Business Finance, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master's Programme in Business Administration - Strategy and Management in International Organisation

Entry requirements

A bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Economics of at least 180 ECTS (or equivalent), alternatively, a bachelor's degree with/and at least 60 ECTS (two semesters of full-time study) of Business Administration-related courses (for example Accounting, Marketing, Organization Theory, Strategy, Finance, HRM). Documented knowledge of English equivalent to Engelska B/Engelska 6. Exemption from Swedish B.

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student should on an advanced level be able to:

• Identify, explain and analyze the key financial indicators of a firm’s performance and development
• Identify and specify business problems, challenges and opportunities using financial information and conducting a systematic analysis of a company
• Select adequate financial approaches to business problems and create action plans
• Apply both strategic and operational perspectives on financial planning and investment
• Recognize and analyze the complexity of managerial decision-making by taking into consideration both financial and other strategic business factors

Course content

This course builds upon the idea that contemporary managerial decision-making requires knowledge of finance both as an academic discipline and as a practical toolkit. Thus, the course integrates theory and cases in order to create business situations where critical business issues require effective solutions. The following moments are included in the course:

• Financial statements, cash flows, and evaluating a firm’s performance for both strategic and operational purposes. The key financial ratios and other indicators are analysed and relevant problems and challenges are highlighted.
• The principles of financial forecasting, planning and budgeting.
• A firm’s capital structure and analyzing the different kinds of debt, shareholder value and dividend decisions and processes of working capital management.
• Investment alternatives and analyzing investment decisions at different stages of organizational growth. Estimating value of a project taking into consideration issues of risk, inflation, and interest rates.
• Financial decision-making in a wider perspective where finance is seen as part of business strategy stemming from both financial and other considerations. The challenges of strategic management in international environments are highlighted.

Both theoretical and practical relevance of these topics is shown in the course.

Teaching and working methods

The course is designed to encourage active participation and the students are involved in various forms of interactive learning situations. The basic learning pillars are:

• Interactive lectures, complemented by individual studies to introduce students to the research areas, lay a theoretical foundation, and provide a basis for discussion;
• Cases and group seminars where the students will discuss and apply what they have learned during lectures and reading to practice their ability to analyse complex situations, and present reasonable and relevant solutions to problems in these areas;
• Individual paper-writing based on lectures, readings, cases and team discussions.

Langugage of instruction: English

Examination

The course will be examined through a number of elements that are spread out over the duration of the course and will encompass:

• Individual and group papers
• Individual and group analysis and presentation of casework
• Active participation in seminars
• A written final assignment

A more detailed description of each element and its weight in the final grade can be found in the course study guide.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department