本来准备报名参加ACCA，但是学习的科目有点多...

发布时间：2021-06-05

本来准备报名参加ACCA，但是学习的科目有点多，不知道成绩有效期是多久？

最佳答案

ACCA考试分为F阶段和P阶段考试，F阶段成绩永久有效，P阶段要在7年内考完。P阶段这7年有效期到期后，从P阶段首次考过科目开始滚动失效，需要重新参加考试。

下面小编为大家准备了 ACCA考试 的相关考题，供大家学习参考。

(b) Assess the likely strategic impact of the new customer delivery system on Supaserve’s activities and its ability

to differentiate itself from its competitors. (10 marks)

正确答案：
(b) Supaserve, through its electronic point of sale system (EPOS), is already likely to have useful information on the overall
patterns of buying behaviour in terms of products bought frequently, peak periods, etc. It is less likely to have detailed
information on individual customer purchase patterns, though it may be monitoring where its customers are living, travel
patterns, etc. The introduction of the new online system has the potential to have a major strategic impact on the company
and its relationship with its customers. Impact can be measured by assessing the significance of the change on the company’s
operations and the likelihood of its occurrence. In Michael Porter’s words, ‘the basic tool for understanding the influence of
information technology on companies is the value chain . . . and how it affects both a company’s cost and the value delivered
to buyers’.
Clearly the investment in Internet based technology will affect both the cost and revenue sides of the business. In terms of
operations the company will need to decide the way in which to integrate the new method of customer buying with its
traditional methods. Does it create a separate ‘dedicated’ warehouse operation solely involved with the online business or does
it integrate it within its existing operations? The customer will have immediate access to information on whether goods are in
stock or not, and this may have a significant impact on the procurement systems Supaserve has with its suppliers and the
inbound logistics which get the products to where they are needed for dispatch to the customers.
Online shopping will have a major impact on outbound logistics in that a totally new distribution process will have to be
created. The extent to which this new service is provided in-house by setting up a new activity within Supaserve, or
alternatively is outsourced to specialist distributors is a key decision affecting costs and efficiency. Supaserve’s delivery
performance will be both measurable and potentially available to competitors and a real source of competitive advantage or
disadvantage.
The new online system will have an immediate impact on marketing and sales. Can customers pay over the Internet?
Opportunities for direct marketing to individual customers are opened up and customisation becomes a real possibility.
Customers can link into after-sales services and provide insights into customer satisfaction. On the support side of the value
chain the impact on human resources may be profound and technology lies at the heart of the change. Above all there is a
key need to link the new strategy to the operational systems needed to deliver it.
Clearly, the introduction of the online shopping system offers an opportunity for Supaserve to differentiate itself from its
aggressive competitors. The online service, as suggested above, is likely to appeal to a limited but growing segment of its
customers. In strategic terms it is a focus differentiation strategy enabling Supaserve to provide an improved level of service
to its customers. For this customers are willing to pay a small premium. Perhaps the more significant impact on its profit
margins will be derived from improved levels of customer retention and the attraction of customers who formerly shopped
with its competitors. The ability to sustain its competitive advantage will be measured by the impact on its competitors and
their ability to introduce a similar service.
There are a number of useful models for assessing the impact of an IT related change. These could include the five forces
model and the frameworks developed by Michael Earl assessing the strategic impact of IT. Michael Earl argues persuasively
for the correct alignment between business strategy and IT strategy. Indeed he sees a need for a ‘binary approach’ with the
alignment of IT investment activities in existing ways of doing business as having to be accommodated with the IT investments
associated with more radical change to the ways business is conducted.

Glove Co makes high quality, hand-made gloves which it sells for an average of $180 per pair. The standard cost of labour for each pair is $42 and the standard labour time for each pair is three hours. In the last quarter, Glove Co had budgeted production of 12,000 pairs, although actual production was 12,600 pairs in order to meet demand.

37,000 hours were used to complete the work and there was no idle time. The total labour cost for the quarter was $531,930.

At the beginning of the last quarter, the design of the gloves was changed slightly. The new design required workers to sew the company’s logo on to the back of every glove made and the estimated time to do this was 15 minutes for each pair. However, no-one told the accountant responsible for updating standard costs that the standard time per pair of gloves needed to be changed. Similarly, although all workers were given a 2% pay rise at the beginning of the last quarter, the accountant was not told about this either. Consequently, the standard was not updated to reflect these changes.

When overtime is required, workers are paid 25% more than their usual hourly rate.

Required:

(a) Calculate the total labour rate and total labour efficiency variances for the last quarter. (2 marks)

(b) Analyse the above total variances into component parts for planning and operational variances in as much detail as the information allows. (6 marks)

(c) Assess the performance of the production manager for the last quarter. (7 marks)

正确答案：
(a)BasicvariancesLabourratevarianceStandardcostoflabourperhour=$42/3=$14perhour.Labourratevariance=(actualhourspaidxactualrate)–(actualhourspaidxstdrate)Actualhourspaidxactualrate=$531,930.Actualhourspaidxstdrate=37,000x$14=$518,000.Thereforeratevariance=$531,930–$518,000=$13,930ALabourefficiencyvarianceLabourefficiencyvariance=(actualproductioninstdhours–actualhoursworked)xstdrate[(12,600x3)–37,000]x$14=$11,200F(b)PlanningandoperationalvariancesLabourrateplanningvariance(Revisedrate–stdrate)xactualhourspaid=[$14·00–($14·00x1·02)]x37,000=$10,360A.LabourrateoperationalvarianceRevisedratexactualhourspaid=$14·28x37,000=$528,360.Actualcost=$531,930.Variance=$3,570A.Labourefficiencyplanningvariance(Standardhoursforactualproduction–revisedhoursforactualproduction)xstdrateRevisedhoursforeachpairofgloves=3·25hours.[37,800–(12,600x3·25)]x$14=$44,100A.Labourefficiencyoperationalvariance(Revisedhoursforactualproduction–actualhoursforactualproduction)xstdrate(40,950–37,000)x$14=$55,300F.(c)AnalysisofperformanceAtafirstglance,performancelooksmixedbecausethetotallabourratevarianceisadverseandthetotallabourefficiencyvarianceisfavourable.However,theoperationalandplanningvariancesprovidealotmoredetailonhowthesevarianceshaveoccurred.Theproductionmanagershouldonlybeheldaccountableforvarianceswhichhecancontrol.Thismeansthatheshouldonlybeheldaccountablefortheoperationalvariances.Whentheseoperationalvariancesarelookedatitcanbeseenthatthelabourrateoperationalvarianceis$3,570A.Thismeansthattheproductionmanagerdidhavetopayforsomeovertimeinordertomeetdemandbutthemajorityofthetotallabourratevarianceisdrivenbythefailuretoupdatethestandardforthepayrisethatwasappliedatthestartofthelastquarter.Theovertimeratewouldalsohavebeenimpactedbythatpayincrease.Then,whenthelabourefficiencyoperationalvarianceislookedat,itisactually$55,300F.Thisshowsthattheproductionmanagerhasmanagedhisdepartmentwellwithworkerscompletingproductionmorequicklythanwouldhavebeenexpectedwhenthenewdesignchangeistakenintoaccount.Thetotaloperatingvariancesaretherefore$51,730Fandsooverallperformanceisgood.Theadverseplanningvariancesof$10,360and$44,100donotreflectontheperformanceoftheproductionmanagerandcanthereforebeignoredhere.

(b) Identify and explain THREE approaches that the directors of Moffat Ltd might apply in assessing the

QUALITATIVE benefits of the proposed investment in a new IT system. (6 marks)

正确答案：
(b) One approach that the directors of Moffat Ltd could adopt would be to ignore the qualitative benefits that may arise on the
basis that there is too much subjectivity involved in their assessment. The problem that this causes is that the investment will
probably look unattractive since all costs will be included in the evaluation whereas significant benefits and savings will have
been ignored. Hence such an approach is lacking in substance and is not recommended.
An alternative approach would involve attempting to attribute values to each of the identified benefits that are qualitative in
nature. Such an approach will necessitate the use of management estimates in order to derive the cash flows to be
incorporated in a cost benefit analysis. The problems inherent in this approach include gaining consensus among interested
parties regarding the footing of the assumptions from which estimated cash flows have been derived. Furthermore, if the
proposed investment does take place then it may well be impossible to prove that the claimed benefits of the new system
have actually been realised.
Perhaps the preferred approach is to acknowledge the existence of qualitative benefits and attempt to assess them in a
reasonable manner acceptable to all parties including the company’s bank. The financial evaluation would then not only
incorporate ‘hard’ facts relating to costs and benefits that are quantitative in nature, but also would include details of
qualitative benefits which management consider exist but have not attempted to assess in financial terms. Such benefits might
include, for example, the average time saved by location managers in analysing information during each operating period.
Alternatively the management of Moffat Ltd could attempt to express qualitative benefits in specific terms linked to a hierarchy
of organisational requirements. For example, qualitative benefits could be categorised as being:
(1) Essential to the business
(2) Very useful attributes
(3) Desirable, but not essential
(4) Possible, if funding is available
(5) Doubtful and difficult to justify.

4 You are a senior manager in Becker & Co, a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants offering audit and assurance

services mainly to large, privately owned companies. The firm has suffered from increased competition, due to two

new firms of accountants setting up in the same town. Several audit clients have moved to the new firms, leading to

loss of revenue, and an over staffed audit department. Bob McEnroe, one of the partners of Becker & Co, has asked

you to consider how the firm could react to this situation. Several possibilities have been raised for your consideration:

1. Murray Co, a manufacturer of electronic equipment, is one of Becker & Co’s audit clients. You are aware that the

company has recently designed a new product, which market research indicates is likely to be very successful.

The development of the product has been a huge drain on cash resources. The managing director of Murray Co

has written to the audit engagement partner to see if Becker & Co would be interested in making an investment

in the new product. It has been suggested that Becker & Co could provide finance for the completion of the

development and the marketing of the product. The finance would be in the form. of convertible debentures.

Alternatively, a joint venture company in which control is shared between Murray Co and Becker & Co could be

established to manufacture, market and distribute the new product.

2. Becker & Co is considering expanding the provision of non-audit services. Ingrid Sharapova, a senior manager in

Becker & Co, has suggested that the firm could offer a recruitment advisory service to clients, specialising in the

recruitment of finance professionals. Becker & Co would charge a fee for this service based on the salary of the

employee recruited. Ingrid Sharapova worked as a recruitment consultant for a year before deciding to train as

an accountant.

3. Several audit clients are experiencing staff shortages, and it has been suggested that temporary staff assignments

could be offered. It is envisaged that a number of audit managers or seniors could be seconded to clients for

periods not exceeding six months, after which time they would return to Becker & Co.

Required:

Identify and explain the ethical and practice management implications in respect of:

(a) A business arrangement with Murray Co. (7 marks)

正确答案：
4 Becker & Co
(a) Joint business arrangement
The business opportunity in respect of Murray Co could be lucrative if the market research is to be believed.
However, IFAC’s Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants states that a mutual business arrangement is likely to give rise
to self-interest and intimidation threats to independence and objectivity. The audit firm must be and be seen to be independent
of the audit client, which clearly cannot be the case if the audit firm and the client are seen to be working together for a
mutual financial gain.
In the scenario, two options are available. Firstly, Becker & Co could provide the audit client with finance to complete the
development and take the product to market. There is a general prohibition on audit firms providing finance to their audit
clients. This would create a clear financial self-interest threat as the audit firm would be receiving a return on investment from
their client. The Code states that if a firm makes a loan (or guarantees a loan) to a client, the self-interest threat created would
be so significant that no safeguard could reduce the threat to an acceptable level.
The provision of finance using convertible debentures raises a further ethical problem, because if the debentures are ultimately
converted to equity, the audit firm would then hold equity shares in their audit client. This is a severe financial self-interest,
which safeguards are unlikely to be able to reduce to an acceptable level.
The finance should not be advanced to Murray Co while the company remains an audit client of Becker & Co.
The second option is for a joint venture company to be established. This would be perceived as a significant mutual business
interest as Becker & Co and Murray Co would be investing together, sharing control and sharing a return on investment in
the form. of dividends. IFAC’s Code of Ethics states that unless the relationship between the two parties is clearly insignificant,
the financial interest is immaterial, and the audit firm is unable to exercise significant influence, then no safeguards could
reduce the threat to an acceptable level. In this case Becker & Co may not enter into the joint venture arrangement while
Murray Co is still an audit client.
The audit practice may consider that investing in the new electronic product is a commercial strategy that it wishes to pursue,
either through loan finance or using a joint venture arrangement. In this case the firm should resign as auditor with immediate
effect in order to eliminate any ethical problem with the business arrangement. The partners should carefully consider if the
potential return on investment will more than compensate for the lost audit fee from Murray Co.
The partners should also reflect on whether they want to diversify to such an extent – this investment is unlikely to be in an
area where any of the audit partners have much knowledge or expertise. A thorough commercial evaluation and business risk
analysis must be performed on the new product to ensure that it is a sound business decision for the firm to invest.
The audit partners should also consider how much time they would need to spend on this business development, if they
decided to resign as auditors and to go ahead with the investment. Such a new and important project could mean that they
take their focus off the key business i.e. the audit practice. They should consider if it would be better to spend their time trying
to compete effectively with the two new firms of accountants, trying to retain key clients, and to attract new accounting and
audit clients rather than diversify into something completely different.

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