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10 Reasons Why Every Manager Should take a Finance Course

Great Leadership By Dan

You’ll understand that the people or companies that buy your products are not your only customers; the shareholders that buy your stock are customers too. Caution: when employees feel like owners, no more wasting money on expensive furniture, management boondoggles, or projects with a poor net present value.

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A Refresher on Internal Rate of Return

Harvard Business Review

You’ve got a great idea for a new product that will increase revenue or a new system that will cut the company’s costs. There are a variety of methods you can use to calculate ROI — net present value , payback, breakeven — and internal rate of return , or IRR. A Refresher on Net Present Value.

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Why Some Digital Companies Should Delay Profitability for as Long as They Can

Harvard Business Review

When your product can become more valuable to your customers over time, the way you prioritize building features and harvesting profits within a business needs to change. The Refresher: Net Present Value. Invest today to build an ecosystem, demonstrate value, drive network effects, and create customer loyalty.

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How to Quantify Sustainability’s Impact on Your Bottom Line

Harvard Business Review

We found that sustainable and deforestation-free practices created significant financial benefits for all players in the industry’s value chain. Specifically, our analysis found that the net benefits to ranchers ranged from $18 million to $34 million (12% to 23% of revenues) in net present value projected over 10 years.

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Why We Need to Update Financial Reporting for the Digital Era

Harvard Business Review

Business students have traditionally considered net present value, payback period, and hurdle rates as necessary tools to determine which project to select. Some of these ideas contradict traditional financial thinking whereas others seem highly controversial or pessimistic.

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Why You Should Crowd-Source Your Toughest Investment Decisions

Harvard Business Review

Most companies – including the movie studios in Hollywood – over-rely on basic tools like discounted cash flow and net present value. But if you’re on unfamiliar ground – if you’re in a fast-changing industry, launching a new product, or shifting to a new business model – they can be downright dangerous.

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Debt and the Future of the U.S.

Harvard Business Review

trillion, roughly 10% of gross domestic product (GDP). Consider, for example, that the estimated net present value of obligations under the Social Security system is approximately $8 trillion. There is a great deal of confusion in the popular media about the level of the current budget deficit and outstanding debt.

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