Revision Learns

Question 1

Possible calculations for big Q

Answer 1

• sales mix (eg % of total sales each product makes up)

- gross profit mix (eg % of total profit each product makes up)

Question 2

BCG matrix questions

Answer 2

maybe do a table in your anlalysis
- market leader’s share, your share, relative share, growth rate and then analysis (eg large share low growth) and then you can label it.

Question 3

Time management

Answer 3

DO NOT start doing calculations until you have properly read the requirements

Be STRICT AS FUCK regarding time management

Question 4

Flexible organisation structure?

Answer 4

The question wants you to talk about Hamdy’s shamrock, network organisations, boundary-less organisations and building blocks.

For amount of decentralisation think MESSAGE (management style, effectiveness of communication, size of organisation, speed of technolgical advancement, ability of management, georgraphy of location, extent of diversifcation)

For span of control think Controlling Men Less Successful Loves (complexity of work, management personality and ability, location of subordinates, subordinate ability, level of organisational support)

Building Blocks

• Simple structure (strategic apex) simple, dynamic
• Machine bureaucracy (technostructure) simple, static
• Professional bureaucracy (operating core) complex static
• Divisionalised (middle line) simple, static, diverse
• Adhocracy (operating core) - complex dynamic

Question 5

Specific calculations

Answer 5

• sensitivity analysis
• break even
• margin of safety
• contribution
• expected value
• prices and transfer prices with mark up or margin (make sure you know difference)
• return on investment and residual income

Question 6

market segmentation advantage

Answer 6

optimise prices, increase sales volume

algorithms

Question 7

Franchises

Answer 7

if you get a question about this in the exam do it like a set of accounts, you move the franchise costs over to the owned profit etc. in a column approach.

Question 8

Data analysis Qs

Answer 8

for comparing year on year do (new year / old year*100)-100

Don’t get too carried away with the numbers. Check the question for points to use.

Consider adjusted budget based on same sales numbers.

To work out difference attributable to sales volume and price, work out revenue if price had stayed the same and that difference is sales volume, then the rest of the difference is due to price

Question 9

Scenario planning

Answer 9

Long term view of strategy
Can choose to do nothing
Or make another strategic choice
Consider possible future situations
Favourable and unfavourable
General rather than precise answers

Question 10

single vs multiple suppliers

Answer 10

one advantage of a single supplier is reduced data risks.

Question 11

Technique tip

Answer 11

Go through each factor line by line in a subheading
Revenue: revenue has increased. this could indicate….
Cost of sales: COS have increased… could be better quality of inefficiency
Appointments: more appointments have been made. This could be because of lower prices… or it could be…

Question 12

3 Es

Answer 12

Economy - the measure of the actual resources
Efficiency - the measure of productivity
Effectiveness - the measure of impact