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Management Accounting

Module description

Management accounting is a branch of accounting that provides information to help organisations make internal business decisions. Unlike financial accounting, which focuses on providing information to external stakeholders such as investors and regulators, management accounting is primarily concerned with serving the needs of management within the organisation.

Within this module we will explore the main objectives of management accounting including decision-making, planning and budgeting, performance evaluation, costing and internal reporting.

At the end of this module, you will be able to develop, communicate, and deliver operational plans that meet strategic objectives, set targets and Key performance indicators (KPIs), manage resources, and monitor and measure outcomes to establish operations effectively, efficiently and economically.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide you with an in-depth appreciation of strategic planning techniques that are used by organisations to analyse, develop, and implement.  Furthermore you will explore various decision-making techniques that are applicable to a wide range of short-term and long-term decisions faced by organisations, contemporary cost management philosophies and performance management. The aim is not to just cover the techniques but to appreciate the context of its application and barriers that may hinder its success. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Explain strategic planning techniques that are used by organisations to analyse, develop, and implement strategy. (K22)
• 2. Use a variety of approaches to digital technology used to analyse, communicate, monitor and report on implementing strategy and meeting strategic objectives. (K23)
• 3. Identify and evaluate quantitative and qualitative factors that influence business performance (K25).

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Interpret management and cash flow reports and identify future action required and utilise a variety of media, including verbal communication, to deliver advice that impacts management decisions. (S13) (S15)
• 5. Apply management accounting techniques to assist decision making within the organisation. (S14)
• 6. Demonstrate the ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative data in order to assess business performance, and utilise a variety of media, including verbal communication that demonstrates emotional intelligence, to make recommendations. (S23)

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Evaluate strategic options, taking into consideration the impact of internal and external factors. (S21)
• 8. Develop, communicate, and deliver operational plans that meet strategic objectives; being able to set targets and KPIs, manage resources, and monitor and measure outcomes to establish operations effectively, efficiently and economically.(S22)

Syllabus plan

This introduction module will cover intermediate management techniques  including:

• Cost management techniques including cash flows
• Decision making techniques
• Performance indicators
• Statistical techniques

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Burns, J., Quinn, M., Warren, L. & Oliveira, J. (2013), Management accounting, McGraw-Hill Education
• Drury, C. (2021), Management and cost accounting, 11th edition, Cengage

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) student learning portal

Key words search

Management Accounting