82189 - Management Control Systems Lab

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with some tools and techniques of cost management in several contextes (for-profit, non-profit, private, public). By the end of the course students are able to: (a) to define the network of responsibility center, the different types of responsibility centers, and the basis for choosing the most appropriate type; (b) to understand what are the phases of the management control process and the characteristics of each; (c) to understand some of the issues involved in measuring non-financial performance and to implement effective integrated (financial and non-financial) measurement systems.

Course contents

The course will be developed through a mix of instructor lectures and expert seminars on Management control sysetms. See virtuale for the complete set of lectures content and guest speakers.

1. Concepts and challenges of contemporary management control systems
Management accounting and control systems.
Basic components of management control systems design. How are businesses managed? Establish mission vision and objective. The changing business landscape. Balancing risk and return. What is management accounting? How useful is management accounting information?
Managing strategic decision, controlling strategic decision in a competitive environment.

2. Accounting for strategies and control
Budgeting and how the budget links with strategic plans and objectives. Using budgets in practice
Budgeting for control
Strategic management accounting
Non-financial measures of performance

3. Management control and decision making at the institutional level
MCS and EU funding system: EU Green Deal and PNRR, Regional EU funding, The cohesion plan of funding, Monitoring and disclosing the use of EU funds
Guest Lecturers
Lodovico Gherardi, Territorial cooperation programs for the Emilia-Romagna Region and ADRION Managing Authority Coordinator
Anna Maria Lisalata, Cohesion communication head for regional programmes and strategies implementation and control for the Emilia-Romagna Region

4. Management control and sustainability
Planning and monitoring sustainability, Circular economy, Sustainability reporting, Stahekolder engagement, Materiality, SDGs and Shared value
Guest Lecturer
Ana Rita Dominguez, lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, UK
Francesca Manes Rossi, University of Naples Federico II

5. Managing and communicating in a digital era
Digitalization, Digital awareness and data governance, Web communication and reporting
Guest Lecturer
James Osborne, Partner and Head of Sustainability at Lundquist, https://lundquist.it

6. Managing the people without forgetting the environment
MCS and smart working, Measures of business impact
Guest Lecturer
Cecilia Razzetti, Project Manager at Stantec, www.stantec.com/it/people/razzetti-cecilia
Simona Ceccarelli, Head of Sustainability at SCS consulting, https://scsconsulting.it/

7. Managing risk
Business Continuity
Financial and non-financial risk management
Risk communication and reporting
Guest Lecturer
Pasquale Ruggiero, University of Siena and University of Brighton

Readings/Bibliography

Management accounting for decision makers, Peter Atrill and Eddie McLaney, Pearson, ninth or tenth edition (selected chapters).
Other materials prepared by the instructor and available on Virtuale.

Teaching methods

The course is based on class discussions and active participation by students. Classes comprise a mix of lectures and in class activities.

Assessment methods

Mid term witten exam. Final term written exam and a written essay and its presentation.

The assessment of the preparation will be based on the following levels

• Preparation on a very limited number of topics covered in the course, analytical skills that emerge only with the help of the teacher, expressed in an overall correct language → 18-19;
• Preparation on a limited number of topics covered in the course and ability to autonomous analysis only on purely executive matters, axpressed in correct language → 20-24;
• Preparation on a large number of topics covered in the course, ability to make independent choices of critical analysis, mastery of specific terminology → 25-29;
• Basically exhaustive preparation on the topics covered in the course, ability to make independent choices of critical analysis and connection, full mastery of specific terminology and ability to argue and self-reflection → 30-30L.

The written exam will be carried out on EOL and the oral one with Teams. All students must access the EOL platform with personal credentials to take the written test. All students are guaranteed to be able to carry out both tests remotely.

Teaching tools

The Virtuale website will be available to students with slide and additional material before the beginning of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Rebecca Levy Orelli