The Business School at the University of Colorado Denver

Course Title: Course Number: Term: Instructor: Managerial Accounting Seminar ACCT 6260 Fall 2010 Gary Colbert Phone: (Work) (303) 315-8443 (Home) (303) 716-9831 Email: Gary.Colbert@ucdenver.edu

Course Description: This course emphasizes how cost management and control systems can be used in setting and executing strategy and in making tactical decisions. The course covers managerial accounting methods and concepts that are available and their related behavioral and organizational considerations. The first part of the course includes a review of traditional managerial accounting topics. The remainder of the course covers more recent innovative approaches to cost management and control systems that support competitive strategy. Course readings, case studies and discussion will highlight key concepts and issues. Course Objectives: The primary objective is for you to gain a good understanding of how to design and use an organization's cost management and control systems in todays intensely competitive environment. Two secondary objectives are to * improve your oral and written communication skills, and * improve your individual and collective group work skills. Materials: Required Materials: A required packet of Harvard Business School cases is available for purchase online at http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/access/6555946. Other problems, cases and readings will be made available electronically using Blackboard at http://blackboard.cuonline.edu/. The cases and readings are designed to highlight issues confronted by managers in today's challenging environment and the related managerial accounting and control techniques that are available. These cases provide rich real world contexts in which managerial accounting issues can be explored in depth. Our analysis and discussion will reveal how a balance of theory/concept and judgment is often required to effectively address management accounting and control problems. Other Materials: There is no textbook required for this class. I will give you a set of PowerPoint slides for many of the classes that cover relevant sections typically found in managerial accounting or cost accounting texts. That may be sufficient in most cases. I can put a textbook on reserve at the library if that helps. You may also choose to review/use a managerial accounting or cost accounting text that you have available or can access. Grading Policies/Assignment Descriptions: There will be three principal components to your class grade as detailed below. The weights listed may change somewhat depending on additional assignments, etc. Class Preparation and Participation (including case write-ups) Exam I 35% 35%

Final Paper Total

30% 100%

According to College of Business policy, the average GPA for this course should fall in the range between 3.2 and 3.6. Grades will be assigned based on a class curve. Plus and minus grades will be used. The final grading scheme often approximately follows the standard curve as follows: A B C D 90%-100% 80%-89% 70%-79% 60%-69%

Make-up exams will be given rarely, and only when circumstances beyond your control prevent you from attending our scheduled exam. I advise that you contact me as soon as possible in advance when such circumstances arise. Assigned Problems to be discussed in class: I expect you to individually master certain problem solving or procedural matters, particularly early in the term. There are several problems we cover in class that focus on these matters. See the class schedule at the end of this syllabus for a listing of the problems. I expect you to work over these before we cover them in class. You will not turn these in. Assigned Cases to be turned in by you: There are a number of assigned cases that we will discuss during the term. Cases are the "lifeblood" of this course. Students have been enthusiastic about learning by the case method. The advantage of the case method is that it emphasizes analyzing issues in real-world contexts. You are expected to prepare and turn in a brief write-up on all of the assigned cases. The purpose of collecting these write-ups is to insure that everyone is prepared to contribute. Limit the length of the write-up to one or two (max) typed pages, plus exhibits. These are due at the beginning of each class. I expect that you will be prepared to discuss the case. If you will not be in class that evening email a copy of the case to me before class starts. I will read them over to monitor and evaluate how you are doing. A positive or negative tendency in your assigned case work will impact your preparation and participation score for the class. Approximately half of your preparation and participation score will be based on the case write-ups you submit. It is acceptable to discuss problems, cases, etc. with others. However, when you submit a formal write-up or executive summary it is subject to the academic honesty policy described below. That is, your submissions should be your analysis, ideas and words. Evaluation of your case write-ups will be based primarily on content quality using the following criteria: Content Quality (80%) Was the case well analyzed and put into context? Were the ideas and points made substantive and insightful? Were the ideas and points made presented clearly and persuasively? Did they address the key issues? Were strong conclusions drawn from the analysis? Was there good use of case data to support the analysis? Was the depth of coverage appropriate? Was the case linked to the readings and other cases as appropriate? Organization, Presentation and Composition (20%) Was the report well written, properly edited and easy to read? Was the report as laid out visually appealing?
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Did the report make appropriate use of headings, subheadings and lists? Was the length kept within the maximum page limitation? Class Participation: This is a graduate level seminar. To me this means that it is primarily a class that is based on thoughtful discussion of course materials (readings, problems, cases, etc.). The most important requirement for a successful learning experience in this class is 1) thorough preparation of the assigned material (readings, problems and cases) and 2) active participation in the classroom discussion. This will enable all of us to get the most out of each class session. One of the goals for the course is for you to hone your analytical skills. The learning in this class focuses in large part on the thought processes involved in analyzing business situations, not just the solution to one particular problem per se. To help you in preparing I will provide you with class notes where applicable and questions to consider for articles, problems and cases. One must participate in class in order to share ideas. However, class participation does not mean that you talk a lot. Rather it means that you share with the class focused, thoughtful ideas, comments and questions. Many of the best contributors only speak occasionally, but their contributions are insightful and persuasive. The issue is one of quality not merely quantity. I particularly appreciate those who are willing to take a chance by offering an informed speculation when an issue is not well defined or understood. I will evaluate the quality and frequency of your participation during the term. Absenteeism will also be factored into your class participation grade. I will also ask you to provide a written selfevaluation at the end of the term. I must however be the final judge in this matter. I would be pleased, and in fact I would welcome an opportunity, to review your status on participation at any time during the term. Characteristics of effective class participation include: Are the underlying ideas substantive and do they provide insight and direction for the class? Are the comments made relevant to the discussion, increasing everyone's understanding? Do the comments made reflect thoughtful preparation? Do the comments go beyond a restatement of facts or previously covered material? When arguments are offered are they well substantiated and persuasively presented? Is there a willingness to test new ideas or are all comments safe and cautious? Is there a willingness to interact with others by asking questions and challenging conclusions? Approximately half of your preparation and participation score will be based on attendance and inclass participation. Exams: One required exam is scheduled for this class. This is meant to test your knowledge of fundamental managerial accounting concepts and your analysis skills. You may be asked to solve problems, analyze a case and/or write short essays on particular topics that we have covered. The exam should be about two hours long. Final Paper: The point of this project is to get you involved in doing hands on research and analysis that is related to managerial accounting and control, broadly defined. Your paper should incorporate two thematic essays: adoption of activity based costing and implementing an enhanced performance measurement system. I will provide you with additional details after the term starts. As an alternative you could investigate a matter that pertains to a real-world organization and involves collecting data about the organization. The project should address an issue or problem of interest to you. Here are some ideas along those lines.
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Select an organization or industry, one that you work for, or one which you are familiar with and write a paper that applies and/or evaluates one or more aspects of the management accounting and control system practices of that organization. Traditionally topics have mainly been on activity analysis and costing of a particular product or program or cost analysis (including value chain/strategic cost analysis). Other possible topics include profit planning, balanced scorecards, risk management, performance measurement, other management control systems, etc. The written element of this project is due on or before December 16, 2010. If you intend to do a different kind of project, once you have settled on a topic, please discuss this with me early in the term. Your final papers should be typewritten and in good form. Limit your paper to 8 to 10 (max) typewritten double-spaced pages, with additional pages for any exhibits such as tables or graphs. Appropriate citation of sources of content is required. Expectation of Time Commitment: It is expected that the volume of work for this course would require a student, on average, to commit a minimum of 100 hours (6 hours per week) outside of class during the term. To succeed in this class one must keep up with the assigned readings, problems and cases. Dropping the Course and Incompletes: If you remain enrolled in this course you are accepting the fact that you will receive a grade in this course. After the scheduled drop date deadline, I will only sign a drop form if you are passing the course at that time. It is your responsibility to drop if you do not intend to complete the course. An incomplete will be granted only if there are extenuating circumstances that preclude you from finishing some particular aspect of the course requirements. An incomplete is not a substitute for dropping the course. Academic Honesty: Whenever you put your name on a piece of work for this class you are asserting that it is your own work, except as otherwise indicated and permitted. If that is not the case, you are being academically dishonest which is unacceptable and will be handled in accordance with the Colleges procedures. Ethic and Commitment: Your learning and experience in this class is important to me. Within reason, I will do whatever I can to facilitate your learning and make your experience a good one. That is the ethic I bring to the class. You should feel comfortable calling me at work or home. I also encourage you to use email as a mode of communicating - I typically check my account several times during the day. Although in the end I have a certain expectation about what is your responsibility to work out on your own, I will make a strong effort to respond to your questions, comments and concerns. Also, I am interested in suggestions about how I can improve the class and your learning experience. I also expect that you will bring a certain ethic to the class as well. In the end this is your class to make of it what you will. I feel very strongly that what you get out of this class is in proportion to what you put into it. But the compelling part is that each one of you can and will influence the collective learning experience. The same can be said for your group activities and assignments. In many regards it is the collective impact that you all have on one another that can lead to excellence. The bottom line: I expect this is a class you will enjoy as well as learn from this class.

Course Schedule - Subject to Change: Listed below is the general class schedule of topics. Assigned Problems, Cases and the Exam have been highlighted in bold for your attention. There will also be assigned readings from time to time. As circumstance require we will make adjustments to the schedule below. Weekly agendas with further important details (i.e., objectives, instructions, comments, etc.) will be made available as we progress during the term. It is your responsibility to stay attuned to these changes. I will keep you informed if you are coming to class. You can also get agendas, assignments, etc. from our Blackboard site. Date Aug 26 Topic/Assignments Course and Management Accounting Introduction The Strategic Context Cost-Volume-Profit and Contribution Analysis Problem Kiwi Cellars Product and Service Costing Problem Denver Medical Case High Country Telephone Short Term Decision Making, Relevant Costs and Contribution Analysis Problem Rust Belt Instruments Case Cliff Jumper Bicycles Activity-Based Costing/Management Problem Colorado Stain Case Western States Stationary Activity-Based Costing/Management Extensions Case Sippican Understanding Customer Profitability at Charles Schwab Value Chain Analysis Problem Levis Case Chalice Wine Capital Budgeting Case Stryker Corporation: In-sourcing PCBs Target Corporation

Sep 2

Sep 9

Sep 16

Sep 23

Sep 30

Oct 7

Oct 14

Oct 21 Oct 28

EXAM Strategy and Control Review Exam Profit Planning and Business Models Case Virgin Mobile USA Cafes Monte Bianco Control Levers Case

Nov 4

Nov 11

Nordstrom Siebel Systems Organizing for the Customer

Nov 18

Balanced Scorecards Case Genaceutics Wells Fargo Online Thanksgiving no class Strategic Risk Case Hamilton Financial Investments Readings from the Academic Perspective Final Paper Due

Nov 25 Dec 2 Dec 9 Dec 16