Key Management Ratios - A Quick Pictorial Guide For The Manager

Times Bookshop
East, Singapore
May 2013

Aye TaiTai spotted this book in Times Bookshop yesterday - "Key Management Ratios : The 100+ Ratios Every Manager Needs To Know" by Ciaran Walsh (2008) :

According to GoodReads, 

"Business ratios are the guiding stars by which you steer your company's course; they provide your targets and your standards; they direct you towards the best long-term strategies as well as the smartest short-term solutions. You can't afford to leave them to the accountants. In Key Management Ratios, top financial educator Cieran Walsh teaches you everything you need to knowabout ratios to manage your business far more effectively. This book's thoroughly updated coverage includes: financial statements, balance sheets, and P&Ls; measures and drivers of operating performance; corporate liquidity, financial strength, and cash flow; determinants of corporate value; cost,volume, and price relationships; investment ratios, acquisition analysis, and Shareholder Value-Added (SVA). Simply put, Cieran Walsh enables you to link your company's financial fundamentals to its day-to-day operations--so you can make smarter decisions based on better information."

Aye TaiTai likes the book for its clear illustration of key concepts, its comprehensive coverage of 100 ratios, and for the use of diagrams which makes it easier for idiot-proof taitais to understand.

Pssst... Aye TaiTai has already checked, the 2008 edition book is high on reserves at the National Library, with sets available only in the following libraries - Jurong, Marine Parade, Tampines and Woodlands.

As this is the fourth edition of the book, remember to get the correct edition if you are borrowing/buying the book!  :)

Khan Academy - Accelerated Learning For Students Of All Ages

Today Aye TaiTai discovered a good source of online learning on YouTube. She got her "tip" from Bill Gates' playlist on TED. 

(For those who have to discovered the TED pot of gold on their "smart phones", see "What On Earth Is TED?".)

The YouTube channel that Aye TaiTai is talking about is Khan Academy. It has more than 4,000 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of academic subjects, mainly focusing on mathematics and the sciences. 

In late 2004, Salman Khan, the originator of Khan Academy, began tutoring his cousin, Nadia, in mathematics over the internet using Yahoo!'s Doodle notepad. When other relatives and friends sought his tutoring, he decided it would be more practical and beneficial to distribute the tutorials on YouTube where he created an account in 2006. Their popularity on the video sharing website and the testimonials of appreciative students prompted Khan to quit his job as a hedge fund analyst in late 2009 to focus on developing his YouTube channel, Khan Academy. (From Wikipedia)

Who Does He Think He Is?

 
Don't play play ok - Salman Khan holds four degrees: a BS in mathematics, a BS in electrical engineering and computer science, as well as an MS in computer science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is married to Umaima Marvi, who is a Pakistani American physician. (From Wikipedia)

And and... In March 2011, Salman Khan was invited to speak at TED by Bill Gates who says he uses the Khan Academy Exercise Software to teach his own children. Khan Academy, a non-profit organization, is also funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Google. (From Wikipedia)

Which Of His Talks Are Worth Your Brain Juice?

Aye TaiTai is no technical superbrain, nor is she working in any technical area. In fact, she hardly uses any maths in her life other than counting the coupons for the cheapest bargains at the supermarket. So, many of the physics and mathematical talks are waaaay out of her league, even if simple English and angkongkiah (i.e. pictures and diagrams) are used.

Starting with the basics, Aye TaiTai explored those preschool-level talks and realized that it's possible to rethink many concepts in a whole new way!

• "Addition 2" : Using a number line 
• "Addition 3" : Expanding on Addition 2 to include memorizing of a few simple results

Or you can try out those on other topics for quick 10-minute introductions:

• "Healthcare and Medicine" (Medicine)
• "Empires before World War I" (History)
• "Cosmology and Astronomy" (Astronomy)
• "Ozymandias and writing invention" (Literature)
• "Microeconomics and Macroeconomics" (Economics)

Why We Should All Learn From Khan

Khan outlined his mission as to "accelerate learning for students of all ages. With this in mind, we want to share our content with whoever may find it useful." Khan also plans to extend his "free school" to cover topics such as English. Programs are being undertaken to use Khan's videos to teach those in isolated areas of Africa and Asia. He delineated his motives: "With so little effort on my own part, I can empower an unlimited amount of people for all time. I can't imagine a better use of my time." (From Wikipedia)

(From Kurzweilai.net)

Brain Juice - What On Earth Is TED?

Aye TaiTai used her vacation time to explore the various apps on her "smart" phone. One of those apps that she discovered pre-installed was TED. It is represented by this logo (Quick, go check your phone!):

So, what on earth is TED?

TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan "ideas worth spreading".

TED was founded in 1984 as a one-off event. The annual conference began in 1990, in Monterey, California with an early emphasis was technology and design, consistent with its origins in the Silicon Valley. Since June 2006, the talks have been offered for free viewing online. As of May 2013, over 1,400 talks are available free online. 

Why Aye TaiTai recommends TED for those seeking to increase their brain juice:

• TED is available online and on mobile platforms (i.e. You can watch TED instead of looking at your own reflection on the window in the train!).

(From Blogspot)

• TED covers a wide range of topics, e.g. Entertainment, Business, Global Issues (Phew, not just "technology"!).

(From Wordpress)

• TED has customized "playlists" for those seeking to emulate the wisdom of "the smart ones", e.g. Daryl Hannah (the mermaid), Barbra Streisand (the one that "All I Ask Of You"), Bill Gates (the Microsoft guy), Ryuichi Sakamoto (the guy who wrote the music for The Last Emperor and Little Buddha).

(From Blogspot & LayoutSparks)

• Best of all, TED is FREE! (Cheapo cheapo!)

Convinced to give up Candy Crush for TED yet?

(From Blogspot & Chud)

TED is available online at http://www.ted.com/talks.