AF5203: Contemporary Issues in Accounting Information Systems

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

School of Accounting and Finance

Course Outline
Semester 2, 2022-2023

Instructor: Email Tel

Dr. Ken Law [email protected] +852-92195995

SEM001 Monday 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Consultation hours By appointment: Monday: 4:30 – 6:30 pm

ROLE AND PURPOSE

This subject helps students use the relevant conceptual IT frameworks to evaluate the functionality and
effectiveness of accounting information systems (AIS) and to analyse the contemporary security and control
aspects of such systems. This subject is especially useful to those students who are pursuing a career as a systems
accountant or IT auditor.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the subject, students will be able to:

(a) obtain the knowledge required to function as a systems accountant;
(b) apply the knowledge of management support systems to accounting and related areas;
(c) analyse the current development of enterprise-wide systems and their contribution to business process
reengineering;
(d) apply well-known systems development methodologies for AIS implementations; apply business intelligence
software and
(e) evaluate the accounting controls and security measures in AIS.

INDICATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING APPROACH

The three-hour seminar per week will be used by the lecturer for discussing the various contemporary AIS
concepts. Coursework assignments will be used to reinforce students’ learning. Students are expected to play an
active role to interact with the lecturer and classmates.

TEXTBOOKS

J.A. Hall, Accounting Information Systems, Cengage Learning, latest edition or

J.A. Hall, Information Technology Auditing, Cengage Learning, latest edition.

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

Laudon & Laudon, Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, Global Edition, latest edition,
Pearson.
M.B. Romney and P.J. Steinbart, Accounting Information Systems, Pearson Prentice Hall, latest edition.
Contemporary journals and articles

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INDICATIVE ASSESSMENT TASKS

%
Specific assessment methods/tasks
weighting
1. Class participation and quizzes 15%
2. Individual assignment 20%
3. Group Project (presentation) 15%
4. Final Examination 50%

Total 100 %

To pass the course, an overall mark of 40 out of 100 marks or above is needed.

Practical component (50%)

Class participation (15%):

It is assessed based on the student’s performance during class. The assessment relates to attendance (5%),
participation in class discussions (5%) and quizzes (5%).

Individual assignment (20%):

The individual assignment enables students to apply the latest reporting and visualization technology to provide
management with relevant information for decision-making.

Group project (15%):

The group project requires students to apply system development methodologies in the selection of information
systems.

Final Exam (50%)

The final exam is 3 hours and is OPEN BOOK. Students can refer to any materials, including books, lecture notes,
slides, etc. but are not allowed to use any electronic devices during the exam.

GRADING

Assessment grades shall be awarded on a criterion-referenced basis, and students are passed
on merit and graded according to their true performance. The requirements are as follows:

A+ to A-: Excellent Meet the standard of excellent performance

B+ to B-: Good Meet the standard of good performance
C+ to C-: Satisfactory Meet the standard of acceptable performance
D+ to D: Pass Demonstrate a standard of marginally acceptable performance
F: Fail Fail to meet a minimum standard of acceptable performance

ACADEMIC HONESTY

The University takes a very serious view against academic dishonesty. Examples of academic dishonesty include
plagiarism, cheating in examinations, signing class attendance for other students, doing online quizzes for your
classmates who are absent, etc. Academic dishonesty cases may be referred to the Student Discipline Committee
for investigation and decision. Previous penalties included giving a failing grade in the subject, lowering the award
classification by one level upon graduation, suspension of studies for a specified period, or expulsion from the
University. The details of rules and regulations, the conduct of examinations, and penalties are included in the
student handbook.

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 AF5203: Contemporary Issues in Accounting Information Systems

Individual assignment (20%)

Business Intelligence Proposal

Western Pharma, a pharmaceutical company based in the U.S., is looking for a business intelligence solution
to meet its management information needs. You have researched various software available in the market and
believe that Power BI is the solution that would best fit management requirements.

Using the sales information downloaded from the company’s ERP system to demonstrate how Power BI can
serve the company’s needs, write a proposal to top management recommending the implementation of
business intelligence for management reporting.

Below are suggestions on how to improve your individual assignment:

 Refer to the attached guide on how to write a business proposal (open with Microsoft by double-
clicking on the icon. Use laptop or desktop as may not work with wps or iPad)

 Watch below video on how to write a business report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQYeDvtMydc

 Include at least three dashboards using Power BI to demonstrate how these are useful to different
users

o For each of the dashboard, present

 Screenshotot of the dashboards
 Who are the target users? Top team, GM, brand manager
 Show examples of insights that could be gained by users from the dashboard
(descriptive analytics)
 Show originality in the design of Power BI to effectively visualise the requirements
 No need to provide recommendations on how to improve the business situation, but
rather pose the findings as questions for management to explore.
 Provide recommendations on why and how the company can implement Power BI

Deliverables and deadline:

 Word document with 1,500 - 2,000 words and similarity check of not more than 15%.
 Deadline for submission is on 5 Mar (Sunday). Late submission results in a 5-mark reduction for each
day late.
 Submit a softcopy of the report in Blackboard -> Assessments -> Individual Assignment ->
View/Complete. No need to send by email or to submit a hard copy.

Assessment method

Please refer to the rubrics in Appendix C for the assessment criteria.

Ensure that your written report is well articulated by avoiding vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and
grammatical errors. Use free online tools such as Grammarly, Grammar Check, etc. to correct these
mistakes before submitting. Please note that Vocabulary/ Grammar/ spelling represent 20% of the
scores.

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Group Project (15%)

Selection of an ERP system

 Form a group of 6 to 7 students. Each group shall perform an in-depth study of the business requirements of the
following types of company:

Group Presentation topic Presentation date

1 A large listed company with > 100,000 employees Week 8 (week of 6 Mar)
(+3 bonus marks for being the first
to present)
2 A large listed company with > 100,000 employees Week 9 (week of 13 Mar)
3 A medium listed company with < 20,000 employees Week 10 (week of 20 Mar)
4 A medium listed company with < 20,000 employees Week 11 (week of 27 Mar)
5 A small to medium company with < 5,000 employees Week 11 (week of 27 Mar)
6 A small to medium company with < 5,000 employees Week 12/13 (week of 3/10 Apr)
7 A small company with < 500 employees Week 12/13 (week of 3/10 Apr)
8 A small company with < 500 employees Week 12/13 (week of 3/10 Apr)

Project brief:
Your Head of Finance is looking to implement or replace the company’s accounting/ERP system. You have been asked to work
with IT and other departments to perform a preliminary study of available accounting/ERP systems and present to the board.

You must carefully research the size and background of the ERP vendor to ensure that they are the right fit for your company.

HINT: Depending on your topic, you can search for ERP information using key words like “Top 10 ERP”, “ERP for SME”,
“ERP compare”, etc. and visit the websites of the ERP candidates to understand their offerings.

Group presentation
Your presentation can be structured as follows:
 Cover Page (Company, Group, student name listed according to the sequence of presentation)
 Table of contents
 Setting the scene (background of the company, size, business nature, etc.)
 Business requirements and/or key success factors
 Shortlist 3-4 potential ERP solutions
 Evaluate the ERP candidates to see if they meet the business requirements in terms of features, pros and cons,
indicative cost.
 Recommendation
 References (provide listing but no need to present)

 Watch below videos to prepare for your presentation

 Make a presentation like Steve Jobs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHX-xnP_G5s

 How to do an effective business presentation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yACXKJAF4C8&index=8&list=PL-SQk7QZGmuWLaWkG1aBtL_C0lsydInL6

Deliverables

1. Powerpoint slides ≤ 20 slides (excluding cover and reference); 20 min presentation and 10 min Q&A
2. The soft copy of the presentation should be uploaded to the Blackboard 3 calendar days before the presentation date. Late
submission results in a 5-mark reduction for each day late.

Assessment method

 Instructor grading 12%

 Peer evaluation 3%

Please refer to the rubrics in Appendix B for the assessment criteria.

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COURSE SCHEDULE (indicative)

Textbook:
A. J.A. Hall, Accounting Information Systems, Cengage Learning, latest edition, 2019 or
B. J.A. Hall, Information Technology Auditing, Cengage Learning, latest edition, 2016
C. Laudon & Laudon, Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm,
Global Edition, latest edition, Pearson.

Week Lecture topics Remarks

Read
Week 1 A. Ch. 1 & Ch. 3 or
L1 - Introduction to AIS B. Ch. 12
(9 Jan)

Read
Week 2 L2 - Contemporary Enterprise Resource A. Ch. 11 or
(16 Jan) Planning (ERP) Systems B. Ch. 11

Submit mandatory homework 3.1

(23 Jan) Chinese New Year week – no classes
(Deadline - 7 February)

Read
Week 3 L3 - The traditional systems development life A. Ch. 13 or
(30 Jan) cycle (SDLC) B. Ch. 5

Week 4
(6 Feb) L4 - Contemporary systems development Read
methods C. Ch 13

Week 5 L5 – BI and data warehouse Read

(13
C. Ch 13
Feb)
Read
A. Ch. 4 or
Week 6 B. Ch. 9
(20 L6 - The Revenue Cycle (Order to cash cycle)
Feb) Submit individual assignment
(Deadline – 5 Mar)

Week 7
(27 L7 – Hands-on SAP activities (ERPSim)
Feb)

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Week Lecture topics Remarks

Read
L8 - The Expenditure Cycle (Procure to pay A. Ch. 5.
Week 8 cycle) B. Ch. 10.
(6 Mar)
Group 1 present

Read
A. Ch. 8
Week 9 L9 - The Financial Reporting Cycle (Record B. Ch. 6
(13 Mar) to report cycle)
Group 2 present

Read
L10 The Management Reporting Cycle A. Ch. 8
Week B. Ch. 6
10 (Record to report cycle)
(20 Mar)
Group 3 present

No lecture
Week Guest speaker (Blockchain)
11 Groups 4 & 5 present
(27 Mar) Group presentations

Public holiday – no classes for

Week Wed (5 Apr),
12/13 Mon (10 Apr), Tue (11 Apr)

No lecture
Group presentations
Week Course review
Groups 6, 7 and 8 present
12/13
Mon (3 Apr), Tue (4 Apr)
Wed (12 Apr)

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 AF5203: Contemporary Issues in Accounting Information Systems

APPENDIX A - GRADING GUIDELINES

A+ to A- B+ to B- C+ to C- D+ to D F
Class - Excellent participation - Good participation in - Average participation in - Little participation in - No participation in
participation in classroom discussions classroom discussions classroom discussions classroom discussions classroom discussions
(15%) and/or contribution to and/or contribution to and/or contribution to and/or contribution to and/or contribution to
the blackboard the blackboard the blackboard the blackboard the blackboard
discussion forum; discussion forum; discussion forum; discussion forum; discussion forum;
- Excellent quiz results; - Good quiz results; - Average quiz results; - Poor quiz results; - Inadequate quiz results;
- Full class attendance - Good class attendance - Average class - Poor class attendance - Frequent absence from
attendance class
Group Project ● See Appendix B ● See Appendix B ● See Appendix B ● See Appendix B ● See Appendix B
(15%):
Individual ● See Appendix C ● See Appendix C ● See Appendix C ● See Appendix C ● See Appendix C
assignment
(20%):
Final Exam - Excellent performance in - Good performance in the - Acceptable performance - Poor performance in the - Fail to meet a minimum
(50%) the test with extended test with good in the test with basic test with some errors of standard of passing the
ideas such as element of understanding such as understanding such as understanding test with major errors of
own voice and opinion, the use of a wide range the application of understanding or
originality, an ability to and diversity of materials materials without major omission of explanation
reflect and make beyond those provided in errors
recommendation the course, proper
referencing, necessary
analysis, and application

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APPENDIX B – RUBRICS FOR GROUP PRESENTATION

  A+ to A- B+ to B- C+ to C- D+ to D F
• Demonstrate an excellent • Demonstrate a good level of • Demonstrate a satisfactory • Demonstrate a basic level of • Fail to demonstrate a
and thorough understanding understanding and level of understanding and understanding and minimum level of
and application of the application of the concepts, application of the concepts, application of the concepts, understanding and
concepts, theories and theories and issues; theories and issues; theories and issues; application of the concepts,
issues; • Good analysis showing • Adequate analysis showing • Reasonable level of analysis theories and issues;
• Outstanding analysis comprehensive and logical comprehensive and logical showing logical thinking. • Analysis is vague showing
showing initiative, thinking. thinking; • Minimum level of research little or no interpretation.
originality, independent and • Evidence of good research • Evidence of satisfactory efforts; • Little evidence of any
Content critical thinking. efforts; level of research efforts; • Would have benefited from research efforts;
(70%) • Evidence of thorough and • Good planning and • Adequate planning and better planning and • Little evidence of planning
in-depth research efforts; integration of the different integration of the different integration of the different and integration of the
• Thorough planning and contributions made by group contributions made by group contributions made by group different contributions made
integration of the different members; members; members; by group members
contributions made by group • All the slides are effective in • Almost all of the PowerPoint • Some of the slides are • The slides are ineffective in
members; explaining ideas. slides are effective in effective in explaining ideas. explaining ideas.
• The slides are very attractive explaining ideas.
and effective in explaining
ideas.
• Very effective presentation • Effective presentation and • Adequate presentation and • Barely satisfactory • Ineffective presentation and
and communications skills communications skills communications skills presentation and communications skills
• Excellent language skills • Good language skills • Acceptable language skills communications skills • Poor language skills
• Handle questions • Handle questions in a logical • Handle some questions well • Barely satisfactory language • Unable and unwilling to
Presentatio
professionally and strong way and good teamwork and some teamwork among skills handle questions and
n skills
teamwork among group among group members group members • Unable to handle questions demonstrate no coordination
(30%)
members • Good time management • Average time management and weak coordination among group members
• Excellent time management (quickened pace to avoid no (rushed or did not finish to among group members • Poor time management
(good pace and no overrun) overrun) avoid no overrun) • Poor time management (serious overrun)
(serious overrun)

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APPENDIX C – RUBRICS FOR WRITTEN REPORT

  A+ to A- B+ to B- C+ to C- D+ to D F
- Report demonstrates an excellent - Report demonstrates a good - Report demonstrates a basic - Report demonstrates a - Report fails to demonstrate a
understanding of the concepts, level of understanding of the level of understanding of the minimum level of minimum level of
Content (40%) topics, and issues in the concepts, topics, and issues in concepts, topics, and issues understanding of the understanding of the
assignment the assignment in the assignment concepts, topics, and concepts, topics, and issues in
- Shows excellent originality in the - Shows some originality in the - Follows similar design, issues in the assignment the assignment
design, analysis and insights design, analysis and insights analysis and insights from - Barely able to follow the - not able to follow the design,
- Strongly reflects student’s own - Uses and applies a range and the course design, analysis and analysis and insights learned
“voice” and opinions with critical diversity of source materials in - Use the relevant materials in insights learned from the from the course
evaluation and analysis support the course course - Unable to use the relevant
- Unable to use the relevant materials in the course
materials in the course
- Excellent flow with captivating - Good flow with appropriate - Adequate flow with rooms - Poor structure making it - No structure making it
report title, clear introduction, report title, introduction, body for improvement in the difficult to follow the flow impossible to follow the flow
body and conclusion and conclusion report title, introduction, of the report of the report
- Excellent presentation of analysis, - Good presentation of analysis, body and conclusion - Poor presentation of - Poor presentation of analysis,
evaluation and insights evaluation and insights - Adequate presentation of analysis, evaluation and evaluation and insights
Organisation - Excellent concluding statement or - Good concluding statement or analysis, evaluation and insights - Poor or no concluding
(40%) section that skillfully follows section that follows from or insights - Poor or no concluding statement
from or supports the argument supports the argument - Adequate concluding statement
presented presented statement with rooms for
improvement to support the
argument presented

- Mastery of the English writing - Good English writing skills - Average English writing - Poor writing skills - Non-existent writing skills
skills - Good use of vocabulary skills - Poor use of vocabulary - Poor use of vocabulary
Vocabulary/
- Accurate use of vocabulary - Some minor spelling, - Reasonable use of - Many spelling, - Many spelling, punctuation or
Grammar/
- No spelling, punctuation and punctuation and grammatical vocabulary punctuation or grammatical errors.
spelling (20%)
grammatical errors. errors. - Some spelling, punctuation grammatical errors.
or grammatical errors

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