Drive Business Results

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Drive Business Results

This course is part of New Manager’s Playbook Specialization

Instructor: Harvard Business Review

Included with Learn more

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Understand and analyze financial statements to gauge financial health and monitor operational success
Weigh costs and benefits, track financial performance, and make the most of resources.
Analyze potential opportunities and risks to determine if the benefits of a new investment outweigh its costs.
Develop and present compelling business cases that explore alternatives and outline clear implementation plans for stakeholders.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the New Manager’s Playbook Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

This course bridges the gap between daily operations and high-level strategy, teaching you how to manage resources effectively and advocate for new opportunities. You’ll gain a solid foundation in finance to interpret company health, manage budgets, and evaluate investment returns. Additionally, you’ll learn to build and present compelling business cases that align with organizational goals, assess risks, and secure stakeholder buy-in for your initiatives.

Let’s face it—money is the fuel that keeps your organization running. No matter your role, by understanding the fundamentals of finance, you ensure your team will make the most of its resources. Learn how to interpret financial statements, create a budget, and invest wisely to produce the desired returns.

What's included

13 videos34 readings1 assignment

13 videosTotal 33 minutes

Tackle Finance with Curiosity3 minutes
Cash Is King—Don't Give It Away4 minutes
How Managers Should Read Financial Statements2 minutes
Finance Doesn’t Have to Be Intimidating2 minutes
Confronting a Bad Deal3 minutes
Realistic Budgets3 minutes
Understanding NPV1 minute
The (Im)precision of Finance2 minutes
How to Use Breakeven Analysis2 minutes
Look Beyond Obvious Risks3 minutes
Create Efficiencies2 minutes
Use Bad News to Your Advantage3 minutes
Face Your Fear3 minutes

34 readingsTotal 340 minutes

Understand Financial Statements10 minutes
Why financial intelligence matters10 minutes
Accounting methods10 minutes
Three financial statements10 minutes
Assumptions, estimates, and biases10 minutes
Assess Financial Health10 minutes
Ratio analysis10 minutes
Valuation methods10 minutes
Other assessment methods10 minutes
Develop a Budget10 minutes
Definition10 minutes
Budgeting activities10 minutes
Budget approaches10 minutes
Prepare a budget10 minutes
Articulate your assumptions10 minutes
Quantify your assumptions10 minutes
Defend your assumptions10 minutes
KSS example10 minutes
Perform Cost/Benefit Analysis10 minutes
Cost/benefit analysis defined10 minutes
Return on investment analysis10 minutes
Payback period analysis10 minutes
Net present value analysis10 minutes
Internal rate of return analysis10 minutes
Breakeven analysis10 minutes
Sensitivity analysis10 minutes
Estimate unquantifiable benefits and costs10 minutes
Track Financial Performance10 minutes
Track your investment10 minutes
Track your operating budget10 minutes
Adapt to changes10 minutes
Build Your Team’s Financial Intelligence10 minutes
Why it matters to your team10 minutes
Financial literacy strategies10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Finance Essentials Assessment30 minutes

You recognize a great opportunity to help your organization, but how do you communicate it? Learn how to create and present a compelling business case that aligns with your company’s strategic priorities.

What's included

11 videos47 readings1 assignment

11 videosTotal 31 minutes

Create and Deliver a Strong Business Case4 minutes
Making Your Ideas Credible2 minutes
Three Principles to Win Executive Approval3 minutes
Five Ways to Measure Performance3 minutes
Opportunity vs. Cost in a New Market3 minutes
Customer Input3 minutes
Juggling Growth and Brand Identity2 minutes
Experiment to Learn About Your Market3 minutes
When the Better Market Is Risky3 minutes
Craft a Story to Sell Your Business Case4 minutes
How to React Non-Defensively3 minutes

47 readingsTotal 470 minutes

Understand Business Cases10 minutes
What is a business case?10 minutes
When to create a business case10 minutes
Know your organization’s processes *10 minutes
Identify decision makers *10 minutes
The development process10 minutes
Define the Opportunity10 minutes
Steps for Defining the Opportunity10 minutes
Identify the problem10 minutes
Craft an opportunity statement10 minutes
Identify relevant business objectives10 minutes
Prioritize objectives10 minutes
Assign metrics10 minutes
Explore Options10 minutes
Avoid common pitfalls10 minutes
Assemble a core team *10 minutes
Hold a brainstorming session *10 minutes
Consider the status quo *10 minutes
Narrow your choices10 minutes
Identify essential data10 minutes
Set a time frame10 minutes
Document everything10 minutes
Analyze Alternatives10 minutes
Evaluate alternatives against metrics10 minutes
Steps for analyzing alternatives10 minutes
Compare alternatives10 minutes
Create a pros and cons table10 minutes
Select the best option10 minutes
Assess Risks10 minutes
Weigh the risks10 minutes
Conduct a sensitivity analysis10 minutes
Mitigate the risks10 minutes
Revisit your proposal10 minutes
Create an Implementation Plan10 minutes
Steps for Creating an Implementation Plan10 minutes
Demonstrate feasibility10 minutes
Determine your milestones10 minutes
Communicate with decision makers10 minutes
Identify necessary resources10 minutes
Clarify responsibilities10 minutes
Estimate payoff dates10 minutes
Track results10 minutes
Communicate Your Case10 minutes
Understand your audience10 minutes
Make your case with visuals10 minutes
Be a savvy presenter10 minutes
When you can’t present *10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Business Case Development Assessment30 minutes

What's included

2 assignments

Earn a career certificate

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Instructor

Harvard Business Review

24 Courses19,443 learners

Offered by

Harvard Business Review

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