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Students and company executives can reap benefits from a program that integrates accounting courses with networking and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the lean accounting game, an initiative by the authors who are taking master of business administration (MBA) degree at Western Washington University. It notes that the game which involves basic paper airplanes was initiated in lieu to the class teachings of lean accounting and was inspired from the Beer Distribution Game. It mentions that the Airplane Game can easily and inexpensively be introduced in classrooms and organizations. It states that the game focuses on the impact of accounting metrics on the behaviors of the class participants. The design experiments of the game is also discussed wherein each participant is assigned with different tasks.

The article presents results of the study of the La Salle University of the efficacy of linking the two courses Fundamentals of Financial Management and Introduction to Managerial Accounting in teaching students management accounting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Researchers surveyed the students who took up the linked courses and they found the interdependence of the two courses. Results of their research will be used in the design of accounting and finance topics. Moreover, results of the study will also provide educators useful guidance in meeting the Association of Advance Collegiate School of Business' (AACSB) challenges.

IN THIS CURRICULUM MAPPING PRESENTATION, THE AUTHORS SHOW HOW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE DEGREE PROGRAMS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY AND MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS CAN ALIGN THEIR COURSES WITH THE CONTENT ON THE CMA EXAM. THIS WAY THE STUDENTS WILL BE BETTER PREPARED TO SIT FOR THE EXAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to observe the ability of management accountants to identify and integrate information to be used in resource allocation decision making. In compares the decision-making analyses from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) professionals with the analyses made by nonprofessional accounting students. Results show that management accountants excel in decision analysis compared to accounting students, suggesting that the have the necessary skills to participate and help in organizational decision making. It suggests that educators should integrate skills such as decision making in the accounting curriculum to ensure that accounting professionals have the necessary skills as business partners.

More and more companies seem to be implementing lean accounting practices successfully. Yet most leading university accounting textbooks contain little or no information about lean accounting, and there is no clear evidence that it is a required topic in cost and managerial accounting courses. The authors conducted a survey of cost and managerial accounting faculty members and found that even though many felt lean thinking and lean accounting principles were important, there was a clear gap between business use and classroom teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the alignment of accounting curriculum with student and employers' requirements. It explores several measures on how colleges and universities could provide much high quality education among accounting students such as integration of social psychology with the curriculum to help graduates know the importance of motivating individuals and solve problems. It also mentions the implication of exposure to operations management's theories and models to achieve successful administration of an organization. The 2003 Survey of Management Accounting by Ernst & Young (E&Y) LLP and Institute of Management Accountant (IMA) determines the new accounting approaches used by various firms.

The article discusses that participation of accounting students in case study competitions gives them a competitive edge in the workplace. It says that an accounting team from University of Southern Indiana (USI) joined the 2008 Institute of Management Accountants (IMA®) Student Case Competition which required participants to develop accounting processes for nonprofit organizations. It mentions that students in an Indiana CPA Society (INCPAS) competition were asked to study a certified public accountant (CPA) firm model. It states that students have the chance to develop their oral and written communication skills through case study competitions. Moreover, case study participant Andrew Eddmenson notes that the competitions provided him with confidence and motivation.

ARE OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ADEQUATELY PREPARING ACCOUNTANTS FOR THE REAL WORLD? PERHAPS NOT, THE AUTHORS SAY. THEY HAVE EXAMINED 20 YEARS OF EVIDENCE THAT STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT SIGNIFICANT GAPS EXIST BETWEEN WHAT ACCOUNTING EDUCATORS TEACH AND WHAT PRACTICING ACCOUNTANTS DO. IN THIS ARTICLE, THE FIRST OF TWO, THEY RAISE PROVOCATIVE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HOPE WILL ENCOURAGE BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND BUSINESS COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE CONTENT AND FOCUS OF THE ACCOUNTING CURRICULUM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, INTERNAL CONTROL FAILURES HAVE BEEN RAMPANT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN THIS ARTICLE, BASED ON RESEARCH REGARDING HOW 15 EUROPEAN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMPANIES WERE WORKING TO ENHANCE THEIR RISK MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS, THE AUTHOR PROPOSES A MODEL FOR SETTING UP AN INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP COMPANIES COMPLY WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND IMPROVE HOW THEY MANAGE RISKS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TODAY'S STUDENTS SEEM TO LEARN BETTER THROUGH A MIXTURE OF TECHNOLOGY AND REGULAR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. THE AUTHORS DEMONSTRATE HOW THE ABC SIMULATOR, A TEACHING/LEARNING AID DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED TO FACILITATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTUAL AND PRACTICAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN FUNCTIONAL-BASED COSTING AND ACTIVITY-BASED COSTING, CAN ENHANCE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EVERY ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE SCHOOLED IN METHODS OF FRAUD PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION, AND DETECTION. WHILE EACH ENCOUNTER WITH FRAUD IS UNIQUE, THERE ARE OFTEN MANY COMMON THREADS RUNNING THROUGHOUT ACTUAL CASES. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A REAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION, THE RESULTS OF WHICH UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNAL CONTROLS TO QUICKLY DETECT FRAUD OR PREVENT IT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A NUMBER OF RECENT RESEARCH STUDIES HAVE EXAMINED THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES THAT MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING STUDENTS WILL NEED WHEN THEY ENTER THE WORKPLACE. THE AUTHORS BELIEVE THAT THE ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT HAS CHANGED AND THAT ACCOUNTING CURRICULA SHOULD REFLECT THIS NEW ROLE. HERE THEY PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THEIR EXAMINATION OF SEVEN POPULAR COST/MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING TEXTBOOKS AND 20 COURSE SYLLABI TO SEE IF THE NEW ROLE IS REFLECTED IN THEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vince Lombardi states that "Leaders aren't born, they are made." But what are accounting educators doing to address this skill? This article describes a technique for integrating practical leadership experience into the accounting curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of a survey conducted to members of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) regarding the topics that they feel are most important and relevant for those entering the management accounting profession. The study focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities that companies expect from management accountants. The investigation is divided into two sets of topical coverage, entry-level positions and senior-level professions. Furthermore, the result indicates that there is a need for changes to the accounting curricula in order to better prepare graduates for their future careers.

The article reports on the move of the Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Certified Public Accountants (CPA) and Certified Management Accountants (MCA) professionals to follow a 150-hour requirement for students who want to complete their CMA and CPA examinations within a year in the U.S. According to the article, the act has gained wide support from the State Board of Accountancy which promotes the use of the program among schools in the state. In addition, it states the history of the 150-hour requirement program as well as the educational prerequisites for the CPA and CMA examinations.

The article offers information on the Lean philosophy, and proposes the application of this principle in accounting education. Lean philosophy is a system that provides value to the customer. It was developed by Toyota Motor Co. in order to compete with U.S. companies after World War II. Lean is a systematic way of eliminating waste, simplifying operations, and aligning all parts of the value chain. The author argues that by applying this principle, educators can refine the content, pedagogy, organization, and assessment methods employed in their accounting courses to help ensure that students gain the knowledge and skills that will make them most desirable to employers.

The work environment of today's accountant, including the management accountant, is increasingly project based. In fact, the AICPA has identified project management (PM) as an important core competency for entry-level accountants. Unfortunately, few practicing accountants have had anything more than a cursory introduction to the practice and theory of PM in their formal education. This article begins to fill this educational void by providing an introduction to key project management concepts. Topics discussed include PM terminology, the nature of projects, and project-based work in management accounting. We provide an overview of a three-phased lifecycle approach to project management and show how the PM competencies specified by the AICPA relate to the processes used to manage projects over their life cycle. The discussion is supplemented with examples from accounting practice based on actual client-engagement experiences of one of the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

What is accounting theory? And where is it? Accounting theory seems similar in some respects to generally accepted accounting principles--we know it exists, but no single source defines and enumerates it. Even in our doctoral programs, where one would expect accounting theory to be studied and promulgated, little evidence exists that accounting theory consists of anything more than a cursory review of current FASB issues or economic transactions and firm value. Based on our recent review of 88 accounting doctoral-granting institutions in the United States, we identify several different approaches to teaching accounting theory that have been or currently are used in accounting doctoral curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business's (AACSB) new Accounting Accreditation Standards require that both professional interaction and relevant practical experience be demonstrated by faculty in accounting programs seeking to gain (or continue) AACSB accounting accreditation. This article discusses the need for a formal program to encourage and document faculty professional interaction activities. Our objective is to encourage and assist accounting departments and their external stakeholders to establish similar programs as a means of improving accounting education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an article reviewing the progress of the professional certification programs of the Institute of Management Accountants as of January 2005. Information on the different certified management accountant (CMA) examinations; Changes in the CMA exam; Relevance of the certification programs to accounting education and professionals.

Is it possible to make our students exude ethics? As Theodore Roosevelt once said, "To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." Though it may sound like a "pie in the sky" goal, instilling a maximum level of ethical values and sensitivity in our students is what accounting educators should be striving for. Even if we fall short, the progress we make can only enhance the ethical orientation of our accounting graduates. This article presents several ideas for self-reflective assignments that can be used in the classroom to enhance the ethical awareness and sensitivity of students. Many of these assignments incorporate news articles, trying to take the bad press accountants have suffered in recent years and get something positive from it. Based on comments taken from student essays and the results of a survey administered to students in the "pre-Enron" era versus the current "post-Enron" era, this reflective approach to raising the ethical awareness among students appears to be working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tackles a variety of issues concerning the accounting curricula in the U.S. as of Summer 2004. State of accounting education in the country; Influence of public accounting on accounting education; Ways to develop a flexible accounting curriculum; Proposals for accounting curriculum change.

Presents information on the development of a Grassroots Mentor program through the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) chapters in Illinois and Iowa. Mission of the program; Data on a survey conducted on accounting students; Increase in student participation at IMA meetings.

Discusses the development of a project for introductory management accounting classes that requires students to create a spreadsheet program using the built-in financial functions of Microsoft Excel. Objective of the project; Cell formula printout of the income statement program; Summary of questionnaire responses.

Describes how an integration of enterprise resource planning concepts affect the Advancing Curriculum Change in Technology (AACT) initiative. Call for educators to develop strategic planning processes for their programs in consultation with major stakeholders; Objective of the AACT; Topics covered in introductory accounting course.

Discusses how the Business Activity Model for teaching intermediate accounting relates to the principles of problem-based learning. Weakness in curricula and pedagogy; Skills which graduate students need upon entering the accounting profession; Advantages of the teaching model.

Discusses the applied learning activities in graduate business education that can help enhance the skills of accounting and finance professionals. Deficiency areas of accounting programs; Information on the applied emphasis curriculum developed by Texas Wesleyan University; Importance of applied projects to students of graduate business education; Applied projects sponsored by the International Management Accountants; Problems that might occur in acquiring applied learning projects.

Analyzes the decline in accounting majors in the U.S. and proposes strategies that undergraduate accounting programs can use to address enrollment issues. Importance of the changing nature of student populations; Perception of students regarding the accounting profession; Dilemma of the accounting educator; Issues affecting student and parent perceptions of accounting; Sample educational program for students and parents.

Focuses on the report "Accounting Education: Charting the Course Through a Perilous Future," which calls for a reform in the accounting curriculum in the U.S. Response of accounting educators to the reform proposals; Overview of the traditional accounting curricula; Barriers to accounting curriculum reform.

Reports on the conversion of the Advanced Cost Accounting class, an undergraduate elective, to an experiential learning course at the Accounting Department at the University of Northern Iowa. Overview of the report "The American Accounting Association Committee on the Future Structure, Content and Scope, of Accounting Education," released in 1986; Course description, organization, and administration; Factors that need to be considered when offering a course.

Deals with the efforts undertaken by the accounting faculty at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois to revise their accounting curriculum to meet the demands of Corporate America as well as the needs of public accounting and the not-for-profit sector. Factors considered by the NIU before making any curricular changes; Findings of the study "What Corporate America Wants in Entry Level Accountants," commissioned by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and the Financial Executives Institute (FEI) in 1994; Details of the curriculum changing process done by the accounting faculty at NIU.

Offers a look at the challenges surrounding accounting education in the U.S. Problems regarding accounting curriculum; Impact of the changes in business environment on accounting education; Reasons for students' lack of interest in accounting education.

This article presents guidelines for making presentations on college campuses. Topics include how to identify schools that might be interested in having accounting professionals on campus to give presentations, hints for planning the actual presentation, and the benefits the presenter and his/her company can reap from such an experience. More specifically, details are given for choosing a topic, preparing for and delivering the presentation, using visual aids, and putting together an effective introduction and conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consistent with a program's mission and continued satisfaction of market demands for its graduates, the accounting academic community should move away from the current environment, focused on in-depth technical knowledge, to an environment that focuses on teaching general accounting technical knowledge and concepts, information systems, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) at the undergraduate (four-year) level, with accounting specialization occurring thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the status of accounting education in the U.S.