AC213: Business Strategy for Accountants

Module code: AC213

Module provider: Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Edward Tew, email: w.tew@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE AC107 AND TAKE AC109 AND TAKE AC110 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE MM296 (Compulsory)

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 17 June 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim is to provide students with an understanding of the nature of business strategy with particular emphasis on the way in which the activities of an organisation are interrelated both with each other and with the strategic, competitive and environmental contexts within which they operate.

The module aims to build on students' knowledge of a range of business theories and techniques, and assist them in utilising and combining knowledge from prior learning so that they can analyse an organisation and its environment, evaluate its current position and performance from both a financial and a non-financial perspective, evaluate the likely consequences of strategic choices and recommend strategies.

The module will also help students’ development by involving them in a discussion of ideas, views and conclusions about business with their peers. The students will be required to work in groups to analyse business situations in a presentation.

The module lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Ammselaxmy Manickadass. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Explain, analyse and evaluate the consequences of an organisation’s current strategic direction including objectives and market position.
2. Use data to evaluate the likely consequences of strategic choices and technology developments, and recommend strategies to meet the objectives of an organisation.
3. Recommend appropriate methods for an organisation to implement and monitor strategies including strategies for technology and innovation and demonstrate how data can be used subsequently to measure and monitor strategic performance.

Module content

Strategic Analysis, including:
Evaluation of an organisation’s purpose, analysis of external factors, analysis of current markets and competence strategy, evaluation of internal factors and their impact on a chosen strategy, analysis of risks of current position, ethical factors, and analysis of performance using financial and non-financial data.

Strategic Choice, including:
Capturing, analysing, and presenting relevant quantitative and qualitative data, evaluating risks and selecting management strategies, selecting and justifying a choice of business strategy, positioning and marketing strategy, and assessing the value and limitations of data.

Strategic Implementation, including:
Functional strategies, organisational structure, governance structure, monitoring of performance, strategic change management and ethical dilemmas.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught through lectures and tutorials. Lectures deliver core content and involve class interaction. Tutorials are case-study or skill-based and are an opportunity for deepening of knowledge and a practical application of core concepts and approaches. Students will be set pre-class tasks for the tutorials, based on guided pre-readings and case analysis, and will be able to test their knowledge and understanding of these materials, with immediate feedback from the tutorial leader.

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

The timing of the study hours shown is for students on the Accounting and Business programme; for students on Accounting and Finance and Accounting and Management programmes, the hours of scheduled revision sessions, participation in discussion boards, and Semester 2 independent study hours will all occur in Semester 1.

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students must achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module and 50% to gain exemption (Credit for Prior Learning) from ICAEW Business Strategy and Technology exam.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Tutorials are an opportunity to receive oral feedback on a variety of small group tasks, oriented around close case studies of a range of organisations. Through this informal feedback mechanism students are able to practice and develop various skillsets related to case study analysis and the communication of ideas and arguments in a coherent manner.

Reassessment

Additional costs