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Unit outline_

ACCT3031: International Corporate Governance

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study examines the role of the board of directors in ensuring the success and sustainability of a corporation. It draws on case studies of international corporate scandals and corporate collapses to explore how authority and decision making within corporations is directed and controlled. Specific issues examined in this unit of study include the role and functions of a board and its sub-committees, executive performance management, corporate reporting and accountability mechanisms, and the audit process. Students develop a thorough understanding of how boards of directors, shareholders and other stakeholder groups interact and shape corporate practice and disclosure.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Accounting
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
BUSS1030
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

Students are expected to have an understanding of the underlying principles and rules of accounting and be able to apply them in the context of business scenarios.

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Wes Hamilton-Jessop, wes.hamilton-jessop@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Small continuous assessment Workshop Engagement and Participation
Workshop preparation and engagement
30% Ongoing 1800 word equivalent
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment group assignment Group assignment and presentation
Report, critical analysis, and oral presentation
35% Week 10
Due date: 10 Oct 2023 at 23:59
2000 words; 10 minute presentation
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Individual assignment (short release)
Report
35% Week 13
Due date: 03 Nov 2023 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Workshop preparation: Each week during the semester (weeks 1-13) you will be required to complete content modules and a quiz via Canvas and submit an article analysis prior to the commencement of the workshop. The article analysis is to be completed in your own words, without quoting from any source or the use of extraneous information. 
  • Group assignment: In completing the group assignment students are expected to demonstrate their ability to undertake joint research, critically evaluate information, use analytical skills, and apply knowledge from course materials and other sources. The group assignment consists of three components: a written report, critical analysis of reports from two other groups, and a presentation of your group’s report.
  • Individual assignment: The individual assignment is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore corporate governance mechanisms. Students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of corporate governance practices across multiple jurisdictions.
    This assessment is listed as MANDATORY which means you must undertake the assessment and achieve at least 45% of the available marks in that assessment. Students who fail to achieve this minimum standard in this assessment, even when their aggregate mark for the entire unit of study is above 50%, will be given a Fail grade for this unit. As a result a student's academic transcript will show a Fail grade and the actual mark achieved if the final mark of the unit is between 0-49 and a Fail grade and a capped moderated mark of 49 for all other final marks.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Workshop preparation: No submissions will be accepted after the due date and a mark of zero will be awarded. Group assignment and individual assignment. An assignment submitted after the due date will incur a late penalty of 5% of the total available marks per 24 hour period, or part thereof.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction and history: what is corporate governance? Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 02 The insider view of corporate governance Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 03 The outsider view of corporate governance Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Board best practice: operations of the board Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 05 External governance mechanism: audit and the role of the audit committee Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Managing and reporting risk Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Remuneration and accountability Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 08 Reporting corporate performance: financial reporting Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 09 Corporate social responsibility and the interests of stakeholders Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 Ethics and corporate governance Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 11 Future directions in corporate governance Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 International governance: a case study Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Assignment preparation Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to attend the weekly workshop in their allocated stream. 

Prior to the workshop, students are required to complete the online module.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library’s reading list system Leganto, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Examine alternate approaches to 'corporate governance' involving the establishment of arrangements affecting the conduct of an organisation, and the organisation's relationship with external stakeholders.
  • LO2. Review the formal responsibilities of participants in the management of corporations: directors, managers, auditors, and regulatory bodies.
  • LO3. Explore and evaluate recent literature on arrangements and practices intended to improve the conduct and management of organisations or in establishing safeguards for stakeholders.
  • LO4. Examine instances of breakdowns in governance arrangements, e.g. in the wake of company failures, or in the aftermath of official investigations.
  • LO5. Evaluate the view of a corporation under corporations law in contrast to contemporary corporate practice, e.g. separate legal entity compared to corporate groups.
  • LO6. Explore what types of arrangements (and views about the role of stakeholders) may be appropriate for different types of organisations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

A significant number of changes have been made to the unit based on student feedback from prior assessments Assessment tasks have been amended to provide students with additional in-semester feedback and allow opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of the course material through authentic assessments. The workshop material has been further redeveloped to provide students with self-paced online modules to enhance engagement with the course material prior to the workshop.

In addition to developing substantive knowledge of corporate governance approaches, the unit of study fosters students’ capacities to:

  1. Collect, organise, appreciate and critically evaluate research and practice based knowledge about corporate governance.
  2. Critically reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical approaches that are used to study corporate governance.
  3. Learn independently and assume responsibility for the corporate governance learning process.
  4. Tolerate ambiguity and appreciate the insights of a variety of corporate governance perspectives.
  5. Think critically about existing corporate governance practices and their implications for individuals, organisations and society.
  6. Manage deadlines.
  7. Develop the motivation for life-long learning in the corporate environment.
  8. Recognise and integrate the ethical and social responsibility implications of corporate governance within the wider corporate landscape.

Further information on this unit can be found on Canvas.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.