The Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers - 3rd Edition by Edward Fields (Paperback)

About the Book

Frustrated by financial statements? Dread the budget process? Help has arrived!

Book Synopsis

They say that numbers don't lie, but what if you can't even read them? Discover how great managers use financial data to guide decisions.

Financial analysis reports, budgeting reports, forecasting and measuring reports--sometimes they all run together, don't they? The Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers is here to help.

This new edition of a business classic demystifies finance and accounting and gives managers the tools they need to make better decisions.

Complete with fresh insights, case studies, and street-level exercises to help non-numbers people master the numbers game, this guide reveals how to:

• Understand the fundamentals of financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting
• Interpret balance sheets, income/cash flow statements, and annual reports
• Sift through conflicting data to find the most relevant figures
• Locate key information about competitors and suppliers
• Analyze variances and calculate break-even points and other vital measures

The numbers are too important to allow others to translate for you. The Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers shows you how to read them yourself.

Imagine the impact on future decisions when you grasp not only what the numbers mean but can use that insight to drive your business forward.

From the Back Cover

You can be a great manager responsible for a valuable department; but if you don't know how to analyze financial reports and use the data to guide decisions, you'll quickly hit a ceiling.

Numbers are the language of key players in every organization. But how many managers really know how to read a balance sheet? How many grasp what all those figures can tell you about your organization or unit's financial health? And how many can confidently talk about P&L statements, capital expenditures, EBITA, and discounted cash flow?

Fortunately, you don't need an accounting degree to become fluent in the basics of financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting. This third edition of a popular crash course for managers helps you make sense of financial data, assess performance, and channel efforts into the most promising areas. Packed with the latest information on federal regulations, pertinent GAAP rules, global trends that can impact the financial picture, expanded case studies, and new practice exercises that reinforce the lessons and strengthen skills, this book explains how to:

Interpret balance sheets, income/cash flow statements, and annual reports - Sift through conflicting data to find the most relevant figures - Locate key information about competitors and suppliers - Analyze variances and calculate break-even points and other vital measures - Assess return on assets to evaluate profit centers - Conduct forecasting before launching big projects - Spot "red flags" that might be lurking in the financials - And much more

When you know how to think like a financial analyst, you replace guesswork with hard facts. The Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers will give you a clear, solid grounding in how to understand and apply financial data--and make decisions that drive your business forward.

Edward Fields has taught a popular AMA course on finance and accounting fundamentals for decades, and consults on strategic and financial issues.

Review Quotes

..".based on an American Management Association three-day seminar...an excellent primer for professionals." --Choice

About the Author

EDWARD FIELDS has taught a popular AMA course on finance and accounting fundamentals for decades and consults with many multinational corporations on strategic and financial issues.