AF6010 - Strategic Management Accounting

What will I learn on this module?

On this module you will develop an understanding of the nature of Strategic Management Accounting and its use in strategic decision making, planning and control. There is emphasis on the use of information that relates to factors external to the firm, as well as non-financial and internally generated information. Historic approaches of traditional management accounting have been criticised for providing misleading information and are compared and contrasted to more modern methods of Strategic Management Accounting to assist in business decision making.

You will also gain an appreciation of the ethical issues facing the profession.

In particular you will study the following:

• The nature of devolved decision making
• Traditional costing vs alternative costing methods
• Issues affecting Transfer pricing
• The impact of modern manufacturing & the cost of quality
• Environmental & Sustainability factors
• The use of non-financial information & the Balanced Scorecard
• Management control systems (Budgets)
• The concept of Beyond Budgeting

On completing the module you will have an appreciation for Strategic Management Accounting and its role in the strategic management of businesses. You will be able to use that knowledge to aid businesses in the decision making process.

How will I learn on this module?

You will learn through lectures, seminars and guided and independent learning. The lectures will cover theories and concepts that will enable you to build your knowledge of Strategic Management Accounting. You will also explore these concepts in more detail during seminars and apply them to real life and hypothetical scenarios.

The universities e-learning portal will be used to house information and materials relevant to the lectures and seminars. You will be guided towards further independent study thought the use of academic journals and relevant industry media articles.

The module has a supporting reading list on the library service that provides you with an opportunity to explore the subject in more detail.

Your directed study will support the work you have undertaken in the contact sessions. You will be expected to keep up-to-date with your seminar exercises. To aid with formative feedback and self-assessment on progress, solutions to these exercises will be made available to you on the e-learning portal.
Independent learning time is set aside for learning activities, self-identified by you, to gain a deeper and broader knowledge of the subject.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

Support will be provided to you by members of academic staff leading the module and providing the lecture input. A team of academic staff will be allocated to seminar groups of approximately 20 students.

Seminars are designed to provide closer, more personal support for you, your questions and knowledge following the lectures allowing you to gain clarity, confidence and furthering understanding.

Lectures will be recorded using Panopto so students may review the lectures to recap on concepts as needed.

The module is supported through the University’s e-learning portal (Blackboard) where you will find all the required materials for lectures, seminars and directed learning. All recommended readings will be easily accessible via an electronic reading list.

The module is designed to support both assessment for learning (through formative feedback gained in seminars) and indeed, these aforementioned activities will also support the assessment of learning.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:

• You will be expected to demonstrate critical understanding of Strategic Management Accounting concepts and framework and be able to apply this knowledge to scenarios thereby providing justifiable solutions (MLO1).

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

• Apply and evaluate budgeting and costing techniques and their implication on performance and use financial and non-financial criteria, to critically evaluate business performance (MLO2).


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• You will develop, reinforce and critically evaluate the ethical characteristics of a Northumbria graduate as you consider the ethical and professional codes of conduct applicable to professionals such as accountants in corporate organisations and reflect on how they link with your own values (MLO3).

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment will take place through group work, assignment discussion, case study activity and theory/practice related discussions in the context of a teaching and learning plan.

Summative assessment will take the form of a 3,000 word report, with a small numerical element, addressing the learning outcomes for the unit. This will involve applying given SMA concepts to a selected scenario (MLO1, MLO2 & MLO3).

Pre-requisite(s)

None

Co-requisite(s)

None

Module abstract

On this module you will develop an understanding of the nature of Strategic Management Accounting and its use in strategic decision making, planning and control. There is emphasis on the use of information that relates to factors external to the firm, as well as non-financial and internally generated information. Historic approaches of traditional management accounting have been criticised for providing misleading information and are compared and contrasted to more modern methods of Strategic Management Accounting to assist in business decision making.

By the end of this module you will develop critical evaluation skills necessary for your career. This will be gained through critically evaluating Strategic Management Accounting concepts and applying them to practice. You will acquire analytical, analysis and evaluating skills that are important for employment purposes.

Course info

UCAS Code N422

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 2 years full-time or 3 year sandwich

Department Newcastle Business School

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2024 or September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Your Learning Experience

Find out about our distinctive approach at 
www.northumbria.ac.uk/exp

Admissions Terms and Conditions
northumbria.ac.uk/terms

Fees and Funding
northumbria.ac.uk/fees

Admissions Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/adpolicy

Admissions Complaints Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/complaints