James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

BU5002:03

Accounting for Management Decisions

Townsville, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne HECS Band 2

40 hours lectures. Semester 1 and 2 (Townsville campus); Semester 1 (Cairns campus, Sydney); August block mode (Melbourne).

Staff: Professor P Siegel (Townsville campus); Mr D Smorfitt (Cairns campus).

Accounting is the primary method for communicating the economics of any business. Managers must understand the concepts and language of accounting in order to use this critical tool effectively for communication, monitoring and resource allocation.

Learning Objectives:

  1. understand the complexity of determining and utilising data on the costs of an organisation’s products or services;
  2. learn the power of measurement in coordinating, motivating and evaluating the activities of employees and managers;
  3. understand financial statements and accounting reports and use a reporting strategy to communicate with external and internal audiences;
  4. understand how modern accounting and control theory is used to evaluate economic conditions and to make organisational decisions.

Assessment to be advised by first week of lectures.