This SMU-X course offers an experiential learning opportunity that allows students to translate classroom knowledge and theory into practical solutions for real organizations. Through this student consultancy project, students learn how to solve complex business problems with guidance from the faculty and project sponsor mentors, from problem definition to final client presentation - while simultaneously testing their skills in real world settings. The course will focus on examining accounting processes and applying data-driven analytics and insights so as to identify and create accounting delivery efficiencies.
The course aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Real-world problem solving through student consultancy project
- Apply classroom learning and research to real-world challenges in order to envision solutions for an intelligent accounting function
- Understand the changing role of finance function
- Understand how to simplify, streamline and harmonize essential finance processes to create a leaner, more efficient finance function
- Learn how to use a data visualization tool
- Experiential and peer-learning
- Active mentoring by faculty and project sponsors
- Learn how to handle uncertainty in a project
The Deloitte project focused on exploring the changing roles of auditors and examined ways to simplify, streamline and harmonise essential audit process with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students had to envision how the future of audit and the profession may change as the traditional roles are transformed with AI, to become more efficient, strategic and catalytic. Requiring audit, AI and business knowledge, coupled with active mentorship from the course instructors and Deloitte representatives, students researched and recommended accounting processes that could be simplified and streamlined, which include rethinking how structures and skills could evolve within the audit profession.
Students designed an efficient business intelligence tool that succinctly presents the company's key performance indexes and other relevant data points crucial to the organisation's management and the various business unit for better decision making.
Aspiring to expand the business further regionally with specific challenging targets, Seng Hua Hng (SHH) commissioned the SMU students to build in-house data analytics capability to help the company achieve its strategic goals. SHH previously would rely on ballpark estimates to make key strategic decisions such as to determine annual production capacity. The key challenge of utilizing ballpark estimates was the lack of accurate demand forecasting on a periodic basis and the absence of important financial information that would support the risk assessment of expansion into new foreign markets. Students also leveraged on predictive analytics to find valuable insights such as expansion plans for both domestics and overseas, new product introduction possibility and better estimation of future financial targets.
The SGX project is focused on the process of collection of data from both mainstream and social media sources, in efforts to help investors stay on top of the latest industry developments. Students devised a standard operating procedure that helped to reduce total man-hours and improve the process accuracy of SGX's systems over time.
Students recommended a suitable methodology to measure members' engagement score, using the existing data available and propose additional data points relevant to track engagement. Students also developed a predictive tool to identify the profile of their members who would be most prone to dropping out.
The purpose of this course is to provide participants with a sound foundation of internal concepts, principles and practices. It provides an overview of internal audit in the context of governance, risk management and business practices. Professional promulgations by the Institute of Internal Auditors serve as the foundational references for the course. These include the attributes of internal audit, planning, execution and reporting. More importantly, the course will deepen students' understanding and appreciation of internal audit with real world industry illustrations and sharing of professional internal audit engagements.
At the completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
- Relate internal audit to corporate governance and risk management.
- Understand the concepts and principles of internal audit.
- Apply techniques to capture and analyse the external and internal environments of an organization.
- Perform risk based internal audit engagement in relation to planning, execution and reporting.
- Understand the professional ethics and relevant skills required in internal audit.
With the internal audit profession facing major disruptive forces from many fronts, students proposed strategies to better future-proof the internal audit profession.
In collaboration with an industry partner, this course seeks to
(a) provide an understanding of the theoretical and empirical work on studies of older adults and relevant areas (e.g., global ageing phenomenon, major theories of aging, ageism, retirement, concept of social connectedness, active and successful aging, social policies, economics of ageing, ethical issues in ageing) conducted to date by scholars in gerontology;
(b) address issues (e.g., interdisciplinary collaboration to address societal impact of an aging population) at the individual, organizational and national level that might enhance or hamper social connectedness.
(c) engage SMU students in collaborative project proposals to solve client-centered problems related to designing community space to help older adults stay socially connected and enjoy a meaningful and enriching life.
The overall objective of this module is to equip students with core knowledge of appreciating what it takes to plan, design, build and sustain (mega) cities that are innovative and sustainable and to know the challenges of successfully 'selling' new smart city concepts amidst increasing competition in this field.
By the end of this course, students will be able to appreciate the following 4 areas:
a. Taxonomy of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
- Describe the core characteristics of a Smart City and respective concepts
- Explain the unique characteristics of each component and how it adds value to innovative and sustainable (smart) cities
b. Design of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
- Understand the planning and design principles of Innovative & Sustainable Cities Explain the workings of each component of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
c. In-depth study of selected (Mega) Cities
- Be familiar with the challenges of selected mega cities around the globe and understand how the smart city concept can add value in terms of livability
d. Commercialisation of the Smart City Concept
- Appreciate the challenges in successfully commercializing smart city concepts and applications
- Know some of the key players in the Singapore context which are involved in this service sector and establish network contacts
Identifying the various digital trends and developments of smart cities, students explored best practices and suggested innovative digital ideas and strategies for organisations across various industries. Students also looked into the commercialisation of such solutions and the management of various stakeholder groups in the long run.
By the end of this course, students will be able to do the following:
Leadership:
- Appreciate the value of experience and action-based learning that integrates understanding of major leadership paradigms and leadership theories from an inter-disciplinary perspective.
- Engage analytical, problem-solving & reasoning skills to critically appraise various theories and perspectives of leadership.
- Apply the various leadership traits and behavior as well as different leadership style such as charismatic & transformational leadership, principles of stewardship & servant leadership, collaborative, authentic leadership and other such recent leadership approaches in a VUCA world.
- Appreciate being open-minded & sensitive to individual differences and embrace uncertainties.
- Understand how leaders can set or influence the ethical tone by applying Kohlberg's model of moral development.
- Learn more about leadership through their group project work, class activities, readings, etc.
Teams and Groups:
- Understand major theories and perspectives of group dynamics and group leadership.
- Learn more about teamwork processes through working on a real-life group project with an industry or community partner.
- Throughout the group project students will learn to collaborate and employ innovative skills in using their expertise, knowledge to contribute to the needs of the partnering industry or community based organization.
- Understand different methods of communication and appreciate how to effectively communicate and manage conflict, if any, and learn to overcome challenges within their respective group as well as with their respective external stakeholders.
- Develop a detailed work schedule and strategies among teams, and understand how to form, lead and manage work teams.
- Acquire some level of resilience through self-directed and group-directed learning that includes embracing uncertainties, overcoming challenges, etc.
Students researched and suggested ideas to improve disadvantaged communities through sustainable engineering solutions.
Students suggested ideas on how to approach taboo issues relating to funerals and death, and how Solace is able to change such perspectives into doing good for the community at large.
Students proposed ideas and strategies on how Iron Nori can increase awareness regarding employing individuals with special needs, a cause the company has been advocating. Correspondingly, students evaluated and suggested ways on how the company can find ways to attract customers to their restaurants.
Singapore Fashion Runway (SFR) is a social enterprise that nurtures people with special needs/ disadvantaged groups through its Fashion for a Social Cause movement. Through our enterprise, the disadvantaged communities learn about Creative arts (design, art, crafts-making and photography), Performing arts (modelling, dance, singing and public speaking) and/ or Entrepreneurship (retail management, events management and online business), so that their talents are presented in our Singapore Fashion Runway shows. Students proposed ideas and strategies to optimise the SFR centre to different stakeholders, promote the 'Fashion for a Social Cause' movement, and to train/prepare persons with disabilities in managing the SFR convenience store and suggested ways to keep the store sustainable.
Students provided perspectives and developed outreach plans to education institutions on Air Amber's Responcity programme -- an innovative social emotional learning programme that develops, measures, and assesses critical thinking skills in youths.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Describe the key characteristics of the digital media landscape and digital platforms.
- Explain platform and agile strategy.
- Analyze the platform strategies of game-changing firms.
- Effectively apply platform strategy and reframing to solve real-world business challenges.
Students developed a social media strategy for one of the key brand categories.
Students crafted a business transformation and communications plan to encourage Singaporeans to reduce their electricity usage.
To make it more personable to millenials, students devised a few strategies centred on providing experiences that can make the brand more relational, relatable and humanised, in response to the pain points the company identified.
Students provided a strategy for the company's omnichannel experience for their customers, whereby they seek to enhance their online and in-store experience, eradicating customers' pain points.
All School of Accountancy courses are designed to meet certain learning goals and objectives. Some learning goals are addressed at course level, some at program level. This course specifically contributes to the development of the following course level learning goals:
- Our students can recognize, develop, measure, record, validate and communicate financial and other related information.
- Our students can analyze, synthesize and evaluate financial and other related information for decision making in a management context.
- Our students understand and can apply business concepts and principles.
- Our students can communicate effectively in a business context.
- Our students understand the principles of leadership and team building in a business context.
- Our students can recognize and incorporate ethical and social responsibility considerations in decision making.
Students are expected to demonstrate the following technical abilities upon completion:
- Understand and able to choose among different incorporation options available to entrepreneurs, in particular the incentives, income tax and corporate tax implications in Singapore.
- Understand the general terms on financial statements without going through detail double entries and to apply them to real businesses.
- Compute simple ratios and make inferences based on reasonable examination of financial statements, which are critical for business and funding purposes.
- Understand and be able to manage critical factors which include short and long-term financialplanning, pricing of products, and managerial planning and control systems for small businesses as well as new start-ups.
- Understand the increasing relevance of recent trends, such as: sustainability accounting; and how it affects the bottom line for entrepreneurs.
- Appreciate the importance of having good business ethic.
In addition, learning outcomes should be beyond just technical proficiencies. In particular, this course seeks to develop certain skills and attributes.
- Analytical: Analytical skills will be developed through various problem solving and case analyses. The course will provide the tools for students to use and analyse accounting data, financial reports and information to make informed decisions.
- Communication: Students will be required to actively participate in the class discussions and through written report and discussion of the company analysis project.
- Team work: Team projects, discussions and presentations will be important elements of the course. All students will be required to work in teams. They are expected to work as partners and share the work load.
- Active learning: Students will be expected to venture beyond prescribed readings and text. The company analysis project will allow students to take an active role in their understanding of how the end products of an accounting system serve information need of users.
- Professional ethics: Ethical issues are discussed and cases will be reviewed. This introductory course provides the opportunity to emphasize the needs for the highest ethical behaviour for corporate executives and corporations.
Students performed an in-depth market analysis on the potential needs of customers within the vicinity of the new and existing locations, as well as a business strategy for the business.
Students identified specific opportunities, gaps, threats and target markets that the service offerings can exploit based on the competitor analysis -- including possible new product mix or pricing strategy. Students also devised a business strategy for the business, including budgeting and profitability analysis.
This course contributes to the development of the following learning goals:
- Our students can recognize, develop, measure, record, validate and communicate financial and other related information.
- Our students can analyze, synthesize and evaluate financial and other related information for decision making in a management context.
- Our students understand and can apply concepts relating to business processes, audit and assurance.
- Our students can communicate effectively in a business context.
- Our students understand the principles of leadership and team building in a business context.
- Our students understand and can apply the ethical principles relevant to accounting professionals.
Students are expected to demonstrate the following technical accounting competencies upon successful completion of this course:
1. Identify the relevant flows of transactions (processes) and the relevant IT environments.
2. Understanding IT Environment, IT controls and testing the IT controls.
3. Testing General IT Controls ("GITC") and testing approach of such controls.
4. Understanding concept of segregation of duties and functioning of interfaces between application systems.
5. Documentation of reports and process/procedure on handling exceptions.
6. Technology Regulations and its assessment procedures.
Students presented their case assessments provided by Deloitte (which are the actual cases they handled) and outline their solutions, recommendations and approaches, which are assessed by Deloitte professionals/ mentors.
This course contributes to the development of the following learning goals:
- Our students can recognize, develop, measure, record, validate and communicate financial and other related information.
- Our students can analyze, synthesize and evaluate financial and other related information for decision making in a management context.
- Our students understand and can apply concepts relating to business processes, audit and assurance.
- Our students understand and can apply business concepts and principles.
- Our students can communicate effectively in a business context.
Students used data analytics to work on the audit of different areas of the company.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Assess a business problem and/or opportunity from the current business environment, including new and untapped markets
- Design interdisciplinary solutions to address the business challenge or future opportunities by considering strategy, marketing, operations, organization, finance, and communication
- Reason critically through the solution process with appropriate modes of analysis
- Describe the solution's implementation plans and processes with regard to the firm's existing strategy, market, and organization
- Apply a variety of approaches to engage with busy business executives to obtain guidance and information, as well as, secure their buy-in to your ideas
With the aim to grow the business in Singapore, students investigated the landscape and target customer segments that Timperio was working in, and proposed various holistic and comprehensive business plans (branding, marketing, financial, channels etc) that the business could adopt in the short and long term.
Facing challenges to engage and attract customers, students proposed offline and online business strategies on how Zenxin can expand their business and capture new untapped markets.
Students proposed ideas and proposals to increase DMK's brand awareness locally among the younger generation, as well as to improve on the value offered to DMK shoppers using smarter technology on their e-commerce site.
Being new to the market, students proposed various outreach and marketing efforts to their targeted audience, including suggesting a short and long term marketing and business plans of their edible cutlery.
Students researched into the beauty services industries in the neighbouring countries, and provided an analysis on which countries presents the greatest opportunities and lowest risks for the beauty company's overseas expansion efforts.