This thesis focuses on financial planning and it's phases. It contains overview and characteristics of general financial products, which are suitable for families such as bank accounts, insurance, investment instruments and loans. Last section of this thesis contains an example, which shows application of some financial products.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo o estudo do uso do orçamento empresarial como ferramenta de apoio às decisões e ao controle gerencial em indústrias farmacêuticas de médio porte. Como objetivos específicos, este estudo verifica se essas indústrias possuem um sistema de informações contábil-gerenciais adequado à necessidade dos gestores, a adoção de uma estrutura formal para planejamento dos resultados em curto e longo prazos, o modelo aplicado na elaboração do orçamento empresarial e a avaliação dos gestores sobre o processo orçamentário adotado. O referencial teórico apresenta a visão de renomados autores e está dividido em quatro partes. A primeira contempla decisões gerenciais e o sistema de informação contábil-gerencial. A segunda, o planejamento estratégico. Em seguida, o orçamento empresarial e, finalmente, o controle gerencial. A metodologia de pesquisa adotada foi o estudo de caso múltiplo, com a participação de cinco empresas. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas roteirizadas individuais, realizadas pela pesquisadora, com os gestores administrativo-financeiros dessas empresas. A conclusão apresentada neste trabalho revela que o orçamento empresarial é utilizado como ferramenta de apoio às decisões e ao controle gerencial pelos gestores das cinco empresas e que o processo orçamentário adotado é adequado às necessidades, mas ainda cabem melhorias. / This dissertation aims at the study of corporate budget as a tool to support the decisions and the management control in medium sized pharmaceutical industries. As specific objectives, the study checks if the industries have a managerial accounting information system that suits the managers needs, the adoption of a formal structure for the planning of long and short term results, the pattern applied in the elaboration of the corporate budget and the managers evaluation of the budgetary process that has been adopted. The theoretical reference presents the point of view of renowned authors and it is divided into four parts. The first one describes managerial decisions as well as the managerial accounting information system. The second one is about strategic planning. Then the corporate budget and finally the management control. The adopted research methodology was multiple case study in which five enterprises participated. The data was collected by researchers through individual interviews with administrative-finance managers from the companies. The conclusion presented by this work reveals that the managerial corporate budget is used by managers from the five enterprises as a support tool for the decisions and managerial control and that the adopted budgetary process suits the needs, but there is still the need for improvement.

Small Business Administration statistics indicate that 20% of small businesses fail within the first 2 years and 50% fail within 5 years. The purpose of this case study was to explore the success factors and strategies of 12 small business owners of independent financial planning firms who achieved profitability beyond 5 years. A gap exists in the literature concerning such business owners, and their experiences provide valuable information to others desiring to start or maintain a financial planning business. The conceptual framework was entrepreneurship theory and Porter's 5 forces model of competitive strategy. The data were gathered via semistructured interviews and business websites and newsletters. Initial coding of the responses preceded an analysis of recurring patterns and themes. This process led to the identification of major themes: technical training is necessary but not sufficient for success; planners need training in business creation, operations, and marketing; and differentiation is important and is achieved by specialization and providing excellent client service. The business owners used Internet websites to present unique planning approaches and fee structures to clients and prospects. These results provide information to people considering starting or maintaining a small business, providers of professional education and training, and business leaders seeking to improve recruitment and retention of financial planning employee retention. Implications for positive social change include providing information to policymakers who seek to support small businesses to mitigate small business failure rates, expand job creation, and provide sources for financial guidance for American employees.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, African Americans are the fastest growing entrepreneurial minority group in the United States. However, they suffer the highest business failure rates. The research design for this study was a multiple case study to explore the strategies small business owners used to succeed in business beyond 5 years. The conceptual framework for this study was the systems theory. The population was small business owners in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolis, Texas. Data collection sources included semistructured interviews, company documents, company websites, and site visit observations. The data analysis process included data cleaning, uploading transcribed interviews into qualitative data analysis software, organizing and coding, and conducting methodological triangulation against company documents. The thematic analysis led to the identification of 6 major themes contributing to company sustainability. The predominate themes included entrepreneur qualities, adequacy or lack of collateral, financial planning, and market qualities. The consensus among participants denoted that in a business environment characterized by market differentiation, effective financial planning and unique entrepreneurial characteristics contributed to company sustainability. The findings revealed several features of the successful business owners such as education, professional background, motivation, creativity, negotiation skills, networking, risk-taking, and self-efficacy were critical for company sustainability. The positive social change includes increasing the rate of small business success, supporting the U.S. economy, and improving financial security for African American entrepreneurs, their families, employees, and the community.

Ο κύριος σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να παρουσιάσει τη μέθοδο του benchmarking και τα περιθώρια εφαρμογής της στον οικονομικό προγραμματισμό πιστωτικών ιδρυμάτων. Η τεχνική που χρησιμοποιούμε για την εφαρμογή της μεθόδου του benchmarking είναι η ανάλυση αριθμοδεικτών. Στην αρχή πραγματοποιούμε μια σύγκριση ανάμεσα στις τιμές συγκεκριμένων αριθμοδεικτών της Εθνικής Τράπεζας της Ελλάδος με τη μέση τιμή των δεικτών αυτών στον τραπεζικό κλάδο. Έπειτα, πραγματοποιούμε μια εφαρμογή του benchmarking ανάμεσα σε υποκαταστήματα της Εθνικής Τράπεζας. Τα αποτελέσματα αυτών των συγκρίσεων μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν στη σύνταξη των προϋπολογισμών επόμενων περιόδων. / The major aim of this study is to present benchmarking, as it is used during the process of financial planning of banking institutions. The technique, which we use to apply the method of benchmarking, is accounting ratio analysis. At first we make a comparison between the price of certain ratios of National Bank of Greece and the average price for the whole banking sector in Greece. Then we present benchmarking between bank branches of the same bank. The output of these comparisons can be used in the financial planning and the budgets of forthcoming periods.

The effective and efficient management of personal finances is critical for everyone, particularly in a world where uncertainties prevail. Owing to continuous change, new financial challenges frequently confront individuals that culminate ultimately in uncertainties concerning individuals’ financial position and future. Having low levels of debt, an active savings and retirement plan, as well as following an expenditure plan, will lead to financial wellness, which demonstrates an active state of financial wealth. A comprehensive financial plan makes individuals attentive when dealing with financial issues, and acts as a guide when making financial decisions. Owing to insufficient financial literacy and skills, personal financial management is challenging and often results in erroneous financial decisions. Financial knowledge forms the basis for financial skills and competence, which are influenced by personal attitudes in both spending and saving. Therefore, in order to plan effectively, and control and manage financial risks and opportunities in the future, financial skills and abilities are essential. Adequate financial knowledge and skills lead to effective personal financial management and sound financial decisions in the short-term as well as in the long-term. Planning for financial independence should start as early as possible during the financial life cycle, usually at 18 years of age. Students are a rewarding market for financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, pension funds and brokerage companies, potentially leading the way forward to establish brand-loyalty throughout adulthood. However, the lack of financial management and planning experience, as well as financial literacy and financial skills, make students particularly susceptible to the aggressive marketing tactics of financial institutions, which may be harmful to students’ financial freedom. As such, financial institutions and professionals have to gauge effective ways to convey financial knowledge and product information to a target market to deliver improved financial service as well as understand the relevant consumer behavioural aspects of a target market when developing marketing strategies. Published literature on the South African Generation Y consumer behaviour is limited and none that is focused specifically on attitudes towards personal financial planning, financial literacy and perceived personal financial management skills of the significantly sized black Generation Y cohort. This cohort is defined as individuals born between 1986 and 2005. In South Africa, Generation Y individuals accounted for 38 present of the South African population, with the black Generation Y individuals representing 83 present of this generational cohort. Additionally, the black Generation Y cohort of South Africa account for approximately 32 present of the total population, resulting in a highly salient market segment. Of particular interest to marketers and professionals, including financial institutions and those involved in financial management, especially financial planning, are those individuals attaining tertiary qualifications, and as such they are likely to enjoy higher earnings and a higher social standing, which together is likely to make them opinion leaders and trendsetters amongst their peers. The primary objective of this study was to investigate black Generation Y students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards personal financial management within the South African context. The target population, relevant to this study, was defined as full-time undergraduate black Generation Y students, aged between 18 and 24 years, enrolled at South African registered public higher education institutions (HEIs). From the sampling frame, comprising 23 registered South African public HEIs, one traditional university and one university of technology located in the Gauteng province, were selected using a judgement sampling method. A convenience sample of 400 full-time black Generation Y students, who were enrolled at these two South African HEIs during 2013, was drawn for this study. To conduct this study, a structured format was applied where lecturers of the applicable classes were contacted and permission was requested to carry out the survey. Thereafter, during the scheduled class times of the full-time undergraduate students, hand delivered self-administered questionnaires were distributed for completion, which were collected thereafter. The students’ attitudes towards personal financial planning were measured on a six-point Likert scale, whereby participants were requested to indicate the extent of their agreement/disagreement with items pertaining to personal financial planning. The students’ financial literacy was measured, using multiple-choice questions, whereby the students were asked to choose one of the four alternatives provided. The students’ perceived personal financial management skills were measured on a six-point Likert scale, whereby the participants were requested to indicate the extent of their agreement/disagreement with items pertaining to personal financial management skills. Additionally, certain demographical data were requested from the participants. The findings of this study indicate that South African black Generation Y students exhibit a positive attitude towards personal financial planning, have low levels of financial literacy and perceive themselves as being equipped with having the necessary personal financial management skills. More specifically, students’ attitudes towards estate planning were ranked the highest, whereas attitudes towards the financial planning process were raked the lowest. In terms of financial literacy, students scored the highest in general financial knowledge and the lowest in spending related financial literacy questions. Students’ perceptions towards decision-making skills were rated the highest, whereas stress management skills were rated the lowest. Insights gained from this study will help academics, government, financial institutions and other economic role players understand current black Generation Y consumers’ attitudes towards personal financial planning, their level of financial literacy and their perceived personal financial management skills. / MCom (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Thesis (Ph.D. (Chartered Accountancy))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Chartered Accountancy))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University (Macquarie Graduate School of Management), 2006. / Bibliography: p. 242-259. / The research objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between an individual's involvement and their behaviour to prepare financially for retirement. More particularly, to determine if there is a significant positive relationship between involvement and their financial preparation for retirement, to establish whether the influence of involvement is moderated by an individual's age, income or gender, their level of education or the number of dependents they support, and to explore the role of involvement in how and why individuals form opinions about financial preparation for retirement. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / xiv, 259 p

The aim of this thesis "Long-term and Short-term Financial Planning of the Company" was to indicate the substance and aims of financial management in the area of liquidity. To evaluate financial strategies and importance of the net working capital management. To analyse liquidity over the last three years at a particular company based on the obtained data and to create the financial plan for the next period. The theoretical part is focused on the issue of financial planning. Principles and methods of planning were explained and the specifics of long-term and short-term financial planning were described. In the practical part the selected company and construction sector were characterized. After the evaluation of company´s financial situation, based on selected indicators of financial analysis, planned changes in the company were described. Then the financial plan was created. Afterwards, development of financial indicators throughout the plan period was evaluated. In conclusion overall economic situation was summarized.