Question

1. Discuss how the role of the management accountant team can deliver better results for the company. Following the discussion, complete a 10-point action plan for the management accounting team to address.
2. Identify and discuss risks that the company needs to consider for 2020 that should be discussed at the Board level. You are to incorporate in your report the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Role of Management Accountant:

A managerial accountant records and analysis financial information by means of collecting, interpreting and preparing financial data to the organization or company's management team. The data is then used to form practical financial decisions that can benefit the company's overall growth. A managerial accountant also must pay attention to details, be a critical thinker, and have a strong mathematical background, and most likely a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting or a similar financial field. If you believe that this represents you, read on for what may end up being your dream job.

As a managerial accountant, your responsibilities will be to manage numerous transactions that the firm or company is involved in. One objective is planning or forecasting future issues outcomes that the management team may encounter. Creating budgets and incorporating lessons from past mistakes are also crucial tasks for those in the role of the Managerial Accountant.

Another important skill for this job is being an effective decision-maker. Leading a company's finance department in financial decision making can make the difference between finding problems to solutions or not. The final decision in these cases is often made through a combination of planning and intuition. Having a strong decision-maker as part of your staff means more time is spent executing the objectives that will make your company succeed. This is the role of the Managerial Accountant. No matter the size of the company or firm, crucial decision making is an hour by hour, and sometimes minute by minute process. Having a managerial accountant. on your team will allow your company to make better decisions about their future.

Answer:

2. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents complex issues for corporations and their boards of directors to navigate. This briefing is intended to provide a high-level overview of the types of issues that boards of directors of both public and private companies may find relevant to focus on in the current environment.

Corporate management bears the day-to-day responsibility for managing the corporation’s response to the pandemic. The board’s role is one of oversight, which requires monitoring management activity, assessing whether management is taking appropriate action and providing additional guidance and direction to the extent that the board determines is prudent. Staying well-informed of developments within the corporation as well as the rapidly changing situation provides the foundation for board effectiveness.

We highlight below some key areas of focus for boards as this unprecedented public health crisis and its impact on the business and economic environment rapidly evolves.

1. Health and Safety. With management, set a tone at the top through communications and policies designed to protect employee wellbeing and act responsibly to slow the spread of COVID-19. Monitor management’s efforts to support containment of COVID-19 and thereby protect the personal health and safety of employees (and their families), customers, business partners and the public at large. Consider how to mitigate the economic impact of absences due to illness as well as closures of certain operations on employees.

2. Operational and Risk Oversight. Monitor management’s efforts to identify, prioritize and manage potentially significant risks to business operations, including through more regular updates from management between regularly scheduled board meetings. Depending on the nature of the risk impact, this may be a role for the audit or risk committee or may be more appropriately undertaken by the full board. Document the board’s consideration of, and decisions regarding, COVID-19-related matters in meeting minutes. Maintain a focus on oversight of compliance risks, especially at highly regulated companies. Watch for vulnerabilities caused by the outbreak that may increase the risk of a cybersecurity breach.  

3. Business Continuity. Consider whether business continuity plans are in place appropriate to the potential risks of disruption identified, including through a discussion with management of relevant contingencies, and continually reassess the adequacy of the plans in light of developments. Key issues to consider include:  

1.Employee/Talent Disruption. As more employees begin working remotely or are unable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, continually assess what minimum staffing levels and remote work technology will be required to maintain operations. (Also, as noted above, consider how to mitigate the economic impact of absences due to illness as well as closures of certain operations on employees.)

2.Supply Chain and Production Disruption. Review with management the risks that a disruption in the supply chain will cause interruptions in operations and how to protect against such risks, including the availability of alternate sources of supply. Ask management to assess the risks that the company will have difficulty in fulfilling its contractual obligations and how management is preparing to address those risks, including through review of relevant provisions in customer contracts (e.g., force majeure, events of default and termination) to determine what recourse is available.

3.Financial Impact and Liquidity. Review with management the near-term and longer term financial impact (including the ability to meet obligations) of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related impact of the extreme volatility in the financial markets. Understand the assumptions underlying management’s assessment and discuss the likely outcome if those assumptions prove incorrect. Consider the need to seek additional financing or amend the terms of existing debt arrangements.

4. Crisis Management. During this turbulent time, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders will look to boards to take swift and decisive action when necessary. Consider whether an up-to-date crisis management plan is in place and effective. A well-designed plan will assist the company to react appropriately, without either under- or over-reacting. Elements of an effective crisis management plan include:

1.Cross-Functional Team. Crisis response teams typically include key individuals from management, public relations, human resources, legal and finance. Identify these individuals now and begin meeting so that they are prepared to respond quickly as the crisis develops. The team should be in regular contact with the board (or a designated board member or committee) as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

2.Quick and Decisive Deployment. The plan should include crisis response procedures, communications templates, checklists and manuals that can be readily adapted to a variety of situations for effective, time-critical and agile deployment. The crisis response team should be familiar with the elements of the plan and ready to implement it at a moment’s notice.