2014 _MBL93EV

Module overview_ 2014

Advanced Financial Management

MBL93EV
Year module

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This module overview contains important information
about your module.

CONTENTS
Page
1

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 2

PURPOSE, BROAD AND SPECIFIC OUTCOMES FOR THE MODULE ..................................... 3

2.1

Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 3

2.2

Broad and Specific outcomes ....................................................................................................... 3

LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 3

3.1

Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 3

3.2

Area .............................................................................................................................................. 3

3.3

University ...................................................................................................................................... 3

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES ............................................................................................. 3

4.1

Prescribed books .......................................................................................................................... 3

4.2

Recommended books ................................................................................................................... 3

4.3

Electronic Reserves (e-Reserves)................................................................................................. 4

TOPICS ........................................................................................................................................ 8

STUDY SCHOOL PLAN ......................................................................................................... ......8

MODULE SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................. 8

ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................. 9

8.1

Assessment plan .......................................................................................................................... 9

8.2

General assignment numbers ....................................................................................................... 9

8.2.1

Due dates for assignments ........................................................................................................... 9

8.3

Submission of assignments .......................................................................................................... 9

8.4

Assignments ................................................................................................................................. 9

8.5 Marking guideline/matrix/rubric 4

8.6 Self assessment questions4
9

OTHER ASSESSMENT METHODS ........................................................................................... 12

10

EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................... 13

11

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 13

12

SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 13

13

CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................ 13

14

ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 13

INTRODUCTION

Dear Student
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This module equips you to analyse and review the latest published research in financial
management with a specific emphasis on its impact on decision making in commerce and
industry. This elective module on finance requires a broad overview of the various topics
included in the latest published research on finance.

In this module, you are required to investigate and criticise an article (as though you were a
reviewer). This will help you to understand why articles get published and you will also learn
about the latest research in finance. You will then present the article at the study school. This is
intended to hone your presentation skills.

For the second assignment you will be required to do a literature review of a topic of your choice
in the broad field of finance. This will help you to obtain an overview of the published articles on
your chosen topic.

PURPOSE OF, AND THE BROAD AND SPECIFIC OUTCOMES FOR, THE
MODULE

2.1

Purpose

The purpose of this module is to obtain an overview of the latest research that has been
published in the field of finance and to learn how to conduct a good literature review.
2.2

Broad and specific outcomes

learn to review articles on finance
learn how to search for articles on finance
learn to report on the findings of your article search

LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

3.1

Lecturer(s)

Prof Jan Kruger

3.2

AREA

Finance
3.3

University

Unisa SBL

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES

4.1

Prescribed books

There are no prescribed books for this module.

4.2

Recommended books

There are no prescribed books for this module.

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4.3

Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

Below is a list of accredited journals. Please note that you will need your myUnisa password
in order to access full text content. There may also be embargo on the latest full text on some of
the titles. If you do not find a particular journal title, please use the e-Journal finder

Accounting & Finance (Ebsco)

Annals of Finance (Ebsco)

Bank, Accounting & Finance (Ebsco)

CFA Magazine

Contemporary Accounting Research (Ebsco)

Critical Perspectives on Accounting (ScienceDirect)

Decisions in Economics & Finance (Ebsco)

European Financial Management (Ebsco)

Finance & Stochastics (Ebsco)

Financial Accountability & Management (Ebsco)

Financial Analysts Journal (Ebsco)

Financial Executive (Ebsco)

Financial Management (UK) (Ebsco)

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Financial Management (US) (Ebsco)

Financial Markets, Institutions & Instruments (Ebsco)

Financial Review (Ebsco)

Global Finance (Ebsco)

Global Finance Journal (ScienceDirect)

Global Investor (Ebsco)

International Journal of Finance (Ebsco)

International Journal of Finance & Economics (Ebsco)

International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance (ITJAF) (Ebsco)

International Review of Economics & Finance (ScienceDirect)

International Review of Finance (Ebsco)

International Review of Financial Analysis (ScienceDirect)

Investment Analysts Society of Southern Africa - Journals

Investment Management & Financial Innovations

Journal of Accountancy (Ebsco)

Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance (Ebsco)

Journal of Accounting Research (Ebsco)

Journal of Alternative Investments
Journal of Applied Finance (Ebsco)

Journal of Asset Management (Ebsco)

Journal of Banking and Finance (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Economics & Finance (Ebsco)

Journal of Economics & Management Strategy (Ebsco)

Journal of Empirical Finance (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Finance

Journal of Financial Economics (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Financial Intermediation (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Financial Markets (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Financial Research (Ebsco)

Journal of Financial Services Marketing (Ebsco)

Journal of Financial Services Research (Ebsco)

Journal of Futures Markets

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Journal of International Financial Management & Accounting

Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions & Money (ScienceDirect)

Journal of International Money & Finance (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Investment Compliance

Journal of Monetary Economics (Science Direct)

Journal of Multinational Financial Management (ScienceDirect)

Journal of Portfolio Management (Ebsco)

Journal of Psychology & Financial Markets (Ebsco)

Journal of Structured Finance (Ebsco)

Journal of Wealth Management (Ebsco)

Management Accounting Quarterly (Ebsco)

Managerial Finance (Emerald)

Mathematical Finance

Pacific-Basin Finance Journal (ScienceDirect)

Probability Theory & Related Fields

Public Budgeting & Finance

Quantitative Finance (Ebsco)

Quarterly Review of Economics & Finance (ScienceDirect)

Review of Finance

Review of Financial Economics (ScienceDirect)

Review of Income & Wealth

Review of Quantitative Finance & Accounting

South African Journal of Business Management (Ebsco)

Strategic Finance (Ebsco)

TOPICS

This module consists of two topics:

1. review a recent article in finance
2. report on research in a specific specialised area of finance

STUDY SCHOOL PLAN

During the study school students will present the article on finance of their choice. The set of
articles presented is the articles that you have to prepare for the exam.
7 MODULE SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN
This module includes two individual assignments the first is the article that must be presented
at the study school, and the second is the overview of the literature in your chosen subfield of
finance.
The first assignment must be submitted before the study school and forms the preparation for
the study school.

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ASSESSMENT

8.1

Assessment plan

Two individual assignments and an exam

8.2

General assignment numbers

8.2.1

Due dates for assignments

First assignment must be submitted before the study school.

Second assignment the date for submission is the same as the date specified for all modules
in MBL3.
8.3

Submission of assignments

For the first assignment you have to submit the article, your review of the article and the slides
that you use at the study school to present the article (three files).
The second assignment has to be submitted on EDS in the form of a literature review.
8.4

Assignments

8.4.1 Individual Assignment 1

DUE DATE: 28/03/2014

Review some research articles that have been published in an accredited journal over the past
year and select a recent article that, in your opinion, could affect decision making in commerce
and industry. Summarise the article. Also state clearly in your summary why, in your opinion,
this article was accepted for publication. You will be required to give a ten-minute presentation
on the article during the study school. (No limit to the number of pages.)
You have to submit
1. the article that you used
2. the slides for your presentation
3. a summary of the article
Hints: you can use the following template to critique articles:
Originality
How original is the topic covered in the article? Is there anything new that has not been
published before?

Significance
How significant is the article to the industry/community? Would anyone get any value out of
reading the article?

Technical quality
How sophisticated is the content of the article? Is the information communicated in an
understandable manner without insulting the intelligence of the intended audience?
Relevance
How relevant is the article to the conference/journal? How does it fit into the theme of the
conference/journal?
Presentation
How good is the quality of the article (layout, graphs, diagrams etc)? Are diagrams readable and
do they contribute to an understanding of the content of the article?

8.4.2 Individual Assignment 2

DUE DATE: 08/08/2014

Submit a working paper on a topic approved by the lecturer. (No limit to the number of pages.)
You have to summarise the contributions by relevant scholars on this topic. Do this in the form
of a literature review.
Before you start work on the working paper, e-mail the lecturer to get your topic approved.

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8.5 Marking guideline/matrix/rubric

Criteria
qualities

Selection
article

and
Poor

Acceptable

Good

Date published

More than 3 years

old

23 years old

Less than 2 years

old

Relevance of article to subject matter

Some relevance to
subject matter

NA

Most relevant
subject matter

Was it published in an accredited

research journal?

No

NA

Yes

Does this article have an impact on

financial decision making?

No

NA

Yes

09

1014

1520

All relevant theory

Theory not relevant

Some theory

All relevant areas

Theory understood

Regurgitation

Presented

Internalised

Theory sources

Limited

You used some

sources
that
showed
you
searched
for
sources.

Well sourced
integrated

Reality observed and represented

Some represented
as seen

Represented
all
reality observed

Reality represented
and validated

Theory linked to application

Presented

Compared

Critically compared

05

610

1115

No planning

Some planning

Planned and

of

[20]
[100]

Theory
summary

to

and

[15]
[100]

Analysis planned

prepared
Analysis depth
Analysis
[50]

Analysis - scope

[100]

Limited and not

Analysis of some

Detailed analysis

detailed

areas in depth

of specific depth

Scope not

Scope acceptable

Scope well identified

appropriate
Analysis -

No validation of

thoroughness

analysis

Analysis appropriate

and executed
Some validation

Validated

Analysis but not of

Analysis of some

Analysis of all

appropriate areas

appropriate areas

appropriate areas

019

2033

3450

Logical presentation

Illogical

Mixed

Logical

Presentation

Haphazard
inconsistent

Consistent

Consistent
professional

and

Presentation,
technical
editing
and
language

Referencing

Incomplete
and
errors in references
(or missing)

Complete
accurate

and

[15]

Structure

and

Lacking and illogical

Most
elements
presented

All elements present

and well linked

0-5

6 - 10

11 15

[100]

11

Criteria
qualities

and

Understanding of
theory

Poor

Second assignment

Acceptable

Good

All relevant theory (focus)

Theory not relevant

Some theory

All relevant areas

Theory understood

Regurgitation

Presented

Internalised

Theory sources

Limited

Some sources
beyond obvious

[35]

were

Well sourced
and integrated

[100]
010

1125

2635

Analysis planned

No planning

Some planning

Planned and prepared

Analysis depth

Limited
detailed

and

not

Analysis
of
areas in depth

some

Theory analysis

Detailed analysis
of specific depth

Analysis scope

Scope not appropriate

Scope acceptable

Scope well identified

and executed

Analysis thoroughness

No
validation
investigation

Some validation

Validated

Analysis appropriate

Analysis but not of

appropriate areas

Analysis
of
some
appropriate areas

Analysis
of
appropriate areas

(019)

(2033)

3450

Logical presentation

Illogical

Mixed

Logical

Presentation,

Presentation

Haphazard
inconsistent

Consistent

Consistent
professional

technical editing
and language

Literature

By author

Mixed

By theme

Referencing

Incomplete and errors

in
references
(or
missing)

[50]

of

[100]

[15]
[100]

Structure

and

Lacking and illogical

all

and

Complete and accurate

Most elements

All elements present

and well linked

presented
(05)

8.6

(610)

(1115)

Self-assessment questions

Is your assignment in line with the marking matrix?

Did you capture all the latest research in Assignment 2?

OTHER ASSESSMENT METHODS

There are no other assessments for this module. You only have the two assignments and the
exam.

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EXAMINATION

The exam consists of questions on the articles that were presented at the study school and a
question in which you get the opportunity to write on a topic of your choice in finance.

11

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I allowed to use the same topic in MBL93EV as in my research report?

--- Yes, you are even advised to use the same topic.
May I use an article that is not in the articles linked to MBL93EV on EDS?
--- Yes, as long as the article is in the broad area of finance.

12

SOURCES CONSULTED

None

13

CONCLUSION

This module should give you reasonable exposure to the latest research on finance.

14

ADDENDUM

Nothing

13