This series provides teaching materials for cost and management accounting using a unique pedagogy and delivery. The pedagogical innovation is the use of a conceptual framework that emphasizes the strategic purpose of management accounting and integrates the behavioral and cultural dimensions of management accounting with strategic thinking and decision-making. On the delivery side we provide instructors the ability to custom design courses by selecting and packaging modules in the order and quantity that they want.

The modular format is designed to support a curriculum instead of a course. Each module focuses on a management accounting topic. Modules average 40 pages, including problems and short cases. The module website provides additional support material such as solutions, lecture outline, Power-Point slides, and teaching notes. The series offers many advantages over the traditional textbook. Some of them are:

• The print-on-demand format provides an effective way to incorporate continuous improvement in course materials. Versions can be revised without the need for a full reprint or errata sheet.
  
  
• Modules use a "strategic" framework that emphasizes that management accounting is a tool for achieving an organization's strategic goals. It also encourages the students to think strategically. This makes the subject more interesting and relevant to students.
  
  
• Modules help students to appreciate how management accounting can influence behavior and impact important cultural values in an organization and a society.
  
  
• Modules are grounded in real world experience. They draw on recent practice-based research from professional organizations such as IMA, CAM-I, FEI and SMAC.
  
  
• Modules lend themselves to use in cross-disciplinary courses. Several of our current adopters teach in management science departments and some are in engineering schools.
  
  
• Modules are cost effective and flexible. Individual modules, groups of modules, or modules plus other materials can be shrink-wrapped for use with other material in a course.

We will be announcing the addition of several new modules to the series and will be exploring other delivery mechanisms. Your feedback is always welcomed: Write to the editors, mail to: csweb.college_acctg@cengage.com.

-- Shahid Ansari