AF2U093 - Performance Management 01 Sep 2020 - 31 Aug 2026 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | AF2U093 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Performance Management | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Business and Creative Industries | ||
| Faculty Group: | Accounting and Finance | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Accounting and Finance | ||
| Module Leader: | Rhian Gosling, Jared Davies | ||
| Module Team: | Tim Bennett, Nicola Gilbert, Tamira Rolls | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2020 | Final Year of Intake: | |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 30 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100836 - management accountancy | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2020 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2026 |
Module Aims
This module is one of six modules that form the Applied Skills Level of the ACCA Qualification. Please note that aims, learning outcomes and content are based on the 2020 ACCA Performance Management Syllabus & Study Guide. Latest versions of all ACCA Syllabus & Study Guide documents can be found at: https://www.accaglobal.com/ca/en/student/exam-support-resources.html Successful completion of the internal assessments for this module will allow a student to claim exemption from ACCA’s Performance Management module. Students may opt to sit ACCA’s external equivalent of this module. The main aim of this module is to develop knowledge and skills in the application of management accounting techniques to quantitative and qualitative information for planning, decision-making, performance evaluation, and control.
Content Summary
The syllabus for Performance Management (PM) builds on the knowledge gained in Management Accounting (MA)and seeks to examine candidates’ understanding of how to manage the performance of a business. It also prepares candidates for more specialist capabilities, which are covered in Advanced Performance Management (APM).
The syllabus begins by focusing on the information needs, technologies and systems required by organisations to manage and measure performance in the modern, competitive environment. It is vital for an accountant to understand how information systems and developments in technology influence the management accounting techniques employed and how vital information systems are in the mechanisms of managing and controlling an organisation.
The syllabus then introduces more specialised costing and management accounting topics. There is some knowledge assumed from Management Accounting (MA) – primarily overhead treatments. The objective here is to ensure candidates have a broader background in management accounting techniques.
The syllabus then considers decision making. Candidates need to appreciate the problems surrounding scarce resource, pricing and make-or-buy decisions, and how this relates to the assessment of performance. Risk and uncertainty are a factor of real-life decisions and candidates need to understand risk and be able to apply some basic methods to help resolve the risks inherent in decision-making.
Budgeting is an important aspect of many accountants’ lives. The syllabus explores different budgeting techniques and the problems inherent in them. The behavioural aspects of budgeting are important for accountants to understand, and the syllabus includes consideration of the way individuals react to a budget. The preparation of fixed, flexible and incremental budgets is assumed knowledge from Management Accounting (MA).
Standard costing and variances are then built on. All the variances examined in Management Accounting (MA) are assumed knowledge in Performance Management (PM). Mix and yield variances, and planning and operational variances are explored here and the link is made to performance management. It is important for accountants to be able to interpret the numbers that they calculate and ask what they mean in the context of performance.
The syllabus concludes with performance measurement and control. This is a major area of the syllabus. Accountants should appreciate the importance of both financial and nonfinancial performance measures in management and should also appreciate the difficulties in assessing performance in divisionalised businesses and the problems caused by failing to consider external influences on performance. This section leads directly to Advanced Performance Management (APM).
All of the subject areas covered in this syllabus could be examined in either a public sector or private sector context.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Practical classes and workshops | 50 |
| Independent Study | 90 |
| Directed Study | 150 |
| Formative Assessment - Scheduled | 10 |
| Total Hours Selected | 300 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify and discuss the information, systems and developments in technology required for organisations to manage and measure performance. |
| LO2 | Explain and apply cost accounting techniques. |
| LO3 | Select and appropriately apply decision-making techniques to facilitate business decisions and promote efficient and effective use of scarce business resources, appreciating the risks and uncertainty inherent in business and controlling those risks. |
| LO4 | Identify and apply appropriate budgeting techniques and methods for planning and control and use standard costing systems to measure and control business performance and to identify remedial action. |
| LO5 | Assess the performance of an organisation from both a financial and nonfinancial viewpoint, appreciating the problems of controlling divisionalised businesses and the importance of allowing for external aspects. |
| LO6 | Display competence in a range of soft/transferable skills. |
Module Requisites
| Code | Title | Requisite Type |
|---|---|---|
| MOD005897 | F2 Management Accounting | pre-requisite |
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment (CW) | Time Constrained Assessment (CW) 1 | Scenario-based exam | 195 | 3500 | 70 | No | 40 |
| Written Assignment (CW) | Report (CW) 1 | Case Study | 0 | 2000 | 30 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | LO3 | LO4 | LO5 | LO6 | |
| Time Constrained Assessment (CW) 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Report (CW) 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |