Course 2023-2024 a.y.

30364 - ACCOUNTING (MODULE II) - MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING

Department of Accounting

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 24 - 26
WBB (6 credits - I sem. - OB  |  SECS-P/07)
Course Director:
TIM MARTENS

Classes: 24 (I sem.) - 26 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 24: TIM MARTENS, Class 26: TIM MARTENS


Suggested background knowledge

To feel comfortable in this course it would be preferable to be familiar with financial accounting and financial statements analysis. Anyway, there are no obligatory prerequisites.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The most successful managers need clear details on the economic and financial performances, acquired through their activity, to run winning companies. They use a deep understanding of where (in which business segment, product, distribution channel, geographical area, etc.) they are able the produce the bests results and how (pricing strategy, cost efficiency, profitable investment, service, quality, care, etc.). Managerial Accounting is the subject providing the set of knowledge to drive performances in the right direction implementing successful strategies. Cost measurement, cost management, pricing decisions, costs and decision making, product costing, budgeting and reporting, capital budgeting, and return on investments, performance management, and decentralization are essential tools and techniques to grant effective performance management. The mission of this course is to explore the role of Managerial Accounting and its tools in supporting the strategy implementation, in directing the managerial decisions and in appraising the performances to run successful companies.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The most important topics we consider during this course are the following:

  • Cost definition and cost classification.
  • Cost behaviour and Break Event Point analysis.
  • Costs and decision making in actual contexts.
  • Pricing decisions.
  • Traditional and Activity Based Cost accounting systems.
  • Job costing and process costing systems.
  • Budgets, standard costing systems and variance analysis.
  • Reporting systems.
  • Responsibility accounting.
  • Decentralization and performance measurement.
  • Transfer pricing.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Appreciate the role of quantitative accounting techniques to support decision-making.
  • Understand the relationships between costs, revenues and profit at various activity levels.
  • Comprehend management accounting as models to analyze business decisions and advise on the most appropriate course of action.
  • Appreciate the role of the planning and control mechanisms in formulating standards and budgets and in assigning responsibility to managers.
  • Understand the principles of cost allocations for pricing, stock valuation, and decision making in marketing, sales and operations. 

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Evaluate the best option in decision making to maximize the company’s result.
  • Set profitable prices compared to the costs incurred by the company.
  • Define goals and target to meet the expectations of stakeholders.
  • Motivate managers to accomplish the expected performances.
  • Delegate targets’ acquisition to the team of collaborators.

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)

DETAILS

During the lessons, a selected number of exercises are solved in class.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
x x x

Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • The reference textbook is: Alnoor Bhimani, Charles Horngren, Madhav Rajan, Srikant Datar - Management and Cost Accounting - Pearson Education Limited; 7th edition (15 May 2019)
  • The course materials (slides, solutions, mock exams, etc.) are available on the e-learning at Bocconi.
Last change 27/06/2023 13:05