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Strategic Management Accounting (ACCT90006)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2022
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
To learn more, visit COVID-19 course and subject delivery.
About this subject
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: 30 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT90010 | Strategic Performance Management |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - 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: 30 January 2024
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Group assignment. Late in the semester
| Late in the teaching period | 30% |
Seminar participation. | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
End-of-semester examination
| During the examination period | 60% |
Last updated: 30 January 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2022
Time commitment details
Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours per semester
Last updated: 30 January 2024
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.
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: 30 January 2024