The value chain is a major focus in today's business world, and many organisations and managers allocate considerable resources to understanding and analysing their value chain. The main reason for doing this is either to eliminate activities that do not add value, or to improve on activities that do not add sufficient value.

In order to ensure optimum customer satisfaction, businesses must integrate the activities of various departments and functions. This demands a sound understanding of the chain of activities and their interrelationship with other business activities. The authors adopt the value chain as a framework in order to help business students to visualise how the value chain works. New ground is broken in that management is not dealt with only from a functional perspective. While the goal is to introduce undergraduate students to the concept of the value chain, it is not, however, to offer a comprehensive directory on the related literature.

This special and abridged version of Business Management has been requested by academics in order to accommodate the needs of accounting students. As accounting students at a number of higher institutions only do a seven-week module in business management, we have selected the chapters which cover the basics of business management as well as the primary functions of the value chain.

This book of questions, exercises and problems has been prepared to accompany the textbook, A Concepts-based Introduction to Financial Accounting, by David Kolitz. It has corresponding chapters for ease of reference. Questions, Exercises and Problems in Financial Accounting can also be used independently of the Kolitz text as a tutorial tool for financial accounting courses at a tertiary level.

The questions are multiple choice and ensure understanding of a topic before moving on to the exercises and problems. The exercises are generally shorter and less complex than the problems, and can be used to develop proficiency in a topic in which students are expected to reach the standard of the problems. Where the level of the course dictates, the exercises can be used instead of the problems. The problems are longer and more complex in nature, requiring an in-depth understanding of the topic.

In addition, there are three revision sets (after chapters 10, 16 and 21) which provide comprehensive coverage of material covered in earlier chapters. These are also excellent exam preparation material.

An easy-to-read, integrated approach to accounting and finance which dispels much of the mystique surrounding these subjects for students and non-financial managers. This edition incorporates changes in legislation and in attitudes towards financial analysis, the interpretation of annual accounts and the use of financial ratios, as well as chapters on the financial planning process, the cost of capital and risk analysis.

Credit is essential in the modern world and creates wealth, provided it is used wisely. The Global Credit Crisis during 2008/2009 has shown that sound understanding of underlying credit risk is crucial. If credit freezes, almost every activity in the economy is affected. The best way to utilize credit and get results is to understand credit risk. Advanced Credit Risk Analysis and Management helps the reader to understand the various nuances of credit risk. It discusses various techniques to measure, analyze and manage credit risk for both lenders and borrowers. The book begins by defining what credit is and its advantages and disadvantages, the causes of credit risk, a brief historical overview of credit risk analysis and the strategic importance of credit risk in institutions that rely on claims or debtors. The book then details various techniques to study the entity level credit risks, including portfolio level credit risks. Authored by a credit expert with two decades of experience in corporate finance and corporate credit risk, the book discusses the macroeconomic, industry and financial analysis for the study of credit risk. It covers credit risk grading and explains concepts including PD, EAD and LGD. It also highlights the distinction with equity risks and touches on credit risk pricing and the importance of credit risk in Basel Accords I, II and III. The two most common credit risks, project finance credit risk and working capital credit risk, are covered in detail with illustrations. The role of diversification and credit derivatives in credit portfolio management is considered. It also reflects on how the credit crisis develops in an economy by referring to the bubble formation. The book links with the 2008/2009 credit crisis and carries out an interesting discussion on how the credit crisis may have been avoided by following the fundamentals or principles of credit risk analysis and management. The book is essential for both lenders and borrowers. Containing case studies adapted from real life examples and exercises, this important text is practical, topical and challenging. It is useful for a wide spectrum of academics and practitioners in credit risk and anyone interested in commercial and corporate credit and related products.

The third edition of Cost and Management Accounting: Operations and management is a southern African text, which supports the latest curriculum offered by the major accounting professional bodies and higher education institutions. Its carefully developed pedagogical approach, offering a balance between the technical and the conceptual, combined with its focus on the requirements of professional bodies, gives students a solid exposure to the cost and management accounting profession. Retaining its student-friendly writing style and practical approach, it is the ideal text for students who are studying cost and management accounting across a variety of levels, from introductory through to advanced, undergraduate and postgraduate. It will help students understand the more complex areas of cost and management accounting and simplifies the learning process.

Assurance, risk and governance: An international perspective provides a comprehensive reference for students of assurance practices and practitioners.

The book explains the technical functioning of assurance processes at an advanced level using a principles-based approach aligned with International Standards on Auditing.

This is complemented by a review of the leading academic research to provide readers with an easy-to-understand overview of the latest developments in external audit and related assurance services.

The main objective of this textbook is to familiarise the learner with the internal audit environment with reference to the Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS).

Now in its sixth edition, Business Analysis and Valuation: IFRS Standards edition has successfully taught students how to interpret IFRS-based financial statements for more than twenty years.

With the help of international cases, the authors illustrate the use of financial data in various valuation tasks and motivate students to build a thorough understanding of theoretical approaches and their practical application.

Focusing on the content that will benefit business and management students, and featuring a wealth of global examples from real businesses, the authors enable students to unpick and analyze financial statements with confidence.

Do your students struggle to engage with financial accounting topics? Look no further than Understanding Financial Accounting to help them actively engage with the content, understand the key concepts, and advance their analysis skills.

Writing specifically for those with no background in accounting, the authors focus on how to extract the information that will contribute to business decision making. Their conversational and captivating style makes even technical and complex principles unambiguous and immediately accessible.

A recurring case study, contextual examples, and real-world financial statements from multinational companies are interwoven throughout, demonstrating the principles in practice. Winfield, Graham, and Miller illuminate the relevan c e of IFRS and financial statement literacy to non-accountants, as well as guiding students towards carrying out analysis autonomously.

Students are also encouraged to develop their independent research and critical thinking skills by attempting a series of end-of-chapter questions. In addition, the book is complemented by the following online resources to support students and lecturers.

Mastering Group Financial Statements Volume 1 is part of a two-volume set which provides accounting students and practitioners with an invaluable practical guide to the often complex world of group accounting. The publication gives detailed explanations and numerous practical worked examples, to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the principles and concepts of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that underlie group accounting. It therefore serves as a roadmap for preparing group financial statements in varying scenarios in accordance with IFRS.

Volume 1 deals with the principles of control in IFRS 10, addresses the key disclosure requirements of group financial statements, explains the basic concepts of business combinations, and covers in detail the principles and procedures for consolidating subsidiaries.

Along with technical group accounting guidance, this text offers practical group accounting exam techniques, intended to minimise the time students spend answering questions and maximise the marks earned. The comprehensive selection of self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter, and online case study questions and solutions, allow students to test their understanding of the subject matter and sharpen their exam technique.

Applied Accounting is tailored to meet the needs of students taking a first-year course in Financial Accounting as part of a Higher Certificate in Accounting or a Diploma in Accounting (or equivalent) in terms of both the curriculum covered and the approach toward teaching and learning.

Features:

• an opening practical example which illustrates the concepts introduced in each chapter
• worked examples which guide students through the problem in a step-by-step manner and help them recognise when a particular technique is appropriate or inappropriate
• practical activities and end-of-chapter questions which allow students to practise the ideas learnt in each chapter
• clear definitions that reinforce the basic concepts
• groupwork exercises in the form of discussion questions or activities which encourage students to work collaboratively

Understanding South African Financial Markets is an introductory text that should serve as a useful reference and guide for commerce students, public servants and members of the business fraternity alike.

Mastering Group Financial Statements Volume 2 is part of a two-volume set which provides accounting students and practitioners with an invaluable practical guide to the often complex world of group accounting.

Volume 2 is an essential resource for understanding the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to business combinations, investments in associates and joint arrangements, changes in ownership interests in investments, foreign operations and the group statement of cash flows.

The book gives detailed explanations and numerous practical worked examples, to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the IFRS principles and concepts underlying group accounting. It therefore serves as a roadmap for preparing group financial statements in varying scenarios.

Along with technical group accounting guidance, this text offers practical group accounting exam techniques, intended to minimise time students spend answering questions and maximise marks earned. The self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter, together with comprehensive online case study questions and solutions, allow students to test their understanding of the subject matter and sharpen exam technique.

Public Finance Fundamentals, now in its third edition, aims to facilitate and advance the learning of the fundamentals of public finance, the basic tenets that apply even as the social, political and legislative environments of organisations shift over time.

The idea of the book is to equip readers with long-lasting knowledge, skills, and analytical tools to successfully tackle various types of organisational, institutional and public sector dynamics, by giving them an understanding of financial management concepts, principles, theory, and policy.

This third edition of Public Finance Fundamentals expands the scope of the previous editions to cover contemporary concerns and debates emanating from emerging economic and financial trends in many developing countries, including South Africa.

Financial Accounting: The Question Book accompanies the sixth edition of Financial Accounting: An introduction.

The Question Book is aimed at first-year students of financial accounting at universities and universities of technology and is suitable for CA stream as well as non-CA stream students.

This book was written with the first year/first time income tax student in mind.

It uses simple language and the unique aspects of the book are the flow charts used to visually explain some of the more complicated aspects of taxation, the inclusion of a glossary, and the reproductions of the actual forms that SARS requires. This makes for a very practical application of the theory being taught. It covers all the topics needed by a taxpayer who is required to fill in an IT12 tax return, which means that it will not only be valuable to the students, but also to the 'man on the street' who wishes to understand and learn more about his taxable income calculation. The benefit of working through the book is that taxpayers will know what is expected of them during the income tax assessment process and will be able to verify their income tax calculations.

All examples and practical application questions in the book relate to the year of assessment from 1 March to 28 February (the year of assessment). Unless indicated otherwise, all dates fall into the aforementioned tax year.

This book has been compiled specifically to assist students at tertiary institutions in South Africa with their studies in auditing.

The fourth edition of Economic Indicators is fundamentally revised, updated, and expanded. It covers the most recent comprehensive revisions of the national accounts in South Africa, the consumer price index, the producer price index, various labor market surveys, and government finance statistics.

Each chapter contains more information than before, for example, on business cycles, money, credit and interest rates, budget deficits, foreign debt, units of measurement, as well as various technical aspects, such as the previous-year comparison error, data revisions, and the calculation of growth rates. A new section examines the impact of economic indicators on the financial markets, and a number of political and politico-economic indicators have been added. New segments include one on important international economic indicators, another on the indicators that are examined by the South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee when deciding on interest rates, another on the Baltic Dry Index, and even one to prove that the experts can also sometimes get it wrong. All the data that are used to illustrate and explain the various indicators have been updated and, as always, a wealth of data on the South African economy is provided.

The book is an indispensable reference source for a variety of professionals, including economists, financial analysts, accountants, lawyers, industrial relations specialists, brokers, dealers, political scientists, and development specialists. Last, but by no means least, the book is informative and accessible to interested lay people.

Financial Accounting: Group statements is a financial accounting textbook covering the topic area 'Group statements' which is an integral part of the syllabus at second and third year. 'Group statements' refers to the consolidated financial statements of a holding or parent company as well as its subsidiaries and provides information on the overall financial standing of the group of companies. The book takes a principles-based approach to financial accounting as it explains the 'why' as well as the 'how to' of preparing group statements. Financial Accounting: Group statements features the following: - Activity boxes that help students to acquire core pervasive skills - Short examples in the text that illustrate practical application of the principles discussed - Graded questions, divided into basic, intermediate and advanced for each chapter The book is beneficial to second- and third-year Financial Accounting students of BCom degrees at universities, and to National Diploma in Accounting students at universities of technology.

In this textbook, the audit process followed during the execution of an internal audit engagement is explained, after which it is practically demonstrated by applying it to the various business cycles.

Now in its 9th edition, Financial Management is the leading text on the theory and application of corporate finance in southern Africa.

Set against the backdrop of recent developments in financial markets, instruments and financial theory, the text refers to real-world applications and financial decisions by South African companies.

This book provides a thorough analysis of the state of collective bargaining in South Africa today. Drawing on extensive empirical research, it examines the processes which have shaped the collective bargaining system, as well as identifying some crucial questions hanging over its future. Collective bargaining is approached from legal, sociological, economic and historical perspectives, thereby giving a multifaceted view of the system.

While the country's unique history may have left trade unions and bargaining councils in a position of relative strength, it is argued that global market forces - manifested in trends towards non-standard employment and other changes in the job market undermining traditional bargaining relationships - pose a serious threat to these institutions. Trade unionists acknowledge that new strategies are needed to meet these challenges, and many employers see the value of stable bargaining relationships.

The book considers empirical data and initiatives developed by trade unions and employers around the world and raises some policy options that might be considered in seeking a way forward. Ultimately it is up to the parties to debate and negotiate improvements to the legal institutions within which collective bargaining takes place. This book will go a long way to stimulating and informing the debate.

VAT: An Introduction initiates students and practitioners into the South African value-added tax (VAT) system by guiding them through the basic principles of the Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991 (VAT Act). It covers the processes to be followed when dealing with VAT and sheds light on the most important case law and VAT legislation.

Complex concepts and the key objectives and principles of the VAT system are explained simply and clearly, without using unnecessary jargon. This makes VAT: An Introduction suitable for anyone who has to apply basic VAT principles in a business environment or provide general VAT advice and assistance.

The book is also an excellent study guide for students. It will help students understand the mechanics of the South African VAT system and the practical implications of VAT. Students and practitioners will find the revision questions at the end of each chapter useful to test their understanding and knowledge of the fundamentals of VAT.

Cost and Management Accounting is a comprehensive resource intended for courses which cover the fundamentals of this subject.

The content is aligned to the latest curriculum of the major management accounting professional bodies, and deals with the basic concepts and techniques for the identification and control of costs, as well as general cost management. Cost and Management Accounting has a strong southern African perspective and covers current issues on each topic.

Key Features/ Benefits:

• Contextualises the South African experience
• Offers the latest developments in management accounting
• Extensive support materials include solutions to exercises, PowerPoint slides, and additional questions and answers.
• Written using accessible language and engaging formats.
• Case studies, theory review questions, test-yourself questions, and detailed end-of-chapter exercises to encourage self-study.