P2 November 2014 Question Paper PDF
P2 November 2014 Question Paper PDF
P2 November 2014 Question Paper PDF
Performance Pillar
P2 – Performance Management
P2 – Performance Management
19 November 2014 – Wednesday Afternoon Session
Instructions to candidates
You are allowed 20 minutes reading time before the examination begins
during which you should read the question paper and, if you wish, make
annotations on the question paper. However, you will not be allowed, under
any circumstances, to open the answer book and start writing or use your
calculator during this reading time.
You are strongly advised to carefully read ALL the question requirements
before attempting the question concerned (that is all parts and/or sub-
questions).
ALL answers must be written in the answer book. Answers written on the
question paper will not be submitted for marking.
You should show all workings as marks are available for the method you use.
The list of verbs as published in the syllabus is given for reference on page
19.
Write your candidate number, the paper number and examination subject title
in the spaces provided on the front of the answer book. Also write your
contact ID and name in the space provided in the right hand margin and seal
to close.
Tick the appropriate boxes on the front of the answer book to indicate which
questions you have answered.
TURN OVER
[You are advised to spend no longer than 18 minutes on each question in this
section.]
Question One
PK is a large public company in the telecommunications sector. One of its main planning and
control tools is the preparation and use of traditional annual budgets. Whilst this may be
appropriate for the Sales and Manufacturing divisions, it draws criticisms from the directors of
divisions such as Training and Education, Advertising and Publicity, and Research and
Development who are responsible for large amounts of discretionary expenditure. These
directors have submitted a joint report to the Finance Director which suggests that Zero-
Based Budgeting (ZBB) should be used for their respective divisions.
The Finance Director has agreed to use the Research and Development division as a pilot for
ZBB for the next financial year.
Required:
Explain Zero-Based Budgeting and the main stages that would need to be
undertaken to introduce it into the Research and Development Division.
CD manufactures and sells a number of products. All of its products have a life cycle of less
than one year. CD uses a four stage life cycle model (Introduction, Growth, Maturity and
Decline).
However CD expects that other companies will try to join the market very soon.
This product is currently in the Introduction stage of its life cycle and is generating significant
unit profits. However, there are concerns that these current unit profits will not continue
during the other stages of the product’s life cycle.
Required:
Explain, with reasons, the changes, if any, to the unit selling price AND the unit
production cost that could occur when the product moves from the previous stage into
each of the following stages of its life cycle:
(i) Growth
(ii) Maturity
TURN OVER
A company is developing a new product. During its expected life, 16,000 units of the product
will be sold for $82 per unit.
Production will be in batches of 1,000 units throughout the life of the product. The direct
labour cost is expected to reduce due to the effects of learning for the first eight batches
produced. Thereafter, the direct labour cost will remain constant at the same cost per batch
th
as the 8 batch.
The direct labour cost of the first batch of 1,000 units is expected to be $35,000 and a 90%
learning effect is expected to occur.
The direct material and other non-labour related variable costs will be $40 per unit throughout
the life of the product.
Required:
(a)
th
(i) Calculate the expected direct labour cost of the 8 batch.
(4 marks)
(ii) Calculate the expected contribution to be earned from the product over its
lifetime.
(2 marks)
Note: The learning index for a 90% learning curve = -0.152
It is now thought that a learning effect will continue for all of the 16 batches that will be
produced.
YY is a large banking organisation. It has a branch in most of the towns in the country in
which it operates. The bank’s business is mainly concerned with private individuals. It is a
very ‘traditional’ bank that offers only ‘over the counter’ services during limited opening hours.
At a recent board meeting, the directors of the bank stated that they were worried that the
bank was losing customers to the new style banks that offer a much more friendly service,
longer opening hours, internet banking and a diverse range of banking services.
It has now been decided that the bank will pursue strategies to achieve the goal of being
“The bank that people choose” and will use a balanced scorecard to monitor progress
towards that goal.
Required:
Produce, for each of the three non-financial perspectives of a balanced scorecard, an
objective and a performance measure that the bank could use. (In your answer you must
state each perspective, and the objective and performance measure for that perspective
and explain why they support the goal of YY becoming “The bank that people choose”.)
TURN OVER
A company sells three products: D, E and F. The market for the products dictates that the
numbers of products sold are always in the ratio of 3D:4E:5F.
Budgeted sales volumes and prices, and cost details for the previous period were as follows:
D E F
Sales units 300 400 500
Selling price per unit $80 $55 $70
Contribution to sales ratio 70% 65% 50%
The budgeted total fixed costs for that period were $31,200.
Required:
(ii) the volume of each product that would have needed to be sold if the
company had wanted to earn a profit of $29,520 in that period.
(6 marks)
The budget for the previous period was based on the company having a 20% share of the
total market of 6,000 units.
It has now been realised that the size of the market had been under-estimated. The actual
total market size for that period was 7,500 units.
During that period the company actually sold 1,740 units for a total of $109,500. Unit variable
costs were as expected but total fixed costs were 10% higher than budgeted.
End of Section A
TURN OVER
[You are advised to spend no longer than 45 minutes on each question in this section.]
Question Six
X Y Z
Selling price per unit $ 28.00 36.00 42.00
Variable cost per unit $ 12.00 10.00 21.50
The production line has a capacity of 30,000 processing hours per month and is not used to
make any other products. The monthly demand for the products at the current selling prices
is as follows:
X: 8,000 units
Y: 6,000 units
Z: 6,000 units
Required:
(a) Calculate the optimum production plan and the resulting contribution per
month based on the above information.
(4 marks)
AC’s Managing Director has now completed a review of the market and has decided to
discontinue Product Y. It has been established that a new competitor has entered the market
with a product that is technically superior to Product Y. Also, the competitor seems to be
adopting a market penetration pricing policy and AC will not be able to match the low selling
price.
The current machinery necessitates that production runs must be for 1,000 units.
Required:
(b) Calculate the optimum monthly production plan and the resulting contribution.
(Note: the maximum processing time is 30,000 hours per month).
(8 marks)
A machine can be hired that would enable processing time to be increased to 60,000 hours
per month. The machine does not have to be set up for production runs of 1,000 units.
Required:
(c) Calculate the maximum amount per month that should be paid to hire the
machine.
Note: If P = a - bx then MR = a - 2bx
(8 marks)
The Production Director has suggested that the Managing Director was too hasty when
making the decision to discontinue Product Y and should have subjected Product Y to a
“value analysis” exercise.
Required:
(d) Discuss the view that subjecting Product Y to a value analysis exercise could
have led to that product not being discontinued.
(5 marks)
TURN OVER
AA and BB are two divisions of the ZZ group. The AA division manufactures electrical
components which it sells to other divisions and external customers.
The BB division has designed a new product, Product B, and has asked AA to supply the
electrical component, Component A, that is needed in the new product. This will be a
completely new style of component. Each unit of Product B will require one Component A.
This component will not be sold by AA to external customers. AA has quoted a transfer price
to BB of $45 for each unit of Component A.
It is the policy of the ZZ group to reward managers based on their individual division’s return
on capital employed.
AA division
BB division
The relationship between monthly customer demand and the selling price of Product B is
shown below:
(i) BB division
(ii) AA division
(iii) ZZ group
(9 marks)
(b) Calculate the maximum monthly profit from the sale of Product B for the
ZZ group.
(4 marks)
(c) Calculate, using the marginal cost of Component A as the transfer price,
the monthly profit that would be earned as a result of selling Product B by:
(i) BB division
(ii) AA division
(iii) ZZ group
(5 marks)
(d) Discuss, using the above scenario, the problems of setting a transfer price and
suggest a transfer pricing policy that would help the ZZ group to overcome the
transfer pricing problems that it faces.
(7 marks)
(
Present value of 1 unit of currency, that is 1+ r )−n where r = interest rate; n = number of
periods until payment or receipt.
PROBABILITY
A ∪ B = A or B. A ∩ B = A and B (overlap).
P(B | A) = probability of B, given A.
Rules of Addition
If A and B are mutually exclusive: P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B)
If A and B are not mutually exclusive: P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A ∩ B)
Rules of Multiplication
If A and B are independent: P(A ∩ B) = P(A) * P(B)
If A and B are not independent: P(A ∩ B) = P(A) * P(B | A)
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
Arithmetic Mean
∑x ∑ fx
x = x= (frequency distribution)
n ∑f
Standard Deviation
∑( x − x ) 2 ∑ fx 2
SD = SD = − x 2 (frequency distribution)
n ∑f
INDEX NUMBERS
P
∑ w ∗ 1
Po
Price: x 100
∑w
Q
∑ w ∗ 1
Quantity:
Qo x 100
∑w
TIME SERIES
Additive Model
Series = Trend + Seasonal + Random
Multiplicative Model
Series = Trend * Seasonal * Random
Annuity
Present value of an annuity of £1 per annum receivable or payable for n years, commencing in one
year, discounted at r% per annum:
1 1
PV = 1 −
r [1 + r ] n
Perpetuity
Present value of £1 per annum, payable or receivable in perpetuity, commencing in one year,
discounted at r% per annum:
1
PV =
r
LEARNING CURVE
b
Yx = aX
where:
Yx = the cumulative average time per unit to produce X units;
a = the time required to produce the first unit of output;
X = the cumulative number of units;
b = the index of learning.
The exponent b is defined as the log of the learning curve improvement rate divided by log 2.
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
Level 1 - KNOWLEDGE
What you are expected to know. List Make a list of
State Express, fully or clearly, the details/facts of
Define Give the exact meaning of
Level 2 - COMPREHENSION
What you are expected to understand. Describe Communicate the key features
Distinguish Highlight the differences between
Explain Make clear or intelligible/State the meaning or
purpose of
Identify Recognise, establish or select after
consideration
Illustrate Use an example to describe or explain
something
Level 3 - APPLICATION
How you are expected to apply your knowledge. Apply Put to practical use
Calculate Ascertain or reckon mathematically
Demonstrate Prove with certainty or to exhibit by
practical means
Prepare Make or get ready for use
Reconcile Make or prove consistent/compatible
Solve Find an answer to
Tabulate Arrange in a table
Level 4 - ANALYSIS
How are you expected to analyse the detail of Analyse Examine in detail the structure of
what you have learned. Categorise Place into a defined class or division
Compare and contrast Show the similarities and/or differences
between
Construct Build up or compile
Discuss Examine in detail by argument
Interpret Translate into intelligible or familiar terms
Prioritise Place in order of priority or sequence for action
Produce Create or bring into existence
Level 5 - EVALUATION
How are you expected to use your learning to Advise Counsel, inform or notify
evaluate, make decisions or recommendations. Evaluate Appraise or assess the value of
Recommend Advise on a course of action
P2 – Performance Management
November 2014