ACCA December 2006 Exam Tips

Hello,the following is my compilation of tips from every source that i can get,i will update it if i can get any more...

thanks to roy_pck,gary,HBK,b3llad0nna for willingness to share the tips...

WARNING: Tips are no substitute for revision!

Paper 1.3 Managing People

Primary Tips:

* Counseling
* Individual, Groups and Team behaviour
* Motivational Theories
* Objective setting; performance indicators
* Effective Communication
* Management of Diversity/Equal Opportunities

Secondary Tips:

* Leadership Theories
* Recruitment and Selection
* Management by Objectives
* The Learning Process Mumford and Kolb

Paper 2.1 IS

Managing Information Systems

* Business strategy and IS/IT strategy
* IS cost allocation methods
* Feasibility study
* Legacy systems
* Accounting for IS/IT costs
* Staff roles and responsibilities
* Project management and control
* Centralisation/decentralisation

Designing Information Systems

* Methodologies
* Analysis,CASE
* Modelling
* External design: data capture
* Invitation to tender
* Prototyping and 4GL

Evaluating Information Systems

* Security/legislation
* Implementation
* Post-implementation review
* Quality
* Documentation
* Maintenance

Source: Lecturer Parminder Singh (KSA)

1. HCI (specially on GUI n Screen), IS personnel, flat structures
2. Data capture
2. IS/IT/IM strategy
4. Cross-charging, seperate company, centralization/decentralization of IS function
5. SLDC (training, testing, maintenance, fact finding/documentation, TOSE, software packages, change control procedure, data conversion/creation)
6. V model
7. Prototyping, CASE, Spiral model
8. Project management (project plan, network diagram, grantt chart, risk management process)
9. SAD (ERM, decision tables/trees, DFD)
10. Quality (project quality plan)
11. Security (features, malicious software, disaster planning)
12. Legislation (DPA, CMA)

Paper 2.2 Corporate & Business Law

Source: Lecturer Viknes 1v37 (KSA)

Advices:
*Never mention the section if ur unsure as mistake to the section numbers implies serious matter n the whole answer will be voidable at the option of the marker to implies NIL mark for the whole said section or some 'sympathy marks' for u. However, as the fact given, putting down the section number indicating student of well-readness n extra bonus marks might be given to ur overall performance, hereby, again at the option of the marker.
*leading decisions of case law must not be omitted in ur answer. Elaborate all your answer by giving defination (quoted from the act/case law/own defination is acceptable), stating any illustration from the act (if any), n followed by relevant case laws (preferably m'sian case).

Contract law
1. Offer vs ITT & acceptance vs counter offer (D01 Q8)
2. Consideration (executory, executed, past and adequacy issue)
3. Undue Influence (ESSAY)
4. Frustration S57(1)(2)

Company law
1. Minority (Fross v Harbottle possible 20m)
2. Shares (read all plus preference share/redeemable)
3. Receiver (duty, liability)
4. Directorship (dun spot, read all especially duties, possible problem solving question)
5. SLP lifting veil by parliment, S35(1)(2)
6. Auditor (removal)

Agency
1. Duties of Agent to principal
2. Termination
Partnership
1. termination
2. liability

Malaysian Legal System
1. Subsidiary legislation
2. How law is made
3. common law

Employment law
1. constructive dismissal

Paper 2.3 Malaysia Taxation

1. company tax marks targeted: 20/30
- memorize all d expenses whether allowable, not allowable or double deduction n their explanations
- d explanation must b specific. try to avoid explanations like 'wholely and exclusively incurred in d production of income' or 'incurred in d normal course of biz'
- capital allowance is expected to b examined

2. personal tax marks targeted: 15/25
- S13(1)(a) and (b) r expected to b examined in details. must b able to distinguish which benefit falls under which section
- small value asset, repairs vs maintenance, royalty income, child relief (new changes)

3. sales n service tax marks targeted: 8/15
- bad debts
- mostly theories
- sales tax (credit sys)
- service tax (imposition of service tax, failure of non-compliance, evasion of service tax)

4. RPGT marks targeted: 10/15
- memorize d RPGT computation n isi tempat kosong laugh.gif
- NGNL especially transfer of asset from individual to co controlled by him/her [para 3(b)]
- private residence exemption (new changes)

5-7. others: marks targeted: 3/15 laugh.gif
1. CA [HOT!!!]
2. resident status
3. individual tax planning
4. SAS for co
5. case law R or E
*FYI s108 not targeted smile.gif

ACCA 2.4 Financial Management and Control

 Investment Appraisal; NPV to include relevant costs, tax and inflation, and possibly capital rationing and/or sensitivity analsysis, determinants of the discount rate
 Raising Finance
 Ratio analysis
 Replacement policy
 Working capital management, possibly to include stock
 Costing systems (ABC ?)
 Budgeting and Budgetary control
 Divisional Performance appraisal and strategic performance measures
 Long term finance and gearing

FTMS CKT Tips

CaseStudy : Investment Appraisal (NPV)

section b
-Sources of Finance : Ratio -Debt Valuation (calculate & discuss)
-Financial Risk & Investor Ratio
-Standard Costing : Mix & Yield Var**

ACCA Paper 2.4 – Financial Management & Control

Section A: One compulsory question worth 50 marks

Question 1
investment appraisal & about 10 marks management accounting.
Section B: Two out of 4 questions each worth 25 marks

Question 2 to 5

2 of section B questions will be in the area of financial management and the other 2 questions on management accounting. Of these, one question will be purely theory. In the last exam paper, the pure theory question was on aspect of financial management. This time may be financial management as well.

Possible topics:

1. Last Paper Lack Investment Appraisal. Focus on - Investment App :: Appraisal Techniques , evaluation decision with relevant cost, inflation, tax adjustment(might incorparate probability and expected value) , capital rationing & replacement policy.

2. Working capital management. Focus on debtors ( assessing credit worthiness and cash discount), Cash Mgmt ( miller-orr model & operating cycle) also likely.

3. Sources of finance. Focus on debentures( convertible debenture) valuation. Theory on methods of issuing share. Every Exam there is Question on Investment Ratios.

4. Flexible budget,Incremental Budget, ZBB and rolling Budget.Forecasting techniques : Regression Analysis.

5. Performance Measurement

6.There is a question on variances in each exam. So look out! *Mix & Yield Var*

ACCA Paper 2.5

Paper 2.5 does not change. You must work through the last 6 exams. The style and content of the questions remains very much the same.

Q.1 is consolidation and you can expect another balance sheet but be prepared for an income statement. You must be able to include an associate (or a joint venture) in the consolidated accounts using the equity method.

Q.2 is the “list of balances” question – practise on the last 6 exam questions – they cover the same ground. There are two approaches. Either go for workings to start with and then prepare the financial
statements asked for, or prepare pro-forma financial statements first and fill in the numbers as you work through each note in the question. This is a good question to choose in Section B. It is not difficult, but it is time consuming.

Q.3 is the single-standard question together with accounting principles – focus on impairment,provisions, eps, leases, contracts, discontinued operations. Consider the principle of substance over form and the principles of revenue recognition.

Q.4 usually includes a cash flow statement – work through the last 6 question 4s from past papers.You should get some financial analysis in December. Remember your ratios and the key points for comment.

Q.5 is the “multi-standard” question – of course you need to know all examinable standards.


ACCA 2.6 Exam Tips

 New Client Appointment / Conflicts of Interest
 Practical Audit Risk
 Engagement Letters
 Materiality
 Management Letter - purchases / computer controls
 Sampling
 Substantive Testing of Receivables / Payables
 Audit Report scenarios
 Role of Audit Committees
 Responsibilities for fraud

McOrange Sheila's 2.6 Tips [NEWLY ARRIVED!!!] rclxm9.gif

1. Ethics
- conflict of interest
- what to do when fraud/ defaults & unlawful acts are discovered
- new client appointment/ considering whether to continue wif client

2. Identifying business risk & how to manage the risks identified/ internal review

3. Internal controls & tests of controls (payrolls function or purchasing function)

4. Role of EA & IA in risk management

5. Internal audit

6. Identifying audit risk - scenario

7. External review - theory - ISRE 2400

8. Substantive procedures
- audit of trade receivables and ISA 505 direct confirmation (incl. use of CAATs)
- audit of bank/ overdraft/ loans (incl. use of CAATs)
- audit of accounting estimates (provision for bad debts, prov for damages)

9. sampling

10. materiality, summary of audit differences

11. analytical review

12. audit automation, CAATs

13. audit report - theory or scenarios

14. going concern (symtoms, audit procedures & audit reports)

15. misc audit stds:
- ISA 260, 510, 720, 230, 700

16. Corp governance- role of audit committee

ACCA 3.1 Exam Tips

 Risk Appraisal, Risk Management and Audit Strategy
 Assurance Services - PFI and Performance Measurement
 Matters and Evidence - usual GAAP favourites - Intangibles, Provisions, Impairment etc.
 Audit Reports - ISAs 570 & 720
 Ethics/Professional Conduct/Practice Management
 Current Issues - 'Yesterday's News'


ACCA 3.3 Exam Tips

 Contribution based decision-making – possibly involving expected values, maximax, maximin & minimax regret.
 Performance evaluation – ROI/RI and the conflict between performance evaluation and investment appraisal.
 The strategic framework – specifically a question based around the examiner’s recent article on “Business Strategy and Performance Models” (Student Accountant – April 2006). This is likely to focus on Porter’s 5 Forces and/or Ansoff’s matrix
 Decision making, focus on calculations of contribution and/or throughput
 Pricing decisions (discussion of traditional vs. strategic pricing decisions,maybe something on bowman's strategy clock)
 Modern developments. JIT, TQM and a discussion of activity based
management (ABC, ABB etc)
 Strategic planning models...value chain analysis or porters 5 forces
 Performance measurement. Divisional performance measurement and transfer pricing
 Benchmarking
 Maybe small question on MIS




ACCA 3.4 Exam Tips

 Porters five forces
 Macfarlan/Peppard
 Earls 3 leg
 PEST
 EIS
 Data management and data mining
 Soft systems methodology
 Impacts of the use of ecommerce
 Software selection – web site design

ACCA 3.5 Exam Tips

• 60 marks study –likely to focus strategic management
• Environmental analysis
• Stakeholders
• Strategic options

• Section B ( possible areas)
• Marketing strategy possibly in a foreign country, where you would
have to analyse how you would adapt the marketing mix for a foreign
market
• Ethics/social responsibility
• ROI problems / benefits
• Role of the accountant in the innovation process
• Innovation/Business Growth/International Business/Change Management

ACCA 3.6 Exam Tips

Section A

This compulsory question will be on the preparation of consolidated accounts and the preparation of a group accounts with a foreign subsidiary is due, as is cash flow statements!


Section B

 Share based payments
 Deferred tax
 Financial instruments.
 Developments in group accounts
 Management Commentary / the OFR
 Reporting of non financial performance e.g. Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability reporting
 Measurement issues
 Accounting standard for SMEs



ACCA 3.7 Exam Tips

Section A

* Overseas NPV: Ability to perform a basic overseas NPV/FCF calculation. Including one off cash flows, annuities and perpetuity calculations and the knowledge of the specific issues that relate to foreign direct investment.

* Company Valuation within the context of Merger and Acquisitions: A possible question that requires a valuation under various methods like NAV, DVM, P/E Ratio and FCFs. (maybe within the context of Going Private.) Also review the share for share exchange style questions.

* WACC - Risk adjusted WACC – APV calculations within the context of a standard investment appraisal question. However risk adjusted WACC could also be examined within the context of traditional gearing.

* Risk management: Interest rate risk / Currency Risk

Section B:

* Economic Value Added – EVA
* Portfolio Theory and CAPM - summary and alpha tables
* Dividend Policy
* Term Structure of Interest rate
* International economics – I.M.F., Treasury Management. Balance of payments deficits and Forecasting exchange rates.