Singapore University of Social Sciences

Accounting and Finance for Business Decisions

Accounting and Finance for Business Decisions (BUS552)

Synopsis

The objective of the course is to develop students’ ability to critically evaluate business sustainability based on managerial accounting and finance strategies used in the commercial world. The scope of Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) is to develop students’ ability to propose plausible solutions and recommend/make street-smart decisions in these areas:  - Operational Decisions e.g., pricing, resource allocation, manpower restructuring  - Investment Decisions e.g., capital project evaluation, surplus cash management  - Financing Decisions e.g., money/capital market fund-raising, refinancing or capital reduction. Students will also learn to improve their company’s liquidity, profitability, bankability and viability in order to add value to the stakeholders and prospective investors. The scope of Governance, Risks and Compliance (GRC) framework is to cultivate managerial ability to identify, assess, quantify and minimise business and financial risks inherent in every business, department and operation. This can be managed using Risks and Controls Self-Assessment (RCSA). In addition, students will learn to apply risk management strategies e.g., TARA framework (Transfer-Accept-Reduce-Avoid), ALARP principle (As-Low-As-Reasonably-Practicable) and performance monitoring dashboard to manage normal business situations and VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity). This entails business understanding, financial savviness, engagement with stakeholders and courage to activate Plans B, C and D (which could be restructuring, merger and acquisition, or closing down). The scope of Business and financial risks decomposition and assessment is to develop students’ ability to identify business and financial red flags and estimate the credit rating of any business counterparty in order to safeguard a company’s capital and investments. Case studies used in skills training will be based on companies listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Level: 5
Credit Units: 2.5
Presentation Pattern: Every July

Topics

  • Revenue, cost and capital structure, WACC, cashflow and share price analysis
  • FP&A for operating, investing and financing decisions
  • GRC framework
  • RCSA quantification methodology
  • Business and financial risks decomposition and assessment
  • Credit rating quantification methodology

Learning Outcome

  • Appraise the implications of revenue structure, cost structure and capital structure management on a company’s liquidity, profitability, bankability and viability
  • Formulate GRC framework for disaggregated and aggregated governance, strategic, operational and accidental risks assessment
  • Assess risks from business strategy, financial policy and management competency, and risks mitigation from parent and government support
  • Propose FP&A methodology for operational, investment and financing decisions
  • Design a RCSA quantification methodology to manage key business and financial risks using TARA framework and ALARP principle
  • Construct Credit Rating quantification methodology to aid investment decisions
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