Business Accounting

Module Title	Business Accounting
Module Code	25-5004-00S
Semester of Delivery	See Module Information Table
Mandatory/Elective/Option	See Module Information Table
Level	5
Credit Points	20

Assessment Mode Weighting	Coursework	50%
	Examination	50%

Pre-requisites	Managing Resources
Co-requisites	None

Class Contact Hours
Average Weekly	2.5

Directed Learning
Average Weekly	10

Module Leader	John Stringer
	Sheffield Business School
Module Banding	A
Approval Status	Validated

Rationale

Accounting is the process of classifying, measuring and communicating the economic transactions of business organisations. Accounting provides the language of business, and both business managers and investors need to understand the terminology and basic concepts of accounting in order to make informed decisions.

Summary of Aims

To examine the role of management accounting in organisational planning, control, decision making, and performance evaluation.
organisations.
To develop an understanding of the terminology, principles and construction of financial statements prepared by business organisations.
To enable interpretation & critical analysis of the financial performance and position of business organisations as reported in their financial statements.

Anticipated Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module, the student should be able to:

Distinguish the roles of management and financial accounting and identify & define their terminology
Select relevant data and apply appropriate numerical procedures in preparing information for management decision making and in performing numerical analysis of financial statements for external users.
Interpret and critically evaluate the accounting information prepared for internal management and for external users.
Compare and contrast alternate business situations and explain key issues, concepts & principles
Communicate effectively through use of established formats and written analysis.

Assessment and Feedback Strategy

Coursework will focus on the identification of terminology and the application of accounting procedures & techniques in practical problem solving and consist of objective testing, using where possible computer software. Feedback will be provided within a short time of the testing or, in the case of computer-based assessment, immediately.

The examination, whilst involving numerical work, will emphasise critical appreciation of the principles of accounting and evaluative interpretation of accounting data.

Module Assessment Criterion

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criterion	Level Descriptors
Learning Outcome	Assessment Criterion	Fail	Pass	2.2	2.1	First
Outcome 1 Distinguish management & financial accounting and identify/define terminology	Coursework & Final Examination	Poor recall of learning support material. Little or no ability to distinguish management & financial accounting or identify/define relevant terminology.	Adequate recall of learning support material. Ability to distinguish some functions of management & financial accounting and identify some relevant terminology.	Good recall of learning support materials. Ability to distinguish basic functions of both management & financial accounting and identify/define basic terminology in each area.	Good recall of learning support materials. Ability to distinguish major functions of both management & financial accounting and identify/define most terminology relevant to each area.	Excellent recall of learning support materials. Ability to distinguish breadth of functions of both management & financial accounting and define all major terminology relevant to each area.
Outcome 2 Select relevant data and apply appropriate numerical procedures	Coursework & Final Examination	Inaccurate selection of data or inappropriate application of numerical procedures & techniques. Little or no accuracy in computations.	Some errors in selection of data or application of numerical procedures & techniques. Some accurate computations.	A few errors in selection of data. Relevant numerical procedures & techniques used in basic applications. The majority of calculations are accurate.	No or only minor errors in selection of data. Relevant numerical procedures & techniques used in most applications. Most computations are accurate.	No or only minor errors in selection of data. Relevant numerical procedures & techniques used in all major applications. All or most computations are accurate.
Outcome 3 Interpret and critically evaluate	Final Examination	Little or no analysis. No or inaccurate evaluation of numerical results and/or business activities.	Basic analysis. Some relevant evaluation of numerical results and/or business activities.	Logical evaluation of numerical results and/or basic business activities.	Well-reasoned evaluation of numerical results and/or major business activities	Thorough and perceptive evaluation of numerical results and/or major business activities.
Outcome 4 Compare & contrast business situations	Final Examination	Little or no ability to identify or compare key issues. Inaccurate explanations of concepts & principles.	Ability to identify and compare some key issues. Some concepts & principles are explained accurately..	Ability to identify and compare the majority of key issues. Basic concepts & principles are explained accurately..	Ability to identify and compare most key issues. Most concepts & principles are explained accurately and logically..	Ability to identify and compare all major issues. All major concepts & principles are explained accurately and logically.
Outcome 5 Numerical communication	Final Examination	No or unreadable workings. Inaccurate or inappropriate use of formats.	Some workings shown. Adequate use of formats..	Basic workings shown. Clear presentation and use of formats.	Most workings shown. Good presentation and use of formats.	All relevant workings shown. Excellent presentation and use of formats..
Outcome 6 Written communication	Final Examination	Poorly written. Difficult to understand due to mis-use of vocabulary & large number of grammatical errors. Answers have little or no organisation.	Understandable but some mis-use of vocabulary and various grammatical errors. Answers show some structure.	Most of the writing is clear with appropriate choice of vocabulary and few grammatical errors. Answers show clear structure..	Clearly written with good range of vocabulary and no, or very minor, grammatical errors. Answers show clear structure with logical organisation.	Clearly written throughout with extensive range of vocabulary and grammatical sophistication. Answers are highly structured with logical organisation.

Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods

Topics will be introduced through a combination of lecture materials and computer based learning. Seminars take the form of workshops (where the emphasis will be on practical application to develop competency in numerical procedures & presentation) or discussions focusing upon interpretive skills. Both the practical and interpretative elements of the module are supported by the use of inter-active computer-based learning programmes and directed reading.

Indicative Content

The roles of management and financial accounting
Cost classification and costing systems
Variable/marginal costing: breakeven analysis & applications to other short-term decision making situations
Full/absorption costing: overhead analysis and use of overhead absorption rates in costing products & jobs.
The budget process, including preparation of production, cash, & flexible budgets
The external financing of business organisations
The basic accounting equation, the construct of financial statements for external users, and the limitations of such statements.
Interpretation of performance & positing using ratio analysis and cash flow analysis.

Given its introductory nature, the module concentrates on the business & accounting environment of the Moduleed Kingdom. When appropriate, however, comparisons are drawn between the Moduleed Kingdom and other countries.

Sheffield Business School, Howard Street, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, S1 1WB
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