Case Study · November 2015

Appendices: change tables: The marking keys reward analysis of changes in the financial statements in absolute and percentage terms. Build the same tables for each case.

Cases: Each case asks for one report to a named reader, with two requirements and appendices. Notice how every pack mixes emails, financial statements and industry data.

Examiner’s reports: Both ask candidates to practise report writing. Use the five summary headings from the marking key to practise on each case.

Keys: Both keys show eight boxes for each requirement and four overall, each graded V, NC, BC, CA or SA. Those papers have no executive summary box, unlike the current key.

Keys: Each key rewards a relevant disclaimer for an external report, language suited to the board, tactful comments and acceptable spelling. Check your report against those four points.

Keys: appendix and report boxes: Both keys end with separate appendix, structure and style boxes. Compare their wording with the overall boxes in the sample key.

Marking keys for: Both keys have separate boxes for appendices and for report structure. The appendices box matches differentiator four. Check your own practice report against those boxes.

Requirement 1: margins and per-customer measures: The solution uses gross, operating and cash-flow measures per subscriber, plus ROCE, current ratio and gearing. Compare it with the profitability and gearing sections.

Requirement 2: call centre product mix: The requirement asks for the mix that maximises margin when staff time is the limit. Use the relevant cost rules to set out the contribution by service.

Sadeco examiner’s reports: choice of method: Both reports record that many candidates chose the wrong numerical approach or could not find a key figure. Read them and note which step failed each time.

Sadeco examiner’s reports: choosing the right approach: Both reports record candidates using the wrong numerical approach or missing a key step. Practise stating why you chose the technique.

Scepticism and ethics boxes: Both keys reward spotting unreliable information and ethical issues, such as unaudited statements, an unresolved dispute with auditors and an undisclosed regulatory fine. Use them to check what you would have spotted.

The Sadeco case: Each report names the same weak spots: report writing, scepticism, executive summaries and the choice of tool. Read all four and tick off the ten differentiators against them.