Project (40% of unit mark) ES Semester 1, 2012

MBA5715 ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING

Introduction:
The assignment requires you to develop by your own a new case study, describing and analysing some issues of financial or management accounting in a company, or an organisation, or a business unit, relevant to the topics that are covered in this unit. As such, the assignment requires you to do some research, collect some information, analyse some issues in a system or business process, and describe and present them in a form of a case study. Project report due: by 9pm on 15 June 12 (to be submitted via Blackboard)

Requirements:
You are required to develop and write by your own a new case study that matches to relevant issues within the MBA5715 unit. A case study is a synthesis of a real-life case, which is written based upon data and research. It usually follows a problem, solution-adopted, lessons-learned format. The development of a case can be issue driven or subject driven. Thus, you may start with specific topics/issues that interest you, and find an example of a company or an organisation that can highlight the issues around which a case can be developed, or you can start with something that you have known regarding a company/organisation that you feel might lead to an interesting case. You must develop and write a case study that tells a story based upon an up-to-date real-life situation of a real company/organisation (not a fictitious one). It is required that you choose recent issues that happened in years 2009-12. In order to collect information for the case study, you must do research based on published materials (e.g. business magazines, newspapers, companies annual reports, etc), and/or other relevant documents. You can choose any company/organisation as you want. Please note that you cannot use a case study that has been written by someone else or has been published. The case study must include any of the topics that are covered in this unit, and it must be presented in the following format (sections). a. A title that includes the main topic and the name of the company/organisation (2 marks). b. A brief description of the company/organisation, or the business unit of a(n) company/organisation, and if applicable and relevant, its relationship to the rest of the organisation (5 marks). c. Detailed description of the specific business situation/issues that are the focuses of the case, based on the information collected. This involves identifying the precise angle of problems and/or opportunities relates to any topic(s) covered in this unit, which can enrich learning. You must think through these key issues involved against both theory and the greater environmental aspects of the situation (20 marks). d. At least 2 (two) specific case questions that are relevant to the problems/opportunities described and identified in the previous section (4 marks). e. Detail answers to the specific case questions that you have developed. These involve identifying appropriate strategies for the solution of the problems/opportunities, analysing the pros and cons of the alternative strategies, and recommending and rationalising the best alternative (9 marks).

MBA5715 ES Project

Guidelines:
The project report is to be submitted via Blackboard by 9pm on 15 June 12. Any case study not received by this due date will be considered late and subject to penalties. The case study must be typed using word processing software. Word count is flexible, but is expected to be about 3000-4000 words (excluding synopsis, pictures, tables, bibliography, and/or appendices). In-text referencing should be used appropriately. Footnotes should be reserved for points of clarification. A reference list on a separate page must be included at the end of the case study. The mark will be based on (1) content (quality and relevance), originality, style and presentation; (2) grammar and sentence construction; and (3) spelling. Remember that the University regards academic misconduct as a very serious matter. You are forbidden to submit as your own any work that is in whole or part the work of other people.

Attachment:
An example of a case study is attached (Alchemist plc by E.Evans and P.Ormrod). This case study provides an illustration of the format and structure that are expected in your case study.

MBA5715 ES Project

MBA5715 ES Project

MBA5715 ES Project

MBA5715 ES Project

MBA5715 ES Project