Understand the role of financial management in the performance of organisations.

Knowledge & Understanding..

Critically appraise alternative sources of finance for business firms.

Application & Analysis.

Apply advanced decision-making techniques in a range of short term and long-term situations and communicate findings.

Application, Communication, Knowledge & Problem Solving.

Analyse the financial position and performance of organisations using key ratios

Application & Analysis

Presentation (15 mins) (20%) (LOs 2) You will be required to plan a presentation for the group with specific needs and deliver the session during class-time.



An exam length: 2 hours plus 10 minutes reading time. (80%) (LOs 1,3-4)

You will examine the development of financial strategy within an organisation. The starting point is the main financial objective of a company, which is to maximise shareholder wealth. We look at various financial and non-financial strategies to achieve this objective as well as ensure organisation goal congruence through effective decision making.



The focus of this module is very much real-world with emphasis on the practical application of financial strategy in today’s dynamic business environment. This module begins with an introduction to financial objectives and financial management together with issues of ownership and control.



You will proceed to calculate, analyse and interpret a wide range of financial ratios, including capital gearing and investor ratios. Working capital control and cash management techniques will also be examined. The problems with using accounting information and creative accounting will be considered.



You will learn the range of different sources of long, medium and short-term finance available to businesses, including the various forms of equity finance, borrowings, hybrid finance, retained earnings and government-based assistance. This leads to a consideration of the costs of raising different types of finance, and then to the concept of the weighted average cost of capital and the preferred capital structure. We then introduce how stock markets operate, their trading systems and regulation and the efficient market hypothesis.



The module progresses by enhancing the study of investment appraisal evaluation techniques used in practice, including advanced aspects of the use of DCF techniques, consideration of capital rationing and taxation implications. Allowing for inflation and taxation in DCF, adjusting for risk and uncertainty in investment appraisal, and Specific investment decisions (lease or buy, asset replacement, capital rationing).

You will examine the development of financial strategy within an organisation. The starting point is the main financial objective of a company, which is to maximise shareholder wealth. We look at various financial and non-financial strategies to achieve this objective as well as ensure organisation goal congruence through effective decision making.

152 hours of student-centred activities involving reading, self-assessed exercises, case study analysis, feedback and revision.



48 hours of contact time will engage students with 24 hours of formal lectures/large group activity and 26 hours of workshops in which students will engage with a mix of lectures/tutorials/large and small group activities, including presentations and peer assessment and undertake formative assessment.



The lectures will provide the main Concepts, theories and principles will be explored, practiced and demonstrated. Practical skills enhanced by recommended videos and talks. Cognitive and personal skills developed in open-ended problem-solving exercises. Oral feedback is given during sessions. The assessment will examine the wider learning outcomes expressed in the descriptor.



In-class sessions play a crucial role in the learning process, where formative assessments are essential for providing ongoing feedback to both students and the teaching team. Examples of formative assessments include quizzes, class exercises, draft submissions, and peer reviews, all of which help gauge students' understanding of the course material. These assessments enable instructors to identify areas where students may need additional support and adjust teaching strategies as needed. This practical implementation ensures that even in a remote learning environment, students receive the necessary support and preparation for their summative assessments.



Feedback and feedforward on this module in the dual award program would follow the steps implemented:

Cross-Institution Moderation: Implement a moderation process where a sample of feedback from both institutions is reviewed collaboratively. This allows for adjustments to be made to ensure that the quality and tone of feedback are aligned.

Structured Feedforward: Both institutions would follow a consistent approach to feedforward, providing clear, actionable advice on how students can improve in future assessments. This helps students apply feedback effectively across all their modules.

McLaney, E. (2014) Business Finance: Theory and Practice. FT Prentice Hall. ISBN 1292016124.



Pike, R. & Neale, B. (2018) Corporate Finance & Investment: Decisions and Strategies, 9th Edition. FT Prentice Hall. ISBN 1292208546



CIMA (2017). F3 Financial Strategy: Study text paperback. CIMA. ISBN 1509715835.

Module study guide and handbook

The University Library and Learning Resources - books and academic journals

The module VLE

Learning support materials and booklets

Internet

Microsoft Office Excel

Microsoft Office PowerPoint

Computer-based quizzes