CIMA Strategic Case Study Overview
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Transcript of CIMA Strategic Case Study Overview
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Exam Success Workshop
18 Nov 2015
Samuel Li, ACMA CGMA
Learning Support Manager
2015 Syllabus and Assessment –
Strategic Case Study
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• 2015 Syllabus and Assessment – the rationale
• Case study passing criteria
• Exam techniques – question walkthrough
• Be exam ready!
Agenda
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The 2015 CIMA Qualification
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Case studies(Long and short answer essay questions)
Objective tests
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CGMA competency framework
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Approach to Case Study
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• 3 hours
• Preseen available to download 7 weeks before exam
• 3 – 5 tasks in each exam
• Each tasks will have a specific time assigned to
• Students will be forced to ‘move on’ when time is up
• Not possible to return to previous task once moved on
• Human marked
• Result given in 4 – 5 weeks
• Available 4 times a year. Each sitting has a window of 5 days
• Total of 5 variants, randomly selected by the system
• Possible to reschedule up to 14 days before examination
Exam logistics
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• 80 out of 150
• Meeting the minimum threshold (approx. 1/3) against each competency
• You will be issued one of three categories indicating your performance for
each competency
– Fail: Below the minimum threshold
– Moderate: Between the minimum threshold and just above the
performance of a minimally competent candidate for the specific
competency.
– Strong: Demonstrating a high level of competency
Passing case study exam
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Competency Mix at strategic level Minimum threshold
Technical 23% 8%
Business 23% 8%
People 22% 7%
Leadership 23% 8%
Integration 9% 3%
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Competency mix at different level
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• Overall fail (less than 80 out of 150)
• Student should review ALL competencies before re-take
• Special attention should be pay to the People and Leadership
skills
Example 1
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Competency Weight Threshold Student score Result display
Technical 23% 8% 10% Moderate
Business 23% 8% 10% Moderate
People 22% 7% 5% Fail
Leadership 23% 8% 3% Fail
Integration 9% 3% 3% Moderate
Total 100% - 31% FAIL50/150
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• Overall fail (less than 80 out of 150)
• Student should review ALL competencies before re-take
• The scale score (out of 150) will show how close the student is
from passing
Example 2
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Competency Weight Threshold Student score Result display
Technical 23% 8% 10% Moderate
Business 23% 8% 10% Moderate
People 22% 7% 10% Moderate
Leadership 23% 8% 10% Moderate
Integration 9% 3% 4% Moderate
Total 100% - 44% FAIL70/150
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• At least one competency not reaching threshold, so fail
• Focus on Leadership before re-take
Example 3
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Competency Weight Threshold Student score Result display
Technical 23% 8% 20% Strong
Business 23% 8% 20% Strong
People 22% 7% 20% Strong
Leadership 23% 8% 5% Fail
Integration 9% 3% 3% Moderate
Total 100% - 68% FAIL90/150
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Example 4
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Competency Weight Threshold Student score Result display
Technical 23% 8% 20% Strong
Business 23% 8% 20% Strong
People 22% 7% 20% Strong
Leadership 23% 8% 10% Moderate
Integration 9% 3% 5% Moderate
Total 100% - 75% Pass
• Above 80/150 and all competencies meeting minimum threshold
• In order to pass, student must develop an all rounded approach
100/150
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• Requirement(s) correctly interpreted
• Answered the question set / all requirements
• Logical and coherent answer
• Demonstration of understanding of theory / principles
(appropriately)
• Theory / principles applied well to specific problem / issue
• Conforms to the format required
• Short concise sentences with less punctuation
• Headings and sub-headings
• Short paragraphs, and make a separate paragraph for each point
• Selective underlining
• Answered within time
What will a ‘good answer’ looks like?
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• There is no difference in what would earn marks in Case Study
Exams, because it is always about answering the question!
• It is extremely unlikely that a well-prepared student who answers
what is asked would fail to meet the threshold for all the
competencies.
• Need not worry about competencies as a ‘good answer’ will hit the
competencies.
• A strategic level question will ask for a different approach from an
operational level question (e.g. more complex)
‘Good answer’ earns marks
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Summary of pre-seen
• Look is similar to Google: listed with high P/E ratio
• 3 founders have 10% of shares but majority votes due to two tier
share structure
• 9 business units:
– Look Search: search engine giving 90%+ of profit but mature
– Look Space: maps giving 9.4% of profit
– Look OS: free smartphone operating system (loss making)
– Look Apps: downloads of Look’s and 3rd party apps 0.3% of profit
– Look Phones: premium smartphones 2.7% of profit
– Look Lens: in-eye display units (loss making)
– Look Media: streamed content 5.9% of profit
– Look Cloud: pay for storage (loss making)
LOOK (March 2015 SCS)
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Summary of pre-seen (con’t)
• CSR commitments in areas of energy use and staff welfare
• Questionable corporate governance due to dominance of founders
• Rumours that one founder thinking of leaving
• Data on Friendtime, a listed social media site (like Facebook)
LOOK (March 2015 SCS)
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SCS March 2015 – v4
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SCS March 2015 – v4: Task 1
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Time given: 60 mins (33%)
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SCS March 2015 – v4: Task 1
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Time given: 60 mins (33%)
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• Is LOOK Payment a good strategic fit for LOOK
• What are the risk to LOOK’s reputation from this venture
SCS March 2015 – v4: Task 1 Requirements
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E3 P3
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• Strategic fit?
• E3 – (B) evaluate the process of strategy formulation
– LOOK is already a well known and trusted brand
– Build critical mass of business with existing advertisers
– Build data and gain insight
– Technically capable though lacking finance experience
– Synergy with mobile products
SCS March 2015 – v4: Task 1 Answer
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E3
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• Reputational risk
• P3 – (B) evaluate the tools and processes required for strategy
implementation
– Commercial failure – bad publicity
– Target of fraud and hacking
– Customers may receive fraudulent e-mails using LOOK’s logo
– Careless overspending on internet
– Disputes between consumers and suppliers
– Concerns about person privacy
SCS March 2015 – v4: Task Answer
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P3
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Marking guidance
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Competency mix by subjects
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• Two answers may earn same marks –students need to believe in
their intuition and ‘business common sense’
• Students need to identify ‘what the company could / should do’,
and of course justify
• Elaborate your answer with ‘why’ – avoid bullet points
• Magic words in the answer
– … because …
– However, …
– Alternatively, ….
• Students need to think within the ‘Job Role’ in the pre-seen
• No specific marks for calculations, and marks are for interpretation
Insights
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• Markers will NOT be making decisions or applying marks against
competencies
Insights
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• Reasonably well attempted, although some candidates produced
quite repetitive answers.
• Most candidates used the Suitability/Feasibility/Acceptance model
which whilst not inappropriate did lead to the same points being
raised several times.
• Relatively few explored the Big Data issues effectively.
• Identification of risks was generally sound, with many candidates
expanding on the personal privacy issues arising from data
gathering.
Examiner’s report – v4 Task 1
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• The main problems were candidates failing to answer what was
asked and writing everything they knew
• Using completely irrelevant models.
• No marks available for random models and candidates sometimes
had long lists of models in their answers.
• There was little evidence of knowledge of the preseen material
• In most of the questions it was hoped candidates would be able to
use industry knowledge and knowledge of the company to help
formulate answers, there was little evidence of this.
Examiner’s report – overall comment
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SCS March 2015 – v1: Task 1
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Time given: 60 mins (33%)
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SCS March 2015 – v1: Task 1
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Time given: 60 mins (33%)
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SCS March 2015 – v1: Task 1
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Time given: 60 mins (33%)
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Examiner’s report
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Retained earning (from pre-seen p.14-15)
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Retained earnings closing balance =
Retained earnings open balance + Profit after tax -
Dividend paid out
54,976 = 45,839 + 18,074 - Dividend paid out
Dividend paid out = $8,937 million
LOOK paid almost 9 billion, 50% of its profit as
dividend
F3
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• Fully absorb and analyse the pre-seen information in order to step
into the assigned role in that organisation on exam day (story of
the organisation and its environment / stakeholders) - exam tasks
draw on pre-seen materials.
• Understand the requirements / question set, and answer the
question(s)
• Answer planning is very important (1/3 of the allocated time): think
more-write less!
• Relate the answer to the pre-seen information all the time (to
ensure students demonstrate the four skills and ability to
integrate)
• Time management – do not run out of time for well known topics
Be exam ready!
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• CIMAconnect – The study support platform
• 2015 Professional Qualification syllabus
• Practice exams
• Guide to writing a report in the case study exams (login needed)
• Guide to writing an email in the case study exams (login needed)
• FM article by By Helen Crofts and the Case Study Exam writers
(login required)
Useful links
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