ACFI 303 and Airbus Partnership takes off
Final year Accounting and Finance students have been working on a project with Airbus as part of their Advanced Management Accounting (ACFI 303) module.
A large element of the module, which is led by Nick Drape and Mark Swift, focuses on Performance Management, with coursework paying particular attention to The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) - a popular real-world performance management system. To make the coursework a truly authentic assessment, Nick arranged a partnership with Airbus.
The module leaders then worked with Airbus over the summer to derive a consultancy scenario for students to work on. The scenario placed students as employees of a large consultancy firm which had won the tender to design a BSC for Airbus to be implemented as part of its post-pandemic recovery in 2022. They were required to work in groups (of 2 or 3) to produce a professional report covering their BSC design, a critical analysis of their BSC and recommendations for its implementation. Groups also had to design an infographic for the BSC roll-out.
The coursework was challenging, however, groups were provided with additional support including the option to ask Airbus questions part way through the project as well as the opportunity to meet the module leaders to discuss their draft reports.
The groups that produced the best reports will be invited to a Zoom call with Airbus representatives to talk over their recommendations and the coursework process.
Nick Drape said “Students should be very proud of the way they tackled the coursework and the quality of the reports they produced. It was a lot of work for all involved but thoroughly worth it to provide students with a truly authentic assessment which them to build many of the skills they will need in the future – it will provide a very interesting talking point for any future interviews/applications.”
“Despite significant upheaval due to the pandemic, Airbus were happy to still press ahead with the partnership for which I am extremely grateful. I am very hopeful that the partnership will continue next year.”
Airbus commented: “We’re really pleased to have set up this activity with a local University, from whom we’ve had a number of successful graduate intakes in the past. We hope this coursework was stimulating and a refreshing change to some of the more theoretical coursework tasks, a big thanks to Nick and Mark for bringing it together.”
“Our aim was to help produce a scenario that was realistic and current, with enough information to guide the students towards the key areas of the business but also leave some scope for interpretation. We hope that those that really immersed themselves in the scenario, having seen our impressive product line, innovative R&D activities and having gained a sense for the culture, are encouraged to consider Airbus as a future employer.”
“We’re always looking at ways to improve the business and integrate new ways of thinking, so we’re looking forward to reading the best reports, particularly in relation to what is proposed as the additional perspective of the balanced scorecard - perhaps we can integrate some suggestions in the future!”
“We wish all the students the best of success in their future careers. Please note our Graduate Scheme for 2022 will open in September for applications.”
The coursework was set as a group assignment in order to recreate a real-world scenario where this type of project would be a team effort. It also gave students the opportunity to interact with their peers. Feedback from participants was positive with comments including:
Natalie Howe and Laura Muggleton
As Year in Industry students, we enjoyed applying ourselves to Airbus, using our theoretical knowledge and drawing on our experiences from last year. We felt the assessment was authentic because of the video Airbus prepared outlining their expectations, where we were addressed as employees of a consultancy firm, and being provided with the opportunity to ask Airbus management questions at a later stage.
Preparing this report enabled us to develop key skills such as: report writing, writing in a concise manner fit for a target audience, and researching, all of which will benefit us for future university assessments as well as in the workplace. Effective teamwork was vital given the remote learning circumstances, which was an additional obstacle we had to overcome.
Overall, we found this assessment challenging yet rewarding and think it presents a good learning opportunity for final year students.
Mengyu Feng
The Airbus coursework required us students to consult various academic materials and master the latest information to achieve a detailed understanding of the Airbus. By completing this coursework, my skills in aspect of research, professional writing, and group cooperation have been greatly improved.
This coursework gave me a good inspiration to apply for a master of philosophy when I decided to study the possible problems in the company's strategy more deeply. The skills I improved during this learning experience also helped me to cope with a large amount of research when applying for the programme. I have to say this coursework is an unforgettable and excellent academic experience during my undergraduate level.
Chloe Pycock
‘Coursework has never been a strong point for me but this Airbus report was so engaging and fun to complete. I really enjoyed working in a group to complete this project as you could really get into deep analysis of Airbus as a company and the industry in which it operates. I feel I have built numerous skills throughout the project which is going to be a real asset to me when I get out into the workplace. My commercial awareness specifically as well as my analysis skills have improved greatly’
Rose Cribbin
The Airbus report was unique and kept me engaged throughout, it was interesting to delve into real company logistics and analysis into an industry which was greatly affected by the pandemic. The coursework helped me build skills that can be transferred into the workplace such as critical analysis and applying theory to real life businesses.