Presenter:
Bryan Bessner, DeVry Institute of Technology
Description:
This presentation will describe a research project that I have used frequently in my classes, with great success. The focus is basic annual report analysis on two competing companies in the same industry, and as such is useful for a first-year Financial (or even better, Managerial) Accounting course. The decision to be made involves choosing which of the two companies' stock to buy at the present time. Since the work is done in teams, the number of reports per class is reduced by a factor of team size. The reports could be submitted in written form, and/or used to help develop students' oral presentation skills. Students obtain the experience of accessing annual reports and other information via the Internet, as well as developing and interpreting company data. Real-life ratio calculation is required, and students have to deal with some of the ambiguities of actual accounting, compared to the “cooked-up” examples necessarily provided in textbooks. Statistical analysis can be included as well, if desired. Faculty will be able to use this idea as is, or be free to modify it according to their own teaching goals.
