This program provides non-financial managers a familiarity with essential financial terminology, concepts, and applications. With this knowledge, participants will be able to analyze and interpret commonly used financial information in making business decisions and work more effectively with the financial executives in their organizations.

Non-financial managers affiliated with manufacturing companies, service organizations, health-care agencies, and not-for-profit organizations will benefit from attending. The program emphasizes the application and understanding of financial information rather than its preparation. No prior knowledge of accounting or finance is necessary.

• Become familiar with fundamental financial terminology and concepts.
• Become more confident in using financial information in decision making and in working with financial managers.
• Identify and apply relevant costing information.
• Learn the essentials of budgeting and performance assessment.
• Perform fundamental financial analyses.
• Understand and use the information contained in balance sheets, income statements, and cash-flow statements.

• Understanding and Recording Business Transactions

– Fundamental underlying concepts
– The accrual basis of accounting
– The accounting equation and process


• Financial Accounting and Reporting

– Balance sheet
– Income statement
– Statement of cash flows
– Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
– Financial statement disclosures and    communications
– Roles of management, the board, and the auditors


• Financial Statement Analysis

– Financial ratios
– Risk analysis
– Economic profit analysis
- Working capital analysis


• Strategic Cost Management

– Understanding cost behaviors and terminology 
– Relevant cost analysis
– Activity thinking
– Strategic costing 


• Planning, Budgeting, and Performance Measurement

– Strategy implementation and performance    management
– Operating budgets
– Flexible budgets
– Assessing planned vs. actual profitability
– Balanced scorecard methodology


• Capital Expenditure Analysis
  – Present-value concepts
  – Analysis for capital appropriations
  – The cost of capital and required returns
  – Payback, return on investment, and net present    value

• Vice President, Technology and Finance
• Manager, Support Services
• Manager, Business Development
• Director of Sales
• Chief Pilot
• Associate Director, Brand Strategy

• Financial Instruction Package: Prior to the program, participants will receive a self-instruction package containing information designed to enhance course learnings.
• Annual Reports: The program content is centered on the use of current annual reports of public corporations and the financial information that profiles real-world issues and organizations.

Brandt R. Allen
James C. Wheat, Jr. Professor of Business Administration, The Darden School, University of Virginia.

E. Richard Brownlee II
Professor of Business Administration and Area Coordinator of Accounting, The Darden School, University of Virginia.

Mark E. Haskins
Professor of Business Administration, The Darden School, University of Virginia.

Luann J. Lynch
Robert F. Vandell Associate Professor of Business Administration, The Darden School, University of Virginia.