FINAN101-19A (TGA)

Introduction to Finance

15 Points

Edit Header Content
Division of Management
School of Accounting, Finance and Economics

Staff

Edit Staff Content

Convenor(s)

Christo Ackermann

Christo Ackermann
3554
MSB.3.31
Wednesdays 10:00-14:00
christo.ackermann@waikato.ac.nz

Lecturer(s)

Administrator(s)

: leanne.cooper@waikato.ac.nz
: uwt@waikato.ac.nz
: tiruni.john@waikato.ac.nz

Placement Coordinator(s)

Tutor(s)

: molly.ara@waikato.ac.nz

Student Representative(s)

Lab Technician(s)

Librarian(s)

: clive.wilkinson@waikato.ac.nz

You can contact staff by:

  • Calling +64 7 838 4466 select option 1, then enter the extension.
  • Extensions starting with 4, 5, 9 or 3 can also be direct dialled:
    • For extensions starting with 4: dial +64 7 838 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 5: dial +64 7 858 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 9: dial +64 7 837 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 3: dial +64 7 2620 + the last 3 digits of the extension e.g. 3123 = +64 7 262 0123.
Edit Staff Content

Paper Description

Edit Paper Description Content

This paper introduces the three core areas of finance -- financial management, investments, and capital markets and institutions. The paper also examines applications of corporate finance concepts to personal finance.

Edit Paper Description Content

Paper Structure

Edit Paper Structure Content

Lectures

Provide quick access to the whys and hows of dealing with the questions in finance. Provide easy-to-understand information, including equations and examples that can be quickly applied to the problems of finance.

Tutorials

All students should attend one tutorial (one hour) per week.

The PowerPoint slides are uploaded onto Moodle for students to download before the tutorials. The slides with answers will also be uploaded to Moodle after each tutorial.

Mobile Phones and Cross Chats

As a courtesy to others, students are strongly urged not to disrupt lecture sessions by using the mobile phones and cross chatting during these sessions. Students are advised to disable their mobile phones during lectures.

Edit Paper Structure Content

Learning Outcomes

Edit Learning Outcomes Content

Students who successfully complete the course should be able to:

  • Explain the opportunities and constraints facing business managers and investors and how business managers and investors participate in capital markets. [L1]
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Define the concepts of valuation, liquidity and risk-return relationships and employ these concepts to analyse business/investment/personal finance decisions [L2]
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Define capital budgeting, capital structure and working capital management and employ these concepts to analyse business/investment/personal finance decisions. [L3]
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Analyse investor decision-making pertaining to asset valuation and determining trading strategies. [L4]
    Linked to the following assessments:
Edit Learning Outcomes Content
Edit Learning Outcomes Content

Assessment

Edit Assessments Content

Content/Foundational Skill

Both critical-thinking and problem-solving questions will be included in the assignments, tests, and final exam.
The critical-thinking questions (i.e., short essay questions) will be evaluated by Communication Skills, Professionalism and Innovation. There is an expectation that students demonstrate academic integrity when they attempt the assignments in this paper. Moreover, referencing academic research articles to answer the questions will be rewarded in terms of marks (referencing non-academic websites, such as Investopedia, will not have a reward), which could motivate students achieving effective academic reading. The critical-thinking questions also allow for the evaluation of effective academic reading by students as their answers will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts explored in the paper. And the short essay questions require students to demonstrate their business writing ability.

For the problem-solving questions (i.e., calculation questions), students are required to show all their workings. These questions require students to perform calculations on data and then to demonstrate their understanding of the numbers calculated, and thus equip students with numeracy skills using data.
Edit Additional Assessment Information Content

Assessment Components

Edit Assessments Content

The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 50:50. There is no final exam. The final exam makes up 50% of the overall mark.

The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 50:50 or 0:0, whichever is more favourable for the student. The final exam makes up either 50% or 0% of the overall mark.

Component DescriptionDue Date TimePercentage of overall markSubmission MethodCompulsory
1. Pre-test assessment
28 Feb 2019
10:00 AM
1
  • Hand-in: In Lecture
2. Assignment I
30 Mar 2019
5:00 PM
14
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
3. Midterm test
29 Apr 2019
5:00 PM
20
  • Other: At test venue
4. Assignment II
25 May 2019
5:00 PM
15
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
5. Exam
50
✔
Assessment Total:     100    
Failing to complete a compulsory assessment component of a paper will result in an IC grade
Edit Assessments Content

Required and Recommended Readings

Edit Required Readings Content

Required Readings

Edit Required Readings Content

Textbook: Finance Essentials, 1st Edition (2018) by Kidwell, Brimble, Mazzola, Morkel-Kingsbury, James

Australian edition John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2018

Edit Required Readings Content

Recommended Readings

Edit Recommended Readings Content

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance 11ED, Ross et al.

Edit Recommended Readings Content

Online Support

Edit Online Support Content

Lecture slides, tutorial resources and related teaching materials will be available in Moodle.

Edit Online Support Content

Workload

Edit Workload Content

The course has 36 (3 X 12) contact hours (lectures and tutorials). The rest of the 150 hours expected workload in this 15-point paper can be distributed as follows: 20 hours to complete the Assignment, 35 hours to prepare for and attend the Midterm Test and 59 hours to prepare for and attend the Final Exam.

Edit Workload Content

Linkages to Other Papers

Edit Linkages Content

There is a significant interrelationship between finance and non-finance areas. First, finance and accounting are related since accounting information is needed for finance decisions. Second, finance and economics are related because economic activity and policy affect finance decisions, and vice versa. Finance and management are related because the management decisions, such as setting salary, hiring new staff and paying bonuses must be coordinated with finance. Finance and information systems are related because finance decisions rely on information. Last but not least, there are the four p's of marketing, product, price, place and promotion. Clearly, the price and promotion, e.g., advisement are related to finance.

Edit Linkages Content