75901 - Accounting

Learning outcomes

The course aims at acquiring the basic elements for understanding the financial statements and for analyzing business and financial dynamics through ratios. At the end of the course the student is expected to be able:

• to understand the most elementary aspects of the economic and financial performance of a production company and the implications associated with the drafting of an operating budget;
• to transfer the business management concepts acquired into everyday life by applying, by analogy, the methodology for planning, checking and reporting.

Course contents

FIRST MODULE (Dr. Cristina Gianfelici) 

Introduction to business science:

• For profit entities and not-for-profit entities;
• The rules governing the business;
• From operations to financial results: the concepts of net income and equity;
• Financial accounting and journal entries.

Corporate financial statements: objectives, typologies and standards.

The annual financial statement:

• Principles;
• Documents: objectives, structure and contents.

Some main items in balance sheets:

• Start-up expenses;
• Research and development costs;
• Advertising expenses;
• Credits;
• Inventories.

 SECOND MODULE (Prof. Massimiliano Zanigni)

• Tangible assets;
• Intangible assets;
• BOT-BTP-CCT securities, how they are purchased and how they are valued;
• shareholders' equity and reserves;
• funds for risks and charges;
• suppliers;
• debts and currency credits.

Reclassification of balance sheets for ratio analysis.

Understanding the company's economic performance through the main ratios.

The self-determination of the rating, as defined by Basel 3.

Readings/Bibliography

Cod. Civ. : Libro V - Titolo V - Capo V - Sez IX - Il bilancio.

Tieghi M., Gigli S., Introduzione alla contabilità e al bilancio d'esercizio, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2007.

Tieghi M., Gigli S., Gli strumenti per le analisi del bilancio d'esercizio, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2009.

Also, it is absolutely essential that students analyze the teaching material used during the lessons, that will be available on the e-learning platform. This material is the main tool for understanding the subject and for the exam.

Attendance is highly recommended.

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercises, discussion questions and case studies.

Assessment methods

Written exam.

Teaching tools

All news and information related to the course and additional teaching materials will be available on the e-learning platform.

Office hours

See the website of Cristina Gianfelici

See the website of Massimiliano Zanigni