Strategic Investment

Principles and Strategies for investing in businesses, real estate, gold, stocks, and foreign currencies

Professor John Behzad

California State University, USA

Time: 6 – 9:30 PM

Date: Feb. 27 – March 2, 2012

Lecturer:

Dr. John Behzad is emeritus professor of finance and management at California State University USA and has over 25 years experience in teaching business courses in MBA and undergraduate programs in USA. He holds a B.A. in insurance, M.A. in economics, MBA in finance, and Ph.D. in finance and international business. He has done consulting in financial services, technology management, and executive education. He has published articles and books and has presented numerous papers at the national and international meetings of American academic and professional associations. He has served as director of several industry and government projects, research institutes and foundations.

Course Description:

This course is about applying investment knowledge to build wealth and increase returns on investment. The course offers a framework for making prudent investment in businesses, projects, stocks, real estate, gold, bonds, and other financial assets. It provides principles and strategies for putting your money to work, for making your business grow, and for using money, credit, and capital efficiently and wisely. Emphasis is placed on systematic approach to investing, good investment practices, and good decisions for investing in Vietnamese enterprises, securities, and other valuable assets. Some of the topics include:

• Strategies for buying businesses and investing in business projects
• Investing in stocks, corporate bonds, government securities, and bank certificates
• Investing in residential and commercial real estate
• Investing in gold, silver, and other commodities
• Investing in foreign currencies (dollar, yen, euro, pound)
• Investing in intangible assets (brand, advertising, public relations, promotional campaigns)
• Prices, returns, risks, yields, and valuation of securities
• Impact of inflation, deflation, recession, and financial crisis on value of assets
• Impact of economic policies and financial market movements on creation and growth of wealth

Who should attend?

• Corporate managers serving in positions of deputy general director, marketing manager, operations manager, human resource manager, accountant and financial manager.
• Business owners and directors who wish to balance their intuitive approach with strategic investment principles.
• Professional support staff, especially employees working in planning, accounting, finance, and customer relations departments of service companies, industrial firms, and small and medium enterprises.
• Any person who is engaged or interested in investment or who wants to refresh their knowledge of financial economy and financial assets.

Course Objective:

The aim of the course is to expand your knowledge of investment and deepen your understanding of the impact of financial markets on returns, risks, and value of assets. In particular, you will gain:

• A solid understanding of how wealth is created, how money can be invested more productively, and how to detect changes in the financial environment that affect value of your assets and investments.
• A fresh perspective on financial drivers that determine the cost and value of an asset (stock, bond, gold, real asset)
• Greater awareness of risks and returns of investing in assets in Vietnam and overseas
• Predict the impact of government policies, market conditions, global events, and investors’ sentiments on financial markets movements, stock prices, and return on your invested assets.

Course format:

The course has been designed to take into account the economic reality of investing in Vietnam. The course is structured as a collection of five daily modules. For each module, the professor makes use of lecture, discussion, examples, and exercises.

Course Outline:

The course is offered over five evening sessions (6 – 9:30 pm Monday through Friday):

Day 1: Building Wealth through Investing Financial Assets

• The engine of wealth creation and growth.
• How to create and increase wealth?
• Financial asset: features, returns, and prices
• Nature of investment decisions: balancing risk, returns, and timing
• Good financial thinking and how to apply it to investments
• Market dynamics, rational expectations, and financial crises

Day 2: Investing In Hard Assets (Real Estate, Gold, Durable Goods)

• Investing in real estate: when to buy and how to avoid common mistakes
• Real estate as a means for wealth building
• Commercial real estate investing 
• Investing in Depreciable Assets (cars, appliances) 
• Investing in gold: when, why and why not
• Common mistakes in financial planning and how to avoid them

Day 3: Investing In Financial Assets (Stock, Bonds, Bank Deposits)

• How to assess the worth of a financial asset?
• Investing in stocks: factors affecting stock prices and returns
• Stock market: returns, risks, dividends, and stock buybacks
• Investing in corporate and government bonds and notes
• Investing in foreign currencies

Day 4: Investing In Corporate Assets (Businesses, Projects, Equipment, Intangible Assets)

• Valuation of investment projects and business enterprise: procedures, types, and decisions.
• Cash flow analysis and cost and return on investment
• Cost of credit: how to calculate and how to use

Day 5: The Future of Financial Markets

• Economic environment of investing in Vietnam
• Financial challenges of companies operating in Vietnam
• Impact of financial markets and economic variables on returns and assets values
• Financial strategies for businesses in tough times
• Financial strategies for business growth