University of PhoenixSouthern California CampusOn-Ground Faculty Syllabus

Course Title: Management AccountingCourse Number: ACC 561

REQUIRED TEXT: Links to course materials and electronic resources for each week of class are located on the page of the student Website. Content is divided by weeks.

Horngren, C. T., Sundem, G. L., Stratton, W. O., Burgstahler, D., & Schatzberg, J. (2008). Introduction to management accounting (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

GROUP NUMBER: GA09MBA07

LOCATION: Gardena

SCHEDULE: Tuesday 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

CALENDAR: April 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18, 25, 2010

INSTRUCTOR: Norris (Rashe) Dorsey, Ed.D.

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Norris Dorsey is an expert on leadership, business, and public speaking. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the University of Phoenix. He also teaches at Webster University, Los Angeles Mission and Pierce colleges. In addition, Dr. Dorsey represents CSU-Northridge as a member of the Bridge Building Leadership Initiative (BBLI) for people of color doing Service Learning sponsored by California Campus Compact (CCC).

Dr. Dorsey's research interest focuses on the study of minority leaders in nonprofit organizations. His current research includes identifying success stories using the value leadership model. Dr. Dorsey earned a B.S. degree in Management and an M.B.A and Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne in Southern California. His professional work experience includes accounting, sales and marketing.

WELCOME:

I'm glad you have chosen the University of Phoenix. Your experience in class will be educational, rewarding, and enjoyable. You have made an important decision as you embark on your education that will help groom you in your career path; develop the skills and knowledge to achieve your professional goals, provide leadership, and to help you become a critical thinker.

CONTACTINFORMATION: Cell 818-402-5050

AVAILABILITY: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or by e-mail norris.dorsey@gmail.com or dorseyn@email.uophx.edu

.ATTENDANCE:       Attendance policy is set by the University.  The University of Phoenix’s

teaching/learning model includes mandatory class attendance.  The instructor intends to strictly enforce the University’s policy.   Remember that individual participation is required of each student for the successful completion of this course to demonstrate familiarity with the assignments and the ability to transfer theory into practice.   ABSENCE FROM CLASS WILL HAVE A PROFOUND NEGATIVE EFFECT ON YOUR GRADE.  The table shown below, details the University of Phoenix policy regarding absences versus the number of workshops in the class.

Number of workshops  Maximum Absences

1 02-4 05-9 110-50+ 2

LEARNINGTEAMS:                     Learning Teams are an essential part of the academic experience for

students and Learning Team members need to make the necessary commitment to working together to meet the criteria for Learning Team Assignments.  In addition to providing supplemental learning environment for mastery of course content, learning teams provide students with an opportunity to develop and refine teamwork skills.  Learning Teams are comprised of three to five students and will meet weekly outside of class times in person, via teleconference, real-time electronic conferencing, or asynchronous conferencing.  Team grades will be awarded for Learning Team assignments. 

                                     Each week, starting in Workshop Two, each Learning Team must

complete a Learning Team Log to be turned in to the faculty member. Teams are still expected to spend between 4.5 – 5.5 hours per week outside of class.

                                     Students are still required to complete a Learning Team Log for each week

to document the Learning Team meetings, whether held face-to-face or electronically. Students must turn in the logs to the faculty member.

 

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PARTICIPATION:  Participation in all workshops is required.  An absence for whatever reason will result in the loss of the participation points for participation that night.  If a student is absent, he/she does not gain the benefit of class involvement and is not contributing to the learning of other students in the class.  They will, however, make up all written work for the class missed.

 

PARTICIPATION     GRADING                 CRITERIA:               Participation is graded on individual and group contributions to class

discussions. The vast majority of managers' interactions with others are oral. They generally spend very little time reading and even less time writing reports. For this reason, the development of oral skills is given a high priority in this course. The classroom should be considered a laboratory in which a student can test their ability to convince their peers of the correctness of their approach.

Some of the characteristics of effective class participation are:  

1. Are the points that are made relevant to the discussion in terms of increasing everyone's understanding, or are they merely regurgitation of case facts?

2. Do your comments take into consideration the ideas offered by others earlier in the class, or are the points isolated and disjointed?  The best contributions following the lead off tend to be those, which reflect, not only excellent preparation, but good listening, and interpretative and integrative skills as well.

3. Do your comments show evidence of a thorough reading and analysis of the case?

4. Does the participant distinguish among different kinds of data; that is, facts, opinions, assumptions, and inferences?

5. Is there a willingness to test new ideas or are all comments cautious/"safe"?

6. Is the participant willing to interact with other class members by asking questions or challenging conclusions?

 Outstanding Contributor:  Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation.  Ideas offered are usually substantive, provide one or more major insights, as well as, direction for the class.  Arguments, when offered, are well substantiated and persuasively presented.  If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be diminished significantly. Good Contributor:  Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation.  Ideas offered are usually substantive, provide good insights and sometimes direction for the class discussion.  Arguments, when presented, are, generally, well substantiated and are often persuasive.  If this person were

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not a member of the class, the quality of the discussion would be diminished considerably. Adequate Contributor:  Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation.  Ideas offered are sometimes substantive, provide generally useful insights, but seldom offer a major new direction for the discussion.  Arguments are sometimes presented, and are fairly well substantiated and sometimes persuasive.  If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be diminished somewhat.  Non-participant:  This person has said little or nothing in this workshop or class.  Hence, there is no adequate basis for evaluation.  If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would not be changed.   Unsatisfactory Contributor:  Contribution in class reflects inadequate or non-existent preparation.  Ideas offered are seldom substantive; provide few, if any, insights; and rarely provide a constructive direction for the class discussion.  Integrative comments and effective arguments are completely absent.  Class contributions are, at best, “time fillers” efforts to make isolated, obvious, or confusing points.  If this person were not a member of the class, valuable class time would be saved.  Example of things that cause one not to earn the full amount of participation points:Doing homework in classNot reading assigned materialBeing disruptiveArriving late, leaving earlyCell phone/pagers going off during class

CELL PHONESAND PAGERS:        Out of consideration for others, please turn your cell phone and pagers to

the silent mode.   If they do not have a silent or vibratory mode, please turn them off.   These items tend to distract the other students when they ring during class discussions or learning team activities.

LATE ARRIVALEARLY DEPARTURE:          Late arrival and early departure may constitute loss of participation points

at the discretion of the instructor.

COURSE STANDARDS:          The Teaching/Learning Model used at the University of Phoenix is based

on the assumption that in preparation for every course, students will satisfy all prerequisites.  During the course itself, students will achieve certain learning outcomes.  All performance assessment will depend upon the accomplishment of these outcomes.  Students are graded on

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achievement rather than effort.  It is the responsibility of the student to be prepared for each workshop. 

                                                                        The University trusts each student to maintain high standards of honesty,

ethical behavior, and academic integrity.  It is assumed that students will perform professionally in preparing work required for this class.  All assignments submitted in fulfillment of course requirements must be the student’s own work.  All assignments, except those designated as “group,” are meant to represent the effort of each individual student.  Group projects and assignments should represent equal efforts by all group members.  While the University’s Teaching/Learning Model emphasizes the sharing of professional experiences in the context of analyzing relevant course materials, it is against the policy of the University of Phoenix for students or faculty members to share information in class about present or past employers that would be considered proprietary, confidential, company sensitive, or a trade secret.

PLAGIARISM:         PLAGIARISM POLICY, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMPUS 

Plagiarism or academic dishonesty, whether accidental or deliberate, is a serious violation of the Student Code of Conduct. The faculty member has the option of using classroom sanctions or elevating the case to campus level. Students are advised that written assignments may be submitted by the faculty member to an online plagiarism detection service.  It is plagiarism to go to the Internet, find an article, copy it to the clipboard and then drop it into your word processor.  Listing the article as a reference on the last page will not cover you.  This is plagiarism.  There are a few things that you can do that will help you to avoid being charged with academic dishonesty. Please note the following:  1) Anytime that you use the words or ideas of another person without

giving credit, it is considered plagiarism, WHETHER YOUR ACTIONS ARE INTENTIONAL OR NOT!

2) Differences between direct and indirect quotes:a) Direct Quotes : Includes the exact wording from the source.b) Indirect Quotes : Summarizes or paraphrases the content from the

source.3) APA in-text requirements:

a) Direct Quote : Author’s last name, publication date, and page number.

b) Indirect Quote : Author’s last name, publication date.4) Punctuation requirements:  ALL word-for-word quotations MUST be

placed in quotation marks. 5) Exception to the rule:  Common Knowledge – if the same information

can be found in three or more sources and those sources do not cite an earlier source, the information is considered common knowledge.  Also, commonly known facts  (e.g., Washington, D.C. is the capital of the U.S.) do not need a citation, even if you had to look them up.

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When in doubt, CITE.

Avoiding PlagiarismIt is highly recommended that each student complete the Avoiding Plagiarism tutorial located at the University of Phoenix Student and Faculty website (http://mycampus.phoenix.edu). Look under tutorials in the lower left hand corner.   

WRITTEN WORK:  All papers are to be typed, spell-checked and grammar checked, well written with a logical flow of thought. Submit double-spaced with 1" margins, and prepared in the APA format found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or Little, Brown Compact Book published by Harper Collins. Papers should be in 12-pitch font, using a serifed font such as Courier or Times Roman.  Indent paragraphs five spaces to indicate a new paragraph.  Please include a title page on all papers.  Although numbered, the title page does not count toward the required number of content pages. Please staple your papers together in the upper left hand corner.  Do not put them into a folder, binder, or plastic cover.  Please also submit your written work electronically via email, on diskette or CD-ROM. Electronic submissions are due no later than 10pm the night of class. To accommodate faculty and students in making APA more user friendly, a highly useful 21 page complementary document has been prepared for ease in learning and applying the APA style.  This document is titled, APA Style Quick Reference Guide (undated but released on March 1, 2000).  Accompanying the APA Style Quick Reference Guide are two other useful tools: APA Grading Tool and APA Sample Paper.  Students may download each of these three invaluable resources from the mycampus student web site.  

LATE WORK:          Late work will not earn the full points possible.  Work turned in up to one week late will earn 25 percent less per week.  For example, an assignment worth 20 points maximum that is turned in one week late will earn only 15 points maximum; two weeks late will only earn 10 points, etc.  ALL work MUST be turned in by the last workshop to earn any points.   In addition, the instructor reserves the right to reduce the student’s grade one full letter grade if the course is not completed by the originally scheduled end date.

INCOMPLETE:      An Incomplete will be considered only if the request for an Incomplete is submitted before the end date and all assignments from a minimum of three workshops are completed with a passing grade prior to the course end date. Incompletes are given at the discretion of the faculty member.

 STUDENTASSIGNMENTS       The Student Resource Center (SRC) will no longer accept student

assignments from faculty members for student pick up. All students interested in receiving final workshop written assignment(s) must provide the faculty member with a self-addressed envelope. Envelopes are

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provided free of charge in the SRC. The University will pay postage to mail back to the student the envelope with the assignment feedback and assignment points. Students must provide their own envelopes in all off-site (non learning center) locations. Postage will be paid by the University. The faculty member will deliver the envelope to the SRC.

Course Description

This course applies accounting tools to make management decisions. Students learn to evaluate organizational performance from accounting information. Other topics include financial statements, cost behavior, cost allocation, budgets, and control systems.

Course Topics & Objectives

Week One: Decision Making

Explain the role of budgets and performance reports in the management decision-making process.

Evaluate the role of ethics in accounting decision making. Evaluate relevant accounting information for business decision making.

Week Two: Financial Statements

Apply the concepts, techniques, and conventions of basic financial accounting. Identify how measurement conventions affect financial reporting. Determine the relationships between the elements of the four financial statements.

Week Three: Cost Behavior

Evaluate how cost behavior affects selection of cost drivers and management decisions. Analyze the cost-volume-profit relationships to predict effects of changes in sales or costs,

including the break-even sales volume. Compare and contrast the different methods of measuring cost functions. Explain how cost accounting systems are used to determine the cost of a product, service,

customer, or other cost objectives.

Week Four: Budgets

Explain the major components, advantages, and disadvantages of a master budget. Assess the risks associated with sales forecasting. Construct an activity-based flexible budget.

Week Five: Cost Allocation

Explain the methods of cost allocation. Analyze how factory overhead is applied to products. Compare and contrast uses of variable and absorption costing.

Week Six: Performance Management

Evaluate how managers use control systems to achieve organizational goals. Compute return on investment, residual income, and economic value added.

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Recommended Weekly Point Values

Week One  Individual Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario 8

Week Two  Assessed Discussion Question: Financial Statements 2Learning Team Assignment: Financial Statement Analysis 10

Week Three  Assessed Discussion Question: Aunt Connie’s Cookies Simulation 2Individual Team Assignment: Practice Text Exercises 5

Week Four  Assessed Discussion Question: Master Budget 2Learning Team Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Analysis 13

Week Five  Individual Assignment: Text Exercises 8

Week Six  Individual Assignment: Final Examination 15Learning Team Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Paper 17

All Weeks  Participation & Discussion Questions 18

Point Total 100

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Week One

Decision Making

Explain the role of budgets and performance reports in the management decision-making process.

Evaluate the role of ethics in accounting decision making. Evaluate relevant accounting information for business decision making.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 1, 5 & 6 of Introduction to Management Accounting.

2. Individual Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario

Resource: Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario Read the Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario. Write a paper in no more than 700 words explaining the following:

o How could Guillermo use budgets and performance reports in his decision-making

process?o How might ethics influence his accounting decisions?o What accounting information is most relevant for Guillermo to consider when making

decisions?

Format your paper consistent with APA standards.

3. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 34 & 35 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 1-5, 1-7, 1-9, 1-14, 1-17, 1-22, & 1-26.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 229 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 5-2, 5-4, 5-7, 5-16, & 5-21.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 275 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 6-3, 6-7, 6-9, 6-14, 6-18, & 6-23.

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Week Two

Financial Statements

Apply the concepts, techniques, and conventions of basic financial accounting. Identify how measurement conventions affect financial reporting. Determine the relationships between the elements of the four financial statements.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 15 & 16 of Introduction to Management Accounting. Review the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) website:

http://www.iasb.org/Home.htm Review the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) website:

http://www.fasb.org

2. Assessed Discussion Question: Financial Statements

In what ways do the elements of the four financial statements interact with one another? How might changing one of the financial statements affect the other financial statements? Why is it essential to understand the relationship between the financial statements?

3. Learning Team Assignment: Financial Statement Analysis

Choose three companies, one from each of the following three sectors: manufacturing, service, and retail sales. One company must be foreign.

Compute the quick and current liquidity ratios, the DuPont ratio, profit margin, asset utilization, and financial leverage of each of the three companies.

Write a paper in no more than 1,050 words discussing how differences in the industries and different IASB and FASB measurement conventions affect presentations. If one of the companies uses the cash basis of accounting, how would that differ from the accrual basis?

Format your paper consistent with APA standards.

4. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 715 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 15-3, 15-9, 15-4, & 15-15.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 768 & 769 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 16-1, 16-9, 16-14, 16-15, 16-23, & 16-29.

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Week Three

Cost Behavior

Evaluate how cost behavior affects selection of cost drivers and management decisions. Analyze the cost-volume-profit relationships to predict effects of changes in sales or costs,

including the break-even sales volume. Compare and contrast the different methods of measuring cost functions. Explain how cost accounting systems are used to determine the cost of a product, service,

customer, or other cost objectives.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 2–4 of Introduction to Management Accounting.

2. Individual Assignment: Practice Text Exercises

Resource: Introduction to Management Accounting Complete the following problem sets from the text:

o Question 2-48, CVP and Financial Statements for a Mega-Brand Company, on p. 82 o Question 2-61, CVP in a Modern Manufacturing Company, on p. 87 o EXCEL Application Exercise, CVP and Break-Even, on p. 89o Question 3-38, Mixed Cost, Choosing Cost Drivers, and High-Low and Visual-Fit

Methods, on p. 121-122

3. Learning Team Instructions: Guillermo Furniture Store Paper

Review the Week Six Assignment and begin working on the cost relationships and behaviors section for the Guillermo Furniture Store Paper.

4. Assessed Discussion Question: Aunt Connie’s Cookies Simulation

Resource: Aunt Connie’s Cookies simulation Complete the Aunt Connie’s Cookies simulation located on the student website. Reflect on the prerogatives and choices of the manager of Aunt Connie’s Cookies. Write a paper in no more than 700 words explaining how Aunt Connie’s Cookies could use

cost accounting systems to determine its product costs.

5. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 75 & 76 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 2-6, 2-9, 2-13, 2-15, 2-19, & 2-23.

Prepare to discuss any the following questions from p. 118 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 3-4, 3-10, & 3-20.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 178 & 179 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 4-2, 4-9, 4-15, 4-24, & 4-30.

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Week Four

Budgets

Explain the major components, advantages, and disadvantages of a master budget. Assess the risks associated with sales forecasting. Construct an activity-based flexible budget.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 7 & 8 of Introduction to Management Accounting.

2. Learning Team Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Analysis

You are the analyst for Guillermo Furniture Store. You are asked to revise the store’s flex budget by using Excel®. Assume Guillermo continues doing business with his current budget.

Write a budget in no more than 700 words that includes risks associated with sales forecasts and an analysis of ethical considerations in the preparation and subsequent use of the budget. Consider how the organization’s code of ethics requires an ethics analysis for any performance tool.

Format your paper consistent with APA standards.

3. Assessed Discussion Question: Master Budget

The master budget is a detailed and comprehensive analysis of an organization’s long- and short-term goals. Identify the major inputs to the master budget and the usefulness of each. Additionally, why would a company need to create a master budget? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

4. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 325 & 326 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 7-6, 7-11, & 7-19.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 367 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 8-2, 8-3, 8-5, 8-9, & 8-14.

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Week Five

Cost Allocation

Explain the methods of cost allocation. Analyze how factory overhead is applied to products. Compare and contrast uses of variable and absorption costing.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 12 &13 of Introduction to Management Accounting.

2. Individual Assignment: Text Exercises

Resource: Introduction to Management Accounting Complete the following problem sets from the textbook and show your work.

o EXCEL Application Exercise 12-59, Allocating Costs Using Direct and Step-Down

Methods, on p. 584 o Question 13-B3, Comparison of Variable Costing and Absorption Costing, on p. 617o Question 13-45, Variable and Absorption Costing, on p. 621 o Question 13-48, Overhead Variances, on p. 622o Question 13-49, Variances, on p. 622

3. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 566 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 12-2, 12-5, 12-11, & 12-18.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from p. 618 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 13-1, 13-3, 13-13, 13-16, & 13-22.

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Week Six

Performance Management

Evaluate how managers use control systems to achieve organizational goals. Compute return on investment, residual income, and economic value added.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

Read Ch. 9 &10 of Introduction to Management Accounting.

2. Individual Assignment: Final Exam

Resources: Final exam and assigned readings from all weeks Select the link to the final exam on your student webpage. The exam is available from the

end of Week Five through the end of Week Six. Complete the final exam. Only one attempt is allowed, which is timed and must be completed

in 3 hours. Results are auto-graded and sent to your facilitator.

Note. Final exam questions are adapted from Introduction to Management Accounting.

3. Learning Team Assignment: Guillermo Furniture Store Paper

Resource: Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario Review the Guillermo Furniture Store Scenario. Write a paper in no more than 1,400 words in which you explain the following:

o How do the cost relationships and behaviors at Guillermo Furniture Store determine

decision-making prerogatives for the manager?

o What control system might Guillermo use to help it achieve his store’s organizational goals?

o Provide a break-even analysis on the current situation considering the possible effects of selling the flame-retardant separately. This must be presented in at least one table.

o Compute the return on investment, residual income, and economic value added for the current situation.

Format your paper consistent with APA standards.

4. Discussion Questions

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 414 & 415 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 9-27, 9-28, 9-30, & 9-31.

Prepare to discuss any of the following questions from pp. 458 & 459 of Introduction to Management Accounting: 10-7, 10-10, 10-14, 10-24, & 10-25.

These assignments are due in Week Five.

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