General provisions

The course is offered within, e.g., the Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics and as freestanding course, as part of Business Studies B.

Entry requirements

Completed 15 credits from basic courses (A-level) in business studies, and registered for another 15 credits at the same level.

Learning outcomes

The course aims to create knowledge and understanding of how we, as responsible employees in various positions within companies and organizations, understand, explain, control and manage operations using accounting information as "the language of business". A language that includes (control) concepts, (control) logic, goal settings and design of supporting metrics. It is a professional language that students in business administration are expected to be able to speak and understand (communicate) regardless of their future professional orientation. Communication that increases the conditions for asking and answering relevant management questions - in a respectful inquiry - with the support of information ("data; numbers") and logical argumentation ("words"). Everything with a direct or indirect connection to the critical financial models: income statement, balance sheet and cash flow.

Special attention is given to the guiding concepts of Goals and goal conflicts; Financial responsibility ("Accountability"), Metrics ("Transparency") and Financial incentives. Together, concepts form an essential basis for companies' and organisations' formal governance ("Governance").

After completing the course, the student should:

• understand intentions and design of formal financial responsibilities,
• understand the design and use of financial metrics,
• understand the possible positive and negative consequences of financial incentive structures,
• understand the basic management concepts of Efficiency and Legitimacy,
• have an insight is given into the possible fundamental consequences of ownership for the governance of companies and organisations,
• have an insight into the possible influence of the environment, and macro situations, such as sustainability issues,
• have an insight and initial understanding of the possibilities of digital tools to create responsibility, transparency and motivation in a business.

Content

The course covers the following:

• goals and goal conflicts (for example, between short-term and long-term time perspectives; profitability and growth),
• formal responsibility structures, mainly vertical (centralisation-decentralisation), but also horizontal (e.g. project management and global value chains),
• guiding strategic key figures (Key Performance Indicators, KPI) and operational metrics for follow-up and control,
• the possibilities and limitations of the bonus system,
• production, storage and access to data to create information and knowledge for the control and management of a business.

Instruction

Teaching is carried out in the form of lectures and compulsory seminars.

Assessment

The examination consists of two modules:

1. Individual active participation in seminars, 2 credits (U, G)
2. Individual written test, 5,5 credits (U, G, VG)

and one grade is given for the whole course, 7,5 credits.

Grading criteria are presented in the study guide that applies to the course section. The following grades will be used; in modul 1: pass (G) and fail (U) and in module 2: pass with distinction (VG), pass (G), and fail (U). Examinations handed in late will not be graded except under special circumstances. Any remaining supplemental work must be completed and handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide. To receive a grade G for the whole course, the student must have achieved a grade G in both examination modules. To receive a grade VG for the whole course, the student must have achieved a grade G in module 1 and a grade VG in module 2.

If a student hasn't received a passing grade on Module 1, then the examination has to be retaken. This is only possible through re-registration during subsequent course sections. A student that hasn't received a passing grade on Module 2 can take a make-up exam during subsequent course sections without re-registration.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating or plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, which may issue a formal warning to the student or suspend the student from studies for a certain period.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.

Other directives

The course substitutes/overlaps among others Management Accounting and Control 2FE255, Management Control, Intermediate Course B 2FE204, Management Control 2FE208, Management Accounting 2FE252, 2FE212 and Management Accounting and Management Control 2FE254, Management Control Systems 2FE214 and Management Accounting, Control with Applied Business Analysis 2FE995, Enterprise, Control and Analysis 2FE215.