内蒙古考生：ACCA考试的科目和报考规定是什么呀？

正确答案：

(c) Within the strategy clock, ONA might consider both differentiation and focus. A differentiation strategy seeks to provide
products or services that offer different benefits from those offered by competitors. These benefits are valued by customers
and so can lead to increased market share and, in the context of ONA, higher seat utilisation. Differentiation is particularly
attractive when it provides the opportunity of providing a price premium. In other words, margins are enhanced through
differentiation. Air travellers may be willing to pay more to travel with an airline that offers seat allocation and free in-flight
food and drinks.
However, such a broad-based differentiation strategy may be inappropriate for ONA because of the need to service both
business and leisure travellers. Consequently, the potential strategy also has to be considered in the context of the two sectors
that the company perceives that it services. In the regional sector a focused differentiation strategy looks particularly attractive.
Here, the strategy focuses on a selected niche or market segment. The most obvious focus is on business travel and building
the company’s strengths in this sector. This focus on the business traveller might be achieved through:
– Ensuring that flight times are appropriate for the business working day. This is already a perceived strength of the
company. This needs to be built on.
– Providing more space in the aircraft by changing the seating configuration – and the balance between business and
standard class. ONA currently has a low seat occupancy rate and a reduction in seat capacity could be borne.
– Fewer passengers in the aircraft may also lead to improved throughput times. Loading and unloading aircraft is quicker,
minimising the delays encountered by the traveller.
– Providing supporting business services – lounges with fax and internet facilities.
– Speeding the process of booking and embarkation (through electronic check-in), so making the process of booking and
embarkation easier and faster.
– Providing loyalty schemes that are aimed at the business traveller.
Although this focused differentiation is aimed at the business customer it is also likely that particular aspects of it will be
valued by certain leisure travellers. Given the strong regional brand (people from Oceania are likely to travel ONA) and the
nature of the leisure travel in this sector (families visiting relatives) it seems unlikely that there will be a significant fall off in
leisure travel in the regional sector.
In the international sector, the strategic customer is less clear. This sector is serving both the leisure and business market and
is also competing with strong ‘no frills’ competitors. The nature of customer and competition is different. A strategy of
differentiation could still be pursued, although perhaps general differentiation (without a price premium) may be more effective
with the aim of increasing seat occupancy rate. This sector would also benefit from most of the suggested improvements of
the regional sector – providing more space in aircraft, faster passenger throughput, electronic check-in etc. However, these
small changes will not address the relatively low flight frequency in this sector. This could be addressed through seeking
alliances with established airlines in the continental countries that it services. Simple code share agreements could double
ONA’s frequencies overnight. Obviously, ONA would be seeking a good cultural fit – the ‘no frills’ low-cost budget airlineswould not be candidates for code shares.

ONA’s perception of market segmentation, reflected in splitting regional from international travel and distinguishing leisure
from business appears to be a sensible understanding of the marketplace. However, it might also be useful for them to
consider on-line customers and commission customers (travel agents) as different segments. Perceiving travel agents as the
strategic customer would lead to a different strategic focus, one in which the amount and structure of commission played an
important part.
Finally, whichever strategy ONA adopts, it must continue to review its operational efficiency. An important strategic capability
in any organisation is to ensure that attention is paid to cost-efficiency. It can be argued that a continual reduction in costs
is necessary for any organisation in a competitive market. Management of costs is a threshold competence for survival. ONA
needs to address some of the weaknesses identified earlier in the question. Specific points, not covered elsewhere, include:
– Improved employee productivity to address the downward decline in efficiency ratios.
– Progressive standardisation of the fleet to produce economies of scale in maintenance and training. This should reduce
the cost base.
– Careful monitoring of expenditure, particularly on wages and salaries, to ensure that these do not exceed revenue
increases.
Candidates may address this question in a number of ways. In the model answer given above, the strategy clock is used –
as it uses the term ‘no frills’ in its definition and so it seems appropriate to look at other options within this structure. However,
answers that use other frameworks (such as Ansoff’s product/market matrix) are perfectly acceptable. Furthermore, answerswhich focus on the suitability, acceptability and feasibility of certain options are also acceptable.

正确答案：

 

正确答案：
(c) Application of ethical principles to a fraud investigation
IFAC’s Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants applies to all ACCA members involved in professional assignments,
including forensic investigations. There are specific considerations in the application of each of the principles in providing
such a service.
Integrity
The forensic investigator is likely to deal frequently with individuals who lack integrity, are dishonest, and attempt to conceal
the true facts from the investigator. It is imperative that the investigator recognises this, and acts with impeccable integrity
throughout the whole investigation.
Objectivity
As in an audit engagement, the investigator’s objectivity must be beyond question. The report that is the outcome of the
forensic investigation must be perceived as independent, as it forms part of the legal evidence presented at court. The
investigator must adhere to the concept that the overriding objective of court proceedings is to deal with cases fairly and justly.
Any real or perceived threats to objectivity could undermine the credibility of the evidence provided by the investigator.
This issue poses a particular problem where an audit client requests its auditors to conduct a forensic investigation. In this
situation, the audit firm would be exposed to threats to objectivity in terms of advocacy, management involvement and selfreview.
The advocacy threat arises because the audit firm may feel pressured into promoting the interests and point of view
of their client, which would breach the overriding issue of objectivity in court proceedings. Secondly, the investigators could
be perceived to be involved in management decisions regarding the implications of the fraud, especially where the investigator
acts as an expert witness. It is however the self-review threat that would be the most significant threat to objectivity. The selfreview
threat arises because the investigation is likely to involve the estimation of an amount (i.e. the loss), which could be
material to the financial statements.
For the reasons outlined above, The Code states that the firm should evaluate threats and put appropriate safeguards in place,
and if safeguards cannot reduce the threats to an acceptable level, then the firm cannot provide both the audit service and
the forensic investigation.
Professional competence and due care
Forensic investigations will involve very specialist skills, which accountants are unlikely to possess without extensive training.
Such skills would include:
– Detailed knowledge of the relevant legal framework surrounding fraud,
– An understanding of how to gather specialist evidence,
– Skills in the safe custody of evidence, including maintaining a clear ‘chain’ of evidence, and
– Strong personal skills in, for example, interview techniques, presentation of material at court, and tactful dealing with
difficult and stressful situations.
It is therefore essential that forensic work is only ever undertaken by highly skilled individuals, under the direction and
supervision of an experienced fraud investigator. Any doubt over the competence of the investigation team could severely
undermine the credibility of the evidence presented at court.
Confidentiality
Normally accountants should not disclose information without the explicit consent of their client. However, during legal
proceedings arising from a fraud investigation, the court will require the investigator to reveal information discovered during
the investigation. There is an overriding requirement for the investigator to disclose all of the information deemed necessary
by the court.
Outside of the court, the investigator must ensure faultless confidentiality, especially because much of the information they
have access to will be highly sensitive.
Professional behaviour
Fraud investigations can become a matter of public interest, and much media attention is often focused on the work of the
forensic investigator. A highly professional attitude must be displayed at all times, in order to avoid damage to the reputation
of the firm, and of the profession. Any lapse in professional behaviour could also undermine the integrity of the forensic
evidence, and of the credibility of the investigator, especially when acting in the capacity of expert witness.
During legal proceedings, the forensic investigator may be involved in discussions with both sides in the court case, and here
it is essential that a courteous and considerate attitude is presented to all parties.

正确答案：
(a) Importance of independence
The auditor must be materially independent of the client for the following reasons:
To increase credibility and to underpin confidence in the process. In an external audit, this will primarily be for the benefit of
the shareholders and in an internal audit, it will often be for the audit committee that is, in turn, the recipient of the internal
audit report.
To ensure the reliability of the audit report. Any evidence of lack of independence (or ‘capture’) has the potential to undermine
all or part of the audit report thus rendering the exercise flawed.
To ensure the effectiveness of the investigation of the process being audited. An audit, by definition, is only effective as a
means of interrogation if the parties are independent of each other.
Three threats to independence
There are three threats to independence described in the case.
The same audit partner (Zachary) was assigned to Van Buren in eight consecutive years. This is an association threat and is
a contravention of some corporate governance codes. Both Sarbanes-Oxley and the Smith Guidance (contained in the UK
Combined Code), for example, specify auditor rotation to avoid association threat.
Fillmore Pierce provides more than one service to the same client. One of the threats to independence identified between
Arthur Andersen and Enron after the Enron collapse was an over-dependence on Enron by Andersen arising from the provision
of several services to the same client. Good practice is not to offer additional services to audit clients to avoid the appearance
of compromised independence. Some corporate governance codes formally prohibit this.
The audit partner (Zachary) is an old friend of the financial director of Van Buren (Frank). This ‘familiarity’ threat should be
declared to Fillmore Pierce at the outset and it may disqualify Zachary from acting as audit partner on the Van Buren account.