Course Overview
The ability to understand the complex factors that drive business is necessary for organisational and professional effectiveness. Knowledge of the key aspects of accounting, finance, business strategy, marketing and management are vital for a competitive edge.
This course offers the skills you need to evaluate information about your organisation and address business challenges. You learn fundamental business concepts and proven management analysis tools typically taught in MBA programmes to guide your planning, analysis, decision and implementation processes.
Audience
This fast-track course benefits those interested in improving their knowledge of business practices and strengthening their decision-making processes. A basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel is helpful.
Skills Gained
- Integrate business management theory with realistic practices
- Apply finance and cost accounting techniques to support decision making
- Formulate a comprehensive marketing plan
- Leverage organisational structures, operations and systems to achieve business objectives
- Manage people effectively to maximise organisation performance
- Develop business and product strategies that create ongoing competitive advantage
Course Outline
Fundamental Business Skills
- Interpreting accounting concepts and reports
- Applying financial analysis techniques
- Leveraging customer and market behaviours
- Structuring productive business operations and processes
- Managing people effectively
- Formulating a competitive business strategy
Measuring Business Performance with Accounting
The key components of managerial and cost accounting
- Decoding the various types of accounts
- Deciphering balance sheet accounts: assets, liabilities and net worth
Working with managerial accounting tools
- Analysing balance sheets to determine business strengths
- Interpreting profit and loss statements
- Assessing cash flow statements
The impact of cost accounting practices
- Actual vs. standard costs
- Employing costing techniques
- Applying the concepts of activity-based costing
Applying Finance Tools and Techniques
Optimising capital management
- Managing the two key cash drivers: receivables and payables
- Applying working capital effectively
Leveraging analysis tools
- Selecting appropriate tools and measures
- Driving solid management decisions
Financial management
- Budgeting, forecasting and reporting tools
- Balancing equity and debt
Targeting Markets and Customers
Developing an effective marketing plan
- The roles of marketing
- Distinguishing marketing and merchandising
Differentiating market and buyer behaviour
- Tuning in to customer needs
- Segmenting your market
- Marketing terminology and techniques
Your marketing toolkit
- Applying the five "P"s of marketing
- Branding: benefits and pitfalls
- Leveraging the product life cycle
Running the Business
Maximising an organisation's effectiveness
- Factors driving organisational structure
- Managing in a global environment
Applying critical business practices
- Reducing waste with "lean" and related techniques
- Incorporating the best of Six Sigma
Delivering Results Through People
Managing results and expectations
- The actual responsibilities of management
- Balancing managerial roles: interpersonal, informational and decisional
- Managing under uncertainty
Navigating the levels of management
- Shifting perspectives from level to level
- Changing behaviours
Creating an effective environment
- Expanding power through authenticity
- Fostering emotional intelligence
- Resolving tensions, disruptions and conflict
Developing Winning Business and Product Strategies
Building a sustainable plan
- Best practices of effective planning processes
- Assessing opportunities: matrices and SWOT analysis
- Key forces and factors driving strategies
- Identifying and developing strategic options
- Product portfolio management
Moving from plan to action
- Formulating a business vision
- Communicating and executing the plan
- Applying eight key steps for managing change
