|
Chapter
|
Buy
this book for only £6.99 
|
|
1
|
Introduction
to Understanding Accounts
This chapter considers who can find the annual report of a
company useful, including: uses for the businessperson; the
investor's standpoint.
|
|
2
|
Definition
of Terms: What is an Annual Report?
This chapter describes the contents of an annual report, and
considers: what the text of the report says about the strategy
of the company; what financial documents are included.
|
|
3
|
Evolution
of the Annual Report
Annual reports arise from the needs of the shareholders to
check on the performance of their company. This chapter looks
at limited companies, bookkeeping and the finance department;
the role of the auditor.
|
|
4
|
The
E-Dimension
The Internet offers challenges and opportunities to make use
of published information. This chapter includes information
on: electronic publication of annual reports, sharing insights
and information; creating an e-based knowledge center.
|
|
5
|
The
Global Dimension
The global strategy that a company is pursuing is important
to an observer of that company. This chapter shows how to
use the annual report to find out what that strategy is, by:
looking for the organizational aspects of globalization, and
the balance of centralized/decentralized control; promulgating
international standards for reporting.
|
|
6
|
The
State of the Art
This chapter considers how to use detective work on the data
available in the annual report to understand the past. It
looks at: the general business model ? finance; details of
the main financial statements; the starting point for understanding
the past.
|
|
7
|
In
Practice
How do you draw conclusions from reading the annual report?
Does it enable you to predict the future. This chapter draws
on the following examples to answer these questions: a comparison
of Nokia with Ericsson; understanding Centrica; watching for
a change in strategy ? GEC/Marconi.
|
|
8
|
Key
Concepts and Thinkers
This chapter encourages learning from the work of others and
understanding the jargon of the strategy and finance side
of the annual report, by including: descriptions of the work
of four gurus and their impact; a glossary of terms.
|
|
9
|
Resources
Countless words have been written about the subject of financial
reporting. This chapter gives descriptions of some useful
sources of information, including: financial newspapers; analysts
and Websites; books and articles.
|
|
10
|
Ten
Steps to Understanding Accounts
Financial theory is one thing; putting it into practice another.
Chapter 10 provides some key insights into making a useful
a model to compare one company with another and with a benchmark,
using the following steps: first catch your report; get an
overview or feel; think about the industry sector; read the
chairman's statement; fill in the activity matrix; understand
the profit and loss account; understand the balance sheet;
interpret the results; build an industry average; consider
the electronic version of the model.
|
