6 The accountant communicates information to others in reports and statements. Understanding the nature and

importance of communication is therefore an important part of the accountant’s role.

Required:

(a) Explain the importance of good communication. (5 marks)

(b) Explain the advantages and the disadvantages of:

(i) the face to face interview between two people; (6 marks)

(b) (i) State FOUR reasons why payback period is widely used by organisations in the capital investment

appraisal process. (2 marks)

(ii) Recommend which of the refrigeration systems should be purchased. You should state your reasons

which must be supported by relevant calculations. (3 marks)

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)

(c) Discuss TWO limitations of the Boston Consulting Group matrix as a strategic planning tool. (4 marks)

23 The capital structure of a company at 30 June 2005 is as follows:

$m

Ordinary share capital 100

Share premium account 40

Retained earnings 60

10% Loan notes 40

The company’s income statement for the year ended 30 June 2005 showed:

$m

Operating profit 44

Loan note interest (4)

___

Profit for year 40

____

What is the company’s return on capital employed?

A 40/240 = 162/3 per cent

B 40/100 = 40 per cent

C 44/240 = 181/3 per cent

D 44/200 = 22 per cent

4 Whilst acknowledging the importance of high quality corporate reporting, the recommendations to improve it are

sometimes questioned on the basis that the marketplace for capital can determine the nature and quality of corporate

reporting. It could be argued that additional accounting and disclosure standards would only distort a market

mechanism that already works well and would add costs to the reporting mechanism, with no apparent benefit. It

could be said that accounting standards create costly, inefficient, and unnecessary regulation. It could be argued that

increased disclosure reduces risks and offers a degree of protection to users. However, increased disclosure has several

costs to the preparer of financial statements.

Required:

(a) Explain why accounting standards are needed to help the market mechanism work effectively for the benefit

of preparers and users of corporate reports. (9 marks)