Syllabus W15 - Sections B2 and B3 - University of Alberta

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A^CCOUNTING523

ACCOUNTING INFORMATION AND INTERNAL DECISION MAKING

W^INTER2015S^YLLABUS

UNIVERSITY OF A^LBERTASCHOOL OF BUSINESS

DEPARTMENT OF A^CCOUNTING,O^PERATIONS,^ANDINFORMATION S^YSTEMS

Prof. Christina Mashruwala Office: BUS 3-40E

Phone: 780-492-3878

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: Tuesday 1-2 PM or by appointment Sections: B2: TTh 9:00 – 10:20 AM (BUS 3-5) B3: TTh 10:30 – 11:50 AM (BUS 3-5)

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

This course is designed to give MBA students a solid understanding of the basic functions of management accounting within an organization. The course emphasizes the links between accounting information and management activities such as operational decision making, financial planning and control, organizational design, and performance evaluation.

Specific skills developed in this course include the ability to: identify, categorize, and analyze the behaviour of costs; utilize cost information in making decisions; prepare and use budgets; and use accounting information to evaluate and motivate performance.

At the conclusion of the course, students should be familiar with the basic terminology, concepts, and techniques of managerial accounting, be able to utilize them in managerial problem solving, and be able to critically evaluate managerial accounting data and reports.

This course focuses on the following learning goals of the MBA program: quantitative skills and critical thinking. The assigned problems and exams are designed to enhance and assess the student’s quantitative skills, knowledge of cost accounting and its use in decision-making, and the ability to apply these skills and knowledge in various settings. Critical thinking skills are applied through the use of quantitative analysis for decision-making purposes.

COURSE MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES

Course materials:

1. Required textbook: Cost Management (2nd Canadian Edition) by Eldenberg, Wolcott, Chen and Cook,Wiley Canada, 2012.

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In addition to the hardback version of the textbook, there is an e-version of the textbook, which can be purchased online from Wiley Canada. We will NOT be using the online homework system WileyPlus, so there is no need to buy a textbook that is bundled with that.

2. Required cases: Four cases have been bundled as a coursepack and are available for purchase at the University of Alberta bookstore.

3. Course website: Lecture notes and problems, practice exams, the solutions manual for the textbook, and other materials will be available on ULearn.

In-class Activities:

Our classes will be a combination of lectures, discussion of problems, and cases. Most of the concepts and techniques taught in this course are best illustrated and learned through problem solving. Therefore, we will analyze many problems in class. In addition to attending the classes, it is expected that you will read the relevant chapter of the textbook before coming to class. You should come with questions and expect to participate in class discussions. When we will be discussing a case, you are expected to read the case before coming to class and attempt to answer the case questions (see more below).

Out-of-class Activities:

Upon completion of each chapter, you should work through the recommended problems from the textbook (listed on page 4 of this syllabus). The solutions are available on the course webpage.

You will have a TA available to you in this course. He/she will hold a weekly question-answer session.

Please utilize this resource on an ongoing basis if you feel you do not understand the material.

EVALUATION

Your grade in this course will be based on the marks you obtain on two midterm exams, a final exam, and four case assignments. The marks will be weighted as follows to determine your percentage mark in the course:

Midterm Exam 1 (February 3) 25 %

Midterm Exam 2 (March 10) 25 %

Final Exam (TBA) 40 %

Case Assignments (Ongoing – see course schedule) 10%

Total 100 %

Letter grades will be assigned to the percentage marks in accordance with University Regulations [§23.4(5) of the University Calendar]. Grades in this course will be based on a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance.

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3 Exams:

All exams will be closed book. You may use a non-programmable calculator to assist with computations, but all other electronic devices (including but not limited to cell phones, MP3 players, tablets, and electronic foreign language dictionaries) are prohibited.

The two midterm exams will be 80 minutes each and the comprehensive final exam will be 2 hours.

Absence from Exams

Anyone who has an unavoidable commitment that conflicts with the midterm exams should advise me of the conflict, in writing, at least one week prior to the exam date. If a student is absent from a midterm exam for a legitimate and adequately documented reason, the weight of the missed exam will be re- allocated to a comprehensive final exam. There will be no deferred midterm exams in this course. If a student is absent from the final exam, he or she must obtain permission from the Faculty’s MBA Office to write a deferred final exam.

Exam Remarking Policy

After marked midterm exam papers have been returned, the answer key will be posted on the course web page. Students should review the marking carefully and bring to the instructor’s attention any questions about their marks as soon as possible, but no later than a week after the exams have been returned. Any exam brought to my attention for remarking should be accompanied by a short written explanation of the questions you want me to review. No exam papers will be accepted for remarking more than one week after the exams and answer key have been made available.

Cases:

We will discuss four cases in class, as per the course schedule. You are expected to read the cases before coming to class and attempt to answer the questions raised in the case.

At the beginning of the class in which we will discuss a case, you should turn in a hard-copy of your answers to the case questions (including any supporting calculations). Although there are no length requirements, turning in a total of 2-4 pages of typed notes per case would be reasonable.

You are expected to do your own work on these case assignments (this is not group work). The assignments are graded on a coarse scale (either full, half, or zero credit) where the grading focuses on whether your submitted work shows that you have made a good faith effort to address the substantive issues in the case. Full credit does not require you to identify all the correct answers, but does require you to formulate thoughtful answers to the case questions.

Late case assignments will not be accepted. If you must miss class when a case is being discussed, please email your case assignment to me before the class begins. Aside from the rare instance in which you must email your assignment to me, I will expect a hard-copy to be turned in during class. Failure to turn in a case assignment at the beginning of class will result in a zero grade for that case.

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4 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty.

Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

Policy about course outlines can be found in §23.4(2) of the University Calendar.