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2019/2020  MA-MMBFO1179U  Management Accounting

English Title
Management Accounting

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 3 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Part Time Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Full-Time MBA
Course coordinator
  • Morten Holm - Department of Accounting (AA)
Main academic disciplines
  • Management
  • Accounting
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 28-06-2019

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Read, analyse and interpret management accounting reports concerned with economic analysis of multi-product or multi-segment organizations and ask significant questions regarding the costing practices used to prepare such reports
  • Describe and understand different management accounting systems and discuss their strengths and limitations from a decision making perspective
  • Describe and understand different approaches to profit planning, budgeting and control and discuss their strengths and limitations.
  • Critically reflect on and assess the value and relevance of specific management accounting systems in a particular organizational setting.
Examination
Management Accounting:
Exam ECTS 3
Examination form Written sit-in exam on CBS' computers
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 4 hours
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Autumn
Aids Limited aids, see the list below:
The student is allowed to bring
  • USB key for uploading of notes, books and compendiums in a non-executable format (no applications, application fragments, IT tools etc.)
  • Any calculator
  • Books (including translation dictionaries), compendiums and notes in paper format
The student will have access to
  • Access to Canvas
  • Access to the personal drive (S-drive) on CBS´ network
  • Advanced IT application package
Make-up exam/re-exam Oral Exam
Duration: 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time: With the listed preparation time: 20 Minutes
Examiner(s): If it is an internal examination, there will be a second internal examiner at the re-exam. If it is an external examination, there will be an external examiner.
Aids: Limited aids, see the list below
The student is allowed to bring to the preparation room
  • Any calculator
  • Books (including translation dictionaries), compendiums and notes in paper format.
The student is also allowed to bring simple writing and drawing utensils (non-digital). Students are not allowed to communicate with others during the preparation time.
Description of the exam procedure

The written examination will consist of one or more case situations where the students will be asked to apply the management accounting techniques discussed during the course in a decision making context. The exam will test the students’ basic calculative abilities, their understanding of the theoretical implications of the techniques and systems discussed in the course and finally their ability to draw on this knowledge in order to come up with recommendations for decision making on relevant management accounting problems.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Objectives

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of management accounting’s role as a facilitator of timely and relevant management information for decision making. The course is organized in three modules:

 

(1) Core cost and profitability concepts

(2) Profit information for decision making

(3) Planning and control for performance and value management

 

The course aims at equipping students with relevant skills for supporting decision making based on an economic foundation.

 

Class preparation

The material for this course consists of one textbook with corresponding exercises/cases as well as supplementary readings. It is expected that all students prepare all readings and exercises/cases for each class.

 

It will significantly enhance your learning in the course if you have been able to identify the kind of management accounting decision that each case or exercise addresses and made an attempt at applying the appropriate technique(s) to the questions presented in the exercise/case using a spread sheet before coming to class. However, there will also be some time in class to discuss the assignments with your fellow classmates before we go through the solutions together.

 

Class participation

The lectures will be conducted in a dialogue manner. Issues and models will be presented, and their potential merits will be open for discussion.

Cases and exercises will take up a good part of the teaching because management accounting is an applied discipline that is best learned by doing.

 

A thorough analysis of the issues in the exercises/cases, and suggestions for their solution, will be expected. The participants’ job experience can often be a particularly useful source for adding to our mutual understanding, and is therefore most welcome!
Description of the teaching methods
The texbook incl. carefully selected exercises/cases serves as the backbone of the course albeit with some supplementary readings. The course incorporates a very high level of hands-on case solving. High level of student participation expected.
Feedback during the teaching period
The interactive case discussion format allows for continuous feedback. The students are expected to attend class, be prepared and participate in the case discussions
Student workload
Teaching 30 hours
Preparation 60 hours
Examination 30 hours
Expected literature

Textbook:

  • Seal W., Rohde C., Garrisson R.H., Noreen E.W. (2019): Management Accounting, Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill Eduction. ISBN-13 9780077185534. ISBN-10 0077185536. (Abbreviation: ‘SRGN’)

 

Additional readings (preliminary; subject to change):

  • CGMA (2017): “Guide to the Global Management Accounting Principles®.
    Executive Summary”. Available for download here.
  • Kaplan, R. S., & Anderson, S. R. (2004). Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing. Harvard Business Review (November), 131-138.
  • Libby, T. & Lindsay, M. (2010). Beyond budgeting or budgeting reconsidered? A survey of North-American budgeting practice, Management Accounting Research (21), 56-75
  • Kaplan, R. S. & Norton, (1996) Using the balanced scorecard as a strategic management system. Harvard Business Review (Jan/Feb), 75-85
  • Shank, J. K. & Govindarajan, V. (1988). Making Strategy Explicit in Cost Analysis: A Case Study. Sloan Management Review, 29(3), 19-29.
Last updated on 28-06-2019