Assignment Task:
Read the following Scenario, and prepare a Formal Business & Financial Review Document with the guidelines provided.
Learning Outcomes:
Learning Outcome 1: Critically analyze Financial Accounting Principles to measure Bottom Line impact and develop competitive strategies.
Learning Outcome 2: Critique the relevance and significance of Budgeting Process, Techniques, and Methods in driving Organizational Performance.
Learning Outcome 3: Evaluate Financial Statements and business performance using Ratio Analysis.
Learning Outcome 4: Evaluate investment appraisal techniques to support decision-making.
Scenario:
The assignment below will help you to review and critically analyze financial and management accounting principles, relevant accounting standards/ policies applicable, and apply the relevant knowledge to evaluate the overall business and management performance based on the current complex, volatile, competitive and uncertain economic/business environment by reviewing associated implications [restructuring, consolidation, acquisitions, cost management strategies, disposal of assets, innovations & impact of technological disruptions] within businesses.
You are required to present a Formal Business & Financial Review Document, that would contain a neatly designed Table of Contents to capture the main and sub-topics in an orderly fashion which should adhere to meeting the assessment standards and grading criterion:
Introduction: Choose a public listed corporation related to your current work domain or preferred area of industry. This section would require candidates to research the relevant financial and operational performance of the organization by reviewing and understanding the 2018 & 2019 Annual Reports on the chosen public listed company. The facts and figures will help the candidate to answer the below questions and validate them with relevant
1. Introduce The Organization in the context of prevailing macro-economic and business conditions by discussing the vision, mission, and planning strategies of the company. For the chosen organizations, evaluate the financial and operational performance of the organizations by reviewing the company’s annual performance (read through annual report for the year 2018 and 2019 for specific data).
2. Application Of Theory To Practice [600 To 1200 Words]: Demonstrate a meaningful understanding of accounting policies and accounting standards and policies by critically reviewing academic and non-academic literature pertaining to its implications on the financial and macro-environment. Critically debate the use/ misuse of financial data in the practice of management accounting and financial accounting. With respect to Accounting Standard, students are required to present arguments and provide a meaningful explanation of Accounting Standards.
Discuss how a plan and execution can lead to effective financial management in the chosen company.
3. Ratio Analysis & Financial Interpretations [2000 Words]: For the question below, in addition to the chosen organization above, also select a competitor organization for the chosen company. Financial data for FY 2018 and 2019 for both the organizations will be used here.
Calculate two ratios each for liquidity, profitability, activity, capital structure, and growth which should be critically interpreted and evaluated by comparing each ratio between the chosen and the competitor organization. Interpret each calculated ratio for both the organizations and comment on their business performance.
The interpretation should be supported by the critical analysis of the macro developments with the impact of the external operating environment on the performance of the organizations. Evaluate and recommend future strategies that will improve organizational sustainability.
4. Literature Review On Budgeting Practices [1700 Words]: Carry out a critical analysis that exhibits a suitable understanding of current issues/concepts that are relevant for investigating existing practices of ‘Traditional Budgets’ versus ‘Modern Age’types of alternative budgeting and techniques in large corporations.
Identify & contextualize budgeting approaches which lead to enhancing operational performance by linking these to the overall operational strategies & decision-making within large corporations.
Also, necessary critical debates must be produced to review the impact of ‘smarter’ technologies in the overall budgeting processes when examining forecasting and management control processes.
5. Investment Appraisal Techniques [700 Words]: If you were a Director of a public listed company and had to present a significantly high-value capital expenditure proposal to the CEO, how would you critically evaluate investment appraisal techniques that remain important when seeking approval from the CEO.
Any capital expenditure involves protecting shareholder interests & maintaining a careful balance between risk and rewards, using the concept of ‘time value of money’, to study the impact of choices between discounted cash flows and non-discounted cash flow methods. Conduct a discounted and non-discounted cash flow analysis.
You are required to apply necessary knowledge and understanding when examining investment appraisal techniques to suggest, recommend and evaluate at least two popular investment appraisal techniques that can be used & considered by managers/decision-makers in the light of dynamic business & economic conditions. Examples can be used to support the explanations.
6. Presentation & References: You should present the whole document in a methodical manner and should remain aligned to appropriately demonstrate the correct application of the Harvard Referencing System (HRS).
