Strategic Management Accounting (ACCT90006)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2020

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As part of the University’s response to COVID-19 and the associated Government restrictions and guidelines, most subjects will continue to be delivered online in Winter and Semester 2.
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.

Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.

Overview

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The objective of the subject is to help students understand and analyse the systems used by organisations to measure and manage their performance and to implement their strategies in a changing environment. Traditionally accounting performance measurement and budgetary control systems served this function. The relevance of these systems has been seriously questioned during the last decade and there has been extensive development of new techniques and systems designed to support strategic decision making. These include target costing, activity-based management, the balanced scorecard and economic value added measures, which, coupled with incentive compensation systems, have been developed to reflect the strategic requirements of management. This subject is designed to not only develop the student's ability to design and implement these 'value adding' systems of performance measurement and management, but also to expose students to the current literature that assesses and challenges the efficacy of these systems.

 

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:



  • Analyse the impact of activity based cost systems on strategic resource management;
  • Evaluate alternative cost management systems;
  • Explain the impact of capacity constraints on the management of resources;
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of budgeting practices in organisations;
  • Describe and evaluate common performance measures;
  • Construct a strategy map and a balanced scorecard and evaluate their use in strategy implementation;
  • Explain the role of EVA in value based management;
  • Discuss the tension between short-term and long-term cost reduction and evaluate the effectiveness of common cost reduction techniques such as downsizing; and
  • Adapt strategic management accounting tools for different decision-making environments.

Generic skills

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

  • Critical thinking, particularly in relation to current issues in strategic management accounting;
  • Listening to others, evaluation of arguments and presentation of a position;
  • Oral communication, which should be developed through discussion and the presentation of work to the class;
  • Written communication;
  • Analysis and critique of literature and case studies;
  • Application of theory to practice, primarily through case analysis;
  • Synthesis and evaluation of data and other information.

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ACCT90010 Strategic Performance Management
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Note: these can be taken concurrently (at the same time)

OR

Equivalent

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Assessment

Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Group assignment. Late in the semester

  • 3000 words
Late in the teaching period30%

Seminar participation.

Throughout the teaching period10%

End-of-semester examination

  • 2 hours
Hurdle requirement: Successful completion of this subject requires a pass (50%) in the final exam.		During the examination period60%

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Dates & times

Not available in 2020

Time commitment details

Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours per semester

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Further information

  • Texts

    Prescribed texts

    You will be advised of prescribed texts by your lecturer.

  • Available through the Community Access Program

    About the Community Access Program (CAP)

    This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.

    Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants

    Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.

  • Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students

    This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.

Last updated: 3 November 2022