CAT考试辅导：审计原理历史考试问题分析第2页-ACCA-CAT考试.docx

2011CAT考试辅导：审计原理历史考试问题分析第2页-ACCA-CAT 考试(b)Fourrecommendations,explanationofadvantagesanddisadvantages:improvementsto internalcontrol1:Recommendation2:thatanintegratedsystembeintroducedacrossallsupermarketsthatlinkssales, purchases andstock records.AdvantagesThiswouldprovidethecompanywithanoverallviewofwhat stockisheldatany particular time, enableittoorder centrally and reduce the scope for pilferage.It would result in reduced stock-outs and reduced stockobsolescence.DisadvantagesThiswouldrequire considerablecapital investmentinhardware,softwareand training.It would also take control away from local managers which would almost certainly cause resentment.2.Recommendation3:theimpositionofregular,orcontinuousstockcountingprocedurestogetherwiththepromptupdateofstockrecordsfordiscrepanciesfoundandinvestigationofthereasonforthediscrepancies.AdvantagesThis would further reduce the possibility of stock-outs andprovideevidenceofover-ordering,whichwouldenablepurchasingpatternstoberefined.DisadvantagesThereare costsintermsofstafftime and, again, acertain levelofresentmentamongstaffwhomay feelthat they arebeingspied on,orthat they arenolonger trusted.Trainingwouldalsoberequiredandadditionaladministrativeworkwouldneedtobeundertakenbylocalmanagers.3.Recommendation4:thatmanagementaccountsareproducedonatleastaquarterlybasis,thatfigures relatingtoeachsupermarket are providedtoheadofficeonamonthly basis, andthatananalysisisundertakenbyheadofficeontheperformanceofindividualsupermarketsandstocklines.AdvantagesThiswouldenablethecompanytodeterminewhichsupermarketsareperformingbetter than others. It would also enable the company to identify those stock lines that sell welland thosethat are profitable.DisadvantagesThe production of more regularanddetailed informationwillbetime-consuming.Localmanagersmayfeelthattheyareunabletoserviceparticular needsof their customers if decisions are madeonaglobal basis;customers may feelthesameway.5:Recommendation6:thatsalespricedecisionsaremadebyheadoffice.AdvantagesThis would enable the company to experiment with theuseofloss leaders , for example, and to impose a degree of consistency across supermarkets to preventinappropriatepricing decisionsbeing takenbylocalmanagers.DisadvantagesAgain, lossofcontrol at a local level is likely to result in resentment and the possible lossofgoodstaff.Whatsellswellinonesupermarketmaynotdosoinanother.Totheextentthatheadofficehavelessexperienceoflocalconditionsthanlocal staff,itispossiblethatinappropriatepricingdecisions may be made by head office.