By attending this course, students are expected to be able to understand and assess the macro-economic context, the annual reports of firms (financial accounting), to be able to perform investment appraisal and to apply the basic of economics to decision-making processes, and to be able to assess the financial aspects of investment decisions.
This course contribute to the aims of the bachelor degree with respect to the topics of economics and management.
Course Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Teaching will take place through lectures, but with particular attention dedicated to class debates and direct dialogue with the students, who will be able, during the lessons, to formulate proposals for study or debate. Practical exercises will be organized concerning the content of the course. In order to better structure these seminars, the teacher will proceed to identify the topics related to the topics presented during the lesson cycle that present more points of interest with the involvement of students through a comparison model of learning on demand. In particular, there is the opportunity to present in class a "practical" activity on investment analysis.
Assessment Methods
Learning assessment will consist in a written test and a practical test (project). The project concerns part III of the program (Capital budgeting), and involves the analysis of a case assigned in class. The evaluation of this project weighs 1/3 of the overall evaluation. The written test, which weighs 2/3 of the overall assessment, consists of an exercise on each part of the program. The question on Part III can be answered by students not attending, or who want to repeat the test. In this case the written test weighs 100% of the evaluation. In any case, the overall assessment is communicated after passing the written test.
Contents
I. Balance Sheet and Accounting Analysis of accounts and evaluation of financial performance of the company through official documents. Introduction to the company and company structure. Accounts documents: List of Assets, Financial State, Supplementary Note. The accounting principles behind drawing up the statement of accounts and the links between the List of Assets and Financial State. The double-entry technique. Tax payments. The company's balance. Balance indicators (profitability, liquidity, solidity, efficiency).
II. Classification of costs and break even analysis. Classification of costs. Industrial margin and contribution margin. Break-even point. Use of analytical accounting as an aid to company decision-making: make or buy, product elimination, etc...
III. Capital budgeting Basic concepts of actuarial mathematics. Simple and composite yield. Applications of actuarial mathematics: mortgages, payment in installments. Investment evaluation methods: Net Present Value, Pay-Back Period, Internal Rate of Return, Profitability Index), Economic Value Added. Ways of calculating cash flow and relationship to accounting. Investment financing.
IV. Seminars Advanced Economics Skills for Management Engineers
The exam rules are the same for both attending and non-attending students. As far as the project is concerned, non-attending students can ask the teacher to assign a case, or answer the question for part III of the program in the written test.
If this course will be taught remotely, or according to a blend-teaching mode, changes can be implemented with respect to what is stated in the syllabus, to make the course and exams available.