Supplementary assignment

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Supplementary Assignment Student’s name Institutional affiliation

Task 1 Question 1(a and b) The survey in the article was conducted in an online platform where a total of ten thousand, two hundred and sixty-nine individuals chose to participate in the votes out of their own free will. This particular survey targeted the consumers of different organisations, occupations and sectors (Sidney 2016, p.1). These participants are more likely to be working as they are deemed to be having purchasing power in a normal economy. This means that the survey utilised certain demographic information of the participants. For instance, apart from having certain purchasing power, all the participants in that particular survey were only recruited if they were within the confines of Australia.

Question 1(c) The survey required the participants to identify sectors, organisation as well as occupations that they thought was ethical or least ethical. The question thus included specific areas such as banking, insurance, finance, media, politicians and big businesses in general (Sidney 2016, P.1).

However, it is not possible to establish the credibility of the qualitative research findings in this article. This is mainly because the article does not clearly highlight the types of participants who participated in the polls. Therefore one is not able to understand the participants' phenomenon of interest during the polls taken in the survey. For this reason, it is possible to conclude that the research findings are not understandable form a reader's perspective. It is only the participants who are in a position to judge the credibility of the result findings of that particular survey.

Question 1 (d) The concept of transferability could be adapted to the research findings to make them more understandable to the audience. This is the degree at which such qualitative research

2 findings could be transferred or generalised to different settings or contexts (Majid 2014, P.54).

The survey conducted in this research was based on qualitative results that defined the objective of the poll. Therefore, since the research findings have been assumed to have credibility challenges, the author of this article may do a thorough job of offering more insightful information regarding the research contexts so as enhance transferability (Majid 2014, P.57).

However, during this process, it is critical for the author to retain and describe the assumptions central to the research.

Question 1 (e) Since this is a qualitative based research survey, the readers of this article expect the research findings to establish new and unique perspectives in ethics in industries. Therefore, there is a need of coming up with added information that further corroborates or confirms the research findings (Majid 2014, P.58).

Question 1(f) There is other valuable information that could be useful in evaluation of findings, such as the proper documentation of all procedures that were used in the study is critical. Other important documentation involves the process of data collection as well as the analysis process that normally brought about speculations in distortion or bias in the final judgment (Majid 2014, P.59).

Task 2 Question 2, (a) The type of research approach that is most appropriate for issuing stationery at Able Accountants is segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP). This research approach is based on people using this system rather than the stationery (Majid 2014, P.32). Email research approach strategy revolves around the stationary rather than the people using that particular system. Hence, there is more likelihood of having problems since the system does not fully integrate different categories of individuals. In addition, the Segmentation, targeting and positioning approach is ideal as it assists the managers of Able Accountants to effectively prioritise propositions, therefore developing and issuing personalised based stationery. This

3 strategy allows the firm to engage well with the audience who are being issued with stationery and therefore is able to get direct feedback on the effectiveness of the new system (Majid 2014, P.33)).

Being part of the core business of Able Accountants, the new system will attract many prospective clienteles from different segmentations. Able Accounting Firm will be able to retrieve all relevant information and messages from people. This approach is also integrated into digital based systems whereby it provides a more pertinent digital communication between the organisation and the people (Majid 2014, P.37). It allows the firm to select only those valuable segments that it hopes to issue with stationery and are valuable to the business. However, it is important to note that each segment requires a personalised and distinct positioning approach when using this new system.

Question 2, (b) A research proposal is needed for establishing the viability or effectiveness of segmentation, targeting and positioning approach in issuing stationery at Able Accountancy Firm. It is through proper segmentation that Able Accountancy Firm can identify niches that have different requirements or attention thereby making is possible for the firm to have a more focused delivery system with effective marketing messages (Majid 2014, P.44).

The participants of this research proposal will be individuals who have interests in the field of accounting either professionally or academically. The research will require a different mix of participants through varying demographic features (Majid 2014, P.47). In this regard, there will be a combination of gender, age, educational levels, household, marital status, the length of residence, size and professional occupations. In addition, this research must identify the psychographics of specific niche or target group that it hopes of to offer stationery services to.

This is through studying their emotions and personality that are entirely based on their behaviours (Majid 2014, P.47). This is typically linked to their choices, lifestyles, attitudes, personalities and levels of risk aversions.

Data will be collected from these participants through the use of direct mail questionnaires where they will be required to provide information regarding the effectiveness of research proposal. In this questionnaire, there will be personal questions tackling their lifestyle, belief and values, life stages, geography, behaviour and benefits. However, among all these

4 questions, the feedback on the benefits derived from the new approach system will be critical.

Such data will be analysed by establishing the most popular feedbacks of different clientele or segments (Majid 2014, P.52). This is because there is a need of using a system that fully integrates the needs and wants of different segments. In addition, the research findings can be analysed by comparing the effectiveness of the similar approach in other similar firms.

Task 3 Question 3, (a).

Management accountants play an important role in decision-making processes of organisations (Drury 2008, P.12). They are fully integrated into goal setting, directing as well as controlling organisations' business operations. Therefore, management accountants are typically decision makers in any organisation. In this regard, they not only play important roles of information providers but also are fully integrated into the management team as well. It is important to note that management accountants usually provide very useful information to the top management in any organisation (Gill 2015, P.77). Such financial information is critical in the management of any organisation and as a result; there is increased efficiency and effectiveness.

Management accountants also focus their roles in reducing wastes in an organisation and creating value by effectively utilising the available resources (Bygrave et al 2009, P.2). In other words, they are responsible for adding value to any organisation through effective management of resources, people and activities. All these are critical ingredients of realising the set goals and ambitions of the entire organisation. Normally, an organisation acquires resources in its pursuit of realising its organisational goals. This is usually followed by careful appointments of individuals or personnel to an organised set of activities in line with the organisation's objectives.

Management accountants are thus tasked with effective planning, directing, controlling as well as making important decisions for such an organisation (Gill 2015, P.79). All these responsibilities ensure that management accountants make the best usage of available resources.

5 Additionally, management accountants typically add value to organisations by propelling activities towards achievement of organisational goals (Bygrave et al 2009, P.2). They are able to achieve this by constantly motivating other employees including top level management towards organisational goals. In this context, it is worth noting that sometimes many organisations have conflicts between their personal goals to those of the organisations. Therefore, through controlling activities, management accountants are able to direct the efforts of top level management and other employees towards realising the organisational goals (Drury 2014, P.18).

Management accountants are tasked with accurately measuring the organisation's activities performance (Drury 2014, P.23). All activities carried out by all employees as well as top level management is carefully measured by the management accountants to determine whether they are indeed in line with organisation's goals. There are usually possibilities of either positive or negative feedback from such measurements. Management accountants may reward performance of particular employees or managers who perform exemplary well and may engage in interactive communications with those whose performance is low (Macintosh and Qualtrone 2010, P.55). This strategy acts as a motivation to employee level of performance as well as a detector to hindrances towards achieving organisational goals.

Question 3, (b) The most fundamental skills and knowledge that is needed by all management accountants is an aptitude for personal interests in business, math, numbers and business processes low (Macintosh and Qualtrone 2010, P.55). This is a critical skill that enables management accountants to effectively manage entire businesses organisations. In this regard, they need to possess concrete foundations in hard accounting skills and basic accounting knowledge (Bygrave et al 2009, P.2). When discharging such skills and responsibilities in organisations, management accountants usually expand their base of such skills. In addition, their knowledge of cost accounting is increased as they handle real organisational problems.

Management accountants also require basic skills in business economics so as to effectively understand and accurately project company’s growth through viable business projects (Macintosh and Qualtrone 2010, P.57). Since they are part of management team, the management accountants also need to possess' communication and presentation skills. These skills are critical when for providing crucial information during decision-making processes. Other than the

6 organisational objectives, management accountants should have the necessary skills of being in opposition of realising the organisational big picture. These skills can be utilised in aiding users as well as the company to be able to make sound decisions such as capital investment, based on the available information provided by the management accountants (Macintosh and Qualtrone 2010, P.57).

Essentially, management accountants are part of the management team in any organisation. Therefore they are leaders who need to have management and leadership skills to effectively discharge their responsibilities (Gill 2015, P.24). For this reason, other than having impeccable communication and presentation skills, they need to have convincing and persuasive skills. For this to happen, they need to be educated on the management of financial capital and human capital. In line with such skills are information technology, education technology and presentation skills (Paulsson, 2012). Currently, many companies are fully integrating technology in the management of their core activities as thus, a management accountant needs to have the vast modern technological knowledge, such as the use of social media in the processes of sales and marketing.

Question 3, (c) Commonly, universities obtain feedback from graduates, current students or even employees on the extent at which accounting curriculum prepares accounting students for professional practice. Earlier research indicated that students generally believed that the university curriculum provided all required prominence on capability development and generic skills (Bygrave et al 2009, P.3). Other researchers have indicated that there is an existing gap between employer expectations and graduate expectations. In addition, there is an existing problem during the processes of sourcing data from both accounting graduates and current students as they lack the advantage of professional practice (Bygrave et al 2009, P.3).

On the other hand, accounting employers often have many years of professional practice, which normally informs their views (Byrave et al 2009, P.3). For this reason, they normally have a clear understanding as far as all accounting requirements are concerned. However, it is important to note that accounting like many other professions is a continuous learning process that is mainly influenced by changing environments and ways of doing businesses. Hence, many years are more likely to have lapsed since the employer’s years of accounting studies as well as

7 the years when they began to discharge their professional skills in the accounting practice (Bygrave et al 2009, P.4).

References Drury C. 2008. Management and Cost Accounting. New York. Engage Brain Publishing.

Gill S. 2015. Cost and Management Accounting: Fundamentals and Its Application. India. Visas Publishing.

Majid T. 2014. Handbook of Research on Organizations through Big Data Analytics. Hershey.

GV Publishing.

Macintosh B. N and Qualtrone P. 2010. Management Accounting & Control Systems. New York.

Wiley Publishing.

Bygrave J., Gerbic P. and Kranenburg I. 2009. Professional Skills and Capabilities of Accounting Graduates: The New Zealand Expectation Gap? Accounting Education; Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, Volume 18 No 4 The Sidney Morning Herald. July 20, 2016. Ethics survey: Banking, media and big business on the nose. Retrieved from >http://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/ethicssurvey-banking-media-and-big-business-on-the-nose-20160719-gq9f5h.html. Date Accessed. September 12, 2016 Paulsson, G 2012, 'The role of management accountants in new public management', Financial Accountability & Management, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 378-94.