Brandeis University
The International Business School
Bus 14a MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING
Spring 2014
Instructor:
Dr Richard L Keith
Phone: 781-837-6539 (24 hour voice mail)
Office hours: After class
and by appointment
email: RLKeith@AOL.com
Teaching Assistant: TBA
PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of this course is to provide a general introduction to the concepts, problems and issues
related to managerial accounting. Managerial accounting predominantly addresses the internal use of
economic information regarding the resources used in the process of producing goods and providing
services. Internal users of accounting information are all of those individuals that are involved in the
business decision-making process of the economic entity. In the course, you will become acquainted
with some of the conventional methods of internal reporting used in planning, control and decisionmaking. Fundamental aspects of cost behavior and cost accounting will also be discussed, but
always from the perspective of the manager who must make decisions rather than the accountant
who prepares the information.
LEARNING GOALS:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to (1) understand the nature of product and
service cost measurement and behavior, (2) analyze costs using cost/volume/profit analysis,
(3) employ a number of cost allocation techniques, (4) analyze a variety of short term business
problems (outsourcing, special orders, etc.), (5) evaluate the costs/benefits associated with capital
budgeting problems, and (6) prepare and analyze budgets and variance reports.
TEXTBOOK:
Managerial Accounting, Garrison, Noreen and Brewer, 14th Edition (McGraw Hill/ Irwin)
Also available in electronic format on the web at coursesmart.com and in loose leaf format,
Please make sure that you purchase the 14th edition and not the International edition.
GENERAL POLICIES:
HOMEWORK: In an accounting class, keeping up with assigned homework problems on the syllabus
is critical to your success. If you do not take the time to challenge yourself and struggle with the
issues in each problem, you will, in all likelihood, perform very poorly on the exams. Homework will be
collected on a surprise basis.
EXAMS: THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. There will be absolutely no opportunity to assign
the weight of a missed exam to another exam. If you miss an exam, you will receive a grade of zero.
Therefore, please make every effort in advance to insure that you will be in attendance on the exam
dates shown on the syllabus.
CLASS PARTICIPATION: Students are expected to attend all class sessions and to actively
participate in class discussions. Class participation involves being regularly engaged in the
discussion/lecture and making a positive contribution by asking thoughtful questions, sharing relevant
experiences, requesting clarification and making comments. All forms of participation should be
conducted in a manner that is respectful of fellow students and the professor.
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at
Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when
assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas
of another person- be it a world-class philosophers or your lab partner - without proper
acknowledgement of that source. This means that you must use footnotes and quotation marks to
indicate the sources of any phrases, sentences, paragraphs or ideas found in published volumes, on
the internet, or created by another student. Violations of university policies on academic integrity,
described in Section 3 of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the
assignment, and could end in suspension from the University. If you are in doubt about the
instructions for any assignment in this course, you must ask for clarification.
Notice: If you have a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and require
accommodations, please bring it to the instructor’s attention prior to the second meeting of the class.
GRADING:
Highest Exam
Middle Exam
Lowest Exam
Class Participation/Homework
Total
35%
25%
25%
15%
100%
READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS (assignments as shown are due for the following class)
Selected cases shown on the course schedule that are not in the text will be distributed by the
instructor.
(TENTATIVE)
Date
Topic
Assignment
1/13
Introduction to Managerial Accounting
Corporate Governance
1/15
Introduction to Cost Concepts
Chapter 2
1/20
No Class
1/22
Cost Concepts
1/27
Job Order Costing
Read Chapter 1 and Appendix A
E2-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,12
P2-14,15,16,17
Case: 2-25 Mapleleaf Sweepers
Chapter 3
E3-5,7,12,13,15,19,20:
1/29
Over/under application
2/3
Process Costing
Chapter 4
E4-6,7:P4-13
2/5
Cost Allocation
Chapter 4
Case 4-20 Durall Co.
Appendix B
4B-3,4
2/10
2/12
P3-21,24,25,27,28
Case 3-29 Lenko Products
First Examination
2/17 to 2/21
Mid Term Recess
2/24
Cost Volume Profit
Relationships
Chapter 5
2/26
CVP continued
3/3
Variable Costing
3/5
Segment Reporting
3/10
Activity Based Costing
Chapter 7
E7-2,7,8,12:P7-18
3/12
Profit Planning
Chapter 8
E8-1, 13, 15:P8-19
3/17
Flexible Budgets
Chapter 9
E9-4,9,10,11,12,13
3/19
Performance Analysis
3/24
Second Examination
3/26
Standard Costs
and Variances
3/31
Standard costs continued
E10-6:P10-9,10,
4/2
Performance Measurement Chapter 11
E10-11,13 Case 10-17
4/7
Transfer Pricing
E11-7,8
4/9
Transfer Prices
4/14
Differential Analysis
E5-7,9,10,14,18
P5-19,20,22,26,29
Chapter 6
E6-1,7,11, 12
E6-14,15
P9-22
Chapter 10
Appendix A
E11A-1,2,3
Chapter 12
E12-2,3,4,5,7
4/16 & 4/21 Passover and Spring Break
4/23
Capital Budgeting
Chapter 13
4/28
Income Taxes in
Appendix C
E13-2,3,5,10:P13-26,29
Capital Budgeting
Final Exam TBD
13C-2,3,4