ACCA P5 Advanced Performance Management Study Guide

ACCA P5 Advanced Performance Management Study Guide : This is the main document that students, learning and content providers should use as the basis of their studies, instruction and materials. Examinations will be based on the detail of the study guide which comprehensively identifies what could be assessed in any examination session. The study guide is a precise reflection and breakdown of the syllabus. It is divided into sections based on the main capabilities identified in the syllabus. These sections are divided into subject areas which relate to the sub-capabilities included in the detailed syllabus. Subject areas are broken down into sub-headings which describe the detailed outcomes that could be assessed in examinations. These outcomes are described using verbs indicating what exams may require students to demonstrate, and the broad intellectual level at which these may need to be demonstrated.

ACCA P5 Advanced Performance Management Study Guide

ACCA P5 Advanced Performance Management Study Guide :A STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CONTROL

1. Strategic management accounting

a) Explain the role of strategic performance management in strategic planning and control.

b) Discuss the role of performance measurement in checking progress towards the corporate objectives. c) Compare planning and control between the strategic and operational levels within a business entity.

d) Discuss the scope for potential conflict between strategic business plans and shortterm localised decisions.

e) Evaluate how models such as SWOT analysis, Boston Consulting Group,Porter’s generic strategies and 5 Forces may assist in the performance management process.

f) Apply and evaluate the methods of benchmarking performance.

g) Assess the changing role of the management accountant in today’s business environment as outlined by Burns and Scapens.

2. Performance hierarchy

a) Discuss how the purpose, structure and content of a mission statement impacts on performance measurement and management.

b) Discuss how strategic objectives are cascaded down the organisation via the formulation of subsidiary performance objectives.

c) Apply critical success factor analysis in developing performance metrics from business objectives.

d) Identify and discuss the characteristics of operational performance.

e) Discuss the relative significance of planning as against controlling activities at different levels in the performance hierarchy.

3. Performance management and control of the organisation

a) Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of alternative budgeting models and compare such techniques as fixed and flexible, rolling, activity based, zero based and incremental.

b) Evaluate different types of budget variances and how these relate to issues in planning and controlling organisations.

4. Changes in business structure and management accounting

a) Identify and discuss the particular information needs of organisations adopting a functional, divisional or network form and the implications for performance management.

b) Assess the changing accounting needs of modern service orientated businesses compared with the needs of a traditional manufacturing industry.

c) Assess the influence of Business Process Reengineering on systems development and improvements in organisational performance.

d) Analyse the role that performance management systems play in business integration using models such as the value chain and McKinsey’s 7S’s

e) Discuss how changing an organisation’s structure, culture and strategy will influence the adoption of new performance measurement methods and techniques.

f) Assess the need for businesses to continually refine and develop their management accounting and information systems if they are to maintain or improve their performance in an increasingly competitive and global market.

g) Highlight the ways in which contingent (internal and external) factors influence management accounting and its design and use.

5. Other environmental and ethical issues

a) Discuss the ways in which stakeholder groups operate and how they influence an organisation, its strategy formulation and implementation and business performance (e.g. using Mendelow’s matrix).

b) Discuss the social and ethical issues that may impact on strategy formulation, and consequently, business performance.

c) Discuss, evaluate and apply environmental management accounting using for example lifecycle costing and activity-based costing.

B EXTERNAL INFLUENCES ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE

1. Impact of risk and uncertainty on performance management

a) Assess the impact of the different risk appetites of stakeholders on performance management

b) Evaluate how risk and uncertainty play an important role in long term strategic planning and decision-making that relies upon forecasts of exogenous variables.

c) Apply different risk analysis techniques in assessing business performance such as maximin, maximax, minimax regret and expected values.

2. Impact of other external factors on performance management

a) Discuss the need to consider the environment in which an organisation is operating when assessing its performance using models such as PEST and Porter’s 5 forces, including such areas as:

i) Political climate

ii) Market conditions

C PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS AND DESIGN

1. Performance management information systems

a) Discuss, with reference to performance management, ways in which the information requirements of a management structure are affected by the features of the structure.

b) Evaluate the compatibility of management accounting objectives and the management accounting information systems. c) Discuss the integration of management accounting information within an overall information system, for example the use of enterprise resource planning systems.

d) Evaluate whether the management information systems are lean and the value of the information that they provide.

e) Evaluate how anticipated human behaviour will influence the design of a management accounting system.

2. Sources of management information

a) Discuss the principal internal and external sources of management accounting information, their costs and limitations.

b) Demonstrate how the information might be used in planning and controlling activities e.g. benchmarking against similar activities.

c) Discuss the development of Big Data and its impact on performance measurement and management, including the risks and challenges it presents.

3. Recording and processing methods

a) Demonstrate how the type of business entity will influence the recording and processing methods.

b) Discuss how IT developments e.g. unified corporate databases, RFIDs and network technology may influence management accounting systems.

c) Explain how information systems provide instant access to previously unavailable data that can be used for benchmarking and control purposes and help improve business performance (for example, through the use of enterprise resource planning systems and data warehouses).

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