The HBR Guides Collection (8 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

What You’ll Learn

Where do you begin if your boss asks you to prepare a

breakeven analysis? Can you tell the difference between

an income statement and a balance sheet? Between gross

margin and revenue? Do you understand why a business

that’s profi table can still go belly-up? Has your grasp of

your company’s numbers helped—or hurt—your career?

If questions like these make you sweat, you’ve come

to the right place. This guide will give you the tools and

confi dence you need to master fi nance basics, as all good

managers must. You’ll learn how to:

• Speak the language of fi nance

• Compare your fi rm’s fi nancials with rivals’

• Size up your vulnerability to industry downturns

• Shift your unit’s focus from revenues to profi ts

• Use fi nancial data ...