Assignment Remit

Module Learning Outcomes:

This assignment is designed to assess the following module learning outcomes. However, your submission will be marked using the Grading Criteria given in the section on the next page.

LO2. Discuss how management accounting and the role of management accountants is changing

LO3. Analyse the nature and role of management accounting in different organisational contexts

LO4. Assess the behavioural issues which have to be considered by management accountants;

LO5. Evaluate the usefulness of management accounting techniques and reports in specific contemporary situations.

Please note that these learning outcomes will be covered by addressing the requirement.

You should not attempt to address them directly.

Assignment:

A management control system (MCS) is the entire array of controls used by an organisation

to help ensure that its objectives are achieved. For many organisations these objectives

have traditionally focused on shareholder returns, but increasingly they include a wider

range of concerns, including sustainability.

Requirement:

Acting as the Chief Management Accountant for Prime Value Hotels, produce the report

required by the CEO on the use of their MCS to embed sustainability in the company’s

operations as described in the scenario and notes below.

Your report should be supported by evidence and arguments from the four articles listed below that can all be obtained via the module resource list.

They are listed in the order that it is suggested that you read them, not the order they should appear in your reference list:

1.   Simons, R. (1995) ‘Control in an Age of Empowerment’, Harvard Business Review, 73 (2) , pp. 80-88.

2.   Beusch, P., Frisk, J. E., Rosén, M. & Dilla, W. (2022) 'Management control for

sustainability: Towards integrated systems', Management Accounting Research, 54, (100777), pp. 1-14.

3.    Narayanan, V. & Boyce, G. (2019) 'Exploring the transformative potential of

management control systems in organisational change towards sustainability', Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32, pp. 1210-1239.

4.  Ahmad, S., Gulshan, H. & Manochin, M. (2024) Management Accounting for

embedding net-zero goals in an automotive company. CIMA Research Executive

Summary Vol. 21 Issue 2. Available at:https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/download/management-accounting-for-embedding-net-zero- goals-in-an-automotive-company

You may also use a maximum of three other academic articles/professional reports to support your report. Any academic articles used should consist of primary research.

Therefore, for example, literature reviews (reviews of other articles) should not be used.

All reports should include a reference list. Each reference listed must include a working link to the article/report, either a DOI or web address.

Scenario: Prime Value Hotels

Prime Value Hotels (PVH) is a well-known budget hotel chain with over 400 properties across the UK.  Known for its  affordable rates and convenient locations, PVH has built a strong reputation among travellers seeking value for money. The company has been in operation for over 25 years and serves a diverse customer base, including business travellers, families, and tourists.

PVH’s reputation, coupled with well managed operations, has allowed it to generate good financial performance over the past decade. However, the new CEO, Holly Teller, believes that the company needs to address sustainability issues more fully. She strongly believes that sustainability should not just be considered as a way of improving financial performance but is important in its own right. Although the other members of the board of directors do not share all the CEO’s views on sustainability, they have concluded that to produce value for shareholders in the long term the company does needs to address sustainability issues.

Given this, and as a result of the board of directors’  belief that there  is pressure from investors, the community, and government for companies to demonstrate that they are addressing sustainability issues, they agreed to change PVH’s mission statement to “to provide comfortable, affordable, high quality hotel stays that respect our planet, empower our people, and support our communities, thereby creating enduring value for all our stakeholders.”

This is a significant change for PVH as although they have always aimed to   provide comfortable, affordable, high quality hotels stays for guests, they have previously done this with the ultimate aim of maximising shareholder returns. The new mission has recently been widely promoted to PVH’s employees. While many employees, particularly those in operational and customer facing roles, welcomed the new emphasis on sustainability, some hotel and regional managers argued that the company’s focus should continue to  be on revenue and profit growth.

Holly is determined to ensure that the new mission’s focus on sustainability is reflected in changes in the actual activities of the business and wants your advice as to how best to use the company’s management control system (MCS) to achieve this.  She also wants your judgement as to whether you believe using the MCS for this purpose is likely to be effective.

Notes from Holly Teller, CEO PVH

1.   Please use the Levers of Control (LOC) framework proposed by Simons (1995), in your report. The board of directors is familiar with the LOC and so you do not need to explain it, but it should help structure your evaluation.

2.   When considering how best to use the MCS, please also consider the role of the management accounting function in PVH.

3.   I don’t have time to read long, rambling analysis. I need a concise report that is focused on the key issues. Therefore, please ensure that it does not exceed 1,500 words.

4.   From a quick search I can see that there is a significant volume of potential research available on the topic.  However, this is likely to be of very varied quality, and I therefore want you to focus on using the most relevant, authoritative evidence to support your report.

Additional notes

Word limit

1,500 words is the absolute maximum for this report, and therefore marks will be deducted for  exceeding it as shown below.  The word limit includes in-text citations but not the reference list.

Structure and language

Please use the following sections in your report:

•    Executive summary

• Introduction

•   Analysis

• Conclusion and recommendations

The report should be written in full paragraphs and use clear, precise, and concise language. It is suggested that approximately 200 of the 1,500 words are used for the executive summary, but this is only guidance and there is no direct penalty for deviating from this. As this is a short report, a table of contents is not required.