CEU Business School
BUSI 522R
Accounting
3 credits
Fall 2014 (September 15 –November 3)
Instructor:
Office:
Group meets:
Tel:
E-mail:
Office hours:
Faculty Coordinator:
E-mail:
Anna Turner, PhD (See last page for bio sketch)
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please consult the Course schedule
887-5063
turnera@ceubusiness.org
Mondays 17:00-18:00
Melinda Nagy
nagyme@ceubusiness.org
1. PREREQUISITIES
none
2. RECOMMENDED TEXT AND READINGS
• Stickney, Weil: Financial Accounting (9th edition)1
Chapters 1 – 5.
• Horngren, Foster, Datar: Cost Accounting (10th or any later editions)
Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 11.
The books serve as background reading and not necessarily will be covered on the exams in
full.
3. COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course will focus on the use of current reporting and accounting concepts in
international business. We will discuss how accounting data can be used in business
decisions.
The aim is to develop an understanding of concepts and procedures of corporate financial
reporting and control in order to be able to effectively utilize this information and participate
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Editions up to the 11th are also acceptable.
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in its development as a corporate manager. The goal of Introduction to Accounting is to
improve organizational decision-making and to align it with the organization’s
strategy/objectives.
4. MAIN TOPICS
Financial Accounting:
Financial Statements – features, relations, international differences
Cost Accounting:
Short-term managerial decisions based on costs
- break-even point analysis
- relevant costs
Cost allocation systems, product costing
5. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Core learning area
Interpersonal
Communication Skills
Technology Skills
Cultural Sensitivity
and Diversity
Quantitative Reasoning
Critical Thinking
Ethics and Social
Responsibility
Management
Knowledge and Skills
Learning Outcome
Students will be able to use the specialist terminology of accounting
and employ it with their peers and be able to communicate it effectively
to non-specialists.
N/A
Students will learn that there are national and cultural variations in
accounting practices, such as differences between the Anglo-Saxon and
the continental approach to accounting. Students will be motivated to
make discussions about the various approaches, since they come from
a diverse set of cultural backgrounds.
Students will learn using mathematical tools in a variety of situations.
These tools and techniques include formulas and rules.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the international
differences in the accounting practices. Students will be able to
critically analyse the role of auditing and other issues related to
financial reporting and management accounting.
Students will demonstrate an ability to understand the key ethical
issues, since several problems focus on the ethical angle of a situation.
Students will understand how to create and interpret financial
statements and what issues managers face when dealing with
accounting problems. Students, as non-specialists will be equipped
with basic knowledge and skills. Students will be aware that accounting
is a field with which all managers have a contact and that accounting
has an input in every business functions and vica versa.
6. POLICY ON THE AVAILABILITY OF LECTURE NOTES
Our policy is to place the presentation outline or slides on Moodle after the class. We kindly
inform you that no handouts on lecture slides or solutions will be distributed prior to the
class.
6. HOW THE CLASS SESSIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED
This is a problem-based course. Classes will usually start with the discussion of homework
problems, then continue with a presentation on the assigned topic and follow with solving
and discussing new problems.
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To learn accounting you must learn how to solve problems, the discipline cannot be
memorized. Only by doing will you acquire expertise and confidence in this subject.
We stress the value (for you) of a proper preparation for all class sessions: the better
you prepare, the more you benefit from them. Some sessions in particular are critical for your
ability to follow subsequent sessions without encountering severe problems. You will find
that the study of accounting has much in common with learning a language. You cannot skip
steps and hope to ‘cram’ complex ideas at the last minute.
8. GRADING AND CLASS PARTICIPATION
Grading is based on:
Measure
Mid-term exam*
Final exam*
Quizzes**
Class participation***
Sessions covered
1-6
8 - 11
1-11
relative weight (points)
45 %
35 %
10 %
10%
*There are no re-take exams and no make up work.
**One quiz will be given in every module. The better one counts. It will be announced
beforehand.
*** The importance of participation is reflected in the grading scheme. MBAs are expected to make
an active contribution to classes. (Turning up for the class in itself does not earn participation points!)
This way the classes become meaningful for everyone and both the instructor and the students can
learn from each other. At the end of each session I give a home assignment that we will check
on the following class with your active contribution.
I also welcome feedback on classes before the end of the term! If you think improvements can be
made but you say nothing then nothing can be improved for you. I will assume everything is fine and
will not know otherwise until it is too late to do anything for you. So, please, try to contribute to make
this class as satisfying as you can for yourself and everyone else.
9.
POLICY ON CLASS ATTENDANCE
Regular and punctual attendance at every class session is a requirement of all degree
programs at CEU Business School. Each class covers material not found in the readings.
Furthermore, participation in class discussions is an important part of the learning experience
for all students as well as a factor in grading. A grade of “AF” (Administrative Fail) will be
assigned for failure to regularly attend a course, to drop the course in time, or to complete
requirements on time. This is a general CEU regulation that the Business School also follows.
The “AF” grade earns no credit, 0 points, and affects your GPA in the same way as a regular
“F” grade.
If you are late and the classroom door is already closed, you are asked to wait until the
break to join the class. (This also means that you missed attendance for 0.5 session)
The attendance sheet is distributed at the beginning of the class and it is your
responsibility to sign it. No backward signature will be possible after the class.
10. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
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The Business School expects all students to adhere to the fundamental principles of
academic integrity in any and all behaviors associated with their course work and
otherwise, as stated in the CEU Honor Code. (See Student Handbook). I kindly remind
you that copying from classmates is also considered cheating.
11. INTERNET LIBRARY RESOURCES
The Electronic Journals Service to which the School gives you access has more up-todate business information than any but the world’s top-ranked libraries had before the
Internet age. Thus, the excuse that “I could not find information on the assigned topic,
industry or publicly-listed company” is no longer valid.
12. COURSE OUTLINE AND SESSION ASSIGNMENTS
Nr.
1.*
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Topic
Introduction
Financial statements
Balance sheet, transactions
Income statement
Cash Flow
Financial Statement Analysis
Review
Mid-term exam
Introduction to cost accounting
Cost terms
Breakeven point analysis
Relevant costs
Cost allocation
Final Exam
Reading
FA Ch. 1.
Homework
FA Ch. 2.
FA Ch. 3.
FA Ch. 4.
FA Ch. 5.
CA Ch 1.
CA Ch. 3.
CA Ch. 11.
handout
-
Please, note that outline is subject to changes or realignment during the semester, which I will
announce. Should you fail to attend a class, make sure, you keep yourself up-dated!
*You do not have to prepare for the first session.
14. BRIEF BIO OF THE INSTRUCTORS
Anna Turner, PhD has her M. Sc. in Economics from the Budapest University of Economic
Sciences and Public Administration (BUESPA). She has been teaching for over a decade,
both graduate and undergraduate level. Her courses include financial accounting, cost
accounting, business economics and financial management. She has been teaching in the
Middlesex University, London, Corvinus University, Budapest, Wirtschaftsuniversitaet Wien,
Számalk, Budapest and the CEU Business School. She also experienced in training
professionals. Her PhD dissertation focused on Maximising Shareholder Value in Eastern
Europe. Her area of research is value based-measures and value-based management. She is a
co-writer of a book about shareholder value, published in 2006.
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