In-class test covering all material up to Week 6.

Provision for Disruptions: There are no extensions for this assessment. ​Students must be present in class when the test is given or else they will receive a zero grade. This penalty does not apply to cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.

Deliverables: Students will work in groups of a maximum of 4 and choose one of the following topics as the basis of an in-class Powerpoint Presentation and a 2000-word report on the current status of the topic from a reporting perspective using examples from a specific company. The report consists of four 500 word parts

1. Define the topic;
2. Outline the regulatory requirements from a reporting perspective;
3. Identify "material" issues in business and society related to the topic and give example(s) of how the company is addressing the topic; and
4. Outline the challenges facing reporting using the topic in the future.

Each section must refer to both the general topic and provide examples from the specific company.

Each student must identify one 500 word part for individual assessment, and the group mark is based on the overall synthesis of the report. The presentation will have a 20-minute time limit and have a maximum of 14 slides which allows for an introduction and conclusion slide, and 3 slides for each part. Each student must present their own part during the PowerPoint presentation. 50% of the mark is a shared group mark and 50% will be attributed to individual students.

Submission: The full report must be submitted to Turnitin by each student by 9 am on the assigned presentation date. A hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation must be handed to the lecturer, and a soft copy must be emailed (john.dumay@mq.edu.au) before beginning the presentation.

• Week 9 - Fair Value Accounting
• Week 10 - Australian Corporate Governance Guidelines
• Week 11 - Integrated Reporting
• Week 12 - Integrated Thinking and Materiality
• Week 13 - Social and Environmental Reporting.

Provisions for Disruptions No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.

Submission: All essays must be submitted via Turnitin. Hard copies will not be accepted.

Deliverables: Analysis of corporate liquidity - Your role is to use the annual reports from JB HiFi to investigate the liquidity and insolvency risk of JB HiFi from an accounting perspective. In 2017, JB HiFi was worrying investors because their take over of the Good Guys retail business was not going as well as forecast. Similarly, it suffered a drop in share price in February 2018, when it disclosed slower sales than expected at the Good Guys. (See https://www.insideretail.com.au/news/jb-hi-figets-holiday-boost-nz-venture-rebounds-201802).

In this maximum 2000-word essay, you must use the IDEALS framework to critically analyse the performance of JB HiFi and whether or not it is in danger of becoming insolvent. Essential elements of the essay are:

1. In defining the context you must calculate all the liquidity ratios covered in class, and the Altman’s Z-score for JB HiFi and its major competitor Harvey Norman Holdings for at least the past three years.
2. From the context of the liquidity ratios, identify and provide reasons for selecting three core financial performance issues that JB HiFi should address to improve their financial performance and lower the risk of insolvency.
3. Further discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the three key performance issues compared to its major competitor Harvey Norman Holdings by referring to data from the financial report, operating and financial reviews and comparisons with retail industry benchmarks.
4. To conclude the essay, identify what the most important financial performance issue JB HiFi needs to address to prevent potential insolvency.
5. In your closing self-reflection, outline some critical concerns about the role played by financial and non-financial information found in corporate annual reports.

A reference list is required and does not form part of the word count. If you disclose information without having it properly referenced you will subject to the academic honesty and plagiarism policy. In line with the University policy and all such cases will be referred to the Faculty Discipline Committee. It is required that you use EndNote for referencing and the APA 6th Style for your reference list.

Task overview: The purpose of the research report is to allow you to display:

• Discipline knowledge and skills;
• Critical, analytical and integrative thinking; and
• Effective communication. This is a formative assessment designed to prepare you for Research Report Part 2.

Provisions for Disruptions No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.  

Submission: All essays must be submitted via Turnitin. Hard copies will not be accepted.

Deliverables: Identify the most "material" capitals to include in an Integrated Report for JB HiFi. Arguably, financial reporting does not disclose all the required information required by investors and other stakeholders. In Australia, the need to supplement financial information from listed companies is recognised in the Financial and Operating Review and in disclosures to comply with the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. However, there are further calls for additional reporting based on the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF) which seeks to become the corporate reporting norm. At the core of the IIRF is the business model based on the six capitals (financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relational, and natural capital).

In this maximum 2000-word essay, you must use the IDEALS framework to critically analyse which of the capitals is most "material" for JB HiFi. Essential elements of the essay are:

1. In defining the context you must identify key measures for all six capitals as both inputs and outputs of JB HiFi's business model based on the IIRC’s business model framework. All data must come primarily from the Operating and Financial Review and Corporate Governance Statement in the JB HiFi annual reports for the past three years.
2. From the six capitals identify and provide reasons for selecting three core capitals are the most "material" to JB HiFi's business model.
3. Discuss the impact the three selected capitals as it is transformed from an input to an output. You must show how the capital increases or decreases, whether the increase or decrease is beneficial or detrimental to value creation.
4. To conclude the essay, identify which of the three selected capitals is the most important for JB HiFi to create value. 5. In your closing reflection, outline whether or not integrated reporting has for improving financial reporting.

A reference list is required and does not form part of the word count. If you disclose information without having it properly referenced you will subject to the academic honesty and plagiarism policy. In line with the University policy and all such cases will be referred to the Faculty Discipline Committee. It is required that you use EndNote for referencing and the APA 6th Style for your reference list.

Task overview: The purpose of the research report is to allow you to display:

• Discipline knowledge and skills;
• Critical, analytical and integrative thinking; and
• Effective communication.

This is a summative assessment.

Provisions for Disruptions: No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late  (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.