Can accounting relate to something other than journal entries, trial balance and final accounts? Can it ever not relate to a share capital a/c, a goodwill a/c, a sinking fund reserve a/c, a redemption reserve a/c or the saving grace, a ‘suspense a/c’? Well, Financial Accounting and Analysis at London Business School made me see accounting in a new light!
We had a case study every class and only case studies for exams. These case studies highlighted the critical role of accounting policies of companies as well as their considerable impact on the financials and consequently on the valuation metrics. A close watch on the revenue recognition, depreciation and expensing policies of the company coupled with one-time items which claim to construe exceptional earnings distortion, would certainly go a long way in assessing the sustainability of current operations of the firm and also, in forecasting its future earnings potential.
When Prof. Ahmed Tahoun proposed the format of the exam, we were actually quite certain that he was joking. He also added that we would enjoy writing the exam and that the questions would make us smile. True to his promise, the questions did make us smile, though the paper was quite long making our tired muscles scream and complain towards the end of the three-hour exam! It was a refreshing new perspective on an age-old subject!