MANAGEMT 7100 - Accounting for Managers

North Terrace Campus - Trimester 3 - 2014

Participants in this course will develop the essential ability of all managers, to use complex accounting information as a platform for decision-making. As the course unfolds, participants will build an increasingly sophisticated level of understanding of the language of accounting and its key concepts. In addition the course develops skills in interpreting earnings statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports. This ability to analyse financial statements will enable participants to deal more effectively with strategic options for their businesses or business units. Strong foundations in financial analysis, and development of crucial basic accounting skills will also enable participants to develop a management accounting focus. From this second phase of the course students will take away highly relevant skills in areas such as budgeting, product and service costing and short-run decision making. Such skills, ability and knowledge will enable participants to more effectively identify profitable opportunities and to contribute significantly to better management within their own organisations.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MANAGEMT 7100
    Course Accounting for Managers
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Business School
    Term Trimester 3
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Course Description Participants in this course will develop the essential ability of all managers, to use complex accounting information as a platform for decision-making. As the course unfolds, participants will build an increasingly sophisticated level of understanding of the language of accounting and its key concepts. In addition the course develops skills in interpreting earnings statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports. This ability to analyse financial statements will enable participants to deal more effectively with strategic options for their businesses or business units.
    Strong foundations in financial analysis, and development of crucial basic accounting skills will also enable participants to develop a management accounting focus. From this second phase of the course students will take away highly relevant skills in areas such as budgeting, product and service costing and short-run decision making. Such skills, ability and knowledge will enable participants to more effectively identify profitable opportunities and to contribute significantly to better management within their own organisations.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Adjunct Ashley Miller

    Name: Ashley Miller
    Telephone: 0421 276 464
    Email: ashley.miller@adelaide.edu.au
    Course Website: www.myuni.adelaide.edu.au

    Ashley Miller (ashley.miller@adelaide.edu.au) is a Chartered Accountant and an adjunct lecturer. He has substantial experience in teaching at postgraduate levels in Australia and Asia with the University of Adelaide and the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Ashley works for KPMG, one of the largest accounting and advisory firms. Previously he had been in private banking for 12 years (NAB & ANZ), and prior to that worked at KPMG for 11 years, in Australia, Asia and the United States.

    He has a Bachelors degree in Economics and a Masters in Business Administration both from the University of Adelaide. He is also enrolled in a Master of Business Research.

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Understand the nature and role of the four principal financial statements (i.e., the Income Statement, the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Cash Flows, and the Statement of Changes in Equity) ;
    2. Develop an awareness and understanding of the accounting process and fundamental accounting principles that underpin the development of financial statements (e.g. accrual accounting vs. cash accounting, definition, recognition, measurement and disclosure of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses; inventory valuation methods, provisions, depreciation; accounting for intangibles);
    3. Ability to read, interpret and analyse financial statements; combine financial analysis with other information to assess the financial performance and position of a company;
    4. Understand and apply course concepts to analyse common business management decisions such as pricing and outsourcing decisions from a financial perspective;
    5. Understand the role of budgets in organisations, their limitations and the behavioural issues to consider when developing and using budgets for planning and control;
    6. Develop an awareness of the need to consider ethical, social and other relevant issues, in addition to financial information, in the management decision-making process.
    7. Develop group work and communication skills.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1,2,3,4,5,6
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 3,4,6
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 3,4
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 7
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 1,2,3
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 6
    An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 1,2,3,4,5,6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

     The textbook for this course is:

    Carlon, S., Mladenovic-McAlpine, R., Palm, C., Kimmel, P.D., Kieso, D.E,. Weygandt, J.J. (2012), Accounting: Building Business Skills, 4th Edition, Wiley - Milton, Qld. ISBN 978-1-742-466347

    You will need continual access to the above text in order to complete this course.

    As stated earlier, you should begin your reading of the textbook as soon as possible – chapter one should be read before the first class session. The pedagogical approach of the textbook [and this course] is based upon “active learning” and you should carefully read through the “Student Owner’s Manual” section of the textbook [pp. xix – xxxvii] BEFORE you start to use the book. This Manual will provide you with valuable information about how you can maximise the benefits from the textbook’s different features and how to study accounting in a way that best suits your own learning style.
    Optional

    The textbook also has a companion student study guide that contains summaries of the key points of each chapter and additional problems and questions [with solutions]. It is not necessary to purchase this study guide and it will not be referred to in class sessions. However, as accounting techniques are often best learnt with lots of practice, you may wish to access this guide for such a purpose. Prior students have reported that they have found the study guide to be a very valuable study resource. At the time of preparing this course information booklet, the textbook publisher had not made available the details of the study guide that accompanies the latest edition of the textbook. Details of the study guide for the 3rd (previous) edition of the textbook are:

    Kang, H. and Petzke, S. [2009], Study Guide to Accompany Accounting: Building Business Skills, 3rd Edition, J. Wiley & Sons, Australia, Ltd. ISBN 978 0 470 81777 3.

    As the study guide is for your own self-study purposes and because essentially the same topics are being covered in the third and fourth editions, you are free to use either edition of the study guide.

    Recommended Resources
    Some course topics have brief readings provided to supplement the chapters in the textbook and these are indicated in the relevant topic in the topic schedule above. In addition, there are many textbooks that students can use as references. Students will find any financial accounting textbook useful in supplementing the materials provided in the financial accounting section of the course text. Three such books are:
    • M Bazley, et al., [2004], Contemporary Accounting, [5th edition], Thomson. ISBN 017 011136 9.
    • Birt, et al., [2005], Accounting: Business Reporting for Decision Making, J. Wiley. ISBN 0 4708 0473 4.
    • D. Marshall, et al., [2005], Accounting: What the Numbers Mean, Mc-Graw Hill Irwin. ISBN 0 07 471350 7.
    Likewise any management accounting textbooks will be useful in supplementing the materials provided in the management accounting section of the course text. Three such books are:
    • K. Langfield-Smith, H. Thorne and R. Hilton, [2003], Management Accounting: An Australian Perspective, [3rd edition], Mc Graw-Hill, Sydney. ISBN 0074711903.
    • R. H. Garrison and E. W. Noreen [2000], Managerial Accounting, [9th edition], Irwin McGraw-Hill, Boston. ISBN 0256260737.
    • D.R.Hansen and M.M. Mowen [2005], Management Accounting, [7th edition], Thomson South-Western, Mason, OH. ISBN 0324234848.
    Students should also consult weekly business journals and the daily press. Many newspapers and business journals can be accessed from their websites. These sources contain regular reports of the results and activities of local companies and other organisations and they may raise accounting issues of contemporary interest. Examples include: Australian Financial Review; Business Pages of The Australian; Business Pages of the Adelaide Advertiser.
    Online Learning
    In addition to using material contained in the course notes and prescribed textbook, useful resources will also be made available through the course’s MyUni website. These include answers to selected in-class exercises / activities and exam revision questions. Please remember to visit the website regularly for updates.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    No information currently available.

    Workload

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    Learning Activities Summary

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  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

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    Assessment Detail

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    Submission

    No information currently available.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
    Occupational Health and Safety Arrangements
    The School is committed to upholding the University’s Policy on Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). All staff and students have a legal responsibility to act in the interests of themselves and others with respect to OH&S. To assist us, and to comply with your responsibilities, you are required to become informed about emergency evacuation procedures and the evacuation areas for the classes you attend.

    Evacuation Procedures
    Staff and students must leave the building via the fire stairs once the notice to evacuate has been given. The lifts should not be used. Those experiencing difficulties leaving the building should notify the floor warden. Staff and students may return to the building only after the Warden has granted permission.

    Medical Emergencies & First Aid In a life threatening situation only please telephone 8303 5444.

    Representatives and Officers
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    Accident and Incident Reporting
    OH&S legislation demands that all accidents and near-miss incidents be reported to the School Manager or Head of School. In the event of an accident or incident the person involved, and their supervisor, must complete an Accident/Incident Report and Investigation Form, within 48 hours of the accident/incident. A copy of the completed form is to be forwarded to the OH&S Safety Officer. Copies of the form are available from the OH&S Representative or Safety Officer.
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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