The modern marketplace is increasingly unpredictable and there is an ever-greater need for non-financial managers to understand the financial and management accounting process.

How to Understand Business Finance is not written by an accountant and actually relates to running a business in a real market. It provides a quick and effective course from the perspective of the pursuit of business growth, and describes a business proceeding from initial set-up through its first year of trading. As well as learning how to understand the balance sheet and profit and loss account, readers will also grasp the principles of: market dynamics; budgeting and forecasting; fixed and variable costs; break-even analysis; the difference between profit and cash; financial ratios for measuring business performance; investment appraisal; stock market ratios; shareholder value; financial measures for improving business performance, and much more.

Robert Cinnamon is a director of the international training and consultancy firm, INSIGHT Marketing and People. He runs a popular master class and in-company training program Demystifying Financial Management.

1. So why do you want to know more about finance?

2. The business cycle

3. Where do all the business functions fit in?

4. Financial planning - the budgets

5. Measuring business performance - financial ratios

6. Getting finance from the bank

7. How our investors see us - stock market ratios

8. Valuing a company

9. Shareholder value and economic profit

10. The hidden costs - depreciation, amortisation and tax

11. What must we sell to make a profit?

12. Tools for evaluating projects

13. Where is all our cash? Managing working capital