山西省考生注意：在ACCA考试中提前交卷后果怎么样？不堪设想……

正确答案：
(a) The main reasons why the three accounting standards boards have decided to come together in a joint project regarding a
single performance statement are as follows:
(i) there are many different formats and classifications used for financial statements and different time periods used for
comparative data in different countries.
(ii) there are no common definitions as regards the key elements of financial performance and no agreement on the standard
definitions of the key ratios which would then determine the nature of the information that financial statements should
provide. There has been an increase in the reporting of alternative and often inconsistent financial performance
measures that has led to confusion and often has misled users.
(iii) there has been an increase in the use of pro-forma reporting which would tend to suggest that the existing totals and
sub totals in financial statements are not being used or relied upon as much as in the past.
(iv) there are benefits in separating transactions and events that are recorded at historical cost from those recorded at fair
value. Also, the differentiation between trading and holding gains gives useful information. This ‘mixed attribute’ model
is causing concern over the effects on reported performance.
(v) there is often insufficient disaggregation of data which prevents effective financial analysis of performance.
(vi) there has been an inconsistency in the use of ‘recycling ‘in financial statements of different jurisdictions which has led
to issues of reporting gains and losses twice.
(vii) the reporting of gains and losses on financial instruments required consideration. The gains and losses may currently be
reported under several headings dependent upon the nature of the instrument.
(viii) there are many relevant items excluded from the performance statements and inappropriate items included. For example
the reporting of foreign currency gains/losses on the retranslation of the net investment in foreign operations is normally
recognised in equity in many countries and dividends proposed shown on the face of the income statement when it does
not meet the definition of a liability and is a transaction with the owners of the business and not third parties.
(ix) Information is inconsistently classified within and outside totals and subtotals.

正确答案：
(c) Non-executive directors
Roles of NEDs
Non-executive directors have four principal roles.
The strategy role recognises that NEDs are full members of the board and thus have the right and responsibility to contribute
to the strategic success of the organisation for the benefit of shareholders. The enterprise must have a clear strategic direction
and NEDs should be able to bring considerable experience from their lives and business experience to bear on ensuring that
chosen strategies are sound. In this role they may challenge any aspect of strategy they see fit and offer advice or input to
help to develop successful strategy.
In the scrutinising or performance role, NEDs are required to hold executive colleagues to account for decisions taken and
company performance. In this respect they are required to represent the shareholders’ interests against the possibility that
agency issues arise to reduce shareholder value.
The risk role involves NEDs ensuring the company has an adequate system of internal controls and systems of risk
management in place. This is often informed by prescribed codes (such as Turnbull in the UK) but some industries, such as
chemicals, have other systems in place, some of which fall under ISO standards. In this role, NEDs should satisfy themselves
on the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.
Finally, the ‘people’ role involves NEDs overseeing a range of responsibilities with regard to the management of the executive
members of the board. This typically involves issues on appointments and remuneration, but might also involve contractual
or disciplinary issues and succession planning.
Tutorial note: these four roles are as described in the UK Higgs Report and are also contained in the Combined Code 2003.
Tensions in NED roles in the case
This refers to a potential tension in the loyalties of the NEDs. Although the NED is accountable, through the chairman to the
shareholders and thus must always act in the economic best interests of the shareholders, he or she is also a part of the board
of the company and they may, in some situations, advise discretion. Withholding information might be judged correct because
of strategic considerations or longer-term shareholder interests. In most situations, NEDs will argue for greater transparency,
less concealment and more clarity of how and why a given action will be in the interests of shareholders.
The case of mallerite overestimation places the WM NEDs in a position of some tension. Any instinct to conceal the full extent
of the overestimate of the reserve for the possible protection of the company’s short-term value must be balanced against the
duty to serve longer-term strategic interests and the public interest. Whilst concealment would protect the company’s
reputation and share price in the short term, it would be a duty of the NEDs to point out that WM should observe transparency
as far as possible in its dealing with the shareholders and other capital market participants.

正确答案：
(c) Target costing should be viewed as an integral part of a strategic profit management system. The initial consideration in target
costing is the determination of an estimate of the selling price for a new product which will enable a firm to capture its required
share of the market. In this particular example, Superstores plc, which on the face of it looks a powerful commercial
organisation, wishes to apply a 35% mark-up on the purchase price of each cake from GWCC. Since Superstores plc has
already decided on a launch price of ￡20·25 then it follows that the maximum selling price that can be charged by GWCC
is (100/135) x ￡20·25 which is ￡15·00.
This is clearly a situation which lends itself to the application of target costing/pricing techniques as in essence GWCC can
see the extent to which they fall short of the required level of return with regard to a contract with Superstores plc which ends
after twelve months. Thus it is necessary to reduce the total costs by ￡556,029 to this figure in order to achieve the desired
level of profit, having regard to the rate of return required on new capital investment. The deduction of required profit from
the proposed selling price will produce a target price that must be met in order to ensure that the desired rate of return is
obtained. Thus the main theme that underpins target costing can be seen to be ‘what should a product cost in order to achieve
the desired level of return’.
Target costing will necessitate comparison of current estimated cost levels against the target level which must be achieved if
the desired levels of profitability, and hence return on investment, are to be achieved. Thus where a gap exists between the
current estimated cost levels and the target cost, it is essential that this gap be closed.
The Directors of GWCC plc should be aware of the fact that it is far easier to ‘design out’ cost during the pre-production phase
than to ‘control out’ cost during the production phase. Thus cost reduction at this stage of a product’s life cycle is of critical
significance to business success.
A number of techniques may be employed in order to help in the achievement and maintenance of the desired level of target
cost. Attention should be focussed upon the identification of value added and non-value added activities with the aim of the
elimination of the latter. The product should be developed in an atmosphere of ‘continuous improvement’. In this regard, total
quality techniques such as the use of Quality circles may be used in attempting to find ways of achieving reductions in product
cost.
Value engineering techniques can be used to evaluate necessary product features such as the quality of materials used. It is
essential that a collaborative approach is taken by the management of GWCC and that all interested parties such as suppliers
and customers are closely involved in order to engineer product enhancements at reduced cost.
The degree of success that will be achieved by GWCC via the application of target costing principles will be very much
dependent on the extent of ‘flexibility’ in variable costs. Also the accuracy of information gathered by GWCC will assume
critical importance because the use of inaccurate information will produce calculated ‘cost gaps’ which are meaningless and
render the application of target costing principles of little value.