Faculty of Business and Enterprise Higher Education Division

Unit of Study Outline HBC606 ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES

Semester 1 - 2013

Version date (19 February, 2013)

Unit of Study Outline

Unit of study code Unit of study name Teaching Term/Semester & Year Contact Hours (hrs/wk) or total contact hours Prerequisites Co-requisites Credit Points HBC606 Accounting Principles Semester 1 2013 3 hours contact per week 1 x I.5 hour lecture & 1 x 1.5 hour tutorial No prerequisites No co-requisites 12.5

Unit Convenor
Name Judy Oliver Role Convenor Campus & Room No. BA1123 Hawthorn Phone No. 92148985 Email Address juditholiver@swin.edu.au Consultation Times To be advised during 1st week of semester

Unit Description
Accounting is often referred to as the language of business as it communicates information about the financial position of the business to stakeholders. The purpose of accounting is to identify, measure, and communicate economic information to permit informed judgements and decisions to be made by users of the information. No matter what future role you take within an organisation you will need to understand and communicate accounting information. The aim of this subject is to help you learn this language. This will involve understanding and applying the basic rules and principles that guide the accounting process. As you intend to take further units in accounting, this unit will serve as an essential foundation and preparation for that continued study.

Page 2 of 9

Overview of Content
The role of accounting in business

Understanding costs and revenue in an entity focus on cost behaviour, cost traceability and pricing issues Business planning budgeting and operational decision making Transaction analysis & preparation of financial reports Analysis & interpretation of financial reports incorporating working capital management Performance Evaluation of the business unit and its manager

Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this unit, you should be able to: 1. Discuss and critically evaluate the role that accounting information plays in practice within an environment of business decision making; 2. Understand the importance of revenue and costs in decision making; 3. Recognise and select financial information that is relevant to particular business decisions; 4. Explain and apply techniques related to operational (short-term) decision making ; 5. Describe and apply the fundamental principles of accrual based accounting to a given transaction data set; 6. Construct a balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement; and explain the relationships that underlie the preparation of these financial reports; 7. Analyse and interpret financial reports; and calculate ratios in order to make meaningful comparisons between businesses and also to analyse a business performance from year to year; 8. Understand the role of financial and non-financial measures in performance evaluation of both the business unit and managers; 9. Demonstrate an ability to work both independently and as a team member, and to effectively access, organise and then communicate information, supported by well-reasoned arguments as appropriate.

Prior Knowledge and Skills Assumed

The subject is based on the assumption that students have no prior knowledge or skills in accounting.

Page 3 of 9

Key Generic Skills for this Unit of Study

You will be provided with feedback during the assessment for this unit of study on your progress in attaining the following generic skills: teamwork skills group work and tutorial participation

analysis skills - by tackling tutorial problems and completing assessment problem solving skills group assignment communications skills class participation ability to tackle unfamiliar problems completing assigned tutorial problems and assignment ability to work independently self-study and individual assessment

Schedule of Topics
Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 Topic 5 Topic 6 Topic 7 Topic 8 Topic 9 Introduction to business & role of accounting Role of Budgets & Budget Preparation Revenue & Cost Determination Cost Behaviour & Cost Volume Profit Analysis (CVP) Operational decision making Financial reporting introduction to recording business transactions Recording & reporting business transactions using accrual accounting Cash Flow Statement and cash accounting Analysis & Interpretation of Financial Reports

Topic 10 Introduction to Performance Evaluation business unit & manager

Learning and Teaching Structure

1 x 1.5 hour lecture and 1 x 1.5 hour tutorial per week During the semester, you should normally expect to spend, on average, twelve and a half hours of total time (formal contact time plus independent study time) a week on a 12.5 credit point unit of study. Important to note: This unit has been structured based on the assumption that during the semester you will: (1) Devote twelve and a half hours of total time (formal contact time plus independent study time) per week exclusively to this subject. (2) Allocate additional time for assignments. (3) Undertake the necessary preliminary tasks for both the lectures and tutorials as outlined below. Without this level of commitment the pace may appear too fast and you may not understand the concepts.

Page 4 of 9

Communication
All email communications should be via your student email account. If you access your emailthrough a provider other than Swinburne, it is your responsibility to ensure that your Swinburne email is redirected to your private email address. To redirect your Swinburne email, go to https://www.swin.edu.au/chdets/login.php Under 'Email forwarding' enter the email address to which you would like your Swinburne emails to be forwarded. Eg: johnsmith@hotmail.com. Now click 'Change'. However, all replies to your emails will be to your student email account only.

Learning Resources
Required text
Bazley, M., and Hancock, P., 2013, Contemporary Accounting, 8th edition, Cenage Learning

Reading List Atrill, P. et al, 2008, Accounting: An Introduction, 4th edition, Pearson Education, Australia Bazley M., Hancock P., 2010, Contemporary Accounting, 7th Edition, Cenage Learning Birt, J., et al, 2010, Accounting: Business Reporting for Decision Making, 3rd edition, John Wiley & Son, Brisbane Other Resources If you are having difficulties with a particular topic, browse in the library at call number 657, you will find many of the texts in this section of the library include chapters on the topics covered in Accounting for Managers. Also the WWW has a vast amount of resources simply Google what you dont understand.

Blackboard Site

Important information concerning this unit of study is placed on a website on the Swinburne course management system (Blackboard), accessible via - Type in your ID number and your password. Note your ID number is the first six numbers of your student ID and your password is initially set to your date of birth in the format DDMMYY (however you should change it to something more secure)

It is your responsibility to access on a regular basis the Blackboard site for your unit of study, the Announcements section on Blackboard, and any emails sent by the teaching staff to your student email address via Blackboard.

Assessment Schedule
Assessment Task 1. Case Analysis Individual/ Group Task Group of 2** Related Learning Objective(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 8& 9 Weighting 30% Due Date Class week beginning 22nd April Last class of semester End of Semester

2. Class Presentation 4. Final Examination Total Assessment

Group of 3 Individual

1 to 9 1 to 8

10% 60% 100%

**50% penalty if assignment is not done as a group of 2

Page 5 of 9

Assessment Task Details

Detailed requirements are available on blackboard under Assessments. An overview of each task follows. Assessment Task 1. Case Analysis Assessment Task Details You will be required to submit a management report (together with accompanying financials) with your recommendations following the analysis of a business problem. Your group will be required to present an assigned question during the last tutorial The exam will focus on the semesters work and contain both theoretical and practical questions.

2. Class Presentation 4. Final Examination

Minimum requirements to pass this unit of study:

In order to achieve a pass in this unit of study, you must: submit all internal assessment tasks obtain at least 45% on the final examination obtain an overall score of 50%

If any of the above hurdles are not met the highest score possible is 45 (N). ALSO PLEASE NOTE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION ALL MANDATORY ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS MUST HAVE BEEN MET.

Assessment criteria:
To be advised on blackboard at the commencement of semester.

Submission of Assignments:
Details will be provided on blackboard with assessment requirements. No email submission of assignments will be accepted unless specifically required as per assessment requirements. Please note that it is important that you keep a copy of any assignment submissions. Also remember to regularly back up your work electronically whilst doing the assignment. Failure to submit an assignment or produce a copy of an assignment due to a computer crash will not be acceptable grounds for extension.

Extensions and Late Submissions:

Submissions after the due date will not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been agreed to by the unit convenor. If a special consideration application is submitted due to your inability to submit the assignment by the due date, then, if approved an alternative piece of assessment will be given.

Page 6 of 9

Availability of Assessment Results, Retention of Assessed Materials

Assessed material will be returned to you, but you must retain all assessed material that contributes to the final grade up until such time as the final grades are published. Progressive internal assessment marks will be uploaded to Blackboard.

Swinburne University of Technologys definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the action or practice of taking and submitting or presenting the thoughts, writings or other work of someone else as though it is your own work. Plagiarism includes any of the following, without full and appropriate acknowledgment to the original source(s): (i) The use of the whole or part of a computer program written by another person; (ii) the use, in essays or other assessable work, of the whole or part of a written work from any source including but not limited to a book, journal, newspaper article, set of lecture notes, current or past students work, any other persons work, a website or database; (iii) the paraphrasing of anothers work; (iv) the use of musical composition, audio, visual, graphic and photographic models, (v) The use of realia, that is objects, artefacts, costumes, models and the like. Plagiarism also includes the preparation or production and submission or presentation of assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or other people when that work should be your own independent work. This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the knowledge or consent of the other person or people. It should be noted that Swinburne encourages its students to talk to staff, fellow students and other people who may be able to contribute to a students academic work but that where independent assignment is required, submitted or presented work must be the students own. Enabling plagiarism contributes to plagiarism and therefore will be treated as a form of plagiarism by the University. Enabling plagiarism means allowing or otherwise assisting another student to copy or otherwise plagiarise work by, for example, allowing access to a draft or completed assignment or other work.

Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure

The information outlined in the Assessment sections above is covered in more detail in Swinburnes Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure. Students must be familiar with the Policy and Procedure, found at http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/docs/AssessmentandAppealsHigherEducation .pdf The Policy and Procedure provides details about: Assessment issues such as the conduct of examinations, plagiarism policies and details explaining how to apply for a review of results and other appeals, and Student progress issues such as unsatisfactory academic progress and early intervention procedures, and Information for students with disabilities and special needs and procedures for applying for special consideration.

Students should make themselves familiar with all aspects of the Policy and Procedure, as failure to do so is not grounds for appeal. Students are advised to seek advice from the staff at the Swinburne Student Amenities Association SSAA (http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ssaa/) if they require assistance with advocacy for Sections 12 (At-Risk and Progress Review) and 13 (Appeals) of the Policy and Procedure.
Page 7 of 9

Groupwork Guidelines
A group project is the collective responsibility of the entire group, and if one member is temporarily unable to contribute, the group should be able to reallocate responsibilities to keep to schedule. In the event of longer-term illness or other serious problems involving a member of a project group, it is the responsibility of the other members to make unit convenor aware of the situation straight away to discuss how the group proceeds. Also, when any other group issues are unable to be resolved by members of the group, contact should be made with the Unit Convenor immediately for resolution. Resolutions may be: 1. Continuation of the group after mediation 2. Group decision on whether each group member should be given 100% of the mark allocated 3. Non-contributing group members being unassigned from the group this would result in a 100% penalty. 4. In relation to longer-term illness whereby a member is unable to contribute prior to submission date then approval for the group to continue with less than the mandatory members (remember special consideration for one member is not applicable to all members).

Group project reports must be submitted with the project cover sheet, signed by all members of the group. All group members must be satisfied that the work has been correctly submitted.

Ethical Conduct at Swinburne

During your studies you may carry out research projects or case studies where you will discuss business issues with personnel or customers of organisations. Any research activities relating to assignments should be under academic supervision. Your unit convenor is required to fully inform you of what and how you may be required to research. Your activities as a Swinburne member (staff or student) are expected to be in accord with the Code of Conduct. The code is available at: http://ppd.swinburne.edu.au/humres/CodeOfConduct.htm If you are conducting research you must also be familiar with the Universitys Ethics Policy (available at http://www.swinburne.edu.au/research/ethics/ ). You may not contact any organisation or person until you have agreed to abide by these policies. You should be grateful for the goodwill granted to you by individuals and organisations who agree to assist you and you are required to behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times. At no time are you to divulge confidential information of any organisation (including your employer) in any assignment or report without the written permission of the organisation. Students collecting information for assignments and reports must disclose: That you are a student of Swinburne University of Technology Information on the assignment or report to the contact Your employment status and who your employer is, if employed Any potential conflict of interest

Page 8 of 9

Under no circumstances are you to use any form of misrepresentation or unethical practices to obtain information. If you are unsure whether your data collection falls within the universitys Ethics Guidelines, contact your Unit Convenor.

Student Feedback
Swinburne seeks student feedback in a number of ways, including through periodic Student Feedback on Units and Student Feedback on Teaching surveys, as part of the universitys approach to quality assurance and improvement. Possible improvement based on both student and staff feedback is considered by Unit Convenors, Unit Panels made up of relevant teaching staff, Program Panels, Faculty Academic Committees, and the Academic Programs Quality Committee, as appropriate.

Safety Standards and Conduct Requirements

The University executes safety drills without warning. Be prepared to follow instructions from staff and/or wardens to evacuate the building in a safe and orderly manner. All students are expected to respect the rights and sensibilities of their fellow students and teaching staff. This also applies in respect of the content of video and audio work submitted for assessment. The University had implemented anti-discrimination and harassment policies and procedures to promote a discrimination and harassment free work and study environment for all staff and students. http://ppd.swinburne.edu.au/humres/AntiDiscrimination.htm

Special Needs
If you have special needs you should advise your Faculty and the Unit of Study Convenor by the end of the second week of the teaching period. In addition, you are recommended to notify the Equity Office if you have not already done so. See also the Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Section of the Assessment and Appeals Policy & Procedure, at http://ppd.swin.edu.au/stuinf/AssessmentAndAppealsHigherEducation.htm

Page 9 of 9