ACCA F1 FLASH NOTES. What is the informal organisation? What is the formal organisation? Name five advantages to decentralisation.

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1 ACCA F1 FLASH NOTES What is the informal organisation? It is the part of the organisation that has not been designed by management and which management might not know about: friendships, likes/dislikes, personal ambitions, alliances, short-cuts, cover-ups. What is the formal organisation? It is the part of the organisation that has been designed by management and which management knows about: organisation charts, procedures manuals, mission statements, plans, staff appraisals. Name five advantages to decentralisation. Motivation, spreading decision-making load and leaving more time ofr top managers to make the important decisions, faster decisions, local decisions, greater expertise of the decision maker, training and assessment. Describe a wide flat structure in terms of management layers and span of control. Relatively few management layers each with relatively wide spans of control. Describe a tall narrow structure in terms of management layers and span of control. Many management layers and small spans of control. Organisations are often divided into three layers, each layer having different responsibilities and planning horizons. What are these three layers? Strategic, tactical, operational. What are the five parts of Mintzberg s diagrams of organisational structures? Strategic apex, middle line, technostructure, support, operating core. What is a matrix structure? A structure that can, for example, be organised by project and function. Thus a person can report to his/her functional manager and project manager. What is a functional business structure? The business is organised by function: sales, manufacturing, accounting, IT etc. Each function is a separate department with a departmental head. What is an entrepreneurial business structure? A simple organisation with essentially just the boss and the workers. What is the name of a system which receives inputs from and sends outputs to its environment? An open system What is the name of a system which receives no inputs from, or sends no outputs to, its environment? A closed system What separates an organisation from its environment? A boundary

2 Define what is meant by an organisation An organisation is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own performance and which has a boundary separating it from its environment. What are the four variables in Handy s best fit theory? The leader, the task, the subordinates and the environment. What are Honey and Mumford s four learner types? Theorists: like to understand. Reflectors: observe and consider. Activists: hands-on learners. Pragmatists: motivated to learn if they perceive a practical use. What are the employee s duties under health and safety legislation? They have to take reasonable care of themselves and others; They must allow the employer to carry out the duties in relation to safety; They mustn t interfere intentionally or recklessly with machinery; They must inform the employer of any situation which they think is a danger; They have to use equipment properly, making use of all safety features. Describe proportional tax. A proportional tax takes exactly the same proportion of income tax from all levels of income. What is frictional unemployment? People who are temporarily unemployed as they move jobs. Describe training, development and education Training is very specific and is needed for your current role. Development is much less specific; it s needed at some time in the future. Education is knowledge acquired gradually through learning and instruction. It might or might not be work-related. Describe Fiedler s approach to leadership Effectiveness depends on the leadership style (psychologically close or distant) and situational favourableness ie the degree to which the situation gives the leader control and influence. What are the three matters of concern in Adair s action-centred leadership theory? Concern for individuals, concern for the group, concern for the task. What management level would you expect to deal with information that is often forward-looking, often external and often highly summarised? This information would typically be used by the strategic level of management What is an intranet? An intranet is an internal internet. Similar to a LAN, but access is through an internet browser. What is an extranet? An extranet is where one organisation s computer network has access to another organisation s network. Describe a WAN A WAN is a wide area network making use of telecommunication systems to network individual computers and local area networks over a wide geographical area.

3 Describe a LAN. A LAN is a local area network using specially installed cables to join computers together and with peripheral devices such as printers. What is an executive information system (EIS)? These provide information to top management. Typically and EIS has access to external information, will allow drilling down to more detail, will be flexible and will make use of graphics, such as bar charts. What is a decision support system (DSS)? A DSS helps and supports people making decisions. For example there is no right or wrong way of deciding what next year s budget should be: it s a process which depends on judgment and experience. However, a spreadsheet where you set up a budget is going to be extremely useful in helping you reach a conclusion about what next year s budget should be. What is a management information system (MIS)? A MIS produces information which is useful for management for making decisions. For example, aged receivables listings and slow-moving inventory reports. What is a transaction processing system (TPS)? A TPS processes transactions such as sales, wages and salaries. It is essentially just automation of what had been done by armies of accountants. There is nothing very clever about a TPS, but it removes a lot of repetitive manual calculation and processing, speeds up processing, increases accuracy and saves costs. It is sometimes said that information should comply with the acronym ACCURATE. What, typically, do these letters stand for? * Accurate * Complete * Cost-beneficial * Understandable/user-targeted * Relevant * Adaptable/authoritative * Timely, * Easy to use. What are five differences between financial accounts and management accounts? Management accounts Financial accounts Any format Forward and back Often ad hoc Format regulated Historical Routine Not governed by statute Governed by statute Not subject to audit Subject to audit What are the fundamental principals of the ACCA s Code of Ethics and Conduct? * Integrity * Objectivity * Professional competence and due care * Confidentiality * Professional behavior What is the purpose of IFAC? IFAC aims to protect the public interest by encouraging high-quality practices by the world s accountants. Through its independent standard-setting boards, IFAC develops international standards on ethics, auditing and assurance, education and public sector accounting standards. It issues guidance to support professional accountants in business, small and medium practices and developing nations.

4 What is IFAC? IFAC = The International Federation of Accountants. IFAC is the global organisation of the accountancy profession. What are the four ethical stances of Johnston and Scholes? * Short-term shareholder interest * Long-term shareholder interest * Multiple stakeholder obligations * Shaper of society List five influences on ethical behaviour. * National and cultural beliefs * Education and employment * Psychological factors * Personal integrity * Moral imagination What is corporate social responsibility? Corporate social responsibility considers the extent to which the interests of stakeholders (other than shareholders) should be taken into account over and above what the law demands. What is the name of the United States act that deals with Corporate Governance. The Sarbanes Oxley Act. In Corporate Governance, what is meant by comply or explain? The UK Corporate Governance Code has no force in law and is enforced on listed companies through the Stock Exchange. Listed companies are expected comply with the code or explain to shareholders why they haven t. Which board committee is responsible for advising on directors pay and bonuses etc The Remuneration Committee Which board committee is responsible for suggesting new directors for appointment? The Nomination Committee Under Corporate Governance rules, which two roles should be split? The roles of chief executive officer and chairman should be split. In Corporate Governance, what is a NED? NED = Non-executive director. What is meant by the agency problem in corporate governance? Shareholders (the principals) own the company; directors (the agents) run the company on a day-to-day basis, and should run it for the benefit of the shareholders. But they might not, so checks need to be performed (like audits). Into what three categories can stakeholders be divided (not Mendelow s classification) Internal (such as employees), connected (such as customers,) external such as local people. What is a stakeholder? Any person or other organisation affected by an organisation.

5 What are Hofstede s four dimensions of national culture? * Power distance * Uncertainty avoidance * Individualism-collectivism * Masculinity What are Schein s three levels of culture? * Artifacts (visual, structure, processes) * Espoused values (strategies goals philosophies) * Basic underlying assumptions What are Charles Handy s four cultural types? * Power (Zeus) * Role (Apollo) * Task (Athena) * Person (Dionysus) What are the seven elements of the cultural web? Symbols and titles, Power relations, Organisational structure, Control systems, Rituals and routines, Myths and stories, Organisational assumption (paradigm). What are Porter s five forces? * Rivalry/competition, * Threat of new entrants, * Supplier pressure, * Buyer pressure, * Threat of substitutes. What does PESTEL stand for? Environmental influences: * Political * Economic * Social * Technological * Ecological * Legal What organisational level would you expect to deal with information that is historical, internal and detailed? This information is typically used at the operational level. Describe intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. An intrinsic reward comes from within; for example, a feeling of achievement or personal advancement. Extrinsic rewards come from outside; for example additional pay or praise. What are the four patterns of communication identified by Leavitt? Y, wheel, circle, chain. Describe regressive tax. A regressive tax takes a higher proportion of a poor person s salary than it does for a rich person. A simple example is VAT. If the VAT rate is 20% proportionally more taken from a poor person s pay than from a rich person s.

6 What are the five causes of inflation? * Demand pull * Cost push * Import cast factors * Expectations * Increase in the money supply Name seven potential barriers to communication. Any seven from: * Inappropriate language/terminology, * Status, * Emotion, * Wrong medium, * Not wanting to transmit, * Not wanting to receive, * Information overload, * Noise/interference. What are the eight (or nine) team roles identified by Meredith Belbin? Chairman, Shaper, Monitor/evaluator, Company worker, Resource investigator, Team worker, Plant, Completer/finisher and, sometimes, specialist. Describe the country club style of management in terms of Blake and Mouton s grid. High concern for people; low concern for the task. Draw and annotate Mendelow s Matrix What is the UITF and what is its function? (Accountancy regulation) UITF = Urgent Issue Task Force. This is part of the Accounting Standards Board and tackles urgent issues not yet covered by accounting standards. What are the two classes of motivation theory? Content theory and process theory. What are the three types of dismissal? * Termination, * Non-renewal of a fixed-term contract, * Constructive dismissal.

7 What is the difference between the balance of trade and the current account. The balance of trade is the inflows and outflows from the trade in goods. The current account includes the balance of trade but also income from overseas investments and transfers such as those to and from the EU. What is structural unemployment? Changes in an industry s structure. For example if manufacturing jobs move overseas, unemployment is caused by a change in the structure of the economy. Describe job enlargement, job rotation and job enrichment. Job enlargement means more of almost exactly the same. It is certainly what will be called a horizontal change; there is no more challenge or responsibility in the job. Job rotation is also a horizontal change with no real increase in challenge. Job enrichment is a vertical change. It s giving people more responsibility and more challenge in their job. Describe Vroom s expectancy theory Motivating force = Valence x Expectation Valence is how much someone wants something (like a bonus or promotion). Expectation is an assessment of the likelihood of success. What are the two axes of Blake and Mouton s managerial grid? 1 Concern for the task 2 Concern for people Monitor, disseminator and spokesman are terms associated with which of Mintzberg s managerial roles? Information processing role Figurehead, liaison and leader are terms associated with which of Mintzberg s managerial roles? Interpersonal role Improver/changer, disturbance handler negotiator and resource allocator are terms associated with which of Mintzberg s managerial roles? Decisional role Define power Power is the ability to influence events or people Define authority Authority is the right to exercise power. Define delegation Delegation is the transfer of authority. It is NOT the transfer of responsibility or accountability. What are the four types of leadership style suggested by Ashridge Management College in descending order of autocracy. Tells, sells, consults, joins.

8 Drucker s style theory proposed three functions of management (managing a business; managing managers; managing workers and work). What five further categories are these broken down into? * Setting objectives, * Organising the group, * Motivating and communicating, * Measuring performance, * Developing people. According to Drucker s style theory, what are the three functions of management? * Managing a business; * Managing managers; * Managing workers and work. What is the name of Mayo s studies and what did these suggest? The Hawthorne studies: there is more to motivation than pay; people like groups; groups influence behaviour. Who was first associated with the Human Relations School of management? Elton Mayo What are the benefits and the main problem with scientific management? Benefits: increased productivity, wage allocation based on output, workforce care programmes. However, often dehumanises work. What is the essence of scientific management? It is management s function to study work and to develop a science of wotk so that jobs can be carried out efficiently. Who is associated with scientific management? Frederick Taylor What are Henri Fayol s five functions of management (Classical Theory)? * Planning, * Organising, * Commanding, * Coordinating * Controlling. What is trait theory? The idea that management ability can be forecast through personal traits such as intelligence, initiative and self-assurance. Who are responsible for preparing the financial statements? The directors are responsible for preparing the financial statements

9 Who are responsible for setting up the system of internal control? The directors are responsible for setting up and maintaining the system of internal control What is meant by the internal control environment? The control environment essentially refers to the culture within the organisation. Some organisations put a very high priority on having a good system of internal control in place whereas others see these as a nuisance. What are the two parts of an internal control system? Control environment and detailed control processes. Who are responsible for preventing and detecting fraud? The directors are responsible for preventing and detecting fraud. Auditors should detect fraud if it is large enough to cause a material misstatement in the financial statements. What is GAAP? GAAP stands for Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. This is a common set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to compile their financial statements. What body issues financial reporting standards? The Accounting Standards Board issues financial reporting standards. What is the FRRP and what is its function? (Accountancy regulation) The Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP) is concerned with the examination and questioning of departures from accounting standards by large companies. What is Handy s best fit theory of leadership / management? The variables of: the leader, the task, the subordinates and the environment all have to match. For example an authoritative manager in charge of subservient staff, doing a repetitive task to a strict timetable. Describe progressive tax. A progressive tax takes a higher proportion of income as income rises. So maybe for the first $1,000 of income the tax rate is zero, for the next $4,000 of income the tax rate is 20%, and anything beyond that is taxed at say 40%. Describe what is meant by a direct and an indirect tax. A direct tax is paid direct by a person to the revenue authority (eg income tax). An indirect tax is paid to the revenue authority by an intermediary (for example, a supplier charges VAT and pays this over). What are the four ways in which monetary policy can be managed? Interest rates, money supply, reserve requirements, exchange rates. What causes a deficit? Government expenditure is higher than income receipts (usually tax receipts) so that the government has to borrow. What are the three elements of a government s fiscal policy? * Expenditure, * Income * Borrowing.

10 What are six types of unemployment? * Real wage * Frictional * Seasonal * Structural * Technological * Cyclical What three types of illegal behaviour does equal opportunity legislation recognise? Direct discrimination: eg salesman required. Indirect discrimination: eg sales person over 2m tall with a black beard required. Victimisation: This is where someone has complained about discrimination and then later on within the workplace they are blamed or discriminated against because they complained. What are the three remedies for unfair dismissal? * Re-instalment (give old job back). * Re-engagement (give a comparable job). * Compensation, which can include redundancy pay, breach of contract and a punitive award. List five reasons that might lead to fair dismissal. * Redundancy * Legal impediment * Non-capability * Misconduct * Other substantial reason What are the three classes of termination of employment? Retirement, resignation and dismissal. In the EU, what is the difference between a regulation and a directive? Regulations are directly applicable to all member states. Directives have to be implemented by changing each country s national laws. What three elements or purposes are present in most reviews? Assess past performance. Plan future potential and roles. Fix rewards. What are the four steps of Kolb s experiential learning theory? Experience, then reflect, then form a theory, then try the theory. Hence back round to experience and the cycle is repeated. Name four types of selection test. * Psychometric, * Proficiency, * Intelligence, * Aptitude. Name five selection methods * Interviews * Selection tests, * References, * Work-sampling, * Group-selection methods.

11 What are the elements of Rogers seven-point selection plan (person specification/badpigs) Background, achievements, disposition, physical, interests, general intelligence, special aptitudes. Which of the chain or wheel provides faster communication? The wheel is faster because it provides a central node through which communication can be quickly routed. What are the three directions in which communication can take place? Horizontal, vertical and diagonal. What are the typical steps in a communication process? Form the thought, encode, transmit, receive decode and give feedback. What are coaching mentoring and counselling? Coaching = being guided by a more experienced employee. Mentor = a long term relationship who can give impartial advice (not your manager), Counselling = non-directive exploration of issues and concerns. What are the three methods of job design? Job enlargement, job rotation, job enrichment. What is McGregor s theory of motivation Theory X and Theory Y. A theory X manager is autocratic and this might motivate subservient workers. A theory Y manager is participative and this might motivate workers with better training and knowledge. What is the consequent of poor hygiene factors in Herzberg s theory of motivation? Poor hygiene = job dissatisfaction. No motivation can occur in this state. What are the two classes of factor in Herzberg s theory of motivation? Hygiene factors and motivating factors. What are the five levels of need in Maslow s hierarchy (ascending order)? Physiological, safety, social, esteem (or ego), self-actualisation (or self-fulfilment) needs. What are Tuckman s four (or five) stages of team development in time-order? Forming, storming, norming, performing and (perhaps) dorming. What is Handy s definition of a group and what did he suggest are a group s four characteristics? A group is any collection of people who perceive themselves to be a group. Groups exhibit a sense of purpose or aim, identity, group norms and communication. What is meant by the terms transformational and transactional leader? Transactional: do things right; administer, maintains and a short-term view. Transformational: do the right things; inspire, long-term view, develops organisations. What is meant by a contingency theory of management / leadership? There is no single best way to lead or manage; there is no set of golden rules. The best approach depends on the situation.

12 Should Porter s five forces theory be applied to all companies in the country, an industry, an individual company? Porter s five forces should be applied to an industry to judge industry attractiveness. Who talked about adaptive leadership and moving between the balcony and the battlefield? Heifetz Are not-for-profit organisations public sector organisations? Not necessarily. Most public sector organisations (government owned) are not-for-profit, but the not-for profit sector also includes organisations such as charities. Thanks For reading For more visit By Mbambi GOOD LUCKY AND GOD BLESS