This MOOC identifies and explores a number of challenges to the finance professional arising from the ever changing business environment. Increasingly, financial decisions must take account of strategic consequences. The first module, Exploring Strategic Position, Choice and Action helps in doing that – setting a strategic context for planning for, monitoring and controlling projects and activities. An on-going set of challenges is found in the evolution of International Reporting Standards.
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The second module focuses on some recent changes in Standards, identifying the drivers for changes, and examining evolution in controversial areas such as leasing and goodwill.
The third and final module, Corporate Governance, examines issues which are causing people to re-assess the nature, purpose and scope of corporate governance, and challenges to making governance function effectively. Key issues here are the move to include a broader range of stakeholders, the perennial challenge of agency theory issues, shareholder activism, changing Board structures, and challenges to internal control to better manage risk.
This MOOC will be right for you if you are interested in engaging with some of the challenges facing finance professionals, even if you are not one yourself. If you are thinking about returning to study this will provide a taster of academic endeavours through reading articles, critiquing ideas, and blending theory with reality.
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome to Keeping up with Change: Issues for the Finance Professional. This course identifies and explores a number of challenges to the finance professional arising from the ever changing business environment. Increasingly, financial decisions must take account of strategic consequences.
Exploring Strategic Position, Choice and Action (Part 1)
Welcome to the first topic of 'Keeping up with Change: Issues for the Finance Professional'. In this module you will be exploring the four key areas of: Strategic Position, Strategic Direction and Choice, Strategic Action and Evaluating Strategic Action. Throughout the module you will have the opportunity to apply all of you learning into context, be that based on your own organisation, or your professional experience in general. This will enabling you to apply the theoretical models we cover in the module to your professional practice.
WEEK 2
Exploring Strategic Position, Choice and Action (Part 2)
Welcome to the second part of the first topic of 'Keeping up with Change: Issues for the Finance Professional'. In this module you will be exploring two further key areas of: Strategic Action and Evaluating Strategic Action. Throughout the module you will have the opportunity to apply all of you learning into context, be that based on your own organisation, or your professional experience in general. This will enabling you to apply the theoretical models we cover in the module to your professional practice.
WEEK 3
International Reporting Standards (Part 1)
Welcome to the topic of ‘International Reporting Standards’. In this module you will be exploring the two key areas of International Reporting Standards: Drivers for the updating to the International Reporting Standards and Goodwill Accounting. The module has been designed leaving spaces for you to contribute to your learning by using your own experiences in life and at work. The module should help you to understand and examine some of the changes International Reporting Standards is undergoing currently and the drivers influencing these changes. Working through the module should also help you to identify the challenges faced by the effort and an opportunity to comprehend some of the possible ways to minimize these challenges. Overall, the module should help you to gain insight on the nature of changes happening in the International Reporting Standards while enabling you to reflect on some of the changes which we can anticipate in the future.
WEEK 4
International Reporting Standards (Part 2)
Welcome to the second part of the topic of ‘International Reporting Standards’. In this module you will be exploring the two more key areas of International Reporting Standards: Lease Accounting and Where to be in the Future. The module has been designed leaving spaces for you to contribute to your learning by using your own experiences in life and at work. The module should help you to understand and examine some of the changes International Reporting Standards is undergoing currently and the drivers influencing these changes. Working through the module should also help you to identify the challenges faced by the effort and an opportunity to comprehend some of the possible ways to minimize these challenges. Overall, the module should help you to gain insight on the nature of changes happening in the International Reporting Standards while enabling you to reflect on some of the changes which we can anticipate in the future.
WEEK 5
Corporate Governance (Part 1)
Welcome to the final topic of 'Keeping up with Change: Issues for the Finance Professional'. In this module you will be exploring a range of important elements within the arena of Corporate Governance. These are located under two broad headings: What is Corporate Governance? and Making Governance Work. In the first part considering the nature of corporate governance we look at Agency Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, and Stakeholder Theory. In seeking effective governance we examine the significance of the roles of each of the Board, Shareholders, Internal Control and Risk Management, and Internal Audit. Throughout the module you will have the opportunity to apply all of your learning into context, be that based on your own organisation, or your professional experience in general. This will help you to apply theory to reality, not least in the form of peer review assessments.
WEEK 6
Corporate Governance (Part 2)- Making Governance Work
Welcome to the second part of the final topic of 'Keeping up with Change: Issues for the Finance Professional'. Here you will be exploring four important components of effective corporate governance in an increasingly complex and challenging world. These are the Role of the Board, the Role of Shareholders, the Role of Internal Control and Risk Management, and finally the Role of Internal Audit. The underpinning ideas are linked to the real world, and through a number of activities you will be able to make your own links with the reality of the world, not least in the guise of peer review assessments.
