The aim To help managers appreciate the importance of budgets to business activity and to give guidance on building up and controlling a budget. About the programme The owner of a small manufacturing business finds himself in a typical predicament: sales are up 50 per cent on the previous year but profits are down. His more knowledgeable friend is able to explain that the increase and the extra expenditure it incurred were not previewed in the original budget - indeed, the budget appears to have been ignored altogether. He explains where the owner went wrong and why his working goals cannot be separated from financial realities. The benefits A straightforward explanation of what a budget is, why it works and how it is put together Excellent use of graphics to aid understanding Assumes no prior knowledge Programme includes: DVD (30 mins) Briefcase booklet Discussion guide