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Q2, Jun '12 – Flexipipe

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA SBL Exams › Q2, Jun '12 – Flexipipe

  • This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 9 years ago by Ken Garrett.
Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • October 14, 2016 at 3:43 pm #343283
    mansoor
    Participant
    • Topics: 423
    • Replies: 541
    • ☆☆☆☆

    Good Evening

    (a) Critically evaluate the decision made by the CEO to use a software package approach to automating the production process at Flexipipe, and explain why this approach was unlikely to succeed. (12 marks)

    i have 2 questions regarding the answer to this part:

    1. i read somewhere that in p3, they give 1 mark for each point. based on that, i tried to come up with 12 points. did i read correclty?

    2. i could only come up with 8 points and i have listed them below … in my actual answer i elaborated as well.
    the points are as follows:

    – CEO overrode the procurement process
    – the process being automated was not a “standard” process
    – the data structures were not compatible
    – there was no ‘trial run’ or parallel run
    – there was no training
    – there was no ‘try before buy’ – once critical function was missing
    – supplier was not vetted
    – there was no formal process to evaluate packages

    As you can see, my approach is totally different to the answer given. can u guide me if listing points as above qualify for marks?

    thanks!

    October 14, 2016 at 8:23 pm #343305
    Ken Garrett
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 10648
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    8 points well explained are better then 12 badly explained.

    – CEO overrode the procurement process: little expertise; grabbed first package seen.

    – the process being automated was not a “standard” process: yes. non-standard doesn’t sit easily with packages. Also packages don’t provide competitive advantage if everyone has the same one.

    – data structures incompatible: presumably because there was migration difficulty.

    – no trial/parallel run. Not a problem relating to the package solution. This is to do with changeover.

    – no training. again not a problem with the package solution. See part (b)

    – try before buy: this could have uncovered problems.

    – supplier not vetted. Again not specifically to do with packages. Could also apply to bespoke suppliers. See answer to part (b)

    – no formal evaluation: this might have found a proper package, but again I think teh question was aksing why it was unlikely that ANY package might be successful in this business.

    October 15, 2016 at 7:07 am #343320
    mansoor
    Participant
    • Topics: 423
    • Replies: 541
    • ☆☆☆☆

    my motivation for writing point by point was the fact that u get one mark per point. yet the answer has only 3 points, which r elaborated.

    can u clear my thinking/approach on this?

    October 15, 2016 at 4:59 pm #343356
    Ken Garrett
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 10648
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    At this level, despite what the marking guide suggests, 1 mark per point is simplistic. The answer has three section in part (a), but it really describes the problems in detail. Concentrate on describing your points carefully.

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Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • The topic ‘Q2, Jun '12 – Flexipipe’ is closed to new replies.

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