Accounting for International Managers
| Module title | Accounting for International Managers |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEAM045 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Jiaoshan/ Sophie Li (Lecturer) Dr Thaer Alhalabi (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 - Sept start | 9 - Jan start |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 450 |
|---|
Module description
Summary:
Managers are constantly making decisions which have financial consequences: How much to charge for X? How much does Y cost to make? How much profit could be made if…? Should there be investment into this new venture, product, or market?
Questions are always being asked by a wide range of stakeholders: How successful is the business? Should I invest in it? Work for it? Buy from it? Sell to it? Lend to it?
Management and financial accounting information supports internal and external business decision-making by all those with an interest and influence.
BEAM045 recognises that good managers need to be able to appreciate and use a variety of accounting information and techniques with professional scepticism in business decision-making.
This module also introduces and encourages skills in providing and professionally communicating content that is relevant and understandable to a range of non-financial clients.
Additional Information:
Internationalisation:
- The concepts and techniques explored in this module have global application; Learning is undertaken in international context and students are encouraged to share knowledge and experiences from their own and other countries.
Ethics and Corporate Responsibility:
- These are embedded within all topics studied: concepts and techniques are taught to reflect that it is the responsibility of all organisations to make ethical financial decisions and actions and to provide financial information so that stakeholders can make their own informed decisions.
Employability:
- The module is taught and assessed to develop awareness, understanding, and active appreciation of how to use accounting as part of business decision-making and performance evaluation. It aims to facilitate intelligent verbal and written conversations, both with accountants and other managers.
- A wide range of common accounting tools and concepts are introduced and used.
- Assessment requires written professional communication and recommendations based upon accounting outcomes, plus other decision-making considerations. Group discussion and information-sharing in study is actively encouraged.
- The module content is linked with accreditation to CMI (Chartered Management Institute) and ICAEW (Institute or Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) professional bodies examinations.
Sustainability:
Resources for this module are available in a variety of web-based formats.
Module aims - intentions of the module
BEAM045 is not intended to turn students into accountants; it is taught from a manager perspective and aims to provide a broad and useful appreciation of how to benefit from understanding and applying accounting information and tools as part of decision-making processes and frameworks. The module also provides opportunity to develop and practice skills in research, analysis, and evaluation, and to be able to effectively communicate to other stakeholders with professional scepticism.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Use and appraise accounting outcomes alongside a wide range of quantitative and qualitative information as part of business decision-making;
- 2. Communicate client-relevant information and recommendations, based upon financial and management accounting analysis and advise on further considerations in the wider decision and business context.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Consider and actively understand the accounting and finance contexts within which managers act, to be able to create value towards optimising business success;
- 4. Explain what the financial statements in an annual report represent and summarise, explain the common components; and interpret and advise upon the information provided for stakeholder decision-making;
- 5. Use common accounting tools and measures with full appreciation of their usefulness in a range of both short-term and long-term decision-making contexts.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Identify, structure and analyse a range of available information to provide creative, credible, and pragmatic evaluations and solutions with professional scepticism;
- 7. Summarise and communicate recommendations, reasons, and reservations in formats relevant and appropriate to the recipient and other relevant non-specialist stakeholders;
- 8. Work in both individual and team-based contexts, using a variety of tools and formats, and co-ordinating a range of skills and practices to achieve client-based objectives;
- 9. Build confidence in using own perspective, views and ideas to understanding problems and opportunities, and in appreciating the working styles and value of others contributions to improving business success.
Syllabus plan
- Purpose, context, and presentation of financial information
- Analysis and interpretation of financial statements for stakeholder decision making
- Cash management and Financing
- Pricing and Costing
- Accounting tools for short- and long-run decision making
- Planning and evaluating internal performance
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 125 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 20 | Large Group Sessions |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | Tutorials (Small Group Sessions) |
| Guided Independent Study | 125 | Videocasts / Topic Documents, Guided study(reading activities, web-based resources, practice questions; formative assessment) |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assigned guided work | 2 hrs preparation / review; 1 hr in-class discussion | 1-9 | Suggestions and guidance. Discussions in tutorials. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Evaluation Report | 40 | 1,500 words | 1-9 | Mark and feedback form criteria |
| Examination | 60 | 2 hours | 1-7 | Suggested solutions and general exam feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Evaluation Report (40%) | Individual Evaluation Report (40%) (1,500 words) | 1-9 | August/September Reassessment Period |
| Exam (60%) | Exam (60%) (2 hours) | 1-7 | August/September Reassessment Period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Suggested texts to supplement individual self-study understanding (and for which guidance for study is provided):
• Dyson, J. & Franklin, E. (2020). Accounting for non-accounting students (10th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson
• Warner, S., Hussain, S. (2017). The Finance Book (1st Edition), FT Publishing International
• Winfield, J. (2021). Understanding Financial Accounting: A Guide for Non-specialists. Oxford University Press.
These, and many other accounting texts can be accessed within the university’s web-based and electronic resources.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- The common topics, concepts and tools considered in the module can be found in all accounting texts and in many articles and online resources.
- Students are expected to supplement guided knowledge with their own reading from texts and articles as well as practitioner and real-world examples.
- The coursework assessments require research of publicly available information.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 03/09/2007 |
| Last revision date | 23/09/2022 |
