I believe that the best way to learn material is to gain experience through problem solving. During the course we will spend a substantial amount of time applying the material covered in this class on real world managerial decisions. As such, we will rely considerably on cases to motivate discussion during class sessions.
The conceptual materials for the course are provided in the textbook, Accounting for Decision Making and Control (4th edition) by Jerry Zimmerman. Reading and problems from this book are assigned for many class sessions. The primary goal of the readings is to help you to develop a framework with which you can analyze accounting and control problems in a variety of management contexts.
1 Case write-up to be done on a group basis 20%
2 Case write-up done individually 40%
1 Exam - Case write-up 40%
Your write-ups should be a comprehensive analysis of the case. It is not sufficient to simply answer the questions assigned for the class discussion for that day. Indeed, you should treat those questions merely as a guide to get you started on analyzing the case. You have not completed a case analysis until you are prepared to make a well-reasoned managerial recommendation supported with balanced arguments identifying the advantages and disadvantages of that recommendation.
Please bear in mind that the write-up should illustrate your reasoning, defend it with proof and backup material, and present and support your conclusions and recommendations. You should assume that the reader is familiar with the facts in the case. It may be helpful to think of an executive who is very busy and is not likely to spend a lot of time trying to decipher your report. Use of visual cues and format to emphasize your main points will increase their impact.
If you attach exhibits to your write-up, refer to those exhibits in the text, explaining what you want the reader to take away from any given exhibit.
Your case write-up should be submitted at the start of class on the date that case will be discussed. Because the case will be discussed in detail in class, no assignments will be accepted after the start of the class.
I encourage active student participation in class. I should point out that most students typically tend to under-estimate - rather than over-estimate - the worth of what they have to say. Thus, if you are ever in doubt, I would encourage you to speak up instead of staying quiet.
The vast majority of managers' interactions with others are oral. Managers generally spend very little time reading, and even less time writing reports. The classroom should be considered a laboratory in which you can test your ability to convince your peers of the validity of your approach. Some people learn more by listening to others than they do by engaging in discussions themselves. Thus, while it is essential for the success of this course that we have excellent class discussions, it is not necessary that everybody actively participate all the time.
I hope that you will be highly energized the night before class when you are preparing for the cases and lectures, and relaxed during class. In class discussions we will be hard on ideas, but soft on people. My past experience suggests that if you spend several hours preparing and the class environment is intellectually vibrant, but not intimidating, you will want to participate. Please note that there is no need to contribute in every class. Some of the best contributors have been those who participated in only a handful of sessions. Their contributions, however, were truly insightful and persuasive. The issue is one of quality not quantity or frequency.
Most class sessions with an assigned case will begin with one student being asked to take 5 minutes to provide an analysis of the case. An effective lead-off can do a great deal to enhance class discussion. It sets the tone and quality level and encourages the class to probe more deeply into the issues of the case. After the individual lead-off presentation, the discussion will be opened to the remainder of the group. Others may choose to build on the lead-off discussion, to present a significantly different alternative, or focus sharply on one or more issues which seem to have been developed inadequately or perhaps overlooked.
My role in the class is to help facilitate discussion. In part, I serve as a recording secretary, clarifier, and intensive questioner in order to help you present and develop your ideas. I manage the class process to ensure that the class achieves an understanding of the case situation. Clearly, there is no single correct solution to any of these problems. There are, however, a number of wrong solutions. There are also solutions which are inadequately supported with analysis, and there are solutions and analyses which are ineffective because they are not presented in an orderly and persuasive fashion. We should work together to see to it that each class session is a lively, stimulating, and intellectually rewarding venture in group learning. We are individually and collectively responsible for achieving that end.
Each case has its own integrity and, thus, it stands on its own. You may draw on personal experiences if you believe they are substantive, insightful, and generalizable. Generally, we are not concerned with what was the actual outcome of the case. Such an approach would imply that there was a "right answer." The outcome of a situation may or may not reflect a good solution. In those instances where there was a particularly interesting outcome, it will be shared with the class.