BCS Certificate in Commercial Awareness (Inc Exam)

Overview

The era of autonomous organisations holding a monopoly position with their product or service is fading and increasingly organisations find themselves in ever more competitive environments where the key to success is not only through internal efficiency, but also by judicious collaboration with suppliers, outsourcing partners and competitors. In order that businesses can operate successfully in the current environment they are being forced to find new approaches to operating through restructuring, changing their organisational behaviour, modifying their internal and external boundaries, and establishing additional techniques for measuring performance.

For today's business analyst to make a valuable contribution they need an awareness of all influences that affect an organisation. This course gives an understanding of those financial and management accounting techniques that are crucial to an organisation both from a legal and administrative perspective. It also explores the social science aspects that are often hidden or not given sufficient priority that will ultimately govern the flexibility and adaptability of an organisation, which determine its ability to survive in today's competitive markets.

At the end of the course delegates may sit an examination to attain the BCS certificate in Commercial Awareness. The cost of the examination is included in the course fee. This course may be taken as part of the QA programme leading to the BCS Diploma in Business Analysis.

Who should attend?

• Those wishing to acquire a basic level of understanding about business finance and behavioural influences.
• Those wishing to attain the BCS Certificate in the Commercial Awareness.

Candidates with special examination requirements should consult the ISEB web site (www.iseb.org.uk) for the ISEB Special Needs policy. Note that the ISEB must be advised at least four weeks in advance of any special requirements.

Prerequisites

• There are no specific pre-requisites for this course

Photographic identification for exams and BCS reasonable adjustments policy

• If you are taking a BCS exam you must bring photographic identification (passport, driving license or student card) as it is a BCS requirement to produce it for the invigilator prior to the exam. Failure to produce a valid form of photographic identification will result in a candidate not being able to sit the exam.
• The BCS also allow additional time for candidates who have a disability or whose business language is not English. Candidates can request this additonal time in line with the BCS reasonable adjustments policy. If you believe you qualify please contact our examination administration team as early as possible. At least three weeks notice will be required for processing and delegates failing to advise QA and provide proof if requested by the BCS may not be allowed the additional support offered via this BCS policy.

For any questions about what form of identification is acceptable, or for more information about the BCS reasonable adjustments policy, please contact your Account Manager or the QA Examination Administration team on 44 (0)1793 696273.

Delegates will learn how to

• understand three techniques used to evaluate a financial case.
• understand costing and pricing.
• understand cash flow forecasting and budgeting.
• describe the contents of financial accounting documents.
• interpret financial accounts.
• explain specified business performance ratios.
• define the elements and usage of Porter's Five Forces Framework and Value Chain.
• define the elements and usage of the Boston Consulting Group's matrix.
• define the performance measures and usage of the Balanced Business Scorecard.
• define the elements of specified cultural analysis approaches.
• explain the different management structures and their characteristics.
• define the different architectures that may be adopted by organisations.

Course Outline.

Evaluating a Financial Case

• Purpose of Building a Financial Case; Techniques used for evaluating a Financial Case

Budgeting, Costing and Pricing

• Budgets and Departmentalised Businesses; Cash Flow and Cash Management; Costing and Pricing

Financial Reporting and Analysis

• Balance Sheet; Income and Expenditure; Cash Flow Statement; Ratios(formulae and interpretation)

Market analysis and competitive advantage

• Analysing the business domain; Analysing the portfolio; Delivering value

Organisational behaviour and culture

• What is organisational behaviour? Organisational effectiveness and the Balanced Scorecard; Understanding and analysing culture

Group formation

• Groups and group dynamics; Formal and informal groups

Principles of organisational structure

• Organisation structuring; Types of jobs; Line, staff and functional relationships; Formalisation of rules and procedures; Centralisation v decentralisation

Operating models

• Organisation structures and their characteristics; Organisational boundaries

Related training courses

• BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice
• BCS Certificate in Modelling Business Processes
• BCS Certificate in Requirements Engineering