TOPIC 1: THE TRUSTED ADVISOR
Topics:
- Changing environment shaping the role of the finance profession
- Impact on nature of employment
- Skill set of the future professional
- The trusted advisor
- Assessing our own skill set
Readings:
Ch 2: “What is a Trusted Advisor” and Ch 8: “The Trust Equation” from The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford, Simon & Schuster, 2004
TOPIC 2: PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING
Topics:
- Problem solving and decision making models
- Key steps in the process
- Decision making general issues
- Formalised decision making process
- Case study
Readings:
Ch 8: “Questioning the Problem Solving Process” from The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto, Financial Times – Pitman Publishing, 1987
Ch 1: “Making Smart Choices” and Ch 2 “The Problem” from Smart Choices by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney and Howard Raiffa, Broadway Books, 2015 [Reprint]
Ch 14: “Decision framing and cognitive inertia” from Decision Analysis for Management Judgement by Paul Goodwin and George Wright, 3rd ed, Wiley, 2004
Ch 1: “Framing the Problem” in Ethan M. Rasiel and Paul N. Friga, The McKinsey Mind, McGrath Hill, 2002 [only available via link to ebook at library]
TOPIC 3: RESEARCH METHODS FOR APPLIED FINANCE
Topics:
- Research applications in applied finance
- Data sources and literature review
- Evaluating the quality of available material
- Research project
Readings:
Ch 1: “The nature and process of business research” from Business Research Methods, by Alan Bryman & Emma Bell, Oxford, 2015
Ch 2: "The scientific approach and alternative approaches to investigation” from, Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach, by Uma Sekaran and Roger Bougie, 6th ed, Wiley, 2013 [available as e-text]
Ch 1: “Framing the Problem” from The McKinsey Mind, by Ethan M. Rasiel and Paul N. Friga McGrath Hill, 2002 [ebook available via library]
Ch 3: “Consuming Statistical Data” from Making Better Decisions, by Itzhak Gilboa, Wiley- Blackwell, 2011
TOPIC 4: COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Topics:
- Background
- Types of communication
- Effective communication
- Gaining support
- Communication styles
- Framework for communications strategy
- Investor relations case study
Readings:
Ch 14: “Persuading Others” from The Art of Thinking, by Vincent Ryan Ruggiero
Ch 5: “Having the Conversation” from Fixing Feedback by Georgia Murch, Wiley, 2015
Ch 16: “Investor Communications” from The Cornerstones of Corporate Finance, by Tim Koller, Richard Dobbs and Bill Huyett, Wiley, 2011
TOPIC 5: NEGOTIATION
Topics:
- Negotiation models
- Preparation phase
- Conducting the negotiations
- Working in teams
- Real world challenges
- Negotiation case study
Readings:
Ch 30: “Negotiating the Deal”, from Applied Mergers & Acquisistions by Robert F. Bruner, Wiley Finance, 2004
“Six Habits of Merely Effective Negotiators” by James K. Sebenius, Harvard Business Review, April, 2001
“Control the Negotiations Before It Begins” by Deepak Malhotra, Harvard Business Review, December, 2015
Negotiation Case Studies will be made available prior to classes.
TOPIC 6: LEGAL REASONING AND LEGAL DUTIES
Topics:
- Introduction
- The Rule of Law
- International Legal Frameworks
- Australian Law
- Financial Services Law and Regulation
- Discussion and Conclusion
Readings:
Law: A Very Short Introduction, by Raymond Wacks, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, 2015
“Legal Duties” - reading material prepared by Applied Finance Centre [Will be made available in class for Block #1]
TOPIC 7: ETHICS IN FINANCE
Topics:
- Introduction
- Moral theories
- "Right vs. Right" and "Right vs. Wrong"
- Why do good people choose "wrong"?
- Reasons and rationalisations
- Practice
TOPIC 8: BUSINESS SIMULATION
Topics:
Online business simulation to reinforce all topics.
Readings:
N/A
TOPIC 9: DEFINING PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER
Topics:
- What is professional character?
- Why are we here?
- What’s next?
- Driving career change
- Over to you!
Readings:
N/A