Susan is aware of benchmarking as a useful input into performance measurement and strategic change.(b) Assess the contribution benchmarking could make to improving the position of the Marlow Fashion Groupand any limitations to its usefulness. (8 marks)
题目
Susan is aware of benchmarking as a useful input into performance measurement and strategic change.
(b) Assess the contribution benchmarking could make to improving the position of the Marlow Fashion Group
and any limitations to its usefulness. (8 marks)
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更多“Susan is aware of benchmarking as a useful input into performance measurement and strategic change.(b) Assess the contribution benchmarking could make to improving the position of the Marlow Fashion Groupand any limitations to its usefulness. (8 marks)”相关问题
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第1题：
(b) Using relevant evaluation criteria, assess how achievable and compatible these three strategic goals are over
the next five years. (20 marks)
正确答案：
(b) The three strategic goals are to become the leading premium ice cream brand in the UK; to increase sales to ￡25 million;
and to achieve a significant entry into the supermarket sector. On the basis of performance to date these goals will certainly
be stretching. All three strategies will involve significant growth in the company. Johnson and Scholes list three success criteria
against which the strategies can be assessed, namely suitability, acceptability and feasibility. Suitability is a test of whether a
strategy addresses the situation in which a company is operating. In Johnson and Scholes’ terms it is the firm’s ‘strategic
position’, an understanding of which comes from the analysis done in the answer to the question above. Acceptability is
concerned with the likely performance outcomes of the strategy and in particular whether the return and risk are in line with
the expectations of the stakeholders. Feasibility is the extent to which the strategy can be made to work and is determined
by the strategic capability of the company reflecting the resources available to implement the strategy. It is interesting to see
that the three growth related goals are compatible in that becoming the leading premium brand will involve increased market
penetration, product development and market development. If achieved it will increase sales and necessitate a successful
entry into the supermarket sector. Time will be an important influence on the success or otherwise of these growth goals –
five years seems to be a reasonable length of time to achieve these ambitious targets.
Suitability – Churchill is currently a small but significant player at the premium end of the market. This segment is becoming
more significant and is attractive because of the high prices and high margins attainable. This is leading to more intense
competition with global companies. One immediate question that springs to mind is what precisely does ‘leading brand’
mean? The most obvious test is that of market share and unless Churchill achieve the access to the supermarkets looked for
in the third strategic goal, seems difficult to achieve. If ‘leading brand’ implies brand recognition this again looks very
ambitious. On the positive side this segment of the ice cream market is showing significant growth and Churchill’s success
in gaining sponsorship rights to major sporting events is a step in the right direction. The combination of high price and high
quality should position the company where it wants to be. Achieving sales of ￡25 million represents a quantum shift in
performance in a company that has to date only achieved modest levels of sales growth.
Acceptability – as a family owned business the balance between risk and return is an important one. The family to date has
been ‘happy’ with a modest rate of growth and modest return in terms of profits. The other significant stakeholder group is
the professional managers headed up by Richard Smith. They seem much more growth orientated and may be happier with
the risks that the growth strategy entails. The family members seem more interested in the manufacturing side than the
retailing side of the business and their bad previous experiences with growing the business through international market
development may mean they are risk averse and less willing to invest the necessary resources.
Feasibility – again this is linked to how ‘leading brand’ is defined. If as seems likely the brand becomes more widely known
through increasing the number of company owned ice cream stores then a significant investment in retail outlets will be
necessary. Increasing the number of franchised outlets will reduce the financial resources required but may be at the expense
of the brand’s reputation. Certainly there would seem to be a need for increased levels of advertising and promotion –
particularly to gain access to the ice cream cabinets in the supermarket chains. This is likely to mean an increase in the
number of sales and marketing staff. Equally important will be the ability to develop and launch new products in a luxury
market shaped by impulse buying and customers looking to indulge themselves.
Overall, becoming the leading brand of premium ice cream may well be the key to achieving the desired presence in the
supermarket ice cream cabinets, which in turn is a pre-requisite for increasing company sales to ￡25 million. So the three
strategic goals may be regarded as consistent and compatible with one another. However each strategic goal will have to be
broken down into its key elements. For example in achieving sales of ￡25 million what proportion of sales will come from its
own ice cream stores and what proportion from other outlets including the supermarkets? Sales to date of Churchill ice cream
are dominated by impulse purchases but in achieving sales of ￡25 million penetrating the take home market will be essential.
Finally, what proportion of these take home sales will be under the supermarkets own label brands? Over reliance on own
label sales will seriously weaken Churchill’s desire to become the leading national brand of premium ice cream. It looks to
be an ambitious but attainable strategy but will require a significant planning effort to develop the necessary resources andcapabilities vital to successful implementation of the strategy. -
第2题：
(b) Ratio analysis in general can be useful in comparing the performance of two companies, but it has its limitations.
Required:
State and briefly explain three factors which can cause accounting ratios to be misleading when used for
such comparison. (6 marks)
正确答案：
(b) (i) One company may have revalued its assets while the other has not.
(ii) Accounting policies and estimation techniques may differ. For example, one company may use higher depreciation rates
than the other.
(iii) The use of historical cost accounting may distort the capital and profit of the two companies in different ways.
Other answers considered on their merits. -
第3题：
(c) (i) Using ONLY the above information, assess the competitive position of Diverse Holdings Plc.
(7 marks)
正确答案：
(c) (i) Organic Foods Ltd (OFL) with a market share of 6·66% is the market leader at 30 November 2005 and is forecast to
have a market share of 8% by 30 November 2007. Operating profits appear to be healthy and therefore it seems
reasonable to regard OFL as a current ‘strength’ of Diverse Holdings Plc. This is supported by the fact that OFL has built
up a very good reputation as a supplier of quality produce.
Haul Trans Ltd was acquired on 1 December 2005 and has a demonstrable record of recent profitability. It is noticeable
that the profitability of HTL is forecast to increase by 40% (excluding inflation) during its first two years of ownership.
No one organisation appears to dominate the market. Forecast profits are expected to grow significantly from an almost
static turnover and thus more information is required regarding how this increase in profitability is to be achieved.
Management may have identified opportunities for achieving significant cost savings and/or forming business
relationships with new and more profitable customers, while ceasing to service those customers who are less profitable.
Kitchen Appliances Ltd (KAL) has been identified as both a weakness and threat. KAL’s market is slowly contracting,
but its share is falling more quickly. It was almost the market leader at 30 November 2005. Judging by its fall in the
level of operating profit KAL is carrying heavy fixed costs which must make it more difficult to compete. Indeed, it is
forecast to make a loss during the year ending 30 November 2007. KAL has suffered from squeezed margins as a
consequence of competition from low cost imports. The situation may be further exacerbated as competition from abroad
intensifies.
Paper Supplies Ltd (PSL) has stood still in a growing market, one which is dominated by a single supplier. PSL appears
to be struggling to achieve any growth in turnover, profits and therefore cash flow. PSL cannot really compete with a
narrow range of products and only two customers.
Office Products Ltd (OPL) is growing but appears unable to increase its operating profit in % terms. It appears to be
operating in a high-growth market but unable to achieve a reasonable market share in spite of the fact that its products
are highly regarded by health and safety experts. -
第4题：
(b) Discuss ways in which the traditional budgeting process may be seen as a barrier to the achievement of the
aims of EACH of the following models for the implementation of strategic change:
(i) benchmarking;
(ii) balanced scorecard; and
(iii) activity-based models. (12 marks)
正确答案：
(b) Benchmarking
Benchmarks enable goals to be set that may be based on either external measures of ‘best practice’ organisations or internal
cross-functional comparisons which exhibit ‘best practice’. A primary aim of the traditional budgeting process is the setting of
realistic targets that can be achieved within the budget period. The setting of realistic targets means that the extent of
underperformance against ‘best practice’ standards loses visibility, and thus short-term financial targets remain the
predominant focus of the traditional budgeting process. It is arguable that because the budgetary reporting system purports
to give managers ‘control’, there is very little real incentive to seek out benchmarks which may be used to raise budgeted
performance targets. Much depends upon the prevailing organisational culture since benchmarking may be viewed as an
attempt by top management to impose impossible targets upon operational managers. The situation is further exacerbated
where organisations do not measure their success relative to their competition.
Balanced scorecard
The Balanced scorecard is often misunderstood as a consequence of the failure by top management to ensure that it is
implemented effectively within the organisation. Thus it may be viewed as the addition of a few non-financial measures to
the conventional budget. In an attempt to overcome this misperception many management teams now establish a
performance-rewards linkage based upon the achievement of Scorecard targets for the forthcoming budget period.
Unfortunately this can precipitate dysfunctional behaviour at every level within the organisation.
Even in situations where the Scorecard has been well-designed and well-implemented it is difficult for it to gain widespread
acceptance. This is because all too often there exists a culture which places a very high value upon the achievement of the
fixed annual targets in order to avoid the loss of status, recognition and rewards.
A well-constructed Scorecard contains a mix of long-term and short-term measures and therefore drives the company in the
direction of medium-term strategic goals which are supported by cross-functional initiatives. On the other hand, the budgeting
process focuses the organisation on the achievement of short-term financial goals supported by the initiatives of individual
departments. Budgets can also act as an impediment to the acceptance of responsibility by local managers for the
achievement of the Scorecard targets. This is often the case in situations where a continued emphasis exists on meeting shortterm
e.g. quarterly targets.
Activity-based models
Traditional budgets show the costs of functions and departments (e.g. staff costs and establishment costs) instead of the costs
of those activities that are performed by people (e.g. receipt of goods inwards, processing and dispatch of orders etc). Thus
managers have no visibility of the real ‘cost drivers’ of their business. In addition, it is probable that a traditional budget
contains a significant amount of non-value-added costs that are not visible to the managers. The annual budget also tends
to fix capacity for the forthcoming budget period thereby undermining the potential of Activity-based management (ABM)
analysis to determine required capacity from a customer demand perspective. Those experienced in the use of ABM
techniques are used to dealing with such problems, however their tasks would be much easier to perform. and their results
made more reliable if these problems were removed. -
第5题：
(c) Explain the term ‘target costing’ and how it may be applied by GWCC. Briefly discuss any potential
limitations in its application. (8 marks)
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. -
第6题：
(ii) Briefly explain the extent to which the application of sensitivity analysis might be useful in deciding
which refrigeration system to purchase and discuss the limitations inherent in its use. (3 marks)
正确答案：
(ii) Sensitivity analysis could be used to assess how responsive the NPV calculated in part (a) in respect of each decision
option change is to changes in the variables used to calculate it. The application of sensitivity analysis requires that the
net present values are calculated under alternative assumptions in order to determine how sensitive they are to changing
conditions. In this particular example then a relatively small change in the forecast cash flows might lead to a change
in the investment decision. The application of sensitivity analysis can indicate those variables to which the NPV is most
sensitive and the extent to which these variables may change before an investment results in a negative NPV. Thus the
application of sensitivity analysis may provide management with an indication of why a particular project might fail. The
directors of Stay Cool Ltd should give consideration to the potential variations in the independent variables which feature
in the decision-making process such as:
– estimated revenues
– estimated operating costs
– estimated working lives
– estimated repair costs
– the estimated discount rate i.e. cost of capital of each alternative investment.
Sensitivity analysis has some serious limitations. The use of the method requires changes in each variable under
consideration are isolated. However management may be focused on what happens if changes occur in two or more
critical variables. Another problem relating to the use of sensitivity analysis to forecast outcomes lies in the fact that it
provides no indication of the likelihood of the occurrence of changes in critical variables. -
第7题：
(ii) Suggest THREE other performance measures (not applied in (i)) which might be used to assess the
customer perspective of the balanced scorecard of GER. (3 marks)
正确答案：
(ii) Performance measures that may be used to assess the customer perspective of the balanced scorecard of GER include
the following:
Lost or damaged luggage per 1,000 passengers
Train cancellation rate
Denied boarding rate
Number of passenger complaints.
Note: Only three measures were required.
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第8题：
(iv) critiques the performance measurement system at TSC. (5 marks
正确答案：
(iv) The performance measurement system used by TSC appears simplistic. However, it may be considered to be measuring
the right things since the specific measures used cover a range of dimensions designed to focus the organisation on
factors thought to be central to corporate success, and not confined to traditional financial measures.
Internal benchmarking is used at TSC in order to provide sets of absolute standards that all depots are expected to attain.
This should help to ensure that there is a continual focus upon the adoption of ‘best practice’ at all depots. Benchmarks
on delivery performance place an emphasis upon quality of service whereas benchmarks on profitability are focused
solely upon profitability!
Incentive schemes are used throughout the business, linking the achievement of company targets with financial rewards.
It might well be the case that the profit incentive would act as a powerful motivator to each depot management team.
However, what is required for the prosperity of TSC is a focus of management on the determinants of success as opposed
to the results of success.
(Alternative relevant discussion would be acceptable) -
第9题：
(d) Suggest a set of SIX performance measures which the directors of SSH could use in order to assess the
quality of service provided to its clients. (3 marks)
正确答案：
(d) The following performance measures which could be used to assess the quality of service provided to its clients:
– The reliability of staff in keeping to scheduled appointment times with clients
– The responsiveness of staff to client enquiries or requests for assistance
– The quality of communications between SSH and its clients
– The competence of its staff in providing training to its clients
– The access times to staff upon the request of clients
– The availability of staff to meet emergency needs of clients
– The security of the data of its client base.
Notes: (i) Only six performance measures were required
(ii) Other relevant performance measures would be acceptable.
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第10题：
The earned value technique is a commonly used method of performance measurement．It integrates project scope，schedule，and cost measures to help the project management team assess project performance．If a project’s Cost Performance Index(CPI＝EV/AC)value less than 1．0，it means that（ ）。 A．the cost savings for work completed B．the project is ahead of its planned schedule C．the cost overrun for work completed D．1ess work was completed than was planned
正确答案：C
挣值管理(EVM)是一种常用的绩效测量方法。它综合考虑项目范围、进度与成本指标，帮助项目管理团队评估项目绩效。如果某个项目的成本绩效指数(CPI＝EV/AC)值小于1．0，则说明已完成的工作的成本超支(the cost overrun for work completed)。 -
第11题：
The earned value technique is a commonly used method of performance measurement． It integrates project scope, cost, and schedule measures to help the project management team assess project performancIf a project’s Schedule Performance Index（SPI=EV/PV） value less than 1．0, it means that __（74）__．
A.the project is ahead of its planned schedule
B.less work was completed than was planned
C.the cost overrun for work completed
D.the cost under-run of performance to date
正确答案：B
此题主要考查挣值分析法的相关概念，它综合了范围、时间和成本数据，主要用于实际成本的绩效测量。基本思想是通过测量和计算已完成工作的预算费用与已完成工作的实际费用，将其与计划工作预算费用相比较得到项目的费用偏差，从而达到判断项目成本和进度计划执行情况，来帮助项目管理团队分析项目的完成情况，衡量项目的成本效率，为成本控制提供依据。挣值分析法主要涉及到3个参数，4个指标。其中3个参数如下：?计划工作量的预算成本（PV），已完成工作量的预算成本（EV），已完成工作量的实际成本（AC）?4个指标是指CV，SV，CPI，SPI：进度偏差（SV）是项目进度绩效的一种指标。成本偏差（CV）是项目成本绩效的一种指标。进度绩效指数（SPI）是比较项目已完成进度与计划进度的一种指标。当SPI小于1.0时，说明已完成的工作量未达到计划要求；当SPI大于1．0时，则说明已完成的工作量超过计划。SPI等于EV与PV的比值。公式：SPI=EV/PV。成本绩效指数（CPI）是比较已完成工作的价值与实际成本的一种指标。它考核已完成工作的成本效率。当CPI小于1.0时，说明已完成工作的成本超支；当CPI大于1.0时，则说明到目前为止成本有结余。CPI等于EV与AC的比值。公式：CPI=EV/AC。 -
第12题：
单选题Which of the following benchmarking ratings cover essentially the same performance metrics associated with commercial applications for IBM UNIX systems？（）AA
BB
CC
DD
正确答案： B解析： 暂无解析 -
第13题：
(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.
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第14题：
(b) ‘Strategic positioning’ is about the way that a company as a whole is placed in its environment and concerns its
‘fit’ with the factors in its environment.
With reference to the case as appropriate, explain how a code of ethics can be used as part of a company’s
overall strategic positioning. (7 marks)
正确答案：
(b) Code of ethics and strategic positioning
Strategic positioning is about the way that a whole company is placed in its environment as opposed to the operational level,
which considers the individual parts of the organisation.
Ethical reputation and practice can be a key part of environmental ‘fit’, along with other strategic issues such as generic
strategy, quality and product range.
The ‘fit’ enables the company to more fully meet the expectations, needs and demands of its relevant stakeholders – in this
case, European customers.
The ‘quality’ of the strategic ‘fit’ is one of the major determinants of business performance and so is vital to the success of
the business.
HPC has carefully manoeuvred itself to have the strategic position of being the highest ethical performer locally and has won
orders on that basis.
It sees its strategic position as being the ethical ‘benchmark’ in its industry locally and protects this position against its parent
company seeking to impose a new code of ethics.
The ethical principles are highly internalised in Mr Hogg and in the company generally, which is essential for effective strategic
implementation. -
第15题：
(b) Discuss the relevance of each of the following actions as steps in trying to remedy performance measurement
problems relating to the ‘365 Sports Complex’ and suggest examples of specific problem classifications that
may be reduced or eliminated by each action:
(i) Focusing on and improving the measurement of customer satisfaction
(ii) Involving staff at all levels in the development and implementation of performance measures
(iii) Being flexible in the extent to which formal performance measures are relied on
(iv) Giving consideration to the auditing of the performance measurement system. (8 marks)
正确答案：
(b) Trying to focus on and improve the measurement of customer satisfaction.
This is a vital goal. Without monitoring and improvement of levels of customer satisfaction, an organisation will tend to
underachieve and is likely to have problems with its future effectiveness. Positive signals from performance measures made
earlier in the value chain are only relevant if they contribute to the ultimate requirement of customer satisfaction. Tunnel vision
and sub-optimisation are examples of measurement problems that may be reduced through recognition of the need for a
management focus on customer satisfaction. For example undue focus on the importance of maximising opening hours may
lead to lack of focus on other quality issues seen as important by customers.
Involving staff at all levels in the development and implementation of performance measures.
People are involved in the achievement of performance measures at all levels and in all aspects of an organisation. It is
important that all staff are willing to accept and work towards any performance measures that are developed to monitor their
part in the operation of the organisation and in the achievement of its objectives. This should help, for example, to reduce
gaming. At the sports complex an example of gaming might be, a deliberate attempt to understate the potential benefits of
maintaining the buildings in order to ensure that funds would be used for other purposes such as an increased advertising
budget. The directors of Astrodome Sports Ltd must recognise that leisure facilities that appear dated and in a poor state of
repair will cause customers to look for more aesthetically appealing alternatives.
Being flexible in the extent to which formal performance measures are relied on.
It is best to acknowledge that measures should not be relied on exclusively for control. A performance measure may give a
short-term signal that does not relate directly to actions that are taking place to improve the level of performance in the longer
term. To some extent, improved performance may be achieved through the informal interaction between individuals and
groups. This flexibility should help to reduce measure fixation and misrepresentation. For example the percentage increase in
the quantity of bowling equipment purchased is seen as necessarily implying increased demand for use of the bowling greens.
Giving consideration to the audit of the performance measurement system.
Actions that may be taken may include:
– Seeking expert interpretation of the performance measures in place. It is important that any audit is ‘free from bias’ and
conducted independently on an ‘arm’s length’ basis. Thus it is essential that such audits should be ‘free from the
influence’ of those personnel involved in the operation of the system.
– Maintaining a careful audit of the data used. Any assessment scheme is only as good as the data on which it is founded
and how this data is analysed and interpreted.
The above actions should help, in particular, to reduce the incidence and impact of measure fixation, misinterpretation and
gaming.
For example, an audit may show that the directors of Astrodome Sports Ltd are fixated on equipment availability and
misinterpret this as being the key to customer volume and high profitability. The audit may also provide evidence of gaming
such as a deliberate attempt to underplay the benefits of one course of action in order to release funds for use on some
alternative.
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第16题：
(c) Excluding the number of complaints by patients, identify and briefly explain THREE quantitative
non-financial performance measures that could be used to assess the ‘quality of service’ provided by the
Dental Health Partnership. (3 marks)
正确答案：
(c) In order to assess the quality of patient care provided by the Dental Health Partnership the following performance measures
might be used:
– The percentage of ‘on time’ treatment of those patients who arrived prior to their appointment time would provide an
indication regarding the effectiveness of the scheduling of appointments by the Dental Health Partnership.
– the percentage of patient appointments which were re-arranged at the request of the Dental Health Partnership.
Rearranged appointments represent the provision of a lower level of service provision to clients who may, as a result,
switch to an alternative dental practice.
– the percentage of patients who return for treatment after their first appointment would provide an indication that they
were satisfied with the service they received.
– the percentage of patients who were able to gain an appointment at their preferred date and time is an indication of the
availability of the service to clients.
Note: Candidates were only required to discuss three measures. -
第17题：
(c) Discuss TWO limitations of the Boston Consulting Group matrix as a strategic planning tool. (4 marks)
正确答案：
(c) There are numerous criticisms that have been made regarding the BCG growth share matrix. Two such criticisms are as
follows:
– It is a model and the weakness of any model is inherent in its assumptions. For example many strategists are of the
opinion that the axes of the model are much too simplistic. The model implies that competitive strength is indicated by
relative market share. However other factors such as strength of brands, perceived product/service quality and costs
structures also contribute to competitive strength.
Likewise the model implies that the attractiveness of the marketplace is indicated by the growth rate of the market. This
is not necessarily the case as organisations that lack the necessary capital resources may find low-growth markets an
attractive proposition especially as they tend to have a lower risk profile than high-growth markets.
– There are problems with defining the market. The model requires management to define the marketplace within which
a business is trading in order that its rate of growth and relative market share can be calculated. This can prove
problematic in comparing competitors since if they supply different products and services then the absence of a
consistent basis for comparison impairs the usefulness of the model.
Other valid criticisms include the following:
The application of the BCG matrix may prove costly and time-consuming since it necessitates the collection of a large
amount of data. The use of the model may also lead to unfortunate consequences, such as:
– Moving into areas where there is little experience
– Over-milking of cash cows
– Abandonment of potentially healthy businesses labelled as problem children
– Neglect of interrelationships among businesses, and
– Too many problem children within the business portfolio largely as a consequence of incorrect focus of
management attention. -
第18题：
5 GE Railways plc (GER) operates a passenger train service in Holtland. The directors have always focused solely on
the use of traditional financial measures in order to assess the performance of GER since it commenced operations
in 1992. The Managing Director of GER has asked you, as a management accountant, for assistance with regard to
the adoption of a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement within GER.
Required:
(a) Prepare a memorandum explaining the potential benefits and limitations that may arise from the adoption of
a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement within GER. (8 marks)
正确答案：
(a) To: Board of directors
From: Management Accountant
Date: 8 June 2007
The potential benefits of the adoption of a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement within GER are as
follows:
A broader business perspective
Financial measures invariably have an inward-looking perspective. The balanced scorecard is wider in its scope and
application. It has an external focus and looks at comparisons with competitors in order to establish what constitutes best
practice and ensures that required changes are made in order to achieve it. The use of the balanced scorecard requires a
balance of both financial and non-financial measures and goals.
A greater strategic focus
The use of the balanced scorecard focuses to a much greater extent on the longer term. There is a far greater emphasis on
strategic considerations. It attempts to identify the needs and wants of customers and the new products and markets. Hence
it requires a balance between short term and long term performance measures.
A greater focus on qualitative aspects
The use of the balanced scorecard attempts to overcome the over-emphasis of traditional measures on the quantifiable aspects
of the internal operations of an organisation expressed in purely financial terms. Its use requires a balance between
quantitative and qualitative performance measures. For example, customer satisfaction is a qualitative performance measure
which is given prominence under the balanced scorecard approach.
A greater focus on longer term performance
The use of traditional financial measures is often dominated by financial accounting requirements, for example, the need to
show fixed assets at their historic cost. Also, they are primarily focused on short-term profitability and return on capital
employed in order to gain stakeholder approval of short term financial reports, the longer term or whole life cycle often being
ignored.
The limitations of a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement may be viewed as follows:
The balanced scorecard attempts to identify the chain of cause and effect relationships which will provide the stimulus for
the future success of an organisation.
Advocates of a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement suggest that it can constitute a vital component
of the strategic management process.
However, Robert Kaplan and David Norton, the authors of the balanced scorecard concept concede that it may not be suitable
for all firms. Norton suggests that it is most suitable for firms which have a long lead time between management action and
financial benefit and that it will be less suitable for firms with a short-term focus. However, other flaws can be detected in
the balanced scorecard.
The balanced scorecard promises to outline the theory of the firm by clearly linking the driver/outcome measures in a cause
and effect chain, but this will be difficult if not impossible to achieve.
The precise cause and effect relationships between measures for each of the perspectives on the balanced scorecard will be
complex because the driver and outcome measures for the various perspectives are interlinked. For example, customer
satisfaction may be seen to be a function of several drivers, such as employee satisfaction, manufacturing cycle time and
quality. However, employee satisfaction may in turn be partially driven by customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction
may partially drive manufacturing cycle time. A consequence of this non-linearity of the cause and effect chain (i.e., there is
non-linear relationship between an individual driver and a single outcome measure), is that there must be a question mark
as to the accuracy of any calculated correlations between driver and outcome measures. Allied to this point, any calculated
correlations will be historic. This implies that it will only be possible to determine the accuracy of cause and effect linkages
after the event, which could make the use of the balanced scorecard in dynamic industries questionable. If the market is
undergoing rapid evolution, for example, how meaningful are current measures of customer satisfaction or market share?
These criticisms do not necessarily undermine the usefulness of the balanced scorecard in presenting a more comprehensive
picture of organisational performance but they do raise doubts concerning claims that a balanced scorecard can be
constructed which will outline a clear cause and effect chain between driver and outcome measures and the firm’s financial
objectives. -
第19题：
(ii) Briefly discuss THREE disadvantages of using EVA? in the measurement of financial performance.
(3 marks)
正确答案：
(ii) Disadvantages of an EVA approach to the measurement of financial performance include:
(i) The calculation of EVA may be complicated due to the number of adjustments required.
(ii) It is difficult to use EVA for inter-firm and inter-divisional comparisons because it is not a ratio measure.
(iii) Economic depreciation is difficult to estimate and conflicts with generally accepted accounting principles.
Note: Other relevant discussion would be acceptable. -
第20题：
Note: requirement (a) includes 4 professional marks.
A central feature of the performance measurement system at TSC is the widespread use of league tables that display
each depot’s performance relative to one another.
Required:
(b) Evaluate the potential benefits and problems associated with the use of ‘league tables’ as a means of
measuring performance. (6 marks)
正确答案：
(b) A central feature of many performance measurement systems is the widespread use of league tables that display each
business unit’s performance relative to one another. In the case of service organisations such as TSC the use of league tables
emphasises the company’s critical success factors of profitability and quality of service by reporting results on a weekly basis
at the depot level. The fact that such league tables are used by management will actively encourage competition, in terms of
performance, among depots. The individual position of a business unit in the league table is keenly observed both by the
manager of that unit and his/her peers.
In theory, performance is transparent. In practice although each depot performs essentially the same function and is subject
to the same modes of measurement, circumstances pertaining to different business units may vary significantly. Some depots
may be situated near to the hub (main distribution centre), some may be located far away and some may be in urban zones
with well developed road networks whilst others may be in remote rural areas. Measuring performance via a league table
makes no allowance whatsoever for these relative differences, hence, inequality is built into the performance measurement
system.
Moreover, depot managers might be held responsible for areas over which they have no formal control. The network nature
of the business suggests that there will be a high degree of interdependence of depots; the depot responsible for collection
will very often not be the depot responsible for delivery. Therefore, it is frequently the case that business may be gained for
which the collecting depot receives the revenue, but for which the delivering depot bears the cost. Obviously this impacts
upon the profit statements of both depots. The formal system might not recognise such difficulties, the corporate view being
that ‘the business needs to be managed’; the depots should therefore see any such anomalies as mild constraints to work
around rather than barriers to break down. In such circumstances delivering depots and collecting depots should discuss such
problems on an informal basis. Such informal discussions are aided by close communications between depots recognising
the interdependencies of the business. -
第21题：
(c) You have just been advised of management’s intention to publish its yearly marketing report in the annual report
that will contain the financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2005. Extracts from the marketing
report include the following:
‘Shire Oil Co sponsors national school sports championships and the ‘Shire Ward’ at the national teaching
hospital. The company’s vision is to continue its investment in health and safety and the environment.
‘Our health and safety, security and environmental policies are of the highest standard in the energy sector. We
aim to operate under principles of no-harm to people and the environment.
‘Shire Oil Co’s main contribution to sustainable development comes from providing extra energy in a cleaner and
more socially responsible way. This means improving the environmental and social performance of our
operations. Regrettably, five employees lost their lives at work during the year.’
Required:
Suggest performance indicators that could reflect the extent to which Shire Oil Co’s social and environmental
responsibilities are being met, and the evidence that should be available to provide assurance on their
accuracy. (6 marks)
正确答案：
(c) Social and environmental responsibilities
Performance indicators
■ Absolute ($) and relative (%) level of investment in sports sponsorship, and funding to the Shire Ward.
■ Increasing number of championship events and participating schools/students as compared with prior year.
■ Number of medals/trophies sponsored at events and/or number awarded to Shire sponsored schools/students.
■ Number of patients treated (successfully) a week/month. Average bed occupancy (daily/weekly/monthly and cumulative
to date).
■ Staffing levels (e.g. of volunteers for sports events, Shire Ward staff and the company):
? ratio of starters to leavers/staff turnover;
? absenteeism (average number of days per person per annum).
1 Withdrawal of the new licence would not create a going concern issue.
2 May also be described as ‘exploration and evaluation’ costs or ‘discovery and assessment’.
■ Number of:
– breaches of health and safety regulations and environmental regulations;
– oil spills;
– accidents and employee fatalities;
– insurance claims.
Evidence
Tutorial note: As there is a wide range of performance indicators that candidates could suggest, there is always a wide range
of possible sources of audit evidence. As the same evidence may contribute to providing assurance on more than one
measure they are not tabulated here, to avoid duplication. However, candidates may justifiably adopt a tabular layout. Also
note, that where measures may be expressed as evidence (e.g. trophies awarded) marks should be awarded only once.
■ Actual level of investment ($) compared with budget and budget compared with prior period.
Tutorial note: Would expect actual to be at least greater than prior year if performance in these areas (health and
safety) has improved.
■ Physical evidence of favourable increases on prior year, for example:
? medals/cups sponsored;
? number of beds available.
■ Increase in favourable press coverage/reports of sponsored events. (Decrease in adverse press about
accidents/fatalities.)
■ Independent surveys (e.g. by marine conservation organisations, welfare groups, etc) comparing Shire favourably with
other oil producers.
■ A reduction in fines paid compared with budget (and prior year).
■ Reduction in legal fees and claims being settled as evidenced by fee notes and correspondence files.
■ Amounts settled on insurance claims and level of insurance cover as compared with prior period. -
第22题：
The earned value technique is a commonlyused method of performance measurement． It integrates project scope, cost, andschedule measures to help the project management team assess projectperformance．If a project’s Schedule Performance Index（SPI=EV/PV） value less than 1.0, itmeans that （74）．
A.the project is ahead of its planned schedule
B.less work was completed than was planned
C.the cost overrun for work completed
D.the cost under-run of performance to date
正确答案：B
此题主要考查挣值分析法的相关概念，它综合了范围、时间和成本数据，主要用于实际成本的绩效测量。基本思想是通过测量和计算已完成工作的预算费用与已完成工作的实际费用，将其与计划工作预算费用相比较得到项目的费用偏差，从而达到判断项目成本和进度计划执行情况，来帮助项目管理团队分析项目的完成情况，衡量项目的成本效率，为成本控制提供依据。挣值分析法主要涉及到3个参数，4个指标。其中3个参数如下：?计划工作量的预算成本（PV），已完成工作量的预算成本（EV），已完成工作量的实际成本（AC）?4个指标是指CV，SV，CPI，SPI：进度偏差（SV）是项目进度绩效的一种指标。成本偏差（CV）是项目成本绩效的一种指标。进度绩效指数（SPI）是比较项目已完成进度与计划进度的一种指标。当SPI小于1.0时，说明已完成的工作量未达到计划要求；当SPI大于1．0时，则说明已完成的工作量超过计划。SPI等于EV与PV的比值。公式：SPI=EV/PV。成本绩效指数（CPI）是比较已完成工作的价值与实际成本的一种指标。它考核已完成工作的成本效率。当CPI小于1.0时，说明已完成工作的成本超支；当CPI大于1.0时，则说明到目前为止成本有结余。CPI等于EV与AC的比值。公式：CPI=EV/AC。 -
第23题：
The earned value technique is a commonly used method of performance measurement. It integrates project scope, cost, and schedule measures to help the project management team assess project performance. If a project’s Schedule Performance Index（SPI=EV/PV） value less than1.0, it means that_（）.A.the project is a head of its planned schedule
B.less work was completed than was planned
C.the cost overrun for work completed
D.the cost under-run of performance to date答案：B解析：挣值技术是一种综合了范围、成本、进度指标的绩效测量方法，帮助项目团队评价项目绩效。如果一个项目的进度绩效指数SPI值小于1，意味着：（74）A．项目滞后B．项目超前C．项目超支D．成本有结余