The module aims to develop students':
- knowledge and understanding of management accounting;
- ability to apply management accounting techniques for strategic planning, control and decision making activities and;
- capacity to critically appraise relevant management accounting techniques and concepts and advise on ethical dimensions.
The management accounting framework and the design of management accounting systems
This includes the objectives of management accounting in relation to planning, controlling and decision making, the effective use of management accounting techniques and tools (including management accounting control systems), contingency theory and trends and developments in management accounting techniques and methods.
Costing and cost analysis
This includes the selection and application of suitable techniques for costing and cost estimation, behavioural implications and cost management.
Variance analysis
This includes the determination and evaluation of standards, the calculation and interpretation of variances (including advanced variances) and associated behavioural issues.
Budgeting
This includes the budget process, approaches to budgeting and budgetary control, the role of budgeting in the context of planning and control, and behavioural aspects of budgeting.
Transfer pricing
This includes approaches to transfer pricing and dealing with issues and conflicts which may arise.
Performance management
This includes alignment to strategic goals, divisional performance evaluation, internal financial analysis and ethical dimensions.
Strategic management accounting
This includes the balanced scorecard, use of KPIs and benchmarking.
Allocation and management of resources
This includes resource planning, CVP analysis, cost management and environmental management accounting
Product and pricing decisions
This includes relevant costing, risk and uncertainty, profitability analysis and strategic considerations.
Topics will usually be introduced by means of traditional lectures. Students' capacity to apply and critically evaluate concepts will be developed through their engagement in class discussions, problem solving and short case studies. Students will receive their formative feedback throughout the semester by having the opportunity to mark their own solutions to pre-assigned problems and short case studies against solutions presented by the lecturer. Students will also receive detailed formative feedback on their performance in the interim written examinations.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 80 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 20 |