AYN414 Cost and Management 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:AYN414
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:AYN416 Can be enrolled in the same teaching period.
Coordinator:Yesh Nama Venkateswwaralu | yesh.nama@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

The objective of management accounting is to deliver effective business insights to help managers of organisations (profit and non-profit) achieve the strategic goals of their firm. In this unit you will learn to evaluate data and perform analytical techniques that support decisions such as costing a firm's products or services, budgeting, and performance management. 

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Describe the most widely used management accounting systems and apply them appropriately.
  2. Prepare costing reports using different costing systems.
  3. Analyse financial and non-financial information to provide written advice in the form of reports to assist business decision making.
  4. Analyse financial and non-financial information to provide verbal advice to managers using information prepared in written reports.

Content

The intent of this unit has been selected with the specified aim and learning outcomes in mind. The unit examines how to collate, analyse and interpret financial and non-financial information for management to make informed decisions that align with their organisation's strategic goals. This unit will provide you with the technical skills to analyse an organisation's operations, costs and strategy. You will also learn how to provide value to stakeholders by presenting a view on future business issues including budgets, forecasting and planning for the future. 

These management accounting techniques apply to non-profit, profit making, manufacturing and service organisations. Furthermore, the unit has a global perspective because cost and management accounting techniques tend to be consistently applied internationally.

QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate)

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 & Technical Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced discipline and professional practice knowledge, including knowledge of relevant research principles and methods.
1.2 Apply technical, technological and technical research skills to organise and interpret discipline knowledge, including theory and practice, to investigate business issues.

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO)
2.1 Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
2.2 Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.

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

Teamwork & Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.

Social, Ethical & Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business in critically analysing and effectively responding to complex business issues.
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.

Learning Approaches

The 3-hours of learning each week will be divided between conceptual understanding and problem-solving. A weekly lecture will present an overview of the weekly topic. The tutorial work will focus on understanding and performing the various practical techniques associated with each topic. This can involve working through problems from the prescribed textbook and/or additional exercises made available on Canvas. A range of learning resources will be available online for each topic. Real world business cases will be discussed to highlight the practical and applied learning of concepts across organisations.

This unit will encourage you to conceptually link the theoretical aspects with the practical aspects and, in so doing, you will be able to apply your knowledge to a variety of management accounting situations.

 Students should refer to the unit Canvas site for the latest information.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
  • Formal: assessment items through written and verbal commentary
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
  • Indirect: to the whole class

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).

Students 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: Online Quiz

One online quiz (via Canvas) administered as both an assessment and a learning tool.

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1) 

Weight: 10
Length: Students will have 40 minutes to complete the quiz.
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 5
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2

Assessment: Case Study Report and Oral Viva Voce

This assignment has a written and oral component. You will be required to provide a critical review of a case study. You will prepare a written document detailing your findings. The document will be a maximum of 1,000 words +/- 10%. The oral component will involve role-play. You will assume the role of management accountant and you will discuss your findings in a management meeting. 

The Oral Viva Voce will be approximately 10 minutes in duration.

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1), HO (2.1), PC (3.1), PC (3.2)

The Case Study written component is an assignment that is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 30
Length: 10 minutes for Oral Viva Voce; maximum 1,000 words for the written document. 10% above the word limit is acceptable. Grading will be based upon the text that is within the word limit (or 10% above)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Written report due week 8 and oral exam in week 9 - exact times TBA to students
Related Unit learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Final Examination

The examination will consist of both practical and theoretical questions covering topics across weeks 1-12.

Formative or Summative: Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1), HO (2.1), SE (5.2)

This examination will be an invigilated face-to-face exam undertaken either on campus or at an examination centre.

Weight: 60
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Central Examination Period
Central exam duration: 2:10 - Including 10 minute perusal
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2

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)

Langfield-Smith, K., Smith, D., Andon, P., Hilton, RW. and Thorne, H. (2022). Management Accounting: Information for Managing and Creating Value (9th edition). McGraw-Hill. Sydney.

Other

Additional references can also be found at the unit's Canvas site

Harvard Business Review Case Studies and Readings.

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.