The Changing Role of Finance and Technology in Organizations

New Skills that a Finance Professional is Bringing to his New Role

The aim of this assessment is to critically examine the changing role of finance and the finance professional within the case scenario company. You are required to write in response to the questions posed, making it relevant to the case scenario organisation. Your report should be submitted with citations and references and a table of contents.

The author states that “he now understands that his skills as an accountant provide the foundation he needs in his new role, and he believes his new skills will carry him forward, past the ledgers, into a future where financial analysis and technological know-how are critical career backbones.”

1)Explain the nature and type of new skills that the author (a finance professional) is bringing to his new role (800 words)

2)Discuss how latest trends in technology and data management have changed the role of the Finance function within the organisation. (800 words)

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes that are being assessed in this assessment are:

a)Select and explain key current environmental factors impacting global business.

b)Evaluate the use of accounting tools within a Management Information System designed to enhance planning, control and decision making.

c)Interpret and apply relevant international legislation, regulation and compliance requirements.

d)Select data from a range of sources and explain how data is used for decision making purposes.

Your grade will depend on the extent to which you meet these learning outcomes in the way relevant for this assessment. Please see the grading rubric at the end of this assessment brief for further details of the criteria against which you will be assessed.

The maximum word limit for this assessment is 1600 words

In accordance with the Assessment and Feedback Policy, as stated in section 4.40 where a submission exceeds the stipulated word limit by more than 10%, the submission will only be marked up to and including the additional 10%. Anything over this will not be included in the final grade for the assessment item. Abstracts, bibliographies, reference lists, appendices and footnotes are excluded from any word limit requirements.

In line with section 4.41 of the same Policy, where a submission is notably under the word limit, the full submission will be marked on the extent to which the learning objectives have been met.

Assessment Support

There will be specific assessment support offered during the face to face sessions prior to submission of the report (please see NILE for details).

Latest Trends in Technology and Data Management that have Changed the Role of the Finance Function

Generic Grading Criteria

You will find the generic grading criteria for achievement at  University Grading Criteria.  Also explained here are the meanings of the various G grades at the bottom of the grading scale.

Assessment Submission

To submit your work, please go to the ‘Submit your work’ area on the NILE site and use the relevant submission point to upload your report. The deadline for this is 11.59pm (UK local time) on the date of submission.

Written work submitted to TURNITIN will be subject to anti-plagiarism detection software.  Turnitin checks student work for possible textual matches against internet available resources and its own proprietary database.  

When you upload your work correctly to TURNITIN you will receive a receipt which is your record and proof of submission.

If your assessment is not submitted to TURNITIN rather than a receipt you will see a green banner at the top of the screen that denotes successful submission.

Work emailed directly to your tutor will not normally be marked. The only exception to this is when you are instructed to do so because TURNITIN is down.

For first sits, if an item of assessment is submitted late and an extension has not been granted, the following will apply:

·Within one week of the original deadline – work will be marked and returned with full feedback, and awarded a maximum bare pass grade.

·More than one week from original deadline – maximum grade achievable LG (L indicating late).

Extensions

The University of Northampton’s general policy with regard to extensions is to be supportive of students who have genuine difficulties, but not against pressures of work that could have reasonably been anticipated.  

For full details please refer to the Extensions Policy.  The module leader can, where appropriate, authorise a short extension of up to two weeks from the original submission date for first sits only.

Mitigating Circumstances

For guidance on Mitigating circumstances please go to Mitigating Circumstances  where you will find detailed guidance on the policy as well as guidance and the form for making an application.

Please note, however, that an application to defer an assessment on the grounds of mitigating circumstances should normally be made in advance of the submission deadline or examination date.  

Unless this is a group assessment, the work you produce must be your own with work taken from any other source properly referenced and attributed. The University of Northampton policy will apply in all cases of copying, plagiarism or any other methods by which students have obtained (or attempted to obtain) an unfair advantage.

If you are in any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism or any other infringement of academic integrity, please read the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. For help with understanding academic integrity go to UNPAC  and follow the Top Tips for Good Academic Practice on the student hub.

Please note that the penalties for copying work from another source without proper referencing are severe and can include failing the assessment, failing the module and expulsion from the university.