Business Insights

When you hear the phrase “financial accounting skills,” you likely think of creating and analyzing financial statements, poring over spreadsheets, and using formulas to calculate ratios. These are all vital skills for accountants. Yet, one accounting skill that’s often overlooked is communication. Here’s a breakdown of key communication skills, why they’re important for accounting, and how you can build yours. [...]

Carla Canales had a successful career as an opera singer but wanted to do more to bring the arts and business together to effect social change. Learn how HBS Online courses helped her build business skills and shift her career. [...]

Much of accounting involves evaluating past performance. Planning and preparing for the future, however, is just as important. Here's an overview of how to use pro forma statements to conduct financial forecasting, along with seven methods you can leverage to predict a business's future performance. [...]

Why does receiving $1,000 now provide more value than in the future? This concept is called the time value of money (TVM), and it’s central to financial accounting and business decision-making. Here’s a primer on what TVM is, how to calculate it, and why it matters. [...]

Why is capital allocation so important to an organization's success, and how do you choose the best capital allocation strategy? Here's an overview of what capital allocation is and how you can maximize its value. [...]