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16: Accounting and Finance

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    3699
    • Boundless
    • Boundless

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    • 16.1: Why It Matters- Accounting and Finance
      This page highlights the significance of understanding accounting principles, illustrated by Billy Joel's financial struggles due to poor management and lack of financial knowledge. It stresses that knowing how to read financial statements empowers individuals to spot discrepancies and make informed choices, thereby safeguarding against financial dishonesty. The module aims to educate users on financial statements and ethical practices, promoting informed financial decision-making.
    • 16.2: Accounting in Business
      This page outlines the definition and importance of accounting as a key business communication tool, detailing its role for internal and external users in tracking financial health and supporting decision-making. It differentiates between financial accounting, governed by GAAP for external reporting, and managerial accounting, used internally without strict rules.
    • 16.3: Key Financial Statements
      This page explains key financial statements: the balance sheet, income statement, statement of owner's equity, and statement of cash flows. Each serves a distinct purpose in assessing a business's financial health. The income statement measures profitability, while the balance sheet indicates solvency.
    • 16.4: The Break-Even Point
      This page discusses calculating the break-even point in business, where total revenue equals total costs, covering fixed/variable costs, contribution margin, and margin of safety. It provides formulas for determining break-even points in units and sales dollars, illustrated with examples like a lemonade stand.
    • 16.5: Financial Ratios
      This page covers financial statement analysis, emphasizing key ratios like current, acid-test, and inventory turnover ratios to assess a company's liquidity and profitability. It highlights inventory turnover's role in evaluating managerial efficiency and stresses the necessity of comparing multiple ratios rather than analyzing them in isolation. Additionally, it discusses the importance of consistency in comparisons and consideration of external factors such as market risks.
    • 16.6: Ethical Practices in Accounting
      This page emphasizes the importance of ethical practices in accounting, noting the adverse effects of unethical behavior like corporate collapses and reputational damage. It highlights the Sarbanes-Oxley Act's role in enforcing stricter regulations and accountability to combat fraud and restore public confidence. Key provisions include personal certification of financial statements by management and severe penalties for misconduct.
    • 16.7: Putting It Together- Accounting and Finance
      This page offers essential knowledge of financial accounting, highlighting its significance for businesses of all sizes. It covers four key financial statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Statement of Owners Equity, and Statement of Cash Flows, providing a complete view of a company's finances and identifying the break-even point.


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