School of Management, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
MN50183: Strategic management accounting |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Masters |
| Period: | Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| CW 25%, EX 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| Before taking this unit you must take MN50318 |
| Description: | Aims: The aim of the unit is to introduce the student to the strategic requirements of Management Accounting techniques in organisation decision making to build a competitive advantage in the new globalised business world. In particular the unit will introduce the students to: * Strategic Management Accounting; * Allocating and absorbing costs; * Management Accounting Terms and Strategies; * Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis; * Budgeting and budget planning; * Standard Costing and Variance Analysis; * Performance Evaluation. Learning Outcomes: On completion of this unit students will be able to: * Identify, define, analyse and critique the various costing techniques and the impacts of differing cost drivers to decision making. * Assess the appropriate use of certain costing techniques. * Algebraically and graphically assess the viability of growth strategies and projects using NPV, IRR and Limiting Factor Analysis. * Define, discuss, analyse and develop organisational budgets. * Undertake a variance analysis of actual-against-planned organisational performance. * Identify and evaluate non-financial performance measures. Skills: Intellectual Skills * Introduce Management Accounting techniques and requirements in organisations and information needs for decision making (T,A) * Develop a critical awareness of the appropriate use of the theories studied and how these will apply to real world scenarios. (T,F,A) Professional Skills * Application of evaluation processes relevant to decision making requirements in organisations. (T,A) * Analysis and evaluation of cost drivers and allocation of appropriate costs to processes. (T,A) * Undertaking Value-Chain-Analysis in manufacturing and service industries in order to deliver and enhance a competitive advantage. * Analysing internal operational activities to focus on delivering efficiencies and effectiveness in organisational performance; and linking this to short, medium and long-term organisational strategies. Practical Skills * Apply key theories and components of the course to scenario analysis and case studies to devise and report recommendations to organisational management. (T,F,A) Key Skills * Research, project writing and group work (T,F,A) * Presentational skills (F,A) Content: Expanding on the AIMS of the course as set out above, the content over the 11 weeks of the course will incorporate: Week 1 * Strategic Management Accounting - Positioning & Value Chains Week 2 * Basic Cost Terms and Concepts Week 3 * Tracing indirect Production costs * Activity Based Costing Week 4 * Activity based Management Week 5 * Support Service Costs - Allocating and absorbing costs - Production vs. Non-Production costs - Direct vs. Indirect costs Week 6 * Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis Week 7 * Cost Management and Decision Making - Accounting Terms and Strategies Week 8 * Budget planning and Control Week 9 * Standard Costing and Variance Analysis Week 10 * Responsibility Accounting * Evaluation of Divisional Performance Week 11 * Non-Performance measures (Balanced Scorecard) * Performance Evaluation. |