The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Nonfinancial Managers [Paperback]

Robert A. Cooke (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Mcgraw-Hill 36-Hour Course Series | Publication Date: January 1, 1993

For many business managers, dealing with financial figures can be the most difficult part of the job. Now the busy professional can gain a working knowledge of finance, and understand how the numbers relate to decisions they must make every day. "The McGraw-Hill 36-hour Course in Finance for Non-Financial Managers" is a complete guide to all the essentials of financial reporting and budgeting. It features self-tests at the end of each chapter so readers can make sure they've mastered each basic concept before proceeding to the next, and a "final exam" is presented at the end of the book. Whether putting together a budget, trying to make sense of a financial statement, or keeping score of sales, readers will find clear and easy-to-read guidance to the financial ideas and applications that matter most in the business world. In addition, an imaginary case study is introduced at the start of the book and continued through succeeding chapters. The growth and development of this true-to-life company serves as an enlightening - and often amusing - illustration of everything from cost of sales, to equipment depreciation, to overhead expenses, to balance sheets.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies; First Edition edition (January 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070125384
• ISBN-13: 978-0070125384
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,880,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent use of Humor to teach Finance, November 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Nonfinancial Managers (Paperback)

Robert Cooke use humor throughout the book to help nonfinancial manager understand financial reports. The use of the Spouse House Firm throughout the book allows you to see the develop of financial reports as they apply to a small growing firm. Robert writes as he is right in front of you talking to someone he has known for a long time. He uses humor to help you understand the difficult concepts of the book. If you are looking to learn financial statements or just refresh your skills this is the book I recommend.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathes life and energy into a potentially dry subject., February 12, 2003

By 

Sojournalist (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Nonfinancial Managers (Paperback)

This book starts teaching before chapter one even gets under way by setting the expectation that you really can learn (and better, apply) finance no matter what you're trying to do.

The sample situation that follows all the way through the book really helps focus on the concepts being taught. Some of the examples are humorous and some make you want to share what you're reading with a loved one.

I bought this book because I'm just starting to deal with the budget aspects of network management, and needed to figure out how to lay out what I want to do technically to non-technical folks who have the company checkbook. I already know what I want to do, how much it will cost - demonstrating benefits and describing it in language the "C" team - CEO, CFO - speaks really helps.

One of the best discoveries for me while reading this book is that in addition to helping me achieve the goal above, I found the concepts are applicable to budgeting for the home as well.

It's definitely worth a read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finance made easy, June 12, 2002

By 

"rcogavin" (The Hague Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Nonfinancial Managers (Paperback)

I'd definately recommend this book to anyone who feels phased by finance. Either as a refresher course to revamp finance skills long gone or for newcomers to the subject. The material is very relevant and extremely readable which makes an otherwise droll subject quite lively and interesting. I would have given this book 5 stars but being the pedantic reader that I am, I discovered that some of the calculations were actually inaccurate and, even worse, the answers to the review questions were wrong too. This doesn't help when you're not a natural number cruncher and need solid accuracy to assist in the learning process. Needless to say, its still a fundamentally good book and I know I'll be referring to it over again to make sure the basic concepts stick.