SYLLABUS FOR ACC 605 GAY – FALL 2024
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Accounting 605 – Fall 2024
Managerial Accounting and Business Intelligence
Section 1: MW 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Room: Conner 213
Section 2: MW 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Room: Conner 213
Course Objectives:
(1) Enhance our critical/strategic thinking skills
(2) Use accounting information to support strategic decisions
(3) Help you get prepared for the BEC portion of the CPA exam
(4) Understand linear regression as a way to estimate and analyze relations in complex datasets
well enough to use it appropriately on the job next year
Professor:
Dr. Jonathan Gay
Email:
jlgay@olemiss.edu
Office:
Holman Hall 369
Office Hours:
Tuesday from 9:00-11:00 am
Thursday from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
By appointment: If you are unable to attend my scheduled office hours due to a
scheduled conflict, send me an email and we will arrange an alternative meeting
time during regular business hours.
Cell Phone:
409-720-9633 (if urgent and at reasonable hours)
SYLLABUS FOR ACC 605 GAY – FALL 2024
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Required Text
COST ACCOUNTING: A MANAGERIAL EMPHASIS, by Horngren, Datar, & Rajan
(17th edition). Feel free to use an e-book or share a copy of the textbook with another student
in the course if your living arrangements make it feasible.
Required Supplements
CASE READINGS: Case materials will be purchased through HBS case publishers. I will
provide you this information in the coming weeks. These additional cases will cost
approximately $5.
OTHER COURSE READINGS: I will occasionally post other readings or content through
Blackboard.
Course Requirements
There will be two mid-term exams. No make-up exams will be given. Medical emergencies
and family emergencies are the only valid reasons that will be accepted for missing an exam.
You must provide supporting documentation (e.g., signed note from a physician) if you do
miss an exam. If you are excused from the midterm exam, the final exam will be re-weighted.
If you do not have a valid reason for missing an exam, you will receive a zero on the exam,
which usually implies failing the course.
There will be ten homework assignments. The purpose of the homework assignments is to
challenge and aid the student in learning the material as well as pacing the student's learning
throughout the semester. Homework assignments will be turned in before or at the start of
class on the date listed on the syllabus. The homework assignments will be graded for
completion. Homework solutions will generally be provided in class on the date the
assignment is due and on Blackboard. Homework is considered late (score of 0) if it is not
turned in by the required time. However, homework assignments can be turned in early / any
time before the due date and time. Each homework is worth 5 points each.
Students are allowed to use fellow students as a learning resource as they perform their
homework. However, each student must turn in their own homework assignment. And more
importantly, each student is required to understand the solutions they are turning in. Turning
in homework solutions that the student’s in-class participation reveals they do not understand
is considered to be in violation of the university’s academic honesty policy.
Data Projects. Students will undertake two data projects over the course of the term in small
groups. These assignments will be graded for some combination of completeness and
accuracy.
There will be a group Case Term Project. Students will be assigned to groups and work
together to create a deliverable surrounding the strategic management issues of a real-world
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company. Most critically the group will report what strategic actions they believe the
company should take. Reports should include why the group prefers these strategic actions
and how they should be implemented. These reports should draw on the data analytic and data
visualization techniques covered during the term.
These case projects are critical to the objectives of this course. The cases enable our class to
move away from the generation of managerial accounting information towards the
understanding and use of accounting information. These cases will help develop a different
skill set than your previous cost/managerial courses. Broadening the skills acquired may
enhance students’ short-term job performance, but is ultimately directed towards students’
long-term career objectives.
Your final exam will be cumulative. It will feature computational analyses and
interpretation like your other in-class exams. It will cover new material introduced after the
second midterm exam as well as information from the portion of the course preceding the two
midterms.
Course Structure
Guiding Principle. You guys are adults. I’d like to treat you like adults. I strongly encourage
students to attend class, as it’s really tough to do well without attending. But I understand you
have competing interests and incentives and I’m fine with you managing your schedule as you
want. You have plenty of freedom outside of deadlines and due dates for homework and
exams. The trade-off is you live with the consequences of your choices.
Professionalism. Along with your freedom to manage your time and learning, comes an
obligation to not disrupt anyone else’s. So, you should be on time and treat instructors,
proctors, graders, and other students respectfully. Your display of professionalism should
extend to office hours, emails, and work with other students outside of class. You should make
yourself as available as possible for group work while being understanding of other’s needs
and restrictions too. This discretionary evaluation will be based upon my assessment of your
professional behavior. If issues with a lack of professionalism occur it can have a detrimental
impact on your score in the class.
In return, you can expect professional behavior from me. I will respect your need to learn the
material in the course and be prompt and professional during office hours, emails, and class.
Timing of assignments to lectures. As you will see on the following class schedule, you are
going to be assigned homework problems which will be due on the day that the related topics
will be discussed and taught. This requires the students to take ownership in their own
learning process. While this can be new for some students, the decision is intentional. This is
how the business world will ask you to learn! Students are expected to prepare the related
problems correctly before class. This allows our class time to center on fine tuning the skill
practiced at home and then expanding to the conceptual application of the skill.
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Students should note that in addition to the textbook, they can utilize office hours
appointments with me, other students, and other outside sources to aide in learning the
assigned information. However, students remain responsible for understanding their own
work.
You will receive a zero for all homework and other assignments turned in after the due date.
Exceptions will be granted for medical or family emergencies, not for convenience. You will
be asked to provide documentation to support an excused circumstance.
Data Analytics. I am aware that not everyone in the course is attempting to receive a degree
with an emphasis in data analytics. For those students that are not and are not inclined towards
technology and “data analytics,” I think that you should be very motivated for this portion of
the course for two reasons 1) the skills we are labeling “data analytic” skills are increasingly
necessary to succeed in the profession, and 2) these skills really aren’t substantially different
than the “regular” accounting skills you’ve been learning throughout your curriculum.
Accounting is always about analyzing data (or organizing it so that it can be analyzed). The
technology changes, but the need to understand relationships within data hasn’t changed.
Generative AI. Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence technologies, like those used for
ChatGPT, that can draw on a large corpus of training data to create new written, visual, or
audio content. See Blackboard for resources that can help you learn more about AI and
machine learning.
AI can support your learning in this course by helping you:
 Consider points of view that hadn’t occurred to you
 Get feedback on your work/ideas
 Generating images for use in presentations
 Polishing your spelling and grammar
 Understand passages from readings
However, it can also hinder your learning by generating ideas for you before you have had a
chance to think of your own ideas; inhibiting the development of your own writing skills;
generating factually inaccurate statements or fictional reference sources (this happens a lot!).
I would encourage you to try each assignment on your own BEFORE using an AI tool. I hope
that you will view and use AI as a tool to aid and improve your work rather than a cheat sheet
or shortcut. While AI can be helpful, these tools won’t have all of the nuance and specifics of
your future workplace where you will be tasked to make difficult decisions.
If you use an AI tool to complete an assignment, please disclose your use of it by disclosing
the tool you used and how you used the tool, and write a brief reflection on how AI affected
your process.
Please know that you are responsible for the work you submit for this course, whether or not
you use AI tools in the creation of that work. This means, among other things, that you should
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check the factual accuracy of what you submit, ensure that any sources you cite are not
fictional, and be aware of potential biases in your work.
While you may use AI tools to enhance your learning in this course, please bear in mind that
instructors for other courses will have different policies.
If you’re unsure about whether or not a specific tool or use of AI is permitted, please contact
me.
Disability Access and Inclusion: The University of Mississippi is committed to the creation
of inclusive learning environments for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or
design of this course that result in barriers to your full inclusion and participation, or to
accurate assessment of your achievement, please contact the course instructor as soon as
possible. Barriers may include, but are not necessarily limited to, timed exams and in-class
assignments, difficulty with the acquisition of lecture content, inaccessible web content, and
the use of non-captioned or non-transcribed video and audio files. If you are approved through
SDS, you must log in to your Rebel Access portal at https://sds.olemiss.edu to request
approved accommodations. If you are NOT approved through SDS, you must contact Student
Disability Services at 662-915-7128 so the office can: 1. determine your eligibility for
accommodations, 2. disseminate to your instructors a Faculty Notification Letter, 3. facilitate
the removal of barriers, and 4. ensure you have equal access to the same opportunities for
success that are available to all students.
University Diversity Statement: The University of Mississippi embraces its public flagship
mission of inspiring and educating our diverse and vibrant community where all individuals
are able to intellectually, socially, and culturally thrive through transformative experiences on
our campus and beyond. In fulfillment of this mission, we demonstrate the following
commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion:
Diversity is an affirmation of the intersecting individual, social and organizational identities
that make our community vibrant and transformational. We commit to openly increasing,
embracing and recognizing the full spectrum of diversity at all levels of our institution.
Equity is directly addressing the social, institutional, organizational and systemic barriers that
prevent members of marginalized groups from thriving in our community. We commit to be
both proactive and responsive in mitigating barriers so that all members of our institution are
able to reach their full potential.
Inclusion is actively and intentionally creating a welcoming campus where all individuals feel
they have a supportive and affirming space to learn, grow and engage. We commit to
fostering a campus environment that fully supports, values and engages the intersectional
identities of every member of our community.
University Counseling Center: At the University Counseling Center (UCC), you will find a
team of dedicated professionals who strive to offer the best care possible in an atmosphere of
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acceptance and respect. No record of counseling is contained in any academic, educational, or
personnel file. No information, written or oral, is released to other persons without the client’s
written permission. The Counseling Center is staffed by licensed, professional counselors and
social workers, as well as Graduate Assistant student counselors from the Counseling,
Psychology, and Social Work programs. The UCC provides a variety of counseling services,
including individual and group sessions, for diverse mental health concerns using a brief
therapy model. Services for students are free and confidential.
Course Grades
Course grades are determined by the following weighting scheme:
Midterm Exam 1
Midterm Exam 2
Final Exam
Term Project
Data Projects
Homework
TOTAL POINTS
100 (20%)
100 (20%)
150 (30%)
50 (10%)
50 (10%)
50 (10%)
500 (100%)
Letter grades will be assigned based on the following:
A = 448+ points
B = 447 – 398 points
C = 397 – 348 points
D = 347 – 298 points
F = <= 297
Curving of final grades is at the professor's discretion. If grades are curved, the curve will
only occur after all exams and assignments are completed and not on individual exams.
Extra credit opportunities could arise throughout the semester and will be made available to
all students.
Re-grading policy
I will make every effort to ensure the accuracy of grading. Should grading discrepancies (e.g.,
my counting something wrong that you think is right, not adding up your points correctly,
etc.) arise, email me a request for re-grading describing the issue within 3 calendar days (72
hours) after the exam is given back to you.
Getting off to a solid start
At this point you have taken two previous Cost/Managerial accounting classes (202 and 309).
You are expected to retain the skills taught in those courses, specifically as they relate to the
SYLLABUS FOR ACC 605 GAY – FALL 2024
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creation of managerial accounting information. This course will build on those techniques and
then move toward a more conceptual use of the information. I recommend that those of you
who feel in any way nervous about a particular skill from those courses to read through the
pertinent early chapter in the textbook and work some problems (our work in the textbook
will begin in Chapter 13). Work through as many as you need to feel comfortable.
Other
Blackboard. I will use Blackboard as my primary way of communicating with the class.
Tableau License. You will need Tableau on your computer and a license to use it. You can
apply for a free student license at https://www.tableau.com/academic/students
General Computing. In addition to Tableau, we will be doing in-class problems and running
regressions in Excel, which I have been told some Macs have trouble with. While it isn’t a
hard requirement to bring a laptop to class, it will be extremely beneficial.
Academic Honesty. The University of Mississippi policy Student Academic Conduct and
Discipline will be strictly enforced in this class. The policy can be found here:
http://secure4.olemiss.edu/umpolicyopen/ShowDetails.jsp?istatPara=1&policyObjidPara=108
17696
If a student is found to violate the academic honesty policy, the student will face the following
consequences:
First offense: Receive a zero on the assignment and will have three times the value of the
assignment deducted from their overall score. I will also initiate an academic discipline
case through the myOleMiss portal.
Second offense: Receive an F in the course and I will also initiate an academic discipline
case through the myOleMiss portal.
Academic dishonesty in this course includes, but is not limited to:
 Providing solutions to another student on an exam or other assignment
 Receiving solutions from another student on an exam or other assignment
 Providing information about exam content to other students taking the course during the
same semester
 Soliciting information about exam content from other students in the course during the
same semester
 Using prohibited items while taking an exam
SYLLABUS FOR ACC 605 GAY – FALL 2024
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Class Schedule
Class
#
1
2
3
4
Date
Day
8/26
M
Topic / Task
Assignment
Introduction / Syllabus
8/28
W
Porter’s Five Forces
9/02
M
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
9/04
W
Strategic Profitability Analysis
M
Pricing Decisions and Cost
Management
9/09
Text
Chapter
Read Porter 2008
HW1: Write Two Page
Paper Summarizing
(Minimum 700 words)
13
HW2: Exercises: 1330, 13-31
14
HW3: Exercises 1420, 14-22; Problems
14-31, 14-33
5
9/11
W
Sales Variances
15
HW4: Exercises: 1525, 15-26; Problems:
15-38, 15-39
6
9/16
M
Quality & Constraints
20
HW5: Exercises: 2021; Problems: 20-32,
20-33, 20-37
7
9/18
W
Linear Regression I: What is
regression?
8
9/23
M
Linear Regression II: Indicator
Variables
9
9/25
W
Cost Estimation Data Project
10
9/30
M
Review Session
11
10/02
W
Midterm Exam 1
12
10/07
M
Linear Regression III: Data
Visualization
[There are some
background readings
in blackboard if you
want]
In-class Group Project
SYLLABUS FOR ACC 605 GAY – FALL 2024
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10/09
W
Liner Regression IV: Outliers
[Timp Health Data
Project Begins]
[You’ve got
everything you need to
finish the Timp Health
Project, so just do it
now]
14
10/14
M
Liner Regression V: Statistical Wrap
Up
15
10/16
W
Spoilage, Rework, & Scrap
16
10/21
M
Inventory Management & JIT
17
10/23
W
Management Control & Transfer
Pricing
18
10/28
M
Review Session
19
10/30
W
Midterm Exam 2
M
Group Meeting Time for Term Case
Project
20
21
11/04
11/06
W
9
Performance Measurement
19
HW6: Exercises:1925, 19-26, 19-32
21
HW7: Exercises: 2123, 21-25; Problems:
21-30, 21-32
23
HW8: Exercises: 2317, 23-22; Problems:
23-32, 23-35
Timp Health Project
Due
[Professor Gay
available during class
time to discuss term
cases project progress]
24
Read GHR (portion)
Read Dechow & Sloan
1991 (Intro)
HW9: Exercises: 2423; Problem: 24-35
22
11/11
M
Incentive Systems & Compensation
24
Read Murphy 2002
(Intro)
Read New York Times
Article
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11/13
W
Group Meeting Time for Term Case
Project
[Professor Gay
available during class
time to discuss term
cases project progress]
HW10: Exercises: 1619, 16-20; Problems:
16-30
(Repeated Iterations
not required)
24
11/18
M
Cost Allocation, CustomerProfitability Analysis, and SalesVariance Analysis
25
11/20
W
Group Meeting Time for Term Case
Project Completion
11/2511/29
M-F
THANKSGIVING BREAK
M
Corporate Social
Responsibilities/Environment, Social,
and Governance
26
12/02
10
16
Assigned Readings
Term Projects Due
(End of Day 12/02)
27
12/04
W
Review Session
12/11
W
FINAL EXAM (12:00 pm)
Section 2
12/12
Th
FINAL EXAM (04:00 pm)
Section 1
*Note that anything in this syllabus is subject to change at Professor Gay’s discretion. Should
anything change, I will notify everyone in class and on Blackboard.