Beyond the Balance Sheet: A Mini Master's Program in Financial Management
1Summary
Every major business decision — expanding, hiring, launching a new product — eventually comes down to a financial question: can we afford it, and is it worth it? Financial management is the discipline that answers that question well, and it's one of the pillars that keeps an organization running and growing, linking strategic goals to what actually happens on the ground. This program builds a deep, practical understanding of financial management principles and current practice, and the ability to apply them in changing, complex work environments.
The focus throughout is on sharper analysis and sound financial decisions — reading financial reports and statements, planning, evaluating investments and managing risk — using tools that help participants handle everyday financial challenges and think ahead about long-term financial sustainability. The program balances theory with real application, reflecting the latest developments in financial markets, and suits professionals looking to sharpen their financial skills for a fast-changing business world.
2Objectives and target group
Who Should Attend?
- Financial managers and CEOs, plus department managers involved in financially-related decisions
- Accountants and financial analysts looking to broaden their knowledge
- Entrepreneurs and startup owners aiming to improve financial efficiency
What Participants Walk Away With:
- A clear grasp of financial management frameworks and their role in reaching organizational goals
- The ability to prepare and analyze financial reports and statements
- Sound judgment for assessing financial performance and making investment decisions
- Practical financial planning techniques and efficient liquidity management
- Stronger knowledge of financial risk management and modern financial tools
3Course Content
Module 1: Why Finance Belongs at the Strategy Table
- Using financial data to support the organization's strategic vision and long-term forecasting
- Running scenario analysis to understand financial impact
- Using financial analysis to improve cost, profitability, and evaluate expansion or acquisition opportunities
- How financial information supports financing, investment and operational-planning decisions, and shapes policy
Module 2: Financial Statements, Ratios and Reporting
- The balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement
- Profitability, liquidity and efficiency ratios, and what they reveal about risk
- Structuring a professional financial report and turning data into insight for executive presentations
Module 3: What Financial Management Actually Involves
- Defining financial management and its core functions
- How it differs from accounting
- Its role in achieving organizational objectives
Module 4: Planning and Budgeting for the Future
- Why financial planning matters, and how it connects to operational planning and resource allocation
- Preparing operating and capital budgets, and cash flow forecasts, and using them for financial control
- Planning tools: sensitivity analysis, break-even analysis and financial modeling
Module 5: Keeping Working Capital Healthy
- Components of working capital — cash, receivables, inventory and short-term liabilities
- Conservative, moderate and aggressive management policies
- Shortening the operating cycle and improving collection, payment and efficiency
Module 6: Financing and Capital Structure Decisions
- Short-term financing: commercial loans, bank facilities, trade credit and bills of exchange
- Long-term financing: common and preferred stock, bonds and long-term loans, with their pros and cons
- Capital structure and how the financing mix affects company value and risk
Module 7: Cost of Capital and Investment Valuation
- Calculating the cost of debt and equity, and the weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
- Traditional valuation: payback period and accounting rate of return
- Discounted valuation: NPV, IRR and the profitability index
Module 8: Managing Financial Risk
- Types of financial risk: market, credit, liquidity and operational
- Measuring risk with sensitivity analysis, standard deviation, VaR and probability models
- Mitigation strategies: diversification, derivative hedging and preventive controls