Student guide Faculty of Economics A.Y. 2010/11

Corporate accounting and bookkeeping
Lesson timetable, Notice board, Additional material
Aim of the course
The aim of the course is to comprehensively and systematically analyse the contents of financial statement documents, enabling students to appraise their significance and, by re-examining the information they contain, formulate a judgement on the economic-financial standing of the firm.
Following a brief review of the ideas introduced in the Accounting and Financial Statements module of the Business Economics course, students will go on to study the logic of accounting entries more in depth.
The subsequent lectures will therefore cover the methods for drawing up financial statements intended for publication, focusing in particular on the problems of valuing the principal asset and liability entries which together determine the financial results for the period. With respect to this, the general and specific principles laid down by the Civil Code will be examined, and the provisions of the Italian Accounting Principles illustrated.
Students will then be introduced to the topic area of statutory financial statements and their relationship with the rules for determination of income tax.
The course ends with a more in-depth investigation of the rationale and applications of the fundamental balance sheet analysis tools (reclassification, indexes and financial statement) essential for formulating a judgement on the economic performance of the firm.
Syllabus
1. Principles for assembling published financial statements.
2. Structure of published financial statements;
3. Valuation of the principal balance sheet entries;
4. Methods for calculating income tax (overview);
5. The consolidated balance sheet;
6. Balance sheet reclassification for business purposes;
7. Balance sheet analysis by indexes (overview);
8. Construction and analysis of the financial report.
Examinations
Two written progress tests (one midway through the course and one at the end) + one oral exam for students who attend lectures.
One general written exam + one oral exam for students who do not attend lectures or for those who choose not to take the progress tests.
Reading list
Corno, F., Lombardi Stocchetti, G. (a cura di), Le valutazioni di bilancio, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 2003.
Corno, F., Lombardi Stocchetti, G. (a cura di), Il bilancio d'esercizio: lettura e interpretazione, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 1999.
Corno, F. (a cura di), Bilancio di esercizio e bilancio consolidato, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 2002.
Corno, F., Tettamanzi P. (a cura di), Le valutazioni di bilancio: esercizi e temi d'esame svolti e da svolgere, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 2003.