A feature of this programme is that it will be tailored to the participants’ needs while covering areas that are common to all areas of business finance.

• Introduction to business finance
• Evaluating financial performance 
• Management accounts
• Budgeting and business planning
• Investment appraisal 
• Valuation
• MBOs, IPOs and acquisitions

Learning Objectives:

The aims of the programme are to:

• Introduce you to all aspects of the financial world with a particular focus on current developments
• Equip you with the skills and competences needed to fully understand the financial dynamics of your business and the sector it operates in
• Give you the financial tools and templates to drive the management of your business.
• Participants will work together as a single group to explore concepts and ideas of common interest, but will also be streamed into seperate SME and non-SME groups to apply the learning to their own unique organisational setting

Approach and Methodology

The programme has been developed and designed using the most up to date executive development techniques and approaches. Sessions include:

• Lecture-style sessions to ensure full understanding of theoretical and technical aspects 
• Business templates and analytical financial models (e.g. to analyse a published set of accounts, to value a business)
• Case discussions
• Group breakout sessions 
• Input from practitioners in specialised areas such as venture capital, acquisition strategy, cash management and treasury to ensure that classroom concepts are fully explored in a practical Irish and International context
• Application of analytical financial tools 
• Extra tutorials and personal feedback to ensure that any emerging difficulties encountered on the programme are addressed and overcome
• Particpant presentations examining specific financial decisions

The key emphasis throughout is on the application of financial concepts to managerial decision-making. There is constant support and back up both from the programme director in the form of extra tutorials and feedback, but also from your colleagues on the programme through the group-work structures.

The programme adopts a modular structure. Between modules much of the work is done with the support of your study group, and the programme is designed to facilitate your on-going priority commitments to your job.

The diploma is awarded to participants who achieve the required standard in terms of total marks. Marks are awarded on the basis of:

• Individual projects
• Value initiatives which participants take back to their organisations 
• Small-group work on lecture days and between modules
• Case studies and reports 
• Written tests 
• Presentations

Three Steps to a Master Business Award

The IMI’s Master of Business (MoB) is an innovatively designed framework tailored to accelerate your professional development in a uniquely flexible manner. The MoB allows you to combine ‘credit’ for completing certain IMI courses and ultimately earn an internationally recognised, nationally accredited Master of Business qualification.

The Diploma in Business Finance is part of the MoB framework, together with the following Diplomas:

• Diploma in Management
• Diploma in Strategic Marketing with Digital Marketing
• Diploma in Strategic Human Resource Management
• Diploma in Executive Coaching
• Diploma in Leadership
• Diploma in Strategy

In order to be conferred with a Master of Business qualification, you must:

• Step 1 - Successfully complete any one of the IMI’s suite of diploma programmes.
• Step 2 - Successfully complete a second IMI diploma of your choosing.
• Step 3- Successfully complete a Business Project (15,000 word dissertation.)

These steps can be completed as quickly as three years, or up to five years – whichever suits your personal, work and learning needs best.

At the end of this programme you should:

• Have a good working knowledge of finance (as a non-specialist)
• Be able to fully participate effectively in the financial analysis of business decisions
• Know what financial management information you need to run your business and, most importantly, know how to use it to improve business performance

Each participant will be encouraged to use the programme to create a value-added initiative within their own organisation to justify the investment in the programme.