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Introduction To Finance

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Introduction To Finance

eric desmond's picture
Course organiser: eric desmond
About the Course Organiser: 

I am completing my last class for an MBA in finance and enjoy teaching this material.  

No of Seats: 
25
Course Status: 
Completed

Members

p2pu Xu's picture
p2pu
Mateusz Kijowski's picture
Mateu
Renata Mazzelli's picture
Renat
Jagannathan Rohith's picture
Jagan
Samantha Peller's picture
Saman
Sivan Langer's picture
Sivan
Ad Yates's picture
Ad Ya
Getty Guo's picture
Getty
Carlos Arturo Segura Calisto's picture
Carlo
Robert's picture
Rober
Tsipora Nemes's picture
Tsipo
vamshi krishna's picture
vamsh
Young King's picture
Young
Zoe  Lim's picture
Zoe
This course will cover basic finance and economic topics.

Summary

This course will touch on macro and micro economic issues such as; foreign exchange, global wages and geo political risks. The finance topics will cover areas such as cost of funds, cash flows and financial modeling.

This is a project-based course and each week’s lesson will be a part of the financial project.

Final project is to start a business that involves either the import or export of goods or services. Examples; setting up an offshore call center to sell insurance. Buying raw material from a foreign source or exporting finished goods. This course will touch on macro and micro economic issues such as; foreign exchange, global wages and geo political risks. The finance topics will cover areas such as cost of funds, cash flows and financial modeling.

 
Week 1
 
By the end of week 1 you should understand the following:
Overview of interest rates
Prime rates / Libor
Overview of Foreign exchange markets.
Role of Central banks in an economy

Reading assignment:

http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/prime_interest.htm
http://www.bankrate.com/rates/interest-rates/1-year-libor.aspx
http://www.traderji.com/forex/4386-forex-what-how-does-work.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/currency-trading-articles/how-does-forex-currency-trading-work-273831.html
Response to discussion questions must be posted by Tuesday 1200 GMT and at least 2 follow up postings to a students post must be done by 1200 GMT Thursday.

1) Why do countries have currencies with different values to each other?
2) How does a nation gain and / or lose when the value of their currency fluctuates?
3) How can government actions (central banks) affect the value of their currency and why do they do so?
4) How does a currency trader make and lose money?
Hint: you may have to do some additional research. Please cite all your research.
By the end of week 1 you must submit your business plan proposal ( 1 paragraph) for approval. The business plan can be any good or service that involves some sort of cross border dealings. Think of a business plan you
 
always wanted to explore further and add to the idea a function that must involve dealing in a foreign country. If you are stuck, please contact me.
 
 
Week 2
 
By the end of week 2, you should learn to calculate interest rates and be able to read , understand and build an income statement. 
Instructions for posting:
Go to course material for week 2 and post your discussion answers in the comments section. You should use this function when responding to students posts as well. 
Reading assignment:
 
http://bizfinance.about.com/od/debtandequity/bb/interest_rates.htm
http://www.myamortizationchart.com/
http://www.businesstown.com/accounting/projections-statements.asp
 
Week 3
 
Review balance sheets statement of cash flows and retained earnings.
Post discussion about questions from reading and answer at least 2 other students
 
 
Reading assignment:
 
 
http://www2.owen.vanderbilt.edu/Germain.Boer/entrepreneur/proforma%20financials/proforma.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13034086/General-Motors-10K-2008
 
Week 4
 
Work on executive summary for your business plan
Identify suppliers, customers and risks involved
Post on discussion and give feed back to at least 2 other students
 
http://scm.ncsu.edu/public/cpfr/

 
Week 5
 
How to create a supply chain including suppliers, & customers. Discuss Forex hedging to mitigate risk of currency swings.
 
Discuss methods on discussion
 
Reading assignment
 
http://www.lariba.com/knowledge-center/articles/pdf/Malaysia%20-%20GOLD%...
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Hedge-Foreign-Currency-Risk?&id=33036
http://www.finpipe.com/hedge.htm
 
Week 6
Post final project to discussion board
 
Divide class into small groups and have them give feedback to each other’s business proposals.
 

Schedule/Syllabus

Comments

Welcome, I will post some

eric desmond's picture
eric desmond
Tue, 2010-09-14 19:52

Welcome,

I will post some announcements on week 1 forums. All discussion questions and responses for week 1 should be posted under week 1 forum.

Yes, please follow questions

eric desmond's picture
eric desmond
Sat, 2010-09-18 14:08

Yes, please follow questions in syllabus. The topics I posted to research are merely study guides.

Eric

Hi, I wanted to inform you

karine lagaffe's picture
karine lagaffe
Wed, 2010-09-22 08:54

Hi, I wanted to inform you that I am still interested in the course but won't be able to do my homework week 1 until this Friday. I hope that is alright.

I have my answers ready, but

Larbi Megari's picture
Larbi Megari
Thu, 2010-09-23 11:26

I have my answers ready, but I can not put them on the forum, can any one help?

Larbi

Yeah I am interested in the

Mark John's picture
Mark John
Mon, 2010-09-27 17:46

Yeah I am interested in the course too.
Oracle Trader

Would really like to take

DJ Roland's picture
DJ Roland
Wed, 2010-10-06 13:03

Would really like to take this course, I hope its being offered again soon.

Yeah i am interesting in the

Caner Aykus's picture
Caner Aykus
Wed, 2010-10-13 21:07

Yeah i am interesting in the course too.
emlak

my new project is to finance

marwan al-sibai's picture
marwan al-sibai
Tue, 2010-10-26 14:10

my new project is to finance small business for newly graduated student each in his major field
small business will grow up in the next 5 years and i planing to have a chain of stores