SBL模拟考试答卷

2019 ACCA Job Hunting Competition National Final

Case study scenario and tasks

Utopia

Introduction

Utopia Company is a listed company which operates major theme park complexes around the world. The company’s theme parks are named ‘Utopia’.

Utopia’s corporate headquarters are located beside their first theme park complex in a country in Western Europe.

Exhibits 1 - 4 provide information relevant to Utopia Company.

Exhibit 1: Extracts from a report on Utopia Company produced recently by a management consultant as part of a strategic review.

Exhibit 2: A transcript of a recent telephone conversation between yourself and Moeen Hasan, Utopia Company’s CEO, regarding a possible new ride. The Exhibit also includes a related email message.

Exhibit 3: An extract from the minutes of a recent Utopia Company board meeting discussing the possibility of Utopia developing and operating hotels.

Exhibit 4: An email message from Utopia Company’s Finance Director and your line manager, Tara Adenowo regarding the resignation of a director of Utopia Company.

You are employed by Utopia Co as a Senior Finance Analyst reporting to the Finance Director Tara Adenowo. The case requirements are as follows.

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The case requirements are included in the tasks which follow: 1.

Tara Adenowo (Finance Director) has sent you a report produced recently by an external management consultant. The report is shown in Exhibit 1. Tara is required to present key findings from the report at the next Utopia Company board meeting. Required:

Prepare information for four presentation slides to be presented to the Utopia Company board, including relevant bullet points and supporting notes. The information presented in the slides should use a recognised model to analyse Utopia’s strategic position. (28 marks) Two professional skills marks are available for demonstrating analysis skills, business acumen and communication skills when analysing and communicating the company’s strategic position. (2 marks)

(30 marks)

2.

During a period of annual leave for your line manager Tara Adenowo (Finance Director), you received an email from the Utopia Company CEO Moeen Hasan. The email, and the attachments sent with it, are shown in Exhibit 2. Required:

Prepare working notes for Moeen which evaluate: (a) (b)

The strategic advantages and disadvantages of proceeding with the introduction of the Galaxy Warrior ride. (8 marks) The likely implications of proceeding with the project on employees and shareholders (internal stakeholders), and customers and governments (external stakeholders). (12 marks) Professional skills marks are available across parts (a) and (b) for demonstrating analytical skills and commercial acumen skills in evaluating whether the ride fits with the company’s strategy and explaining the likely impact on stakeholders. (2 marks) (c)

Two key factors to consider when deciding which park the first Galaxy Warrior ride should be built in. (6 marks) Professional skills marks are available for demonstrating commercial acumen and scepticism skills in identifying and explaining factors to consider. (2 marks)

(30 marks)

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3.

The idea of Utopia Company opening hotels on Utopia sites was raised at a recent board meeting. An extract from the meeting minutes is shown in Exhibit 3.

Since the board meeting Moeen Hasan (CEO) has been in touch with Tara Adenowo and requested a report covering different aspects of the proposed diversification into hotel development and operation.

Moeen has asked for the report to be produced to evaluate the strategic option of Utopia Company developing and subsequently operating one Utopia hotel on each of the Utopia parks.

Tara has asked for your assistance in drafting sections of the report. Required:

Draft sections of the report to evaluate:

(a) Whether the development and operation of hotels would be a good strategic fit for

Utopia Company including identifying the key risks associated with this strategy. (8 marks)

Professional Skills marks are available for demonstrating evaluation skills and business

acumen in selecting key points to include in the report and for providing clear supporting notes. (2 marks) (b) Issues to consider when deciding how the new area of operation should be incorporated into the Utopia Company structure. (8 marks)

Professional Skills marks are available for displaying analysis skills and business acumen when considering how to add the new operation into the company structure. (2 marks)

(20 marks)

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4.

You have received an email message from Utopia Company’s Finance Director and your line manager, Tara Adenowo. Tara’s email message is shown in Exhibit 4. Required:

Prepare a briefing paper for Tara Adenowo which:

(a)

Evaluates the performance of Utopia Company’s remuneration committee in agreeing Dipa Malik's reward package. (6 marks) Professional skills marks are available for demonstrating evaluation skills and commercial acumen in evaluating the performance of the remuneration committee. (2 marks) and

(b)

Describes an appropriately designed and balanced reward package that could be used to attract a new director to replace Dipa Malik. (10 marks) Professional skills marks are available for demonstrating commercial acumen skills when designing an appropriate reward package. (2 marks)

(20 marks)

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Exhibit 1

A report summarising the findings of a strategic review completed recently by an external management consultant.

To: The Board of Directors - Utopia Company Subject: Strategic review - Utopia Company From: Nadia Ake (Management consultant) Date: xx xx xxxx Introduction

This report is based on information obtained from research of the theme park industry and from the executive directors of Utopia Company. Organisational overview

Utopia Company is a listed company which operates major theme park complexes around the world. The company’s theme parks are named ‘Utopia’.

The company’s first theme park complex opened in 1987, in Western Europe. The company’s second park, in North America, opened in 1998. The third complex opened in Asia in 2008.

Construction of a fourth park, in the Middle East, is well advanced. The park is scheduled to open in 14 months.

Utopia’s corporate headquarters are located beside their first theme park complex in a country in Western Europe. The current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Moeen Hasan, who has been at Utopia Company for 10 years and CEO for 5 years. Business model

Utopia’s site selection and park development process follows the template established with Utopia’s first park:

? Find an appropriately located but relatively cheap site ? Construct the park

? Encourage the growth of a supporting infrastructure including transport links and

accommodation Each park complex has large car parks, including space for busses and coaches, and a nearby railway station.

Each park includes three distinct zones: ? ?

Junior-U, with rides and attractions intended to appeal to families with young children. Thrill-U, in which the major attractions are rides intended to thrill. Many of these rides are subject to height restrictions, although the vast majority of 12-13 year old children exceed the minimum height.

Ocean-U, which has a marine theme including rides, play activities and the Ocean-U Arena in which trained dolphins perform with human trainers.

?

Utopia Company employ experts in engineering and design to develop new attractions. Each park is in a constant process of evolution, with new concepts being tested and implemented.

All parks have a monorail system that links the car parks, bus and railway stations to the park’s main gate.

Visitors to all three established parks are a mixture of day trippers and those who stay overnight in the vicinity of the park, staying in hotels owned and operated by other companies as Utopia do not operate their own hotels.

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