MPAC 801:  The Business Environment

This course is intended to give students a hands-on opportunity to develop the skills needed to analyze and formulate firm strategy.  Strategy determines the direction of the firm by defining:

• where we are today – the analysis of our current situation,
• where we want to go  –  what is the best strategy for us, and
• how we will get there  –  executing the chosen strategy.

For aspiring CAs, business strategy is important as the profession is demanding that accountants begin to understand the ‘big picture’.  CAs must not only have the requisite technical skills to succeed, but they must also understand how these may assist the firm in achieving its strategy.

In this course students learn to think strategically.  Key areas we focus on are:

• analyzing the firm’s external environment and internal situation,
• generating alternative courses of action,
• implementing the chosen course of action, and
• determining the makeup of a good board of directors to monitor the results of the first three steps.