Module: Information for Decision Making

Data Management plays a major role in decision­making across various aspects of an organisation. Managers make better decisions when they are better informed, and this module explores how we obtain, evaluate and translate data into constructive information. 

The Managerial Accounting class considers the historical perspective (financial accounting) which measures the financial performance of an organisation to date - for example, profit and loss accounts and balance sheets. An organisation must always look ahead, consequently you will consider the development of future operating budgets and control of operations against those budgets.

Other sources of data include those generated through market research, production operations, personnel issues and external environmental data. Much of this data is in an unstructured format and requires analysis to produce information. The Data Management unit is concerned with this analysis, particularly in the format of quantitative or statistical methods. Finally, in today's world most data is transferred into information through the use of computer-based information systems.

The Computing and Information Systems unit develops your skills in business IT applications as well as enhancing your understanding of systems which provide relevant management information.