Overview

By understanding what accounting and finance departments do -- and why -- managers are better equipped to achieve corporate goals.

"Outside of the accounting and finance departments, not many business people are interested in the finer points of financial reports. But every manager must have a thorough understanding of what their finance and accounting staffs do, why they do it, and what these reports really mean.

This indispensable book demystifies the role that accounting and finance play in a corporation and demonstrates how financial decisions are manifestations of company goals. The author’s crystal-clear examples show how managers can connect corporate financial information directly to their own strategies and actions. To demonstrate these connections, the author covers such essential topics as:

* Balance sheets and income/cash flow statements

* Reading and understanding annual reports

* Fixed-cost and variable-cost issues

* Financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting."

About the Author

Edward Fields (Old Bridge, NJ) has taught the American Management Association’s Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers for over 20 years. He is a consultant on financial issues for many corporations.