Module overview
Accounting systems provide useful inputs in the decision-making processes of organisations. The overall aim of this module is to provide an understanding of how accounting processes and techniques are implicated in the management of organisations, be it at the board, strategic or tactical levels. This module will hence focus on how organizations are controlled and managed from the point of view of internal and external decision- makers, and the issues are considered in the context of business enterprises. The module builds on the fundamentals of accounting and the various management modules to develop the student’s awareness of contemporary issues emerging at the intersection of accounting and management.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically evaluate the available measurement methods of corporate performance.
- Identify and critically assess corporate governance problems and mechanisms;
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Develop skills in communication, problem solving, and critical thinking.
- Search and analyse information from different sources;
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The key concepts and theories in corporate governance and the development of major corporate governance initiatives;
- Corporate, social and environmental reporting and relevant theories;
- Different approaches to measure corporate performance.
Syllabus
- Theories and concepts of corporate governance and accountability .
- Major mechanisms of corporate governance, such as board of directors, executive incentives and compensation; shareholder activism, auditing; market for corporate control.
- Alternative conventions of income measurement and valuation.
- Latest developments and future directions in corporate governance and accountability such as research on corporate governance effectiveness, social and environment accounting, integrated reporting, global reporting initiative.
- Theories of management accounting and control.
- Role and effectiveness of budgeting and the process of budgeting.
- Divisional performance evaluation and financial measures.
- Management accounting and strategy: contemporary practices and approaches.
- Performance management frameworks e.g. Balanced Scorecard and the quantification of organisational goals, identification of perspectives and corresponding metrics.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
The module comprises a series of block taught sessions which combine with student led presentations. The presentations are based on academic papers and are organised in groups.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 126 |
| Teaching | 24 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Krishna G Palepu, Paul, M. Healy and Erik Peek. Business Analysis and Valuation IFRS edition. Cengage Learning.
Trevor Hopper, Deryl Northcott and Robert Scapens. Issues in Management Accounting. Prentice Hall.
Peter Atrill and Eddie McLaney. Management Accounting for Decision Makers. Prentice Hall.
Jill Solomon. Corporate Governance and Accountability. John Wiley & Sons.
Christopher Nobes. The Penguin Dictionary of Accounting. Penguin - www.penguincatalogue.co.uk/download.fullHtmlCatalogue?catalogueId=13.
Merchant K. A. and Van der Stede W. A.. Management Control System - Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Incentives. Prentice Hall.
Steen Thomsen and Martin Conyon. Corporate Governance: Mechanisms and Systems. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Presentation
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Formative feedback to be provided by the peer students and lecturer
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: Yes
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Group project | 20% |
| Examination | 80% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Examination | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Examination | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External