University of Texas at Dallas

Accounting 3320 – Financial Information Management - Summer 2005

Section 501

Instructor: Yifeng (Frank) Zhang

Office: SOM 4.424
Phone: 972-883-4458
Email: Use WebCT or yxz029000@utdallas.edu
Lecture time and location: :Monday, 6:00-10:00 PM, SOM 1.117
Office Hours: :Tuesday 10:00 to 12:00 PM, or by appointment.
Please set up appointment in advance by e- mail.

Course Description and Objectives:

Increase student awareness of the role of accounting in the economy and help students
understand the preparation and use of financial statements. The focus will be on the relationship
between user and preparer of accounting information. This course is a case based course. We
will discuss many cases through out the semester. I will occasionally lecture on related topics. I
will present most of the cases myself, however, your participation (voluntary or response to cold-
calls) will determine your participation grade.
Some of the cases we will cover are as follows:
1. Dotcom
2. ASICS (*)
3. Nike (*)
4. Yokohoma (*)
5. Krispy
6. Panda Co.
7. Gone Fishing
8. Foodlion (*)
9. Babe Company
10. Abercomdie (*)
11. Xylon
12. Frederics of Hollywood (*)
13. Maya (*)
14. Hydron (*)
15. Pharmacia (*)
16. Boston Beer and Lion Brevery (*)

The (*) cases can be obtained from the case book. I will post the remaining cases to WebCT
before we cover them in class. If the time permits, we will study other cases from the case book.
Each week, I will post a document that outlines the course content for the fo llowing week. This
document will include questions that we will focus on and other related material. Occasionally,
you will be asked to turn in a written report before we discuss the cases.
Course Prerequisites:
AIM 2301. The quantitative aspects of the course will require only elementary computational
skills; however a calculator and/or some spreadsheet knowledge will be required. I assume that
you are familiar with basic finance/accounting concepts (such as definitions of debit/credit,
balance sheet/income statement etc.) and have introduction level of accounting knowledge.
We will solve plenty of basic exercises on “accounting cycle”, therefore if you have taken an
intermediary accounting course before there will be some repeated materials.

Require d Course Materials:

1) Cases In Financial Reporting, 4th Edition, by D. Eric Hirst and Mary Lea McAnally,
published by Pearson Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-149448-1.
2) Financial Information Management- Selected readings (available at UTD Bookstore)

We will use the second book as a supplementary text to our case discussions. However, I will
assign questions from the second book when we discuss the “accounting cycle”.

Course Policy on Attendance:

It is critical to your success that you attend each session. However, I will not take attendance at
each class. Office hours are not a substitute for coming to class, therefore, I will not go over
material covered in class with you if you have missed class. More importantly, there will be
numerous handouts (sample problems) distributed in class which you may use on the exams.

Emails: Please try to use office hours if you have questions. I will try to answer all your possible
questions via email, however let me remind you that I am teaching more than 50 students this
semester and it may be impossible to reply all emails promptly.

Grading Policy:
Assessment:
2 exams @ 40% each 80%
Assignments 20%
100%
Exam dates are indicated on the last page of this syllabus. All exams will be held in class at class
time. I will assign several assignments/cases (around 6 to 7). Your lowest grade assignment will
not be included in the calculation of your Assignment grade. Each assignment/case will have
equal weights in the calculation.

Missed Exams : To receive a grade in the course, students MUST take all exams. Under no
circumstances, none, zero, will a student be allowed to “substitute” one exam for a missed exam.
Students missing an exam must contact me prior to the scheduled exam time and make a
mutually agreeable arrangement for the makeup exam. Failure to take the make-up exam at the
agreed time and place will result in a grade of zero. Students with anticipated absences (such as
a documented university sponsored event) should contact me prior to the absence.

Disposition of Exams :
As per school policy, exams will be retained for one year and then destroyed.
Use of Computers and Recording Devices
Audio or videotaping of class lectures is prohibited. Students may use laptops to record their
notes subject to the following provisions: (1) the computer must be silent with speakers muted,
(2) THE COMPUTER CANNOT BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. Students failing to follow these
rules will be asked to leave the classroom. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to
use their computers on exams.

Academic Dishonesty
Candidates are expected to be above reproach in scholastic activities. Candidates who engage in
scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in
the course and dismissal from the University. “Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited
to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any
act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.” 1 Since
scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all candidates, and the integrity of the University,
policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

WebCT:
Other information about the class will be posted on WebCT.

Scholastic Integrity:
The University has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed
information is available on Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All students are expected to
maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students who violate
University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the
possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty
harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic
dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

Important notice:
I reserve the right to change the schedule of the topics, grading scheme and exam dates.
Any possible changes will be announced at the class.

1
(Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection3.2, Subdivision 3.22
 Tentative Course Outline

Week Date Lecture Subject Cases

Introduction, A framework for
business analysis; Strategy
1 5/16/2005 Lecture 1 Analysis, Financial Analysis ASIC
Financial Analysis, Prospective
Analysis, Introduction to
2 5/23/2005 Lecture 2 Accounting Cycle Nike, Yokohoma
3 5/30/2005 Memorial Day
Introduction to Accounting Cycle,
4 6/6/2005 Lecture 3 Balance Sheet Panda, Gone Fishing
5 6/13/2005 Lecture 4 Balance Sheet, Income Statement FoodLion, Babe Company,
6 6/20/2005 Mid-Term
7 6/27/2005 Lecture 5 Income Statement Abercom bie
Independence
8 7/4/2005 Day
Xylon, Frederics of
9 7/11/2005 Lecture 6 Statement of Cash Flow Hollywood
Statement of Cash Flow, Earnings
10 7/18/2005 Lecture 7 Management Maya, Hydron, Phamacia
Earnings management, Earnings
11 7/25/2005 Lecture 8 Persistence, Comprehensive Case Boston Beer
12 8/1/2005 Final Exam