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Although Chartered Management Accountants are finance specialists they are often
given early responsibility for the design, development, implementation and control of
information systems. This work normally consists of a series of projects, of which the
Chartered Management Accountant may be manager.
Another major aspect of the work of the Chartered Management Accountant is
control. Either through their day-to-day activities, or as part of an internal audit
function, Chartered Management Accountants are tasked with ensuring that the
various systems within an organisation achieve their objectives.
One of the objectives of this syllabus is to introduce and develop some of the skills
required for success in the case study at the Final level.
Aims
This syllabus aims to test the students ability to:
contribute to the management of projects;
evaluate an organisations information systems and recommend appropriate
solutions;
recommend improvements to the control of organisational activities and
resources;
advise management on the audit of systems and activities;
evaluate and recommend improvements in the management of quality.
Assessment
There will be a written paper of three hours which will include a substantial scenario.
The paper will consist of two sections. Section A consists of three compulsory
questions and accounts for 80% of the marks. Section B consists of a choice of one
question from two and accounts for 20% of the marks.
The ways in which systems are used to achieve control within the framework
of the organisation (for example, contracts of employment, policies and
procedures, discipline and reward, reporting structures, performance
appraisal and feedback).
The views of classical and contemporary management writers relating to
control.
The application of control systems and related theory to the design of
management accounting systems and information systems in general (by
which we mean control system components, primary and secondary
feedback, positive and negative feedback, open- and closed-loop control).
The controls which can be designed into an information system, particularly
one using information technology (for example, security, integrity and
contingency controls).
Syllabus content
The concept of quality and how the quality of products, services and activities
can be assessed, measured and improved.
Quality circles.
The use of benchmarking in quality measurement and improvement.
The various approaches to the management of quality (by which we mean
quality inspection, quality control, quality assurance, total quality).
External quality standards (for example, the various ISO standards
appropriate to products and organisations).
Contemporary developments in the management of quality.