounting standards, and offers career advice for future professionals in accounting and finance.
Now updated with fifty percent new material, including entirely new chapters on the biggest current issues in finance and accounting, The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting offers up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of the core curricula of the world's best business schools.
About the Author
Theodore Grossman is a senior faculty member in information technology and accounting at Babson College. He founded and was president and chairman of TRG, a software company serving the retail industry, and serves as an expert witness on technology and accounting issues in complex court cases.
John Leslie Livingstone, PhD, CPA, is the author of numerous books and a former partner at a leading international accounting firm. He has served as the chairman of the Division of Accounting and Law at Babson College and is MBA Program Director at a leading Internet university with 3,000 MBA students.
Table of Contents
List of Downloadable Materials.Syllabus: How Chapter Topics in This Book Track the Core MBA Curriculum.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
About the Contributors.
PART I FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING.
1 Understanding Financial Statements (Les Livingstone).
2 Analyzing Financial Statements (Les Livingstone).
3 Analyzing Business Earnings (Virginia Earll Soybel).
PART II FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
4 Discounted Cash Flow (James A. Elfter).
5 Capital Structure (Craig A. Stephenson).
6 Planning Capital Expenditure (Steven P. Feinstein).
7 Global Finance (Michael J. Riley).
PART III BUSINESS ENTITIES.
8 Choosing a Business Form (Richard P. Mandel).
9 Taxes and Business Decisions (Richard P. Mandel).
10 The Integrity of Financial Reporting (Les Livingstone).
PART IV MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING.
11 Forecasts and Budgeting (Robert F. Halsey).
12 Cost Structure Analysis, Profit Planning, and Value Creation (William C. Lawler).
13 Activity-Based Costing (William C. Lawler).
PART V PLANNING AND STRATEGY.
14 Business Planning (Andrew Zacharakis).
15 Financial Management of Risks (Steven P. Feinstein).
16 Business Valuation (Michael A. Crain).
17 Profitable Growth by Acquisition (Richard T. Bliss).
18 Outsourcing (Theodore Grossman).
PART VI ADVANCED TOPICS.
19 Information Technology and You (Dawna Travis Dewire).
20 Information Technology and the Firm (Dawna Travis Dewire).
21 Careers in Finance (Tracee Petrillo and Ralph J. Constantino).
Glossary.
Index.