Strategic Performance Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Estimated total time commitment of 120 hours per semester

ACCT90009 Strategic Cost Management or equivalent.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The subject focuses on the role of managerial accounting information in strategic performance management. The subject explores the issues around goal setting, the role of budgets in performance management, performance measurement and evaluation, incentives, motivation and compensation, strategy implementation and the role of control systems.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• explain the role performance measurement and control systems play in planning and controlling organisational activities to a significant level of depth;
• Identify the elements that constitute effective performance measurement and control systems;
• Describe the behavioural implications of different types of performance measurement and control systems in different organisational contexts to a significant level of depth;
• Analyse control system attributes in realistic organisational settings, and recommend improvements to existing control systems
• Explain the notion of “responsibility accounting”;
• Analyse the link between organisational structure, strategy and planning and control systems;
• Analyse and review performance within an organisation;
• Identify potential problems with the use of traditional performance measurement systems;
• Describe the current performance measurement trends in, and their suitability to, organisations; and the advantages and disadvantages of these trends;
• Explain how rewards are used to influence behaviour.

• 3-hour end-of-semester examination (60%)
• A one hour mid-semester test (15%)
• 3000 word group assignment due in the second half of the semester (25%)

Note: Successful completion of this subject requires a pass (50%) in the final exam.

You will be advised of prescribed texts by your lecturer.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

• Critical thinking, specifically in relation to the appropriateness of different performance measurement and control systems for the effective planning and control of organisational activities;
• Evaluation, analysis and interpretation of case-based information;
• Problem solving skills, specifically in relation to solving performance measurement and behavioural problems in different organisational contexts;
• Application of techniques to particular performance measurement and behavioural problems;
• Application of theory and analysis to real-world contexts;
• Oral and written communication, particularly in relation to the articulation of responses;
• Collaborative learning and team work.