found this tips from open tuition, let's take this as warm up
any1 mind to post ans here share n discuss?


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ACCA P3: BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Lecturer : Marcus Ong

Question 1 Case study :
Accounting firm travels frequently to clients’ office for audit, follow ups and deliver reports
Problems of:-

-Late deliveries
-Poor communication with client on audit changes
-Outdated software and incompatibility with clients system
-High labour turnover.
-Loss of confidential documents.

Required :
a) evaluate the possibility to merger based on your current analysis. Write a report to Board evaluating the proposals risks and benefits.
[12 marks include 2 professional marks]
b) Business Process Reengineering is radical, fundamental, dramatic and changes process. Your Director is keen to apply the concepts to solve the above mentioned problems. Use appropriate models to recommend improvement process strategy. [15 marks include 2 professional marks]
c) Based on Harmon process strategy matrix, evaluate the context of firm processes. [8 marks]
d) Why QMS and attaining ISO 9000 series will bring competitive advantages? [5 marks]
e) Provide four methods and its implications of financing the new Information System project. [10 marks]

Question 2 Case study :

Airline company wishes to integrate its booking systems online with rivals. To increase its market reach

Required:

a) Explain the usefulness of V Model and SSADM in the airline context. [10 marks]

b) What are the implications of OUTSOURCING software development? Should company consider purchasing off the shelve software. [10 marks]

c) Outline an appropriate job design for IT employees for the above tasks. [5 marks]


Question 3 Case study :

Seminars Training Centre provide management and accounting courses.

Required:

a) Why consider e-commerce strategy? Any good in adopting CRM? [10 marks]

b) Why appropriate leadership is critical to implementation strategy? [5 marks]

c) What are the advantages and disadvantages of adopting a rational programmed strategy process for firm.

[10 marks]

Question 4 Case study :

New shopping mall construction in progress. Discover that building materials are toxic if over exposed. Use substitutes materials, will quickly result in losses for project.

Required:

a) What is the ethical stance that company should adopt? [10 marks]

b) Stakeholders may object to your recommendations. Outline a solution to propose to Board. [10 marks]

c) Explain the usefulness of performance management tool in managing the project. [5marks]

NOTE TO INTI STUDENTS: Answers plans for the above are already sent.

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY: while it is good to focus on Hot Topics but to rely on them exclusively is both

detrimental to your mental health & performance in exam.

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Added on June 4, 2009, 1:09 ambased on the June exam, last day is 10th which is F1 & P3
omg, gotta bcome white mouse for my P3, if any mistake my ans cant appeer on screen then how???



3. Please use black pen at all times; to complete your details on the booklet and when answering the exam questions.
Pencil, fountain pens, gel pens and other colours of pen (including highlighter pens) will not be picked up by the scanning technology and could result in questions not being marked correctly.

i like to use black "Pilot" pen in the exam, consider black pen ???

This post has been edited by bonkist: Jun 4 2009, 01:09 AM

I have no opinion on this sitting's audit paper.
So, i shall just relate what came out in this sitting's paper from memory...if it serves me well...lol.

Q1:
Components of audit strategy and examples of application in scenario.
Substantive analytical procedures on sales income on daily and yearly basis.
Ticket sales dealing with cash and credit card receipts.
Audit procedures on credit card sales balance.

Q2:
4 examples and explanations of Audit Sampling methods.
4 audit assertions to obtain audit evidence on classes of transactions and balances.
Explanation of the term 'modification' in context of audit report.

Q3:
Benefits of using audit software.
Problems faced during course of audit (scenario)
Considerations when evaluating computer sys documentation prepared by internal auditor.

Q4:
Contrast the responsibilities of internal and external auditors.
Benefits to the company of an audit committee (scenario)

Q5:
How to respond to a situation of misstatement in a client's accounts.
Whom to report the situation of 'ficticious' inventory.
Safeguards auditors can implement when facing intimidation threat by client.

Correct me if i'm wrong!!!

Erm, cannot use blue pen? why? I used blue pen for my exam - -.

Edit: Oh, only applies to last day? phew**

This post has been edited by Raymond_ACCA: Jun 4 2009, 01:23 AM

Because most scanning software used to scan OCR forms, only can detect black and white, so my bet is the examiner will see your writing in black as well, that's why highlighter all will not be visible.

You can use blue, but use a very dark one, that also at your own risk. But in the end, the marker will see your writing in black.

Please pray that all the PC's in UK comes with LCD and no CRT exists. I can't imagine an old marker staring at the CRT at 60Hz refresh rate for hours.

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Added on June 4, 2009, 1:47 amPilot pens are gel ink pens But I think Pilot gel pens are those high quality ones, should be alright I guess. The main issue with gel pens is when it contacts with water, smudges easily. But now there are already pigment gel ink pens. Waterproof gel ink pens.

This post has been edited by karhoe: Jun 4 2009, 01:47 AM

Anyone have tips for F5? I don't know where should focus.....

As for F5, know everything. There is no standardized question like F6 or F7.

P4..reg the Futures contracts hedge, If we wil receive payment, should we buy or sell contracts 1st? Because in Kaplan text book illustration, it's answer is sell contracts whether receive or make payment in future date..blur

OMG. I suppose to study Choong Kwai Fatt textbook rather than other Taxation lecturers

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Added on June 4, 2009, 10:19 amBTW, just forget about it.
Cash Flow will or not to be examined in F7?

This post has been edited by prole: Jun 4 2009, 10:19 AM

anyone help pls TQ

i am doin my degree in marketing now, planning to go for MBA in future..
now, i don think i am fine with mkt.. i am a quiet person... but i don wanna stop half way..
so if i decided to take ACCA part 1 and if i finish, i ve both MBA and ACCA, will these 2 b legal ? bcoz i heard u cannot have 2 duno wad baord together ? isit ?
help please...
thanks in advance

i also taking f5

performance appraisal:ratio,single measure V multi measure,absolute measure v relative measure,NPO,pricing decison(transfer pricing)...too wide

control: planning & operation var(examiner's essay) + mix & yield + variance interpretation,the use of budgetary control(essay),responsibility accounting(essay),motivational aspect(essay)

decision making:almost all ,may be relevant cost(calcultaion+explanation)+ special pricing order(essay) ,make or buy(outsourcing essay),throughput v cost benefit approach(scare resource)

planning:zero base budgeting(theory),fix/flexible budget(let u calculate like hell),organisation aspect,beyond budget

modern accounting:ABC(calculation) ,throughput +black flush(essay),just-in-time,(essay),comparison traditional v modern(essay)

sub:enhance the essay,f5 is a single source treatment,all section overlapped(not source by source)
learning curve theory.forecasting(who knows?),diffent type benchmarking,MC v AC v ABC ,linear programming(i hope so).....many more

this year 5 question that implicate no very long calculation with long essay (question) that wasting time to answer.and all topic may full covered to discourage spotting
honestly f5 must prepare all ,no shortcut for pass.you deserved what u paid.

This post has been edited by stupid: Jun 4 2009, 01:31 PM

any response in P4 paper anyone?

This post has been edited by gecodine: Jun 4 2009, 08:51 PM

Whoa finally came back from P4 exam.
After discussing with friends it seems this paper is very hard, way harder than all the past sitting I think.

Qs 1 (28 marks)
Question starts on investment appraisal (favourite topic of all lower level finance student due to simplicity & straight forwardness)
A) 14m : Do NPV which is straightforward but start backward like corporate tax which starts from net profit.
Qs is ok but i'm not sure about the post tax cashflow. I regrossed the CF then add the stuffs. Another way is straight do then regrossed total. Not sure which. Then ask sensitivity analysis, no time just simply do the theory.

B) Ask discounted payback & duration phase : quite straightforward
C) Comment on acceptability of project based on existing 3 technic. Then comment on other technics. I simply gave IRR, MIRR & VAR.

Review : Should be ok & none of my friends mentioned about this qs yet.

Qs 2 (32 marks)
This is the bombshell since its core.
A) Start asking about selling off assets to do repay debt with 2 option : net reinvestment in NCA & shares buyback.
I just simply redo the entire F/S but a bit confused on the shares buyback since its not enough to purchase all & buyback at MV & there is no premium to highlight it.

B) WACC of both option : I think can do but not sure which is which (change in credit rating , gearing affect beta, coupon rate vs mkt interest)
C) Comment on the 2 option viability : average

Qs 3) Forex currency swap.
A) I really don't know how to present final answer but I got all the workings
B) Comment on adv & disadv of the swap. Quite ok can still bluff.

Qs 4) Memo
Quite ok since its pretty straightforward on bribery, insider trading, negligence & some law problem on patents.

Qs 5) More like P5 stuff since it ask priority of investment based on NPV & IRR. Then calculate interest rate. Never do this one. I spend 5 minute there whether to do Qs 3 or Qs 5 since both also clueless

Special note : They release more than 3 articles for P4 & none was even mentioned in finance but in tax they test all the articles they released.
Overall the question asked is very different from all the previous sittting so the difficulty part is quite subjective to different lecturers. Some lecturers always said the question is easy to scare students or to gloat, while others will always said the question is hard so student take nothing for granted.

Finally finished all paper now just wait for result, good luck with the rest of you guys.
Last note : Finance is the most difficult paper in all acca I have ever attempted & even if you ask other lecturers they will said so too. So becareful when choose this paper for optional if you want to pass but its deadly useful if you wish to enter banking one day.

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Added on June 4, 2009, 9:00 pmRedesign is small scale while reengineering is large scale overhaul. Use the dramatic change for the word engineering which examiner constantly uses. Examples :
Redesign : Imagine Coca-cola & Vanilla coke
Reengineering : Imagine PS2 larger version with the slimmer version or Proton Wira & Proton Satria.

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Added on June 4, 2009, 9:05 pmACCA have 3 major parts & only by passing them all you will have a full cert to be called acca affiliate.
You can take MBA with ACCA & no people will care how many proffesional qualification you have.
The most important is to PAY THE MEMBERSHIP FEES then everything its ok with respective body.

Finish you marketing degree first b4 considering jumping around. There is possibility while doing acca or MBA you encountered other interest than hop to another programme then you are forever stuck with no qualifications.

This post has been edited by Topace111: Jun 4 2009, 09:05 PM

p4 has killed me =.=
Question 2 dunno how 2 do at all .. !!!!

I've been killed by F9 today...

F9 questions 3 n 4 so damn tricky....dunno how to do
Die liao...although question 1 n 2 calculation part damn easy la

Topace111,

do you know how the examiner give mark to the answer?
i mean in Q2 P4 paper, i think my calculation is wrong, but the method i used is correct.. Is there a chances the examiner give me some point?

p/s i know the method used is rite bcoz i refer to the lecturer's notes

This post has been edited by gecodine: Jun 4 2009, 11:39 PM

Same

Agree.

Not to sure about it since the qs itself split into 3 component. Which one you are referring to ?
For first one I'm any answer is possible
For 2nd one, its normal to list Ve, Vd, Ke & Kd (1 - T) so maybe some format marks.
For 3rd one : comment not to sure.
The answer itself required answer on 2 options so again its hard to determine since I have not seen too much of these qs around.
Anyway we will not know until we get our result. No point scaring ourself to death or getting overconfident.

But from Past year standard its very hard to gain full marks for calculations in finance compared to theory.

I need to give some advice to all ACCA June 09 sitting student,

Since yours still got some paper to go next week, I think it is better not to discuss correct or wrong answer too much la. All these can't change and only will affect your mood for next paper.

This round is 4th sitting for new syllabus, so I don't think the examiner still will set too much direct question for the exam. So past is past, forget about it and concentrate to your next paper.

Good luck and All the best

This post has been edited by carlosandy: Jun 5 2009, 01:16 AM