Course Title: Corporate Monitoring and Governance

Part A: Course Overview

Course ID: 001203

Course Title: Corporate Monitoring and Governance

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ACCT1103

City Campus

Postgraduate

615H Accounting & Law

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006

Course Coordinator: Professor Craig Deegan

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5750

Course Coordinator Email: craig.deegan@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

It would be useful for students to have a background in accounting – but this is not essential


Course Description

This course looks at various issues associated with corporate monitoring and governance. It explores the role of corporate governance in minimising business risk and it looks at the role of governance systems in assisting organisations to not only improve their financial performance, but also their social and environmental performance. Theoretical perspectives will be provided to explain why organisations elect to (or elect not to) adopt particular governance structures - inclusive of reporting policies. Recent developments in corporate governance practices will be considered, as will the linkage between corporate failure and poor governance.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

At the completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:

1. understand that there are differences in views about the accountabilities and responsibilities of business and these differences will in turn shape the policies and procedures (that is, the governance policies) that organisations put in place

2. utilise particular theoretical perspectives to explain various aspects pertaining to corporate governance systems

3. apply what is learned from the course to practical work-based problems


It is an expectation that at the end of completing this course you will be able to understand:

1. notions of corporate responsibility and accountability

2. Arguments for and against regulation of corporate activities

3. The role of corporate governance in reducing business risk 

4 The relevance of corporate governance mechanisms to improving an entity’s social and environmental performance

5. Some recent developments in corporate governance practice

6. Arguments for and against legislating corporate governance practices, particularly those pertaining to corporate social responsibilities


Overview of Learning Activities

Each tutorial will include the delivery of material on various aspects of corporate monitoring with particular reference in part being given to aspects associated with governance structures aimed at enhancing corporate social and environmental performance. The material will be delivered in a way that encourages your intereaction with the lecturer. You are encouraged to debate certain views. In each tutorial a number of students will be required to give a formal presentation of 10 to 20 minutes on an aspect of corporate governance (with the topic to be given in the earlier week). You will be asked to then discuss the presentation.


Overview of Learning Resources

A complete guide to required reading materials will be provided at the commencement of the semester. Where available, relevant web-links will be provided to articles/reports. Where such links are not available the lecturer will provide a limited number of copies of particular articles/reports. The readings will tend to be relevant recent industry based reports and relevant academic commentaries on various aspects of corporate monitoring and governance. Given the nature of the course, there is no set textbook.


Overview of Assessment

The assessment will not be exam based, but rather will be based on two carefully researched assignments to be individually done and each worth 40 percent of assessment . Tbe balance of the assessment (twenty percent of assessment) relates to tutorial presentations.