Obiettivi formativi
The aim of the course is to give the students higher insights to apply various management accounting techniques to all types of organizations for planning, decision making and control purposes in practical situations and to strengthen their theoretical knowledge and critical skills. Hence, a suggested prerequisite is to have successfully completed a course of Management Accounting at Bachelor degree level.
More specifically an objective of the the Master course (Second cycle course) of Advanced Management Accounting, AMA, is to develop ability to apply quantitative techniques to business problems.
Therefore the theory of Management Accounting, MA, as well as the applications at business level, are studied on a more advanced stage compared to the basic knowledge acquired on the First Cycle Level Course of MA.
Another aim is to decrease the differences, if any, in knowledge and competence in management accounting and control, due to different backgrounds among the students.
Mastering the course, the student will have deeper knowledge and understanding about MA issues, including its problems and difficulties; they will be updated concerning the more recent development in MA and the emergence of new methods and have insight in and understanding of the philosophy behind MA methods.
The course will allow Students to familiarize with the more advanced techniques of cost accounting and strategic management accounting (e.g. RCA). This module builds on the basics of cost accounting already studied in deep during the Bachelor Degree and will allow students to use and evaluate the more advanced techniques in a concrete setting.
Moreover the course will provide insights in how financial (accounting, market) and non-financial information can be used to steer all employees towards the overall goals of an organization.
The MA Decision Technique module takes a holistic approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative aspects of management decision making with a strong interdisciplinary perspective.
Quantitative tools are shown in context so that students can see their relevance to day-to-day decision making. The role of IT in decision making is also addressed. The modules explores the relationship between hard and soft aspects of decision making by addressing their philosophical underpinnings.
Becoming proficient in the course the student will be able to critically analyze both older and newer MA methods and their effects in organizations. Beside the student will improve the ability a) to reason independently, logically and clearly, in an internally consistent and content-oriented manner and all of this in line with accepted scientific methods; b) to reflect critically and to question scientific findings, c) to reflect critically beyond the boundaries of established paradigms, d) to reflect critically on one's own knowledge, skills and attitudes and follow up on the possible consequences of these reflections, e) to set personal knowledge acquisition as a goal and act accordingly.
The student on a real business basis will be able to take part in the design and use of the management accounting system in organizations and will be able to analyze complex problems in absence of a clear-cut solution and do so from various vantage points, to solve real-world problems in a critical and systematic way, to use accounting data adequately in support of management decisions.