Chapter 1 – Unit 1
Introduction to U.S. Financial
System
IET 35000
Engineering Economics
Learning Objectives – Chapter 1
Upon completion of this chapter you should understand:
Reasons for economic success and a brief history of the U.S.
economic system.
Legal forms of the organization and their respective sources
of capital.
The Money Cycle.
Contemporary financial techniques including total financial
management and the team triangle approach to financial
decision making.
Financial responsibilities as they relate to the constituents
of an organization.
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Learning Objectives – Unit 1
Upon completion of this unit you should understand:
Reasons for economic success and a brief history of the U.S.
economic system.
Legal forms of the organization and their respective sources
of capital.
The Money Cycle.
Contemporary financial techniques including total financial
management and the team triangle approach to financial
decision making.
Financial responsibilities as they relate to the constituents
of an organization.
3
1
Introduction
Essentially no decision in made in an organization without
considering the financial implications.
The success or failure of an organization is directly linked to
financial and economic decisions.
The high standard of living in the U.S. is due to capitalism
which comes from the economic framework established by
the founding fathers and constitution.
To effectively manage the financial aspects of an
organization, an understanding of economic concepts,
analysis methods, record‐keeping requirements is essential.
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Introduction
Contemporary management includes the empowerment of
employees to take an active role in decision‐making,
therefore, an understanding of economic decision tools is
essential.
A key concept within financial decision‐making is the value of
money.
Organizations must never be satisfied – application of
continuous improvement is essential to survival. This includes
continuous improvement of financial and economic
management.
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America’s Economic Success
Factors:
Economic Freedom – freedom to choose.
Competitive System – multiple producers.
Political Stability – stable government.
Natural Resources – mining and agriculture.
Management Science – innovation of management
techniques.
Education System – public education.
Legal System – constitution and common‐law based
system.
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America’s Economic Success
Factors: (continued)
Private Property – key component of capitalism.
Technology and Science – creativity, inventions and
innova on → “Yankee Ingenuity”
Comprehensive Monetary System – banking, financial
markets and government money system.
Strong Military – protection of property and economic
system.
Melting Pot – heterogeneous population with variety of
skills and abilities.
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Agricultural and Crafts Manufacturing Period:
Dates: Founding of country into 1800’s.
Basis of economy was agriculture – 90% of population on
family farms. Most product produced was for survival. Cash
crops included tobacco and cotton.
Craft‐based manufacturing – one‐person operations. Shop,
manufacturing area and living quarters typically in one
building. Examples include: blacksmiths, candle makers,
silversmiths, tinsmiths, etc.
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Agricultural and Crafts Manufacturing Period:
Characteristics:
One‐person businesses and family farms.
Little mechanization – hand or animal powered tools.
Little or no external financing of business or farm.
Barter and exchange rather than cash.
No financial systems or record keeping.
Owners in direct contact with customers.
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3
Brief U.S. Economic History
Factory System Period:
Dates: 1800 – 1940. Typically referred to as the 1st
Industrial Revolution
Mechanization of manufacturing occurred using water
power and the steam engine.
Manufacturing moved from craft‐based to factories.
Factories hired and paid employees causing a migration
from the farm to urban areas.
Immigrants were hired to work in the factories.
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Factory System Period:
Characteristics:
Formal organizations patterned after the military.
Outside investment in factories – partners,
shareholders and bank loans.
Labor specialization and higher output.
Expansion of banking and financial systems.
Formation of unions and government regulation such
as anti‐trust legislation.
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Factory System Period:
Characteristics (continued):
Emergence of the science of management and
industrial engineering.
Emergence of the corporation due to the ability to
raise capital through the sale of stock and bonds.
Separation of owners, managers and workers from the
ultimate customer of the product.
Financial management, record‐keeping, reporting and
economic analysis.
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4
Brief U.S. Economic History
Contemporary Era:
Dates: 1940 – today. Typically referred to as the 2nd
Industrial Revolution and the Information Age.
Key concepts affecting economics:
Rapid information growth and computer processing of
information.
Rise of international competition.
Organizational culture change as a result of Total
Quality Management (TQM).
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Contemporary Era :
Characteristics:
Knowledge, information and services outsell
manufactured products.
Over 50% of the economy is based on services.
Computer and information technology substantially
changed how organizations operate.
Globalization and international competition
substantially changed how organization operate and
where they locate.
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Brief U.S. Economic History
Contemporary Era :
Characteristics (continued):
Extensive financial analysis tools are employed.
Manufacturing employs programmable automation
and computer control of processes.
Organizations have reconnected with the customer.
Total Quality Management, Six Sigma and Lean
concepts have been widely adopted by both service
and manufacturing organizations.
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Total Quality Management
Total Quality Management (TQM) applications for financial
management will be covered in chapter 12.
Briefly, TQM characteristics include:
Senior management as leaders.
Change in an organization’s culture.
Organization driven by customer needs and expectations.
Prevention rather than detection methods employed.
Organizational philosophy of continuous improvement.
Employees empowered to make decisions.
Continuous training used to support empowerment.
Fact and statistical based decision making.
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End Unit 1 Material
Go to Unit 2 Forms of Organization
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Chapter 1 – Unit 2
Forms of Organizations
IET 35000
Engineering Economics
6
Learning Objectives – Unit 2
Upon completion of this unit you should understand:
Reasons for economic success and a brief history of the U.S.
economic system.
Legal forms of the organization and their respective sources
of capital.
The Money Cycle.
Contemporary financial techniques including total financial
management and the team triangle approach to financial
decision making.
Financial responsibilities as they relate to the constituents
of an organization.
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Organization’s Legal Form
Legal form of an organization affects financial management,
taxes, profit‐sharing and financial decision‐making.
Legal form of an organization also has a direct effect on how
capital is raised for expansion or investment in new assets.
Primary legal forms for organizations in the U.S. are:
Proprietorship
Partnership
Corporation
Associated with the three primary forms are special forms
such as cooperatives, non‐profits, subchapter‐S corporations
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and limited partnerships.
Proprietorship
Characteristics include:
Single owner who has complete control and may make
quick decisions.
Easy to form but limited to the life of the single owner.
Capital limited to owner’s resources, profits and ability to
borrow funds (loans).
Largest number of organizations in U.S. are the proprietor
form. There is no limit to potential size.
Liability of the owner and organization overlap.
Owner taxed for the profit/loss of the proprietorship.
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Partnership
Characteristics include:
Two or more owners resulting in diffusion of control.
Decisions affect all partners.
Partnerships formed by a contract between the partners.
Life limited to the natural life of the partners.
Capital based on partner’s resources, profits and ability to
borrow funds (loans).
Partnerships may be large in size.
Profits and liabilities shared by all of the partners.
Partners taxed as individuals for profit/loss of the
partnership.
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Corporation
Characteristics include:
Formed by a charter from the state. May conduct business
as an ‘individual’ such as owning property and entering into
contracts.
Corporation is owned by the shareholders who vote to
elect directors who in turn appoint the managers.
Corporations may sell securities including various classes of
stock and bonds.
Potentially unlimited life. Ownership passed between
individuals through share of stock.
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Corporation
Characteristics include (continued):
Liability of owners (shareholders) limited to their
investment.
Profits generated may be shared with the owners in the
form of dividends or retained for future investment.
Corporations have special tax requirements:
Corporations pay tax on their profits at a different tax
rate compared to individuals.
Owners (shareholders) pay individual income tax on
only the dividends they receive from the corporation.
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Sources of Money
Sources of funds to start and operate businesses include:
Personal funds (proprietorships and partnerships).
Profits generated from successful endeavors. Profits can be
reinvested in assets or distributed to the organization’s
owners (all forms).
Loans from external sources. Conditions and terms vary
with type of organization and risk. Loans require repayment
with interest (all forms).
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Sources of Money
Bonds are issued by corporations and government agencies
and represent debt to the issuing group. They are a type of
security issued for a fixed term, usually 10 years or more,
and represent a loan to the bond issuer (corporation).
Bonds are used to raise funds for specific projects or
capital investments.
Bonds are typically sold in $1000 multiples with the
interest rate based on risk and market conditions.
Interest only is paid to the owner of the bond until the
expiration date at which time the face value is repaid.
Bonds can be traded on the securities market.
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Sources of Money
Common stock is issued by corporations and represents
ownership, not debt (corporation).
Stock typically is issued for initial start‐up funds or to
increase the capitalization of an firm.
Dividends may be paid if the firm is profitable but are
not required.
Firms may repurchased by the firm to reduce the
number of outstanding shares.
Common stock can be traded on the securities market.
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Sources of Money
Preferred stock is issued by corporations and represents
ownership, not debt (corporation).
Preferred stock differs from common stock in that it
carries a fixed dividend rate, similar to bonds.
Preferred stock can be traded on the securities market.
If a firm ceases operation, assets of the firm including
retained earnings are used in the following order:
Repay debt including loans and bonds.
Compensate owners of preferred stock.
Compensate owners of common stock.
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End Unit 2 Material
Go to Unit 3 The Money Cycle
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Chapter 1 – Unit 3
The Money Cycle
IET 35000
Engineering Economics
10
Learning Objectives – Unit 3
Upon completion of this unit you should understand:
Reasons for economic success and a brief history of the U.S.
economic system.
Legal forms of the organization and their respective sources
of capital.
The Money Cycle.
Contemporary financial techniques including total financial
management and the team triangle approach to financial
decision making.
Financial responsibilities as they relate to the constituents
of an organization.
31
Financial analysis methods
including the time value of
The Money Cycle
The accounting system
money is applied to the
Financial decision-making
tools such as breakeven
accumulates historical Decision results are
historical data.
and minimum cost
accounting
and
financial
Financial analysis and financial decision‐making can be described
monitored and
analysis are used to
information.
improvements are made
by the Money Cycle. Figure 1‐1 from the text illustrates the
evaluate alternatives.
on a continuous basis.
continuous money cycle.
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The Money Cycle
Historical Accounting and Financial Information:
Record keeping (bookkeeping) – accumulates the financial
data for an organization.
Managerial Accounting – uses collected data for analysis of
manufacturing/service costs, inventory and assets. Used
internally by management for measuring performance. Not
shared with public other than sometimes lenders.
Financial Accounting – uses collected data for external
reporting including annual statements and taxes.
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The Money Cycle
Financial Analysis and Time Value of Money:
Tools and techniques are applicable to individuals, small
firms and large organizations, and to service and
manufacturing organizations.
Tools and techniques include:
Interest calculations
Breakeven analysis
Minimum cost analysis
Replacement decisions
Tax analysis
Related techniques
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The Money Cycle
Financial Tools and Decisions:
Decision making includes analysis of projects, investments,
equipment purchase or replacement and other allocation of
funds by an organization.
Decisions are a result of combining data from record‐keeping
with economic analysis techniques.
Decision emphasis is on operating and tactical decisions that
are customer driven.
Decision making in a modern organization is cross‐functional
team driven.
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The Money Cycle
Continuous Financial Improvement:
Through monitoring and implementing changes to financial
decisions, an organization can improve its financial results.
Requires equipping personnel of the organization with
financial knowledge and decision making skills.
Techniques include:
Financial Measurement
Quality Economics
Continuous Improvement Methods
Total Quality Management
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End Unit 3 Material
Go to Unit 4 Financial Decision Making
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Chapter 1 – Unit 4
Financial Decision Making
IET 35000
Engineering Economics
Learning Objectives – Unit 4
Upon completion of this unit you should understand:
Reasons for economic success and a brief history of the U.S.
economic system.
Legal forms of the organization and their respective sources
of capital.
The Money Cycle.
Contemporary financial techniques including total financial
management and the team triangle approach to financial
decision making.
Financial responsibilities as they relate to the constituents
of an organization.
39
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Decision Making
Reference: Bowman text – page 13.
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Total Financial Management
Total Financial Management – team approach:
Team includes financially and technically knowledgeable
staff and supported by senior management.
Team makes financial recommendations and decisions
based on customer needs and expectations.
Team uses financial analysis tools make decisions.
Team may be:
Work‐group teams – members from related work areas.
Cross‐functional team – members from different
departments.
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Money and Organizations
Organizations must make financial decisions to optimize the
benefit to the organization’s constituents.
Organization’s constituents may have competing goals
necessitating balancing the needs of the constituents.
Constituents include: Customers
Shareholders/owners
Employees
Suppliers
Lenders
Community
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Constituents’ Needs
Customers – quality services/products and competitive
prices.
Shareholders/owners – return on their investment.
Employees – equitable salary and benefits; employment
stability; opportunity for growth; and safe/pleasant working
environment.
Suppliers and Lenders – payment on time.
Community – taxes, positive citizenship and environmentally
benign.
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Economic Analysis
Steps in economic analysis and decision‐making include:
1. Identify the issue or improvement to be made.
2. Select the desired result, outcome, goal or target.
3. Collect data.
4. Determine alternative solutions using team‐based
techniques.
5. Analyze data.
6. Select and approve the best alternative.
7. Predict outcomes; measure, audit and monitor actual
outcomes.
8. Improve continuously.
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Topics, Tools and Techniques
Topics, tools and techniques that are used to analyze, monitor
and improve an organization’s financial position include:
Financial statement analysis.
Cost determination.
Interest calculations.
Depreciation methods.
Time value of money.
Breakeven analysis.
Minimum cost analysis.
Alternative analysis methods.
Alternative selection methods.
Replacement analysis.
Tax effect analysis.
Economics of quality.
Continuous financial
improvement.
Total Financial Management
techniques.
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Financial Decisions
Typical financial decisions may include:
Meeting the customer’s requirements and expectations.
Increasing profitability.
Improving products, processes, services and quality.
Improving productivity and competitiveness.
Reducing costs.
Meeting environmental standards.
Developing new products and services.
Improving safety and comfort of work areas.
Increasing shareholder/owner returns.
Meeting legal or ethical requirements.
Simplifying work, processes and methods.
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End Chapter 1 Material
Student Study Guide Chapter 1
Homework Assignment Problem Set 1
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