Course Title: Evaluate organisation's financial performance
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term2 2013
Course Code: ACCT5317C
Course Title: Evaluate organisation's financial performance
School: 650T TAFE Business
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6113 - Advanced Diploma of Accounting
Course Contact : Angelo Sellan
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925460
Course Contact Email:angelo.sellan@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
At the time of completing this document the staffing for these units had not been finalised. Past facilitators of the cluster have included;
Cluadio Marasco claudio.marasco@rmit.edu.au
Ian Nash ian.nash@rmit.edu.au
Meetu Aggarwal meetu.aggarwal@rmit.edu.au
Your current faciliator may be selected from the list above. This will be clarrified in your first class session.
Nominal Hours: 60
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
FNSACC503A Manage budgets and forecasts
Course Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to evaluate returns to operations, determine short-term and long-term needs and evaluate an organisation’s financial position and performance. This unit may apply to job roles subject to licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements so Commonwealth, State or Territory requirements should be confirmed with the relevant body.
If you are undertaking this course in Melbourne from semester 2, 2012 onwards your teacher will advise you if you require access to a computer for the course. It is recommended that you have access to a mobile computing device to allow greater flexibility in terms of where you can work on campus outside class times.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
FNSACC608A Evaluate organisation's financial performance |
Element: |
1. Evaluate returns to operations |
Performance Criteria: |
Evaluate Returns to Operations Determine Long term and Short term needs Review Performance |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
This unit comprises one of a co-delivered and assessed group of units referred to as a cluster. This cluster includes ACCT5317C Evaluate an Organisations Financial Performance and MKTG6988C Interpret and Use Financial Statistics and Tools . As a result, two course guides will be prepared but only the Elements, Performance Criteria, Critical Aspects, Knowledge and Skills requirements for each course will be specific to each course (guide). The remainder of the information such as "Teaching Activities" "Teaching Schedule" "Resources" and "Assessments Tasks & Matrix" will be identical on both course guides
Importantly, the attached informatioin is consistent with the unit mapping document for this cluster.
Using various materials along with facilitator led discussion, students will be progressively introduced to statistical methods which will be used to assist in forecasting and to provide insights into quantifying risk and return and applying this to the evaluation of the financial performance of a firm. This course will involve both theory and practical learning activities.
As part of this cluster , in-class activities will account for 80 of the 120 nominal hours allocated to these co-delivered cluster/courses and will include class work on theory, practical and computer work in the computer labs, together with work on portfolio excercises and assignment. Please note that in-class activities includes assessment. This will involve observation and one on one questioning of prescribed task execution. The remaining 40 of the 120 nominal hours are for self directed learning and should be taken up with work on any course study activitty and the assignment outside of scheduled class time. Please note that the format of the classes wil be a total of five hours per week (full time students).
Critical aspects of evidence:
- use standard financial analysis techniques and accounting techniques plus organisational policies and procedures
- evaluate returns to operations
- determine long and short-term organisational needs
- review financial performance across an organisation
Skills:
well-developed communication skills to:
• evaluate an organisation’s financial performance, using questioning of personnel and management for confirmation
• liaise with others, share information, listen and understand
• use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences
• highly developed research skills for accessing and managing financial services information
• well-developed literacy skills for analysing financial information and performance indicators and preparing forecasts, financial options and clear written advice
• numeracy skills for financial calculations and analysis, estimating and forecasting
• IT skills for developing and using integrated financial systems, spreadsheets and databases and internet information
• learning skills to maintain knowledge of organisational performance best practice principles, processes and procedures
• problem solving skills to identify performance issues that have the potential to impact on organisations and to develop options to resolve these issues when they arise
• organisational skills, including the ability to plan and sequence work and correctly schedule financial performance monitoring and reporting
Knowledge:
o techniques for developing long and short-term plans
o undertaking a SWOT analysis
o duties of auditors
o ethical considerations for compliance purposes
o financial legislation such as:
o taxable transactions
o reporting requirements
o principles of cash flow and budgetary control
o principles of cost-benefit analysis and use of forecasting techniques
o principles of internal control including statutory requirements
o principles of risk management
organisational structures and lines of management authority
Teaching Schedule
The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course will include all planned activities. This will incorporate face to face classes (five hours per week) online learning and other froms of structured teaching and learning. The total scheduled hours includes the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessments requirements, including observation of work performance, discussion with Facilitators and one on one sessions with students.
The nominal hours associated with this cluster are a guide only and represent the toal teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non classroom activities.
The teaching schedule below incorporates the two co-delivered units.
The weekly schedule immediately below is for FULL TIME students only.
| Week | Date | Content / Activity | Assessment |
| 1 | 08/07/2013 |
• Course requirements Finance function. Overriding goal of financial management |
|
| 2 | 15/07/2013 | Gearing. Operational and Financial Leverage |
|
| 3 | 22/07/2013 | Measures of central tendency. Determining a compound growth rate. Risk and return (Expected return: Shares / Portfolio) |
Quiz 1. It is preferred for assessment and feedback purposes for this task to be completed by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm). Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. |
| 4 | 29/07/2013 | Measures of dispersion |
|
| 5 | 05/08/2013 |
Share Beta TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
|
| 6 | 12/08/2013 | Working Capital: Operating / Cash Cycle TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
Quiz 2. It is preferred for this task to be completed by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm) Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. |
| 7 | 19/08/2013 | Working Capital: Inventory management |
Quiz 3. It is preferred for this task to be completed and submitted into the Blackboard by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm). Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. PIT STOP review task 1HA (You are to have determined the Equity Beta of the selected proxy companies for the cycling project by start of this week) |
| 8 | 26/08/2013 | Working Capital: Receivables Management TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
Quiz 4. It is preferred for this task to be completed by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm) Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date |
| 02/09/2013 | Semester Break | ||
| 9 | 09/09/2013 |
Weighted Average Cost of Capital TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
Quiz 5. It is preferred for this task to be completed by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm) Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. PIT STOP review task 1HA (You are to have determined the EOQ and requisite inventory level for both paver types and compared them to the respective current order size & inventory level in the case study by the start of this week) |
| 10 | 16/09/2013 | Capital Budgeting: NPV Cash Flow Construction TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
Quiz 6. It is preferred for this task to be completed the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm) Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. PIT STOP review task 1HA (You are to have determined the entity wide WACC for the case study and arrived at the recommended discount to apply in order to incentivise cash sales, a comparison of the planned DTO with the current DTO should also be completed by the start of this week) |
| 11 | 23/09/2013 |
TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
PIT STOP review task 1HA ( You are to have completed the NPV investment appraisal of the Bob Cat by the start of this week) |
| 12 | 30/09/2013 |
Evaluation of financial leases. Lease Vs borrow and buy TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
Quiz 7. It is preferred for this task to be completed by the end of this week (Friday 5.00pm) Grading penalty will apply for quiz completion after this date. PIT STOP review task 1HA (You are to have completed the PURE PLAY evaluation of the proposed cycling project by the start of this week) |
| 13 | 07/10/2013 | TASK 1HA Consultation and Feedback |
TASK 1HA SUBMISSION by the end of this week. If required you will receive the necessary feed back in weeks 14. The resubmission for this work is due by the end of week 15. PIT STOP review task 1HA (You are to have completed the lease evalutaion of the Bob Cat by the start of this week) |
| 14 | 14/10/2013 | Consultation and Feedback |
ALL quizzes must be completed to a score of 100% by the end of this week to achieve competency; Friday 5.00pm. Any further attempts will not be permitted after this date / time. |
| 15 | 21/10/2013 | Consultation and Feedback | Deadline for all re-submissions of task 1HA. |
| 16 | 28/10/2013 | Deferred and resubmitted assessments | Deadline for re-submission of task 1HA with grading penalty. Student facilitator meetings. |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Financial Management. Principles and Applications. 5th Edition Revised. Pearson Clive Wilson, Bruce Keers, Andrew Medlen, Brian Walters |
References
Other Resources
All materials for this cluster of units will be available in the ACCT5317C Evaluate an Organisations Financial Performance Blackboard shell only, There is no need to access the alternative clustered unit blackboard shells.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including technical requirements documentation, homework, assignments, group and/or individual projects, in class exercises, written and practical tests, problem solving exercises, presentations, direct observation of actual and simulated work practice, presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files, review of products produced through work-based or course activities.
Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met. Students will be provided with feedback throughout the course to check their progress.
Assessment Tasks
You are required to complete 2 tasks. You must successfully complete both tasks to be deemed competent in this unit.
TASK 1: Online Quizzes (seven).
These quizzes are to be completed online, they will be available in the "assessments" folder of the ACCT5317C Evaluate an Organisations Financial Peformance BLACKBOARD (My Studies)
The quizzes will make up a portfolio of evidence, and will provide the formative assessment of the course. The quizzes will be denoted by the following "Quiz" 1 or 2...etc as the case may be. The evidence portfolio includes seven (7) individual online quizzes. Each quiz will focus on a particular topic. The learner will need to progressively finish these quizzes as the various topics are completed. The "assessment" column of the teaching schedule above outlines the preferred dates by which these quizzes need to be completed. The quizzes may be completed at any time after the preferred date, but a grading penalty will apply. The quizzes may be completed outside of designated class times. All seven quizzes must be completed with a 100% score to achieve competancy. You will have the opportunity to redo the quizz, there are unlimited attempts allowed on each quiz. ALL individual quizzes must be satisfactorily completed (100% score = satisfactory) to achieve an overall competent for this evidence portfolio assessment. The quizzes must be completed by the end of week 13.
TASK 1HA
This task is to be completed in teams of two.
This task comprises the holistic assessment of the course. You will need to draw on all topics to solve the various problems within the case. In this case, you are an operative in an accounting firm and Louie a small business owner has approached you with a number of difficulties he is experiencing with his business and requires for you to carry out a financial evaluation of his business with a view to identifying the problem areas and providing recommendations to Louie in order to rectify his difficulties. You will need to supply Louie with a final report outlining your findings and recommendations. The report will need to be supported with the relevant calculations.
Pitstop reviews of this assessment will be conducted throughout the semester. The purpose of these pitstops is to provide feedback on your progress in the assessments. To obtain effective feedback you must ensure that you have completed the assessments up to the point recommended as per the weekly course guide. If you are unable to attend or have your work reviewed in the class in those weeks you should submit your work progressively into the "Pit Stop Review" folder in the assessments area of the Blackboard. These pit stops are not compulsory but please be aware that they do afford an opportunity for feedback, and provide a plan for timely completion of the assessment. They also provide an avenue for your facilitator to confirm the authneticty of the work, if you have not completed a minimum of two pitstops during the semester you will be required to meet with your facilitator in week 16 for the purposes of demonstrating how you obtaiined / re-create findings from your assessment piece.
To be deemed competent in this task you must cover the following:
- use standard financial analysis techniques and accounting techniques plus organisational policies and procedures to evaluate returns to operations
- determine long and short-term organisational needs
- review financial performance across an organisation
- apply knowledge of statistical methods used in the financial services industry
- use financial data tools and calculations to produce accurate and informative statistical reports from data
- record and store data for retrieval
Submission Requirements
Assessment task needs to be submitted via Blackboard.
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available on blackboard.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Angelo Sellan, 55460, Task 2HA, ACCT5317C Evaluate an Organisations Financial Performance, Page 1 of 10.
Marking Guide (competency):
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on current industry needs and the focus on preparing you for the workplace. Because VET courses are informed by practical application of knowledge and skills, they are based on a system known as ‘competency based training’ (CBT). So when you are assessed in VET it is about whether you are competent to do the job, as well as having a firm grasp on the knowledge and skills required to do that job, as opposed to traditional curriculum based education settings that are often based on knowledge retention.
You need to demonstrate you are competent in each element of the unit of competency you are studying.
You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you whether you are competent or not and how well you are performing. Once competent in all elements of the unit you receive a competency grading.
Please refer to the Final Grades table below.
Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit; this gives you the opportunity to have the level of your performance formally recognized against industry standards and employability skills.
The grading is according to the following criteria:
1. LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE, INITIATIVE, ENTERPRISE AND PERFORMANCE OF WORK TASK
We are looking for a high level of ability to complete all tasks independently as per the specifications as well as demonstrating a high level of initiative in your approach to your tasks
2. DEMONSTRATED BREADTH OF UNDERPINNING KNOWLEDGE AND A WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE LEARNING
We are looking for depth of understanding of the key concepts and knowledge required in completing your tasks. You should be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of all applicable requirements in all the assessment tasks.
3. TECHNIQUES & PROCESSES, TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AND PROBLEM SOLVING
We are looking for appropriate use of technology to assist in presenting all tasks clearly and suitable for the intended audience.
4. WORK ORGANISATION, PLANNING AND SELF MANAGEMENT
We expect to see timely submission of all required assessment tasks.
5. COMMUNICATION, PEOPLE NETWORKING, LANGUAGE AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND TEAMWORK
We expect to see contributions to relevant discussions and scheduled collaborative sessions. In addition your team tasks will provide opportunities to demonstrate how well you work in a team.
Final Grades table:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment
Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
Assessment Matrix
Course Overview: Access Course Overview