看看有你所在的西藏有上榜吗——ACCA中国考点分布城市

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(b) Benchmarking at Marlow Fashion will not be an easy exercise. Marlow Fashion has developed a distinctive way of reaching
its markets that means direct comparisons will be hard to make. Certainly, it can carry out historical benchmarking in
comparing how its own processes and activities have improved, or otherwise, over a relevant period of time. Unfortunately,
this is likely to simply confirm worsening performance. It can compare its own key operations against the ‘best in class’;
regardless of which industry the excellent performer comes from. It could and should have been carrying out competitive
benchmarking on the retail side of the business where information should be more easily available. There may be an
opportunity to benchmark itself against firms that have gone through a similar crisis and achieved a successful turnaround.

In terms of the advantages and disadvantages, the willingness of managers responsible for a key area of performance to
compare themselves against relevant external performance measures should make them take responsibility for any changes
necessary. In Marlow Fashion, the acceptance that things have to be done differently will be the first stage in the turnaround.
Getting managers face-to-face with the problems, accepting responsibility for change and recognising that the necessary
changes are ‘doable’ is an important stage in creating a willingness to change. The disadvantages are that every organisation
and situation is different and there is no one best way. Marlow Fashion thought it had discovered the best way and this created
an unwillingness to change. There is also the danger that you are solving today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions. A good
competitor will be trying to maintain its competitive advantage through constantly improving its processes. It also has a vested
interest in trying to prevent its improvements from being revealed to its competitors. Also, many of the ‘softer’ processes –
typically involving people – are difficult if not impossible to replicate in another organisation. These advantages are to do with
culture and leadership and not easily transferable to another organisation and the context in which it is operating.

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(b) Principal additional information
■ Any service contracts with the directors or other members of the management team (e.g. the quantity surveyor). These
may contain ‘exit’ or other settlement terms in the event that their services are no longer required after a takeover/buyout.
■ Prior period financial statements (to 30 June 2005) disclosing significant accounting policies and the key assumptions
concerning the future (and other key sources of estimation uncertainty) that have a significant risk of causing a material
adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the year to 30 June 2006.
For example, concerning:
– the outcome on the Sarwar dispute;
– estimates for guarantees/claims for rectification;
– assumptions made in estimating costs to completion (e.g. for increases in costs of materials or labour).
Tutorial note: Under IAS 1 ‘Presentation of Financial Statements’ the judgements made by management that have the
most significant effect on amounts recognised in financial statements (other than those involving estimations) should
also be disclosed.
■ The most recent management accounts and cash flow forecasts to assess the quality of management information being
used for decision-making and control. In particular, in providing Robson with the means of keeping its cash flows within
its overdraft limit.
Tutorial note: Note that Prescott has substantial cash resources. Therefore Robson’s lack of finance might be a reason
why its management are interested in selling the business.
■ A copy of the signed bank agreement for the overdraft facility (and any other agreements with finance providers). Any
breaches in debt covenants might result in penalties of contingent liabilities that Prescott would have to bear if it acquired
Robson.
■ The standard terms of contracts with customers for construction works. In particular, for:
– guarantees given (e.g. for rectification under warranty);
– penalty clauses (e.g. in the event of overruns or non-completion);
– disclaimers (including conditions for invoking force majeure).
Prescott will want to make some allowance for settlement of liabilities arising on contracts already completed/in-progress
when offering a price for Robson.
Tutorial note: A takeover might excuse Robson from fulfilling a contract.
■ Legal/correspondence files dealing with matters such as the claims of the residents of the housing development and
Robson’s claim against Sarwar Services Co. Also, fee notes rendered by Robson’s legal advisers showing the costs
incurred on matters referred to them.
■ Robson’s insurer’s ‘cover note’ to determine Robson’s exposure to claims for rectification work, damages, injuries to
employees, etc.
■ The quantity surveyor’s working papers for the last quarterly count (presumably at 31 March 2006) and the latest
available rolling budgets. Particular attention should be given to loss-making contracts and contracts that have not been
started. (Prescott might seek to settle rather than fulfil them.) The pattern of taking profits on contracts will be of
interest, for example, to determine the accuracy of the quantity surveyor’s estimates.
Tutorial note: A regular pattern of taking too much profit too soon might be due to underestimating costs to completion
or be evidence of cost overruns due to rectification.
■ Type and frequency of constructions undertaken. Prescott is interested in the building and refurbishment of hotels and
leisure facilities. Robson’s experience in this area may not be extensive.
■ Non-current asset register showing location of plant and equipment so that some test checking on physical existence
might be undertaken (if an agreed-upon-procedure).

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(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.