ADVANCED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE COMPULSORY WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
Assignment Task:
"Neoclassical economics and several management theories assert that the corporation's sole objective is maximizing shareholder wealth. Despite these theoretical approaches, however, actual corporate conduct in some cases is inconsistent with shareholder value maximization as the sole objective of the corporation. In fact, corporations are now engaging in environmental and social causes with multiple stakeholders in mind and this is especially true for the world's largest corporations" (extracted from ‘The Role of the Corporation in Society: An Alternative View and Opportunities for Future Research' By George Serafeim May 27, 2013). Today companies have actively been involved in social activities taking a wider responsibility to society and disclosing corporate social responsibility reports.
You are required to:
• Analyze and discuss the change of corporations' focus as described above in the context of stakeholder theory, positive accounting theory and/or other relevant theories (whichever theory/theories you consider relevant for the analysis).
• Analyze and discuss the costs and benefits, if there are any, of corporations taking social responsibilities and making such disclosure in the context of efficiency and opportunistic perspectives of PAT.
Your arguments and analysis for the requirement above have to be supported by relevant academic refereed articles (at least 6). You should provide evidence that you have carefully examined the literature, understand it, and have been able to summarize its essential content by integrating these articles into your own arguments and perspective.
HELPFUL HINTS
Before commencing your assignment you should read:
o Writing a Research Essay by Professor B Cooper
o Plagiarism and Collusion Support Resources
These can all be found in Contents under Assessment
In-text referencing: Students are encouraged to make use of in-text referencing throughout this assignment. Any issues that you refer to and arguments that you put forward should be supported by reference to relevant sources of information.
Use of footnotes: Footnotes should not be used.
Use of figures and tables in analytic reports: While the use of figures and tables could sometimes help embellish a report, it is important to bear in mind that they should not overshadow the substance of the report. A report that predominantly consists of figures and tables with very little explanatory text would not be viewed favorably from an assessment perspective. No more than two tables and figures are acceptable in this assignment and they are expected to be fully discussed and analyzed in the body of the report. Tables and/or figures should be numbered sequentially, given appropriate captions and placed in the main body of the assignment at suitable points.
Use of appendices: The use of appendices is not recommended for this assignment.
Guide to assignment writing and referencing: Information on writing assignments and referencing at Deakin University is available at: https://www.deakin.edu.au/studentlife/academic-skills/
Recommended Assignment Structure
SECTION
1 Title page
2 Introduction
3 Literature review (At least 6 academic articles)
4 Analysis
5 Conclusion
6 References
TITLE P AGE
This should be the first page (cover page) of your assignment, and it must include the following information:
• Unit code and unit name
• Name of the Unit Chair
• Group number
• Each group member's full name, Deakin student ID number
• Number of words
o Revised date approved by the unit-chair (show approved date).
• The following statement: "I certify that the attached work is entirely my own, except where material quoted or paraphrased is acknowledged in the text. I also declare that it has not been submitted for assessment in any other unit or course." Assignments that do not contain this statement will not be assessed.
Please note that electronic submission of your assignment constitutes your signature in confirmation of this statement. Accordingly, students are not required to complete an ‘Assignment Attachment Sheet' for this assignment.
Mark Allocation Evaluation Criteria:
You MUST prepare your assignment in STRICT accordance with the Mark Allocation Evaluation Criteria as set out below.
Criteria
PART A: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
1 Structure of the assignment: A clear structure must be readily evident. That is, the assignment must have a clearly stated introduction, literature review, analysis, conclusion and bibliography sections. Headings and other ‘extra' evidence of structure will be rewarded.
2 Introduction: This should be a clear, concise statement setting out the assignment's objective. It should identify the order in which the assignment's sections will be presented. It should state, in the briefest terms, how the objective is to be reached and briefly state the conclusion reached. It should clearly indicate the integration of sections in the assignment. This should be no more than one or two brief paragraphs.
3 Literature review (based on at least 6 academic refereed articles published in accounting, corporate governance, business ethics journals and/or similar journals). The articles must be clearly identified as to author, date and source. This section must set out in relatively brief terms the nature, content and conclusions of each article. There should be evidence that you have carefully examined the literature, understand it, and have been able to summarise its essential content. There should be evidence of an intention to integrate these articles into your own argument and perspective. You should not quote whole sections from these articles - for example, from the summary, introduction or conclusion sections. Reference to these articles and other sources should be evident in a properly constructed bibliography.
4 Analysis (critical analysis is expected). You must be investigative. You need to collect relevant information, cases, and other material via an internet search and via national and international news media. These sources should be linked with the literature review. In light of the materials reviewed, you must present and support your viewpoint in a logical, consistent and coherent manner. Arguments must not simply be regurgitations of pro and con material taken from your text book. You should be able to show that you can integrate various viewpoints and arguments in a way that demonstrates understanding and the desire and ability to reach a conclusion of your own.
Lists of arguments or perspectives will get low marks. Students will differ in their selection, focus, opinion and emphasis of different perspectives. That is, there is no right answer as such.
In the absence of clear evidence that you have put something of yourself into your arguments, the mark for this section will be no more than moderate.
5 There must be a concise and well formulated conclusion. This should be specific and be consistent with and based on your analysis. If it suddenly appears magically as if from nowhere, as would be the case if your analysis leads in no particular direction throughout, relatively low marks will be awarded. Integration and coherence of the analysis should be reflected in the conclusion section.
6 Format, spelling, grammar, presentation and referencing.
Full marks for this section require excellence in all areas of assignment presentation - including formatting, spelling, grammar, presentation and referencing.
7 PART B: CONTRIBUTION OF EACH GROUP MEMBERS
You will get a link at CloudDeakin under "Assessment 1' resource folder to take a peer assessment task. All team members must complete this task before the deadline of assignment submission. As a team member you will evaluate your contribution and other team member's contribution to complete this assignment.