Debenhams PLC 2018 Financial Analysis

Individual Essay Assignment
Deadline: noon on Friday 25 March (Week 34); submission via SafeAssign
Considering the content of the Debenhams 2018 Annual Report and what you have seen relating to its cash flows, its income, and its balance sheet over the period 2014-2018, and using any other relevant information:
(a) Critically assess whether Debenhams engaged in earnings management or income smoothing.
(b) Critically assess whether Debenhams should be considered a “going concern”.
Note:
1) In both parts of your answer, you must justify your answer with appropriate examples.
2) Part (a) of your answer must include at least one relevant theory of accounting-related choice.
3) Both parts of your answer must include relevant definitions.
4) Both parts of your answer must include appropriate citations to sources. The sources must have been published in English. At least 3 different academic articles published in refereed English language journals must be cited in each part of the article. That is, you must use a minimum of 6 different academic articles in your essay, a minimum of 3 in your answer to each of the two parts. You must include a list of the sources you cited at the end of your essay. It should be in APA style.
(i) The APA style puts a citation to a reference in brackets in the body of the essay. The full length reference is given in the reference list at the end of the essay. The citation in brackets in the body of the essay includes: the author’s surname, the date of publication, and the page or page numbers you are referring to. For example: (Smith, 1997, p. 32). The citation in brackets is placed immediately after the statement to which it refers. (ii) The reference list compiled according to APA conventions lists items alphabetically by the author’s last name: • For a book, each entry in the reference list should include, in the following order: the author’s surname, their first initial, the date of publication in brackets, the title of the book in italics, the place of publication, and the publisher. For example: Wood, G. A. R., & Lass, R. A. (2008). Cocoa. John Wiley & Sons. • For an article, each entry each entry in the reference list should include, in the following order: the author’s surname, their first initial, the date of publication in brackets, the title of the article, the journal name in italics, the volume number, the issue number, and the page numbers of the article: Herath, S. K., & Walker, S. A. (2019). How effective is Sarbanes-Oxley in the accounting profession–Is it accomplishing its Original Objectives?. The Business & Management Review, 10 (2), 98-107.
5) Failure to cite 6 appropriate sources as described above will be penalised 1 common grade scale point for each one you are below 6. For example, only providing 2 receives a penalty of 4 CGS points.
6) The 2 parts are each worth 50% of the overall grade for this essay.
7) Include an overall word count below the end of your essay.
8) You should write a total of 1,000 words overall.
9) If you write less than 980 words or more than 1020 words, you will be penalised 1 grade point scale mark for every 50 words you are below or above 1,000 words.
10) Failure to provide an accurate word count will be penalised 2 grade point marks in addition to any penalty awarded for not matching the overall word length requirement.
11) The text in any figures or tables you include in your answer will not count towards the 1,000 word requirement, nor will the list of references that you include.
12) DO NOT cite the course textbook or any course material, including the course videos, the course homework, and the course PowerPoints.
13) Indicate the page number(s) in the Debenhams Annual Report you are discussing whenever you refer to something specific in the annual report.