University of Manitoba Asper School of Business Department of Accounting and Finance ACC 3040 Cost Accounting Course Outline Fall 2015 Instructor: Office: Office Hours: Email: Phone: Twitter: Robert Biscontri, Ph.D. FCPA(Aust.) CGA 476 Drake 9:15-10:00am Tuesday and Thursday or preferably by appointment at https://robertbiscontri.youcanbook.me R.Biscontri@Umanitoba.ca 204-474-6255 (Note: There is no voicemail so I recommend using email to contact me.) @AsperACC3040 Course Objective: The course goals are to develop an understanding of the application of strategic cost management principles for business and not-for-profit organizations, and to provide an opportunity to develop skills in applying these principles through exercises and cases. The management accountant s role is to provide timely and accurate information to assist management in achieving the firm s goals. This is an integrative role, which requires the management accountant to understand the firm s strategy, and to understand how both financial and non-financial information is developed across all the management functions. There are five specific goals, each of which is covered in sequence in the five parts of the course: 1. Understand the fundamentals of management accounting, including the strategic focus, and other basic cost terms and concepts 2. Determine product costs 3. Use costs and other critical success factors in management planning and decision making 4. Use costs and other critical success factors in operational control 5. Use costs and other critical success factors in management control
AACSB Assurance of Learning Goals and Objectives. The Asper School of Business is proudly accredited by AACSB. Accreditation requires a process of continuous improvement of the School and our students. Part of student improvement is ensuring that students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their careers. To do so, the Asper School has set the learning goals and objectives listed below for the Undergraduate Program. The checked goal(s) and objective(s) will be addressed in this course and done so by means of the items listed next to the checkmark. Goals and Objective in the Undergraduate Program 1 Quantitative Reasoning A. Determine which quantitative analysis technique is appropriate for solving a specific problem. B. Use the appropriate quantitative method in a technically correct way to solve a business problem. Goals and Objectives Addressed in this Course ü ü Course Item(s) Relevant to these Goals and Objectives Entire course Entire course C. Analyze quantitative output and arrive at a conclusion. Entire course 2 Written Communication A. Use correct English grammar and mechanics in their written work. ü Written case assignments B. Communicate in a coherent and logical manner ü Written case assignments C. Present ideas in a clear and organized fashion. ü Written case assignments 3 Ethical Thinking A. Identify ethical issues in a problem or case situation ü Ethics case B. Identify the stakeholders in the situation. ü Ethics case C. Analyze the consequences of alternatives from an ethical ü Ethics case standpoint. D. Discuss the ethical implications of the decision. ü Ethics case 4 Core Business Knowledge ü Entire course Knowledge, techniques and skills learned in this course are fundamental to a successful career as an accountant. Mastery of course materials and competencies is required to pass examinations that lead your CPA designation. Text and Website Information: Cost Management: A Strategic Emphasis, Blocher, Chen, Cokins, Lin. McGraw-Hill. 2013. 6 th Edition. ISBN: 978-0-07-802553-2 Please note that while the text is the primary source of information for the course, class notes, and class discussions are important. Thus, you are responsible for the text material and class discussions for examination purposes.
For each text chapter assigned, recommended problems will be assigned. Solutions are available on UMLearn (D2L) (see instructions below). Text questions will also be discussed in class, so it is encouraged you bring your text to each class (see course schedule). The schedule is likely to change frequently so keep checking UMLearn. This course represents an extension of Managerial Accounting (ACC 1110). A review of certain ACC 1110 materials is necessary although class time used for this purpose will be limited. Follow the instructions below to log into UMLearn (Previously known as D2L): 1. The UMLearn website address is: https://www.umanitoba.ca/umlearn 2. Sign in using your University of Manitoba UMnetID. (If you do not have a UMnetID, go to the Iridium website at: https://iridium.umanitoba.ca/ and click on Create UMnetID.) 3. From your Fall 2015 list of courses, click on ACC-3040. There is no separate course for each section. Both sections have been combined into one course. Grading: In class group work & discussions See schedule 5% Group Case 1 Blue Ridge Manufacturing due October 27 th 5% Group Case 2 U.S. Airways Merger, due December 8 th 10% Mid Term Exam November 4, 6pm-8pm TBA 30% Final Exam Final exam, to be scheduled by Registrar s office 50% 100% It is really important to note that at this point in your university career you are expected to perform satisfactorily in each component of the assessment. Unsatisfactory performance in any one assessment item may lead to a failing grade regardless of what your overall assessment is. For students who miss the midterm for legitimate reasons, the weight of the midterm exam will be allocated to the final examination (i.e. you will be writing an 80% final examination). Absence from exams due to illness requires a medical documentation consistent with current Faculty requirements. If you miss the midterm for non- legitimate reasons you will be given a score of 0 (zero). There will be NO DEFERRED MIDTERM exam privileges. Students who miss the final exam must apply to the Undergraduate Program Office in their faculty for possible deferred examination privileges. Any request for re-reads of term examinations and assignments must be made, in writing, within 10 working days of the class when it was returned. The date for voluntary withdrawal is November 18.
Attendance Your attendance in class is expected each and every class. Unexplained absences representing more that 20% of the total number of classes may result in a failing grade. In class group work and discussions You will be assigned to groups and throughout the term there will be in-class questions for your group to answer and present to the class. The questions will be distributed during class. It is expected you will come prepared to discuss the material the group work is covering (see course schedule). Although your group is only responsible for one question to be handed in and presented to the class, it is expected you and your group will attempt all the in-class assigned questions. Further, it is expected that responsibility roles within the group will rotate. Thus, the presenter, scribe, task manager, and other roles should not rest with the same individuals each time. The score from the worst assignment will be removed from the assessment mark calculation. Group Cases During the term you with your group will be required to prepare a response to two cases. Cases responses will be submitted as one final file (Excel with a Word document if necessary) via the D2L dropbox function. Details specific to each case will be provided later in the term through D2L. All cases submitted will be retained for future terms to ensure students do not share their answers with students who may be assigned the cases in the future. If you are found giving your solution to other students you, along with the recipient students will be dealt with under the Academic Integrity guidelines of the faculty. Group Evaluation Each group is responsible for the governance within the group. In extreme cases of dispute or inequitable workload within the group, all of the group members are to make an appointment with your instructor in order to mediate the situation. Appointments with only some of the group members will not suffice. The instructor reserves the rights to make determinations based on any submitted work if there is evidence of freeloading. Final Grade Tentative Distribution Final grades are based on the student s weighted mark and performance relative to other students. Grades will be curved. It should be clear though that there is absolutely no requirement that a minimum number of students either fail or receive a D in the course. The final grade distribution will be determined at the end of term once the full results of all students have been combined.
Tentative Course Schedule (subject to change) Updates will be available via UMLearn Date Day Topic Text Chapter 10-Sep 1 Course introduction 15-Sep 2 Overview of Cost Management and Strategy Chapter 1 17-Sep 3 Implementing Strategy Chapter 2 22-Sep 4 Process Costing, Backflush Costing, and Spoilage Chapter 6 24-Sep 5 Process Costing, Backflush Costing, and Spoilage Chapter 6 29-Sep 6 Process Costing, Backflush Costing, and Spoilage Chapter 6 01-Oct 7 Cost Allocation: Service Departments and Joint Products Chapter 7 06-Oct 8 Cost Allocation: Service Departments and Joint Products Chapter 7 08-Oct 9 NO CLASS 13-Oct 10 Activity Based Management Chapter 5 pp 142-157 15-Oct 11 Decision Making Chapter 11 omit Appendix A 20-Oct 12 Decision Making Chapter 11 omit Appendix A 22-Oct 13 Product Lifecycle, Target Costing, Theory of Constrains and Long Term Pricing Chapter 13 27-Oct 14 Group Case Discussion Blue Ridge Manufacturing Discussion Group Case 1 Due via UMLearn dropbox 29-Oct 15 Standard Costing: Direct Materials and Labour Chapter 14 03-Nov 16 Standard Costing: Overhead Chapter 15 04-Nov MID TERM EXAM Chapters 1,2,5,6,7,11,13 05-Nov 17 NO CLASS 10-Nov 18 Standard Costing: Overhead Chapter 15 12-Nov 19 Productivity, Market Effectiveness and Strategic Productivity Analysis Chapter 16 17-Nov 20 Productivity, Market Effectiveness and Strategic Productivity Analysis Chapter 16 19-Nov 21 Productivity, Market Effectiveness and Strategic Productivity Analysis Chapter 16 24-Nov 22 Strategic Performance Measurement: Cost Centres, Profit Centres, and the Balanced Scorecard Chapter 18 26-Nov 23 Strategic Performance Measurement: Investment Centres Chapter 19 01-Dec 24 Strategic Performance Measurement: Investment Centres Chapter 19 03-Dec 25 Management Compensation and Business Valuation Chapter 20 08-Dec 26 Group Case 2 Class Discussion U.S. Airways Merger Group Case 2 Due via UMLearn dropbox Discussion
Academic Integrity It is critical to the reputation of the I. H. Asper School of Business and of our degrees, that everyone associated with our faculty behaves with the highest academic integrity. As the faculty that helps create business and government leaders, we have a special obligation to ensure that our ethical standards are beyond reproach. Any dishonesty in our academic transactions violates this trust. The University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar addresses the issue of academic dishonesty under the heading Plagiarism and Cheating. Specifically, acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: using the exact words of a published or unpublished author without quotation marks and without referencing the source of these words duplicating a table, graph or diagram, in whole or in part, without referencing the source paraphrasing the conceptual framework, research design, interpretation, or any other ideas of another person, whether written or verbal (e.g., personal communications, ideas from a verbal presentation) without referencing the source copying the answers of another student in any test, examination, or take-home assignment providing answers to another student in any test, examination, or take-home assignment taking any unauthorized materials into an examination or term test (crib notes) impersonating another student or allowing another person to impersonate oneself for the purpose of submitting academic work or writing any test or examination stealing or mutilating library materials accessing tests prior to the time and date of the sitting changing name or answer(s) on a test after that test has been graded and returned submitting the same paper or portions thereof for more than one assignment, without discussions with the instructors involved. Group Projects and Group Work Many courses in the I. H. Asper School of Business require group projects. Students should be aware that group projects are subject to the same rules regarding academic dishonesty. Because of the unique nature of group projects, all group members should exercise special care to insure that the group project does not violate the policy on Academic Integrity. Should a violation occur, group members are jointly accountable unless the violation can be attributed to a specific individual(s). Some courses, while not requiring group projects, encourage students to work together in groups (or at least do not prohibit it) before submitting individual assignments. Students are encouraged to discuss this issue as it relates to academic integrity with their instructor to avoid violating this policy. In the I. H. Asper School of Business, all suspected cases of academic dishonesty are passed to the Dean s office in order to ensure consistency of treatment.
TYPICAL PENALTIES AT THE ASPER SCHOOL FOR ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Ignorance of what constitutes academic dishonesty (e.g., when and how to cite sources) is no excuse. Therefore, make sure you read and understand the attached Academic Integrity: What You Need to Know sheet. In case of the student being from another Faculty, the student s home faculty often matches the suspension and/or adds penalties beyond the Asper School s. F-DISC on transcript indicates the F is for disciplinary reasons. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Cheating on exam (copying from or providing answers to another student) Possession of unauthorized material during exam (e.g., cheat notes) Altering answer on returned exam and asking for re-grading Plagiarism on assignment Submitting paper bought online Inappropriate Collaboration (collaborating with individuals not explicitly authorized by instructor) Group member had knowledge of inappropriate collaboration or plagiarism and played along Signing Attendance Sheet for classmate Impersonation on exam PENALTY F- DISC in course Notation of academic dishonesty in transcript F- DISC in course Notation of academic dishonesty in transcript Expulsion from University of Manitoba