AYB227 International Accounting


To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.


Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:AYB227
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:96 credit points of completed studies.
Equivalent:AYX227
Coordinator:Sue Taylor | sm.taylor@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

As business and financial markets have become increasingly globalised, the significance of the differences in international, financial accounting policies and disclosure and reporting practices, have become more important, especially from the perspective of management, financial analysts and other users of financial statements including trillion dollar pension/superannuation funds. For these key interest groups, it is vital not only to be aware of international differences in financial accounting policies and practices, but also to be able to assess their impact on earnings and assets and key performance indicators and ratios, for example, return on assets. Additional key issues in globalised business operations relate to an understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity issues and the global trends in foreign currency transactions and hedging, global corporate sustainability, international taxation and international audit.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Identify and analyse international business issues in financial accounting, reporting, disclosure, and enforcement informed by relevant analytical frameworks;
  2. Apply theoretical and technical knowledge of international accounting policy choices and practices to the cross-cultural interpretation and analysis of external financial reports of leading international corporations;
  3. Exercise critical thinking in relation to current issues raised in the international accounting literature and make informed judgements and recommendations;
  4. Present and engage in reasoned debate relating to current international business issues; and
  5. Demonstrate reflective thinking and responsibility for your own learning and professional practice.

Content

This unit is designed to provide you with an insight into, and an appreciation of, many of the financial accounting problems and issues faced in an international business environment. Thus, the content examined includes issues based on a case study analysis, related to:

  • the framework of international financial accounting, reporting, disclosure and enforcement for global corporations;
  • comparative international accounting systems and practices across key cultural groupings;
  • the influence of development factors and culture on both PRE and POST-IFRS accounting values, principles and practices and the overall impact then on the foreign direct investment risk taken by external investors in global corporations; and
  • international financial reporting issues such as international harmonisation; international corporate social responsibility reporting; international foreign currency transactions and hedging; the comparative international analysis of foreign financial statements; international comparative auditing and international taxation planning and the claimed link with worldwide poverty.

The generic capabilities developed in this Unit are:

  • critical thinking and judgement skills;
  • oral communication;
  • reflective thinking; and
  • ethical, legal and regulatory knowledge and skills.

QUT Business Capabilities (Undergraduate)

The content and assessment in this unit are aligned to a selection of the following set of QUT Business Capabilities, also known as Assurance of Learning Goals (AoLs). Developing these capabilities will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT and equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your chosen career.

Knowledge and Technological Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated discipline (including technical) knowledge across the broad field of business with depth in one or more core business disciplines
1.2 Apply technical and technological skills appropriate and effective for real world business purposes and contexts.

Higher Order Thinking (HO)
2.1 Investigate real world business issues and situations through the effective analysis, evaluation and synthesis of theory and practice
2.2 Exercise independent judgement and initiative in adapting and applying knowledge and skills for effective planning, problem solving and decision making in diverse contexts.

Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Use information literacy skills, and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes and contexts
3.2 Use information literacy skills, and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms, appropriate for diverse purposes and contexts.

Teamwork and Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection, responsibility and accountability in relation to own learning and professional practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across diverse purposes and contexts

Social, Ethical and Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices in analysing and responding to business issues
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues in national and international business contexts.

Learning Approaches

Teaching and learning strategies are designed to encourage you to fulfill the aims and learning outcomes of the unit as discussed above. Weekly lectures are used to provide a basic understanding of the issues, and this understanding will be developed through the use of workshop cases, in-class debates and presentations and an individual, cross-cultural project. You will also be provided with an opportunity to work collaboratively within a formative peer review process designed to provide you with support and feedback on prepared drafts for your major, individual project - prior to the project's final submission for marking.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive continuous feedback in various forms throughout the semester which will include formal and direct feedback via: your ability to become part of the peer review process to obtain formative feedback on a draft of your major, individual project; detailed tutorial solutions; weekly comments on submitted tutorial work and presentations; detailed criteria sheets for all assessment tasks; a practice exam and solutions; and informal feedback via weekly consultations and prompt discussion board responses for all assessment task-based and/or administrative queries.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment aims to support your achievement of the learning outcomes for this Unit. It has been designed in order to allow you to both:

  • receive feedback on your learning as you progress toward the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes (formative assessment); and
  • demonstrate your learning in order to achieve a final grade (summative assessment).

You may be required to attend campus or an assessment centre for the purposes of assessment, regardless of the attendance mode for the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

For each tutorial from Week Three there is a decision case related to the topic for that week. Each week students will work together in small groups to orally present their answers to the two tutorial questions with both tutorial questions mandatory for presenters. Detailed assessment information is provided in Canvas. You will select your own presentation group members in the first tutorial (week two). The presentation (20%), is marked by your tutor. In answering your two presentation questions, a knowledge of the key issues/principles/models/theories from prior lectures, tutorials and presentations will be required. Regular attendance at the weekly tutorials and presentations will be extremely beneficial for your own presentations and for completing your major individual project and answering the final exam questions.

For those students not presenting each week (the 'listening' audience), you will have the opportunity to complete the first tutorial question and attempt the second presentation question. Your answers to Question One and the presentation question (if attempted), can then be expanded during the presentation to include additional issues raised by the presenters and/or your tutor. You can then submit your tutorial answers each week to your tutor for personal feedback/support.

Completion of these weekly tasks will provide you with the understanding that you need to complete all unit assessments. Note: In order to protect the environment, these weekly submissions to obtain formative feedback is taking place via email to limit the need for paper copies to have to be printed. It is important to prepare your draft answers to the tutorial questions and to then attend the tutorial, listen to and engage with the presenters and to make modifications/corrections to your original submissions. Thus, the final copy you submit to your tutor will be enriched by this class engagement and then also by additional feedback from your tutors.

Tutorials commence in Week Two, presentations are held from Week Three to Week 12

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.2), PC (3.2), SE (5.1, 5.2)

Weight: 20
Length: 28 Minutes Per Presentation Team
Individual/Group: Group
Due (indicative): Weeks 3 - 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Individual Project

This project focuses on a comparative analysis of the key international accounting issues of:

  • the impact of international accounting patterns;
  • culture and development on national financial accounting policies and practices;
  • international financial accounting standards and their global convergence;
  • international, foreign, financial statement analysis related to the performance of global corporations across key cultural groupings; and
  • a range of currently controversial international business issues.

Important: Participating in the weekly presentation cases and debates in the tutorials will greatly assist you with your preparation for this assessment task. It is also extremely important to download this major assessment task as soon as it becomes available in Week 2 of classes as you will then be able to identify the relevant tutorial work that will assist you in answering both Part A and Part B of the major project questions.

Note: Part A of your major, individual project will be due for submission in Week Six with staff feedback provided to you which will then assist you to complete the final, Part B requirements of your project which is due in Week Ten.

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals):  HO (2.2), SE (5.1, 5.2)

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 30
Length: Part A and B - Total Words = 2000. 10% above the word limit is acceptable for each Part. Note: Part A = 1000 Words Limit; Part B = 1000 Words Limit.
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Part A - Due in Week Six (15%); Part B - Due in Week Ten (15%)
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Assessment: Final Examination

The final exam will cover Weeks One to Twelve of the Semester and will consist of practical, theory, self reflection and case study questions.

Formative or Summative: Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.2), TS (4.1), SE (5.1, 5.2)

Weight: 50
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Central Examination Period
Central exam duration: 2:10 - Including 10 minute perusal
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 5

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Doupnik, T., Finn, M., Gotti, G. and Perera, H. (2020), International Accounting, 5th ed., Boston, McGraw-Hill

Reference book(s)

Conway, E. and D. Byrne, (eds.) (2018). Contemporary Issues in Accounting The Current Developments in Accounting Beyond the Numbers, Springer International, https://link-springer-com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-91113-7

Current International Accounting Articles, Business and Government Reports, Newspaper Articles etc. will also be provided on a weekly basis under the Learning Resources heading on the AYB227 Canvas site. For example, you will also be provided with access to a number of current international business cases related to issues such as International Taxation and the key, global issue of profit shifting and the use of tax havens.

International Accounting: Pearson New International Edition (7e) (2013) - Frederick D. Choi and Gary K. Meek

Nobes, C. and Parker, R. (2016), Comparative International Accounting (13th ed.) Essex, England, Prentice Hall

The following are useful references, including textbooks, journals and websites. Additional references can also be found at the unit's Canvas site: http://Canvas.qut.edu.au

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

QUT Business Capabilities (Undergraduate)

HO (2.1): Critical Analysis

Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Individual Project

HO (2.2): Independent Judgement and Decision-Making

Relates to: ULO3, Presentation, Individual Project, Final Examination

PC (3.2): Professional Communication (Oral)

Relates to: ULO4, Presentation

SE (5.1): Ethical and Legal Understanding

Relates to: Presentation, Individual Project, Final Examination

SE (5.2): Global Social Responsibility

Relates to: ULO2, Presentation, Individual Project, Final Examination

TS (4.1): Self-Reflection and Accountability

Relates to: ULO5, Final Examination

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

BS05 Bachelor of Business

  1. Investigate real world business issues and situations through the effective analysis, evaluation and synthesis of theory and practice.
    Relates to: ULO1