Financial Management in Practice

Financial Management in Practice aims, as the title suggests, to go beyond a classic academic approach to financial management, by illustrating theoretical insights with concrete cases. The book is structured according to this ethos of practicality.

Beginning with a description of the current banking and entrepreneurial landscape, the book proceeds to examine the basic concept of financial management. The business plan and financial plan then become the working tools in the author’s search for optimal financing and in determining the value of the enterprise. This is followed by an analysis of all forms of debt financing. Subsequently the book examines mezzanine financing and formal and informal venture capital, including business angels and crowdfunding. This form of financing requires another reading of the business plan. The central focus is no longer on the repayment capacity, but on the potential added value to the investment. Of course, this also applies to initial public offerings, which are discussed later on. The book concludes with a review of the Basel Accords, from the point of view of the entrepreneur. With this, the author provides ammunition for managers confronted with banks or venture capitalists who claim that some actions are not possible ‘because of Basel’.

The glossary at the end of the book lists the major financial terms to ensure smooth reading. The included tables of annuity factors should facilitate investment analysis. And last but not least, solutions to the exercises provided have been included at the back of this book, so that the active reader can evaluate their own solutions.

“In contrast to the rather academic approach taken by other authors, Professor Aernoudt opts for an approach based on practice, with cases and exercises to enhance understanding of various theoretical approaches. This book therefore fills an important gap.”
Colin Mason,Professor of Entrepreneurship, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Rudy Aernoudt studied economics and philosophy at the University of Louvain and European economics at the College of Europe. He holds the position of Professor of Corporate Finance and Enterprise Policy at the Universities of Ghent and Nancy. He is the author of several books and papers in the field of economics, politics and philosophy.