Executive Education

Your Course of Study

To provide solid financial leadership for smaller businesses, executives need grounding in a diverse range of financial realms including accounting, performance measurement, capital markets, financial services, information systems design, and venture management. This HBS Executive Education program combines interactive classroom sessions with structured and informal small-group activities, giving you the opportunity to explore a set of financial considerations that demand the attention of top management. Topics include:

Overseeing Accounts Receivable and Inventory – When is the right time to say "no" to a customer who is a slow pay? Is it possible to have too fast an inventory turnover?

Managing Relationships with Trade Creditors – What is the real cost of credit from suppliers?

Calculating Ongoing Working Capital – Do greater sales always mean greater investment in accounts receivable and inventory? Are there any economies of scale in the area of working capital?

Determining the Costs and Benefits of Increasing Plant Capacity – How is the real profit of a plant expansion measured? How important is the timing of these payoffs in the profit calculation?

Deciding When to Borrow Money—and How Much – How can the market be timed to get the lowest interest rate? What level of borrowing puts the business in real jeopardy?

Maintaining Control Over Direct Costs and Overhead – Are there economies of scale in the business? How will growth change the break-even point?

Deciding How Much Personal Money to Invest – What is the downside of bringing in a silent partner? Is an IPO always the best solution for obtaining more risk capital?

"This program is ideal for anyone in the organization who is involved in a management position. Whether you're an executive or a manager in finance or operations, you'll find the program to be extremely useful."
Jorge A. Clivillés Díaz [Vice President, Finance], Interlink Group, Inc., San Juan, PR