Wilfrid Laurier University
School of Business and Economics
MBA Program – Fall 2009
BU607 Accounting
Course Objectives:
The objective of this course is to expose all students to the fundamental skills required by
managers. All managers need to analyze financial statements, use accounting
information in both short-run and long-run decisions and understand the impact of
management control systems on their organizations. The focus of the course is on the
development of these skills within a general management perspective and not on
technical accounting issues.
Instructor:
Lynn Carty
P3066
(519) 884-0710 X4161
lcarty@wlu.ca
Required Textbook:
HSSTG: Horngren, Charles T., Gary L. Sundem, William O. Stratton, Howard D. Teall
and George A. Gekas Management Accounting, Fifth Canadian Edition, Prentice-Hall,
2007, ISBN: 0132362686
SZB: Stanco, Brian B., Thomas L. Zeller and Tashia E. Batstone Introduction to the
Corporate Annual Report, Canadian Edition, Wiley, 2005, ISBN: 0470836520
BU607 Case Package
Evaluation:
Midterm test
Final Report
Participation
Group Projects:
SZB Project Presentation and Report
Company Project Presentation
Company Project Report
35%
25%
15%
5%
5%
15%
Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier’s Special Needs
Office for information regarding its services and resources. Students are encouraged to
review the Calendar for information regarding all services available on campus.
1
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam will include all material covered up to and including week #9. All
students must pass the midterm exam. For those who fail the midterm, additional
assignments must be completed to the satisfaction of the instructor.
Final Report
The final report is an individual report of approximately six pages plus exhibits
(approximately 5 pages of exhibits). The report is to deal with an issue that is of interest
to you and that is relevant to the objectives of this course. Each student must submit a
one-page summary of your report proposal to the professor for comment and approval.
Participation
Starting in week 3 your participation will be graded for each class. You will receive a
grade of zero if you are absent and a grade of at least 70% if you attend. A grade of
between 70% and 100% will be awarded based on the quantity and quality of
participation.
You are permitted to miss up to one class provided notice has been given to the
Instructor. For any additional classes missed, the Instructor will assign additional work
based on the material covered in the missed class and this work must be completed to the
satisfaction of the Instructor.
Group Project
The class will be divided into approximately 10 groups. Each group will select a
company to study. The same company will be used for both the SZB Project and for the
Company Project. The company will need to be registered (see Company Project).
SZB Project
As a group you are to systematically evaluate a company’s annual report and to gather
information needed for making the business decision: Is this company a potential
employer? To answer this question each group must answer the questions in the SZB
booklet. The SZB booklet will be handed-in (one per group). The group will also prepare
a presentation outlining: 1) your information needs for making the decision, 2) the
company’s identified strategic focus, 3) the company’s financial health and 4) your
decision based on your analysis. One class has been reserved for the presentations. The
length of the presentations will depend on the number of groups. Each group must
submit a copy of the PowerPoint slides used for the presentation before the presentation
(print in grayscale with six to a page).
Company Project – Saturday November 21
The Company project is completed along with Laurier’s Toronto MBA students and fulltime Waterloo MBA students. The project involves the analysis of a public company
from the point of view of a prospective equity investor. The goal is to provide and justify
an investment recommendation: buy, sell or hold. There will be a separate hand-out
describing the Company Project.
2
Week 1: September 17
Preparing the Financial Statements
Assignment: Baron Coburg
Readings:
HSSTG Chapters 1 & 15
SZB Chapters 1 & 2
Week 2: September 24
Financial Statement Analysis
Assignment: Unidentified Industries (HSSTG Case 15-2 page 809)
Benchmark Comparisons of the Wood Roof Truss Manufacturing
Industry (case package)
Readings:
SZB Chapters 3, 4, 5
Week 3: October 1
Cash Flow, Proforma Analysis & Absorption Method
Assignment: Wilson Lumber (case package)
Discuss:
Group Project
Week 4: October 8
Contribution Margin Method
Assignment: Peanuts (HSSTG Case 5-4 page 245)
Readings:
HSSTG Chapters 2, 3, 4 & 5
Week 5: October 15
Cost Determination
Assignment: Protect-A-Plate (case package)
Discuss:
Group Project Issues
Week 6: October 22
Relevant Information
Assignment: Le Centre Sheraton (HSSTG Case 9-3 page 447)
Readings:
HSSTG Chapters 8 & 9
Week 7: October 29
Stanko, Zeller, Batstone (SZB) Presentations
3
Week 8: November 5
Budgeting and Performance Reporting
Assignment: Holcomb Hotel (HSSTG Case 12-3 page 631)
Readings:
HSSTG Chapters 11 & 12
Discuss:
Group Project Issues
Week 9: November 12
Pricing and Utilization of Excess Capacity
Assignment: Eastclock (HSSTG Case 5-3 page 243)
Baldwin Bicycle (case package)
Week 10: November 19 (class moved to Saturday November 21)
COMPANY PROJECT
Week 11: November 26
MIDTERM TEST (in class)
Week 12: December 3
Risk Management: Accounting Fraud
Video:
How to Steal $500 Million
Readings:
How Are Earnings Managed? (case package)
Week 13: December 10
Final Report Due
Management Control
Assignment: Shuman Automobile (case package)
Durst Industries Inc. (HSSTG Case 14-6 page 753)
Readings:
HSSTG Chapter 13 & 14
4