ACM016: Financial Management: Cases and Applications

Module code: ACM016

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

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Dan Zhou, email: dan.zhou@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE ACM015 (Compulsory)

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in financial reporting, management accounting, business finance and finance technology (Excel modelling) through their application to real-world business problems and case study scenarios.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Apply knowledge and skills from accounting and finance to underpin the analysis of organisational problems. 
2. Analyse, summarise and synthesise the decisions made by and choices available to an organisation with regard to, for example: strategy implementation, performance measurement; financing decisions; executive remuneration; investment decisions ; the dividend decision; cash management and working capital decisions; merger and acquisition decision.
3. Understand and apply business valuation models to a real company. 
4. Use excel modelling to manipulate financial data drawn from a real company to form conclusions about valuation from different perspectives
5. Make recommendations based on reasoned analysis and argument. 
6. The module also aims to encourage the development of oral communication skills, and the students’ effectiveness in group situations. Case study work will help students integrate their knowledge across modules and topics and to apply ideas creatively.

Module content

The case study may require students to revisit the content of other modules. In particular, students will need to revise and develop their understanding of theory, techniques and skills from management accounting, financial reporting, business finance and strategy. 

New content will include the use of business valuation models to assess the future prospects of a listed company and to evaluate its current share price. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be an emphasis on case studies and discussion in weekly 3- hour class-based sessions. Students will work in small groups and/or individually, to dissect and analyse case study materials and to develop their skills in using their accounting and business finance knowledge.

Study hours

At least 30 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 need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

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.

Questions and discussions in practical classes and feedback on presentations. 

Reassessment

Additional costs