BSc Management / Course details

1. Analysis of a range of contemporary corporate reporting techniques, developments, initiatives, debates and controversies;
2. Consideration of the nature of and shifts in regulatory regimes associated with corporate reporting in an international context;
3. Consideration of corporate responsibilities and public interest commitments of the accounting profession and its regulators;
4. Consideration of the overall standing of corporate reporting practice and the scope for innovation and development.

This course builds on the foundations laid in BMAN 21020, Financial Reporting and Accountability, and aims to develop students’ understanding, both theoretically and practically, of key contemporary issues in financial reporting and regulation.  The course is underpinned by a commitment to studying accounting in its global context, with particular consideration being paid to the internationalisation of both accounting practice and its regulation. Just as business has become significantly more global in nature, financial reporting and associated regulatory practices are increasingly influenced, shaped, or at least challenged, by developments on the global stage – particularly, in terms of the work of professional and regulatory bodies and associated standards, rules and regulations that comprise today’s global financial architecture or infrastructure.  

The issues and agendas confronting accountants, auditors, accounting standard setters, regulators and those with an interest or stake in the activities and performance of corporations and public sector bodies are certainly wide ranging.  They incorporate technical questions of accounting practice to the value and use of audited financial reports, the fundamental principles and concepts underpinning accounting practice and the obligations, public interest commitments and social legitimacy of those charged with maintaining, developing and regulating standards of practice.

The course reading material will include textbook chapters and journal articles and will be specified in the detailed course outline made available to students (via Blackboard) at the beginning of the course. Given the contemporary nature of the course, students will also be expected to make good use of the internet in keeping up to date with current developments in the topics covered on the course.

BMAN 21020 is a pre-requisite of BMAN30030.

Pre-requisite course: BMAN 21020

Co-requisites: None
Dependent course units: None
 

Core/Compulsory/Optional/ Free Choice:
Mandatory for BSc (Hons) Accounting and BSc (Hons) Accounting with Industrial/Professional Experience (IPE)

Programmes to which this course unit contributes (including cross faculty/school):
BSc (Hons) Accounting 
BSc (Hons) Accounting with IPE 
BSc (Hons) International Business, Finance and Economics 
BSc (Hons) Management (International Business Economics) 
BSc (Hons) Management (Accounting and Finance) with Industrial/Professional Experience 
BSc (Hons) Management (Accounting and Finance) 
BSc (Hons) Management  

Aims 
The course is designed to advance your knowledge of financial reporting (built upon prior courses such as BMAN 21020) by giving students a deeper appreciation of the institutional standard setting and regulatory context shaping financial reporting and considering the extent to which such practice meets, or needs to develop to meet, broader societal ambitions and expectations of the accounting profession.  

The course addresses its learning outcomes through the following main segments:

1. From learning about difference to prioritising accounting convergence: International standards and the 'new' international financial architecture
2. Assessing the global reach and impact of international accounting standardisation: Accounting for sustainability, fair values and the public interest
3. Holding to account: Contemplating the complexities of preparing corporate financial statements for multinational corporations
4. Reframing accounting and auditing responsibilities – Learning from accumulated research evidence and policy proposals past and present.  

An average of 2 hours per week of lectures in which seminar-style activities (discussions, debates and group work) are embedded across semester 1 and semester 2.
 

• Describe the causes of accounting diversity as well as reasons for, and critiques of, the pursuit of accounting harmonisation/convergence in a global arena
• Show a good understanding of the main differences between measurement bases and their impact upon financial statement analysis
• Show a good understanding of key accounting concepts, techniques and developments in the international corporate reporting arena 

• Critique the achievements and problems associated with processes of international accounting and auditing standard setting and levels of compliance and enforcement
• Describe the pertinence of political, economic, social and environmental factors and considerations to the on-going development of and innovation in international financial accounting and auditing practice
• Describe and critique the contemporary international financial ‘architecture/infrastructure’, including the roles of national and international professional bodies, large multinational accounting/audit firms and regulators 

• Use reporting and essay writing skills  
• Use library, electronic and online resources

• Independently gather, sift, synthesise and organise material from various sources (including library, electronic and online resources), and to critically evaluate its significance (information retrieval)
• Appreciate issues of selection, accuracy, uncertainty and approximation with numbers (numeracy)
• Use word processing, database, spreadsheet and presentation software and the use of the Internet (Computer Literacy)

 

Formative Assessment:
Peer review essay

Summative e Assessment:
Online open-book exam (100%)    

For semester 1 exchange students admitted via the Alliance Manchester Business School International Office that take this course as BMAN30581 the assessment will be in the form of a written assignment.

• Online through peer assessment feedback (via Canvas) and in person by lecturer once complete 
• Written comments on assessed coursework, plus generic feedback posted on VLE regarding overall examination performance. 

C. Nobes and R. Parker (2020), Comparative International Accounting, 14th Edition FT Prentice Hall.

K. Bhaskar, J. Flower and R. Sellers (2021) Disruption in Financial Reporting: A Post-pandemic view of the Future of Corporate Reporting, Routledge
 

For Academic Year 2025/26

Updated: March 2025

Approved by: March UG Committee