Unit rationale, description and aim
Strategic management accounting includes not only internal information but also external economic information when analysing and preparing financial information. Management accountants provide information to managers that form the basis of decision-making within an organisation to create both customer and shareholder value. This unit is built on accounting foundation units and focuses on developing students’ knowledge in cost management techniques and strategic management accounting. The use of budgets for planning and control purposes and developing skills in making a variety of value-based decisions. The unit also incorporates discussion about the effective use of cost management and budgeting techniques, and advanced tools for the basis of performance evaluation as well as to ensure fair and equitable compensation for employees. The unit also examines external economic information which can help companies plan for changes in the business marketplace outside of the company’s control, such as competitors entering the market or the threat of substitute goods and services competing for the company’s market share.
This unit delves into complex management accounting areas and provides students with the expert skills needed for decision support and managerial control in contemporary society. The aim of this unit is to further develop decision-making skills and promote the common good in various contexts globally.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Analyse the role of management accounting in promo...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply established methods to analyse costs, budget...
Learning Outcome 02
Evaluate the performance of an organisation, its p...
Learning Outcome 03
Analyse data to prepare reports that provide insig...
Learning Outcome 04
Evaluate the performance of an organisation, its p...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- The role and purpose of management accounting and the importance of ethics and corporate social responsibility
- Budgets and forecasts for management purposes
- Organisational costs and use established methods to cost specific operating decisions - includes cost volume profit analysis, job costing, process costing, standard costing and variance analysis, product costing - full absorption costing versus marginal costing, inventory management, cost-volume profit analysis.
- Management pricing methods
- The principles and procedures involved in analysing and managing an organisation’s cash flow and working capital requirements
- Performance management and control including quality control, comparative analysis, financial and non-financial key performance indicators, the balanced scorecard and benchmarking.
- How to write complex business reports and use critical thinking skills to provide business insights and well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations.
- The role of strategy in business and environment & organisational tools used to evaluate organisational performance including PESTEL, SWOT, Porter's five forces, Value chain analysis and Porter's generic strategies)
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessments are used primarily to foster learning. ACU adopts a constructivist approach to learning, which seeks alignment between the fundamental purpose of each unit, the learning outcomes, teaching and learning strategy, assessment, and the learning environment. In order to pass this unit, students must demonstrate competence in all learning outcomes and achieve an overall score of at least 50%. Using constructive alignment, the assessment tasks are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome.
Students must comply with the university’s Student Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. This includes avoiding unauthorised or undisclosed use of artificial intelligence, such as using generative AI, paraphrasing tools, or translation software, unless explicitly authorised in the assessment requirements and properly acknowledged. Breaches of academic integrity will be addressed in accordance with university procedures.
The overview of the assessment table is provided below.
Overview of assessments
Overview of Assessments
Assessment Task 1: Individual Presentation Evaluat...
Assessment Task 1: Individual Presentation
Evaluate data and information from a variety of sources and perspectives through research, integration, and analysis that examines the role of management accounting and explains the importance of ethical professional values and how these can impact organisations performance towards the concept of social responsibility.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Presentation
Artefact: Presentation
30%
Assessment Task 2: Written Report This assessment ...
Assessment Task 2: Written Report
This assessment requires students to apply critical thinking skills to identify and solve problems, inform judgments, make decisions, reach well-reasoned conclusions and make recommendations on matters relating to strategy and management control using comparative analysis and the tools learned in this unit.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Written Report
Artefact: Written paper (1500 words)
30%
Assessment Task 3: Final Exam This task requires ...
Assessment Task 3: Final Exam
This task requires students to undertake an invigilated examination during the exam period.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Invigilated examination
Artefact: Written response
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
ACU’s teaching approach focuses on achieving learning outcomes by engaging students as active participants in constructing knowledge. Learning involves both independent inquiry and collaboration with others, allowing students to critically engage with material, apply higher-order thinking, and develop real-world problem-solving skills. The unit follows an experiential learning model, encouraging students to apply accounting concepts in practical scenarios. Learning activities are scaffolded, building skills progressively to support student development and professional readiness.
Mode of Delivery:
The unit is offered in three modes—Attendance, Multi, and ACU Online—to accommodate diverse learning needs and increase accessibility.
Attendance Mode: Delivered in a flipped classroom format with face-to-face lectures and workshops. Students complete preparatory work before attending, followed by revision and practice. Online resources supplement in-class learning through interactive content.
Multi-Mode: Combines online learning with scheduled face-to-face workshops. Students engage with recorded lectures, complete online tasks, and apply knowledge during in-person sessions.
ACU Online: Delivered fully online through asynchronous learning. Students explore content independently, contribute to online discussions, and apply learning to real-world situations. Ongoing feedback supports their progress and achievement of learning outcomes.
Representative texts and references
Bhimani, A, Horngren, CT, Datar, SM & Rajan, MV 2019, Management and cost accounting, 7th edn, Pearson.
Blocher EJ, Stout, D, Juras P & Cokins G 2019, Cost management: A strategic emphasis, 9th edn, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York.
Clerkin B, & Quinn,M 2021, Institutional agents missing in action?: Management accounting at non-governmental organisations, Critical Perspectives on Accounting (forthcoming) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2020.102276
Eldenburg, LG, Brooks, A, Oliver, J, Vesty, G, Dormer, R. & Murthy, V 2020 Management accounting, 4thedn, Milton: John Wiley & Sons.
Hadid, W & Al-Sayed, M 2021, Management accountants and strategic management accounting: The role of organizational culture and information systems, Management Accounting Research, 50, 100725 pp. 1-17.
Hilton, RW & Platt, DE 2019, Managerial accounting: creating value in a dynamic business environment, 12th edn, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde.
Winston, W 2017, Microsoft Excel data analysis and business modelling, 5th edn, Pearson Education.
Jan Endrikat,J, Guenther,T.W, Titus, R 2020, Consequences of Strategic Performance Measurement Systems: A Meta-Analytic Review, Journal of Management Accounting Research,32 (1),pp. 103–136.
Langfield-Smith K, Smith, D, Andon, P, Hilton, R & Thorne, H 2018, Management accounting: Information for managing and creating value + Connect Online, 8th edn, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde.
Xinning Xiao & Shailer, G 2021, Stakeholders’ perceptions of factors affecting the credibility of sustainability reports, 2021, The British Accounting Review (forthcoming), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2021.101002