Business case example
The business case for training your staff with CIMA
Presented by:
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1. Introduction
Dear ____________________,
I’d like to study CIMA to become a qualified Chartered Global Management Accountant
(CGMA). I’ll need your support and investment to make this happen.
What follows is my business case, detailing how my CIMA studies will benefit the company,
and contribute to my ongoing personal learning and development.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.
2. Who is CIMA?
CIMA, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, is the largest professional body of
management accountants in the world. It offers the most relevant accounting qualification for
a career in business.
Their unique syllabus sets them apart from other accounting qualifications. By blending
management accounting and financial accounting with business focused subjects, CIMA
produces confident professionals who can lead their organisation to sustainable success.
3. What is management accounting?
Management accountants don’t have to sit in the finance team; their training is relevant
across all departments and sectors. Instead of just crunching numbers, they’ll interpret and
communicate complex information in order to make key business decisions and shape the
future of your company.
4. Overview of the CIMA qualifications
CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting
This is CIMA’s entry level accounting qualification, open to everyone regardless of previous
experience. It’s a valuable qualification in its own right, but passing it can also be a steppingstone to the CIMA Professional Qualification.
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Completion time: 12-18 months on average
Designation: CIMA Cert BA
CIMA Professional Qualification
Upon passing the Professional Qualification, students will become fully qualified Chartered
Global Management Accountants, and full members of CIMA.
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Completion time: 3-5 years on average
Designation: CGMA
5. What I’ll learn
The 2015 Certificate in Business Accounting syllabus:
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How to identify and control costs, prepare budget statements and make decisions
using different analysis techniques
Basic concepts of financial accounting
The mathematics associated with managing business
How competition, markets and economic policy can influence an organisation
The different law frameworks that affect all commercial activity
The 2015 Professional Qualification syllabus:
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Strategic management
Risk management
Financial strategy
Project and relationship management
Advanced management accounting
Advanced financial reporting
Organisational management
Management accounting
Financial reporting and taxation
As well as accounting fundamentals, I’ll learn vital strategic business and management skills:
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Analysis: understanding the story behind the numbers and using it to make business
decisions
Strategy: helping formulate strategy to create wealth and shareholder value
Risk: looking at end-to-end business processes to identify and manage risk
Planning: using accounting techniques to plan and budget
Communication: knowing what information management needs and explaining the
numbers to non-financial managers
To make the syllabus even more relevant to you as an employer, new material has been
added for 2015 (like Big Data, sustainability and integrated reporting) after detailed
consultations with employers worldwide.
6. The benefits of CIMA-qualified staff
1. Become a thought leader. A CIMA-qualified Chartered Global Management
Accountant is passionate about driving your business forward and being at the
forefront of new industry thinking.
2. Make better decisions. The amount of unstructured data nowadays makes decisionmaking more important than ever. CIMA teaches Global Management Accounting
Principles to help businesses get the best systems in place.
3. Get the competitive edge. CIMA members have the most relevant, up-to-date
knowledge and experience, giving your business an advantage.
4. Fill clients or stakeholders with confidence. CIMA students gain a new
qualification and designation after passing each level. They’ll go from CIMA Cert BA
to CIMA Dip MA to CIMA Adv Dip MA, and finally CGMA. These designations
reassure people that your staff are capable, reliable and always learning.
5. Grow tomorrow’s business leaders. By supporting your employees through CIMA,
you’ll ensure they have the practical skills and in-depth training they need to
understand and manage the biggest challenges facing your organisation.
6. Up skilling. CIMA students gain business-relevant skills from day one, so they’ll add
value to your company straight away, even before they’re qualified.
7. My business case: executive summary
a) I would like to study for the following qualification(s):
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The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting
The CIMA Professional Qualification
b) Why I want to study CIMA:
c) How my training will benefit the business:
d) Studying with CIMA is really flexible. It can be studied at home with official textbooks and
materials, online through CIMAstudy.com or in seminars and lectures with our approved
tuition providers.
This is my study plan:
8. My business case: costs and timeline
a) Investment required from the business:
b) Proposed next steps: