This course provides students with an appreciation of management accounting concepts related to the management functions of planning, control, and decision making. The course introduces a number of management accounting tools and quantitative techniques that can be used to analyse how business processes consume resources, create value for a firm and its customers, and how this value may be enhanced through activity and process improvement. During this course students should:

• learn important fundamentals and tools of management accounting, including technical aspects of cost accounting and behavioural responses to management accounting information;
• examine links between management accounting and decision making, planning and control;
• understand the relationship between management accounting and performance management; consider the relationship between management accounting and strategy; and
• learn to be open to new developments in management accounting knowledge and techniques and how to assess these through cost-benefit analysis.

Specific aims are to:

• analyse and provide recommendations to improve the operations of organisations through the application of management accounting techniques;

• apply techniques associated with costing systems, cost management systems, budgeting systems and performance measurement systems

• appreciate the need for a balance between financial and non-financial information in decision making, control and performance evaluation applications of management accounting;

• learn independently and to assume responsibility for the learning process;

• learn within teams - to co-operate with team members, to assume leadership and to manage differences and conflicts; and

• tolerate ambiguity in managerial and organisational problem-solving

• Mid-semester Examination 25%
• Team Case Study 20%
• Final Examination 55%

Students taking this course are expected to commit at least 10 hours a week to completing the work. This will include:

• 3 hours a week: seminar
• 7 hours a week: reading, research, self-study, writing and assignment preparation, working on Wattle site (including discussions and online learning)

At least an average of 65% (or equivalent) in the final two years of an Australian undergraduate degree

Prerequisite:  BUSN7008 Financial Statements and Reporting.

Incompatible with BUSN2011 Management Accounting and BUSN8005 Project Accounting and Financial Management

See Course Outline

See Course Outline

For further information please refer to the course website