BUACC 2614 – Management Accounting 2
Semester 1, 2015
Group Assignment
(a) Watts (2010) discusses the question, “Are accountants the last hope for the world’s ecosystems?”
(b) According to Gleeson-White (2014, p.281), “The six capitals model is a powerful way of asking corporations to consider their impact on their social and natural environments only so recently accepted as being inextricably linked to their commerce after all. So it does give business the option of responding to the problem of externalities, and within this frame the pioneering work of Puma’s environmental profit and loss account has made a start on accounting for nature. Integrated reporting is, as its advocates say, an idea whose time has come.
But there is a logical inconsistency at the heart of the six capitals model which will prevent it alone from saving the planet: it seeks to account for nonfinancial value but can see it only in terms of financial value. This is because the entity it seeks to govern, the corporation as we know it, is legally bound to make decisions in favour of financial capital”.
( c) According to Sikka (2008, p.291), “The burgeoning corporate social responsibility literature rarely focuses on the anti-social practices of accounting firms…Accountancy firms are on a collision course with civil society”.
-------------------
(a)http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/oct/28/accountants-hope-ecosystems.
(b) Gleeson-White, J. (2014) Six Capitals, or Can Accountants Save the Planet?: Rethinking Capitalism for the Twenty-first Century, NY: WW Norton.
(c) Sikka, P. (2008). “Enterprise culture and accountancy firms: new masters of the universe”, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Vol.21 (2), pp.268-95.
Required:
Discuss the issues raised in the above excerpts. Include your views on the role that the accounting profession can play in the demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. Also, identify any problems that the profession may encounter in this process.
Please note the following:
• Format: Essay
• Contribution to overall assessment: 25%
• Length: 2200 – 2500 words
• Due date: 30/5/15
Your work must comply with the University’s General Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work. A useful link:
http://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/190044/2014-General-Guide-to-Writing-and-Study-Skills.pdf.
• This is a group-assignment. Each group needs to have 2 to 3 members in it. Please organise yourselves into groups.
• Please make sure that names and ID numbers of all group members are stated on the cover sheet of your submission.
As this is a group assignment, each member of your group is awarded the same mark. As we know, working in groups has its pros and cons. I am sure that you will hold constructive and energetic group discussions on the issues at hand. In case of any disagreements, you will be able to resolve them in a democratic and rational way. There will be times when you may have to agree to disagree with each other. Invariably different group members bring different skills to a project; it is up to you to make the best of it. I believe one can learn a lot by discussing the issues with one’s colleagues.
If you find your group members are “not pulling their weight” or there are problems with any member’s commitment, then please try to resolve those issues amongst yourselves. Open and honest communication always helps. If you are unable to resolve these issues, you are most welcome to see me and we will try to sort out the problems together. Do this as soon as possible and certainly before the due date.
For some reason, if you do not wish to work in a group, please let me know.
Thanks - Best wishes – Neelima
• BUACC2614, Management Accounting 2
• Semester 1, 2015
• Group Assignment
Bases of assessment HD P F
Content - Identification of relevant issues.
Research - Selection of relevant material.
A demonstration of critical evaluation of the material.
Expression of your viewpoint (and not a catalogue of quotes/ others’ ideas).

Expression - clarity, style (formal and academic), coherence in writing, grammar, punctuation, spellings and sentence structure.
A logical flow of argument at both the paragraph level and the overall text level.
Use of supporting arguments.
Use of literature to support the argument.

Structure – Synopsis (stated the topic, reflected main arguments and identified conclusions reached).
Introduction (clearly stated the essay question; outlined the plan for answering the question).
Discussion in appropriately linked sections and paragraphs.
Conclusion (no new material; reiterated the main line of argument).
Referencing procedure (within the text, and at the end of the text).
Appropriately styled and punctuated bibliography.

Overall Presentation – including cover page, line spacing, page numbering.
GRADE: