APMJune 2021 ACCA APM exam was - Instant Poll and comments

Was the first question asking about the manipulation of NFPIs?What was a proper answer for this? Taking for the first time CBE, I did not managed to finish on time, I left the most parts of the third question (pyramid) unanswered..I just written down some ideas concerning rewards...I home the other two questions to be quite completed..finger crossed..

From what I can remember it was about if you agree with the bonus scheme proposed

Agree!!! Too much reading! If there would be 5 hours for exam, it would be easy, but now…

Where there a question about product and service quality?what did u answer there?the more I think of the exam the less I believe I have passed..

I had the aame paper. It was easy and yet i think i failed. Time management and trying to answer all embedded questions was difficult. Even structuring the answers seemed challenging to me.

Time was too short. Focused on the Q1 and lost track of time, I had 1 hour for 2 and 3. I was already panicking. My no 1 was about budgeting, i expect to score at least half of the mark here. My no 2 was performance pyramid, reliability of NFPIs, completion of the performance pyramid analysis and evaluating the indicators, for a and b, I didn't quite relate it to the question, for c, i completed the delivery and quality part, i couldn't quite complete the waste part, I don't think I wrote well for evaluating indicators as I was already pressed for time My no 3 was problems of league tables and evaluating VFM for school 1 and 2. I didn't quite relate the league table question to the scenario too as I was pressed for time already, for evaluation of VFM, I was able to recommend an indicator for the 3 Es, i computed and compared to the national average and concluded based on this. It would be so miraculous if I pass, maybe a good mark from 1, and average marks from 2 and 3. I expect a resit but still trusting God

I had the same set of questions. However my excel spreadsheet had locked cells could not enter anything in them. Did anyone experience similar problem on question one Budgeting

The scenarios were too lengthy. Last question was difficult on performance pyramid, could not quite understand what they were really asking for there. My excel spreadsheet cells were locked, for question one, did anyone else experience same problem with their excel spreadsheet

My questions were: 1. A (i) Comments from CEO's friends that the performance indicators were backwards looking and the use of NFPIs A (ii) Comment on quality issues and NFPI manipulation B. Brand awareness and loyalty C. (i) Benefits of Unified Corp System (ii) Big data issues 2. A. If performance pyramid served 3 purposes outlined by CFO B. Suggest PI for flex, financial and productivity C. Change to new bonus scheme 3. A. Evaluate if schools were VFM B. League table issues I found this exam quite difficult and was lost with the brand awareness and loyalty part. Also was unsure regarding performance pyramid, not sure I wrote enough

I disagreed that NFPI were easily manipulated. I argued financial PIs were just as easy to manipulate then went on to discuss the subjectivity of NFPI...

Did question 1c (i) relate the unified corp system with velocity volume an variety?

But was the question not asking us to justify the use of NFPIs over FPIs' if so then the opposite of what you are saying is what they were looking for??? I stand to be corrected

Exact paper I wrote but not done no3

Ic (i) was the benefits or unified corp system and (ii) was the issues of big data and volume, variety and velocity

I'm unsure to be honest.... I basically did pros and cons on NFPIs and then concluded that a balanced use of both is better.... then the manipulation part, I said both could be manipulated but if used in conjunction, it is harder to distort

@nlgil Hello nlgil, I was wondering how you finish exam leaving 30 mins which is surprising to me. Could you plz tell me what sort of typing speed you possess in WPM? As I am trying to increase my typing speed.

I do not think that is only matter of typing..you have to think before you type..

Q1. Assess 4 divisions and suitability of budgeting method between incremental, rolling and zero based Amend a budget for rolling budgets ABB use for music streaming division Q2. VFM for zeeland schoold Problems with using league tables Q3. Performance pyramid and how all layers link KPI analysis and evaluation of operational level Problems for assumptions and Checks for non financial KPIs at operational level of pyramid

The paper with Question 1 on Quality, brand awareness and brand royalty KPIs and problems in measuring these, NFPIs, Big Data and New IS. This questions had alot of requirement that it wasted my time. Question 2 was VFM and league tables Question 3 time out and I dont know what is it. But confident with the way answered.

I had the same questions. It was easy, but very time consuming. Was not able to finish Q3-made only performance pyramid and key points in bonuses.

@byron1976 Hi I know! My colleague who have also done this exam also all ran out of time. Il be honest - I happily aim for 50%, always have done in the exams. I never skip questions and go from start to finish. Every exam I have time spare which I am be no mean saying I’m some kind of expert haha. I think when I get to the end of a question I have a mental block and never go back and change answers. Im a fast typer and don’t do what a lot of the lecturers say and plan out questions I just get stuck in. Working out time scales etc for me is a waste of time I’d rather just answer them. ^ that works for me **will not work for everyone!!

nlgil wrote: @byron1976 Hi I know! My colleague who have also done this exam also all ran out of time.

Can you share your past exam results?

tyjac wrote:

nlgil wrote: @byron1976 Hi I know! My colleague who have also done this exam also all ran out of time.

Like I say I have found a style that works for me, this is my last exam and my results have ranged between 52% - 62% across them all. I don’t go for gold with my answers. For some people planning will be key, but for me it’s a waste of half an hour (or however long your meant to do it for!)

I think my paper was different from everyone. Sec C i got a question on budget, ZBB and a question on financial measures and big data The paper did not consist of neither break even, information system, ROI RI Transfer pricing, learning curve.

I had the same! I feel like the requirements were straightforward & I covered them in my revision however, the time pressure makes me less confident. Hopefully I did enough to pass