TARC ACCA 2005

tips june 2005 paper 3.5 Strategic Business Planning and Development

source:- BPP
Section A
Always difficult to predict the subject matter of the case scenario, and in December it was
rather unusually based around the control and management relationships within a large group
structure of a manufacturing company. Therefore this time it might be something less complex
in structure and based on the service sector.
Areas that could be included within the requirements could include
• A discussion of the relative merits of different ways of making strategy
• Stakeholder analysis and objective setting
• Application of strategic analysis models
• Evaluation of strategic objectives, using the numbers included
• Marketing issues
try out: 52 World-Wide Agricultural, 51 Bethesda Heights, and 50 Playwell.

Section B
• Marketing, including new product development. In part suggested by the recent article
but also due the lack of marketing in the December 2004 exam.
try out: 24 Westport University, 26 Karaoke, 27 Product Launch, and 34 Sports Centre

• Change management. This is feasible this time because it is an important subject,
which has been absent for the past few sittings.
try out: 20 Apex Culture, and 49 Lionel Cartwright.

• Globalisation strategy. The strategic development of global businesses was very
popular when the paper was first introduced. It remains relevant and could be due
another appearance.
try out: 41 Excalibur Sportswear, 42 Global Marketing, 43 Clothing Supply Company and 48 ALG Industries

• Ethics and corporate social responsibility. With all of the talk (and recent cases) of
corporate scandal ethical behaviour is a very topical area of the syllabus
try out: 16 Digwell, 17 Large Financial Services Company, and 18 Acquisition

Relevant Articles
• E-commerce ~Jim Stone, May 2005
• The role of the accountant in new product development - Ralph Bedrock (the examiner),
January 2005

source: LVMT
The examiner for this paper is Ralph Bedrock, although relatively new to this position has proved to be his own man. He has examined topics that can be considered to be ‘unfamiliar’ such as business-to-business marketing (B2B), new product development (NPD), and corporate governance.
Having said that, he hasn’t deviated from the core aspects of a strategy paper so there is no cause for panic. In his examiners’ feedback, he expressed concern on the issue of time management and examination techniques and said the two ‘often proved to be the difference between candidates who passed and those who marginally failed’. So what can we expect this time:

• Stakeholders - using the Mendelow matrix
• Internal analysis for strengths and weaknesses with more emphasis on value chain and/or BCG matrix
• Environmental analysis using the PEST in a multi-national environment
• Globalisation - ‘Ethnocentrism’, ‘Polycentrism’ and Geocentrism
• Marketing - the role of the accountant in NPD
• Strategic options and evaluation - Porter and Ansoff
• Dangers of implementation
Finally, we cannot over emphasise the importance of understanding the core aspects of strategic management: strategic analysis, choice and implementation. Most of the questions tend to be from these areas, so get ready.


Source: FTC UK
• Ethics
• Evaluate the importance of international issues including competition, management and regulation.
• Discuss ways in which conflict between centralised control and individual creativity can be managed.
• Structure
• Marketing
• Evaluate current position
• Evaluate the tools which can be used to influence behaviour in the work place


Source: FTC S'pore
Lecturer - Mr Rhys Johnson
• Strategic management approaches – rational, emergent
• Strategic analysis – PEST, 5 Forces, BCG, Value Chain
• Stakeholder mapping
• Strategic options – Ansoff’s matrix, vertical integration
• Marketing mix
• Change management
• Quality and culture
• Human resource management – recruitment, motivation
• Accountants role in new product developement

Any of the questions may be set in a global business context.


Health Warning! The examiners deliberately try to avoid question spotting. Just because a question featured last time, doesn’t mean it won’t feature this time. Use the tips as areas to have a good look at, but remember that no one knows what is in the exam, apart from the examiner. Your safest bet is to achieve good syllabus coverage in your revision, as the examiner aims to do in the exam.

Disclaimer : All the above are reproduced materials,all the copyright remained to the original sources and i shall not take any responsibility towards the accuracy and reliance on the tips.

posted by Unknown @ 11:03 PM