This book is the first edition that combines accounting principles with engineering work. It is a basic-level textbook in accounting for science and engineering students and working professionals engaged in engineering project planning. By introducing the fundamentals of accounting and accounting issues that are related to corporate management and R&D work, this book helps the reader gain the knowledge and skills to analyse financial statements, manufacturing costs and tax issues from an engineer's perspective. It is a handy book that covers such essential topics as Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Corporate Management and Financial Statements Analysis, R&D Management, Target Costing, and Value Engineering. With this book, the reader is able to grasp the basics of accounting and R&D costing within a week, which will become a solid foundation for business leaders in technology and management.

Presents the fundamental finance and accounting processes, methods, strategies and terminology necessary for engineers and engineering managers to interpret financial data properly - examining topics such as cost and break-even analysis, the time value of money, financial ratios and discounted cash flow techniques. The information is designed to enable engineers and project managers to prepare, appraise, evaluate and approve financial plans to accomplish specific departmental and company objectives.

Understanding finance and accounting principles is important in interfacing and conducting business with accountants, financial analysts, and members of upper management. In a relatively simple and easy-to-understand manner, this book familiarizes professionals with decision making skills founded on financial calculations and quantitative analysis. It covers finance and accounting ratios and other metrics; income statements, balance sheets, cash flow, and working capital concepts; inventory concepts; life cycle, period, direct, and indirect costs; and energy performance contracting. Each chapter concludes with a list of questions or problems for self-assessment and knowledge affirmation purposes. Answers to the questions are at the back of the book.

The purpose of this second edition is to provide an overview of important principles in the fields of finance and accounting, and the application of those principles for financial analysis of energy and non-energy capital investments. This book is written as a self-study guide for energy and non-energy engineers and managers who either lack formal training in the subjects of finance, accounting, and engineering economics, or simply need a means to refresh their knowledge in these subjects. This book bridges the gap between the typical business school "MBA" knowledge and its application in enery and non-engergy engineering, project management or manufacturing management. Many energy and non-energy engineers and technical managers feel inadequately equipped to comprehend and apply certain important finance and accounting principles. Understanding of finance and accounting principles is important in interfacing and conducting business with accountants, financial analysts, and members of upper management. This book is designed to familiarize energy engineers and other engineering professionals - in a relatively simple and easy to understand fashion - with decision making skills founded on financial calculations and case study based quantitative analysis.

This book is the first edition that combines accounting principles with engineering work. It is a basic-level textbook in accounting for science and engineering students and working professionals engaged in engineering project planning. By introducing the fundamentals of accounting and accounting issues that are related to corporate management and R&D work, this book helps the reader gain the knowledge and skills to analyze financial statements, manufacturing costs and tax issues from an engineer's perspective. It is a handy book that covers such essential topics as Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Corporate Management and Financial Statements Analysis, R&D Management, Target Costing, and Value Engineering. With this book, the reader is able to grasp the basics of accounting and R&D costing within a week, which will become a solid foundation for business leaders in technology and management.

Engineering managers and professionals make a long and lasting impact in the industry by regularly developing technology-based projects, as related to new product development, new service innovation or efficiency-centered process improvement, or both—to create strategic differentiation and operational excellence for their employers. They need certain business fundamentals that enable them to make decisions, based on both technology and business perspectives, leading to new or improved product or service offerings, which are technically feasible, economically viable, marketplace acceptable, and customer enlightening. This book consists of three sets of business fundamentals. The chapter “Cost Accounting and Control” discusses service and product costing, activity-based costing to define overhead expenses, and risk analysis and cost estimation under uncertainty. The chapter “Financial Accounting and Analysis” delineates the key financial statements, financial analyses, balanced scorecard, ratio analysis, and capital asset valuation—including operations, opportunities, and acquisition and mergers. The chapter “Marketing Management” reviews marketing functions, marketing forecasting, marketing segmentation, customers, and other factors affecting marketing in making value-adding contributions. The new business vocabulary and useful analysis tools presented will enable engineering managers to become more effective when interacting with senior management, and to prepare themselves for assuming higher-level corporate responsibilities.

First published in 1997, this volume and its contributors take stock of current issues in accounting and finance. Featuring specialists in business, accounting, finance along with Vice Chancellor John Bull, they examine areas including auditors’ decision-making, financial shocks, the European corporate capital structure, GPs, accounting education and professional journals.