HARVARD UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SCHOOL

MGMT E2700 CORPORATE FINANCE

Fall 2020 SEMESTER
DRAFTS

Faculty
Lecturer Ned Gandevani, MBA, PhD
Cellular Phone: 617-910-6256
E-mail: Gandevani@fas.harvard.edu
Class hours: Tuesday and Thursday 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Class Location: Online

Teaching Assistant TBD

Course Description
The goal of this course is to develop the analytical skills for making corporate investment with
regards to financial decisions and risk analysis. This course examines various theories including
the concept of present value, the opportunity cost of capital, discounted cash flow analysis, a
consortium of valuation techniques, issues between short and long term financial management,
risk and return, capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing model, capital budgeting, corporate
capital structure and financing decisions, dividend policy, investment and financial decisions in
the international context—including exchange rate/interest rate risk analysis—and issues of
corporate governance and control. In essence, we explore the very patterns of corporate finance
that have shaped the familiar yet complex terrain of today's global economy. (4 credits)

Course Format
The course format will be based on the assigned readings, exercises, and cases from the
textbook or other external sources. The homework and cases should enhance your
understanding and comprehension of the material in the textbook. In addition, the cases should
provide a link from the classroom to relevant business situations and problems.

Online option in on-campus courses

This course meets on line each week, and the lectures are videotaped and posted online. If you
enroll in courses with an online option, you can attend lectures in person; watch them online at
your convenience, or both.
Prerequisite
Since this is very similar to a second-year MBA course that builds on what was covered several
core courses, successful completion of graduate-level finance and accounting courses is
required. Here are some of the courses that help to form your base knowledge for this course,
Financial Accounting (ECON S/E-1900) and Principles of Finance (MGMT S/E2000).

Course Materials
Required:
Foundations of Financial Management
17th Edition
By Stanley Block and Geoffrey Hirt and Bartley Danielsen
ISBN10: 126001391X
ISBN13: 9781260013917
Copyright: 2019

Digital Edition which includes Connect: ISBN10: 1260203913 | ISBN13: 9781260203912

Students are required to purchase Connect to submit weekly assignments and online exams.
When you purchase Connect access, you’ll have access to eBook as well.

To sign up use this link

https://connect.mheducation.com/paamweb/index.html#/registration/signup/mgmt2700-
gandevani

Exams
There will be a mid-term and final examination in this course. Exams will be worth 60% towards
your final course grade. These exams will occur on the date indicated on the syllabus, unless
otherwise noted. The midterm exam will be online. The final exam will have two parts; online and
take-home. The take-home project should be submitted on the date indicated on the syllabus.

Homework and Case Assignments

Students are expected to review and complete homework and case assignments using the
information that is provided below. These assignments will be worth 40% towards your final
course grade: Each weekly assignment should be completed on Connect on the appropriate due
date. No late submission is accepted.

Grading
The maximum score in this class is 1,000 points. The categories, which contribute to your final
grade, are weighted as follows.

Assignment Points Weighting

 Case Assignments and Problems 400 40%

Mid-term Exam (online) 200 20%

Final Exam (Parts A & B) 400 40%

Total 1000 100%

Letter Grade Grade %

A 94 – 100%
A- 90 – 93.9%
B+ 87 – 89.9%
B 83 – 86.9%
B- 80 – 82.9%
C+ 77 – 79.9%
C 73 – 76.9%
C- 70 – 72.9%
F Below 70%

Disability Services Office

The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Disability
Services Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented
disabilities. Please visit http://www.extension.harvard.edu/accessibility-student-services for more
information.

Academic Honesty
The Harvard University Extension School expects students to understand and maintain high standards of
academic honesty. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, the following:
plagiarism, cheating and computer network abuse. All work submitted to meet the course requirements is
expected to be the student’s own work. In the preparation of work submitted to meet course
requirements, students are expected to distinguish their own ideas and language from information
derived from other sources. Without prior written approval by both instructors, students may not submit
the same material for two courses.
You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity
(www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-conduct/academic-integrity) and how to use
sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting
"the wrong draft", or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are
no excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity. To support your learning about academic citation
rules, please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism
(www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/tipsavoidplagiarism), where you'll find links to
the Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two, free, online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of
academic citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open learning tools.
The maximum score in this class is 1,000 points. The categories, which contribute to your final grade, are
weighted as follows

Expectations and Assumptions

It is important to your success in this course to remain current with the readings, homework and case
assignments. Please be prepared to discuss the assigned readings, cases and homework. Homework,
case assignments and examinations will occur on the date indicated on the syllabus. The submission of
late case assignments or an unexcused absence from an examination will not be accepted. I will have
office hours by appointment throughout the semester. My office hours in campus are 30 minutes before
and after each class.

Students Participation
Students are strongly encouraged to participate in weekly lectures and TA sections to gain a better
learning experience. Class participation and active contribution have shown to help students to compete
the course successfully.

Lesson Plan

WEEK DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT

1 9/1/2020 Pre-course self-assessment Submit on Canvas

1 9/1/2020 Ch. 1 The Goals and Activities of Financial Chap. 1 –

Management Assignment Due
9/7 @ 11:59pm

2 9/8/2020 Ch. 2 Review of Accounting Chap. 2 –

Assignment Due
9/14 @ 11:59pm

3 9/15/2020 Ch. 3 Financial Analysis Chap. 3 –

Assignment Due
9/21 @ 11:59pm
4 9/22/2020 Ch. 4 Financial Forecasting Chap. 4 –
Assignment Due
9/28 @ 11:59pm
5 9/29/2020 Ch. 5 Operating and Financial Leverage Chap. 5 –
Assignment Due
10/05 at 11:59 pm
6 10/06/2020 Ch. 6 Working Capital and the Financing Chap. 6 –
Decision Assignment Due
10/12 @ 11:59pm
7 10/13/2020 Online Midterm Exam Covers
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

8 10/20/2020 Ch. 7 Current Asset Management Chap. 7 –

Assignment
Due 10/26 @
11:59pm
9 10/27/2020 Ch. 8 Sources of Short-Term Financing Chap. 8 -
Assignment and
Case Assignment
Due 11/02 @
11:59pm
10 11/03/2020 Ch. 9 The Time Value of Money Chap. 9 –
Submit Case Assignment 11/09 Assignment Due
11/09 @ 11:59pm

11 11/10/2020 Ch. 10 Valuation and Rates of Return Chap.10 –

Assignment Due
11/16@11:59pm
12 11/17/2020 Ch. 11 Cost of Capital Chap.11–
Assignment Due
11/23 @11:59pm

13 11/24/2020 Ch. 12 The Capital Budgeting Decision Chap. 12 –

Assignment Due
11/30
@11:59 pm
14 12/01/2020 Ch. 13 Risk and Capital Budgeting Chap. 13 –
Assignment Due
12/07
@11:59 pm
15 12/08/2020 Ch. 14 Capital Markets Submit Final
Submit Final Exam Part B on 12/07/2020 Exam Part B on
12/07/2020
16 12/15/2020 Online Final Exam Covers Chapters 1 to 13

16 12/15/2020 Post-course self-assessment Submit on Canvas