Thailand___ (retain) cultural connection with the two great centers of Asian civilizations,India and China.
rearrange their neckwear, touching their hair or patting their faces--things they would never presume to do, unasked, to one of their contemporaries. An equally
humiliating habit is to talk about old people in front of them as if they were not there, discussing their health. It is now universally accepted that children should be encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves in order to develop their brains and muscles, but so few
people today seem to have time to allow the elderly the same means of keeping their minds and muscles active. They perform. innumerable services for the old that they
would be much better left to do, even with a struggle, for themselves. Convenient flats, "motherly" visitors, or organized entertainments cannot make up for the fundamental need which must be satisfied--the need to retain to the end
of life human dignity and the respect of one's fellows.Many people are not aware that it is rather rude to ______.A.talk casually about old people in front of them as if they were not thereB.show sympathy for the oldC.take care of the old when they are not illD.pat the faces of the contemporaries
4 Hogg Products Company (HPC), based in a developing country, was recently wholly acquired by American Overseas
Investments (AOI), a North American holding company. The new owners took the opportunity to completely review
HPC’s management, culture and systems. One of the first things that AOI questioned was HPC’s longstanding
corporate code of ethics.
The board of AOI said that it had a general code of ethics that HPC, as an AOI subsidiary, should adopt. Simon Hogg,
the chief executive of HPC, disagreed however, and explained why HPC should retain its existing code. He said that
HPC had adopted its code of ethics in its home country which was often criticised for its unethical business behaviour.
Some other companies in the country were criticised for their ‘sweat shop’ conditions. HPC’s adoption of its code of
ethics, however, meant that it could always obtain orders from European customers on the guarantee that products
were made ethically and in compliance with its own highly regarded code of ethics. Mr Hogg explained that HPC had
an outstanding ethical reputation both locally and internationally and that reputation could be threatened if it was
forced to replace its existing code of ethics with AOI’s more general code.
When Ed Tanner, a senior director from AOI’s head office, visited Mr Hogg after the acquisition, he was shown HPC’s
operation in action. Mr Hogg pointed out that unlike some other employers in the industry, HPC didn’t employ child
labour. Mr Hogg explained that although it was allowed by law in the country, it was forbidden by HPC’s code of
ethics. Mr Hogg also explained that in his view, employing child labour was always ethically wrong. Mr Tanner asked
whether the money that children earned by working in the relatively safe conditions at HPC was an important source
of income for their families. Mr Hogg said that the money was important to them but even so, it was still wrong to
employ children, as it was exploitative and interfered with their education. He also said that it would alienate the
European customers who bought from HPC partly on the basis of the terms of its code of ethics.
Required:
(a) Describe the purposes and typical contents of a corporate code of ethics. (9 marks)
costs in several currencies. The group develops, manufactures and markets products in the medical sector. The growth
of the group has been achieved by investment and acquisition. It is organised into three global business units which
manage their sales in international markets, and take full responsibility for strategy and business performance. Only
five per cent of the business is in the country of incorporation. Competition in the sector is quite fierce.
The group competes across a wide range of geographic and product markets and encourages its subsidiaries to
enhance local communities by reinvestment of profits in local educational projects. The group’s share of revenue in a
market sector is often determined by government policy. The markets contain a number of different competitors
including specialised and large international corporations. At present the group is awaiting regulatory approval for a
range of new products to grow its market share. The group lodges its patents for products and enters into legal
proceedings where necessary to protect patents. The products are sourced from a wide range of suppliers, who, once
approved both from a qualitative and ethical perspective, are generally given a long term contract for the supply of
goods. Obsolete products are disposed of with concern for the environment and the health of its customers, with
reusable materials normally being used. The industry is highly regulated in terms of medical and environmental laws
and regulations. The products normally carry a low health risk.
The Group has developed a set of corporate and social responsibility principles during the period which is the
responsibility of the Board of Directors. The Managing Director manages the risks arising from corporate and social
responsibility issues. The group wishes to retain and attract employees and follows policies which ensure equal
opportunity for all the employees. Employees are informed of management policies, and regularly receive in-house
training.
The Group enters into contracts for fixed rate currency swaps and uses floating to fixed rate interest rate swaps. The
cash flow effects of these swaps match the cash flows on the underlying financial instruments. All financial
instruments are accounted for as cash flow hedges. A significant amount of trading activity is denominated in the
Dinar and the Euro. The dollar is its functional currency.
Required:
(a) Describe the principles behind the Management Commentary discussing whether the commentary should be
mandatory or whether directors should be free to use their judgement as to what should be included in such
a commentary. (13 marks)
Passage Two
A particular area in which assumptions and values differ between cultures is that of friendship. Friendships among Americans tend to be shorter and less intense than these among people from many other cultures. At least many observers from abroad have this impression.Because Americans are taught to be self-reliant,because they live in a very mobile society,and for many other reasons as well,they tend to avoid deep involvement with other people. Furthermore,Americans tend to“compartmentalize”their friendships,having their“friends at work”,“friends at school”,a“tennis friend”,and so on. Americans often seem very friendly even when you first meet them. This friendliness does not usually mean that the American is looking for a deeper relationship.
The result of these attitudes and behaviors is sometimes viewed by foreigners as an“inability to be friends”. Other times it is seen as a normal way to retain personal happiness in a mobile,ever-changing society.
People normally have in their minds stereotypes about people who are different from themselves. Stereotypes are based on limited and incomplete experience and information,but they shape people’s thoughts and expectations. Americans have many stereotypes about foreign students in general(for example,that they are very hard working intelligent,and rich that they do speak English well)and about particular categories of foreign students(Chinese are polite and good at mathematics,for example,or Italians are emotional). And foreign students have their own stereotypes of Americans,for example,that they are arrogant,rude,and generous.
There are two stereotypes that often affect male-female relationships involving U.S. and foreign students. The first is the idea,held by some foreign males,that American females are invariably willing,if not anxious to have sex. The second common stereotype,held by some American females,is that male foreign students have no interest in American females other than having with them. The existence of these and other stereotypes can give rise to considerable misunderstanding and can block the development of a mutually satisfactory relationship between particular individuals. Stereotypes seem unavoidable given the way the human mind seeks to categorize and classify information,so it is not realistic to suppose people can“forget their stereotypes”. But they can be aware of their stereotypes,and be ready to find exceptions to them.
36. Consuming friendship,Americans .
A. look for a deeper relationship in a close circle
B. avoid deep relationship with other people
C. are friendly at first but do not remain so later on
D. do not make good friends
for advice on the impact of IFRS3 (Revised) ‘Business Combinations’ and IAS27 (Revised) ‘Consolidated and Separate
Financial Statements’. The company is particularly concerned about the impact on earnings, net assets and goodwill
at the acquisition date and any ongoing earnings impact that the new standards may have.
The company is considering purchasing additional shares in an associate, Josey, a public limited company. The
holding will increase from 30% stake to 70% stake by offering the shareholders of Josey, cash and shares in
Marrgrett. Marrgrett anticipates that it will pay $5 million in transaction costs to lawyers and bankers. Josey had
previously been the subject of a management buyout. In order that the current management shareholders may remain
in the business, Marrgrett is going to offer them share options in Josey subject to them remaining in employment for
two years after the acquisition. Additionally, Marrgrett will offer the same shareholders, shares in the holding company
which are contingent upon a certain level of profitability being achieved by Josey. Each shareholder will receive shares
of the holding company up to a value of $50,000, if Josey achieves a pre-determined rate of return on capital
employed for the next two years.
Josey has several marketing-related intangible assets that are used primarily in marketing or promotion of its products.
These include trade names, internet domain names and non-competition agreements. These are not currently
recognised in Josey’s financial statements.
Marrgrett does not wish to measure the non-controlling interest in subsidiaries on the basis of the proportionate
interest in the identifiable net assets, but wishes to use the ‘full goodwill’ method on the transaction. Marrgrett is
unsure as to whether this method is mandatory, or what the effects are of recognising ‘full goodwill’. Additionally the
company is unsure as to whether the nature of the consideration would affect the calculation of goodwill.
To finance the acquisition of Josey, Marrgrett intends to dispose of a partial interest in two subsidiaries. Marrgrett will
retain control of the first subsidiary but will sell the controlling interest in the second subsidiary which will become
an associate. Because of its plans to change the overall structure of the business, Marrgrett wishes to recognise a
re-organisation provision at the date of the business combination.
Required:
Discuss the principles and the nature of the accounting treatment of the above plans under International Financial
Reporting Standards setting out any impact that IFRS3 (Revised) ‘Business Combinations’ and IAS27 (Revised)
‘Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements’ might have on the earnings and net assets of the group.
Note: this requirement includes 2 professional marks for the quality of the discussion.
(25 marks)
1. ‘Good’, allowing students to continue with no issues;
2. ‘Some concerns’, meaning students are counselled and then allowed to continue; and,
3. ‘Poor’, where students are dismissed from the audit practice.
The appraisal committee is comprised of three people: managing partner Jack Hu, the training manager (both of whom are professional accountants) and the person responsible for human resources. The committee receives confidential reports on each student and makes decisions based on the views of relevant engagement partners and also exam results. It is normally the training manager who makes the recommendation and in most cases his appraisal is agreed and then acted upon accordingly. Because the appraisals are confidential between the student and the firm, the list of students and their appraisal categories are not publicised within the firm.
When the 2010 intake was being appraised last year, one student was appraised by the training manager as ‘poor’ but was not dismissed. Polly Shah was unpopular among other students because she was considered lazy and technically weak. She also failed a number of her exams. Other students who were appraised as ‘poor’ were dismissed, but Polly received a brief counselling session from Jack Hu and then returned to her duties. Polly stayed for another year and then, having failed more exams, left Jojo to pursue other career interests outside accounting.
Polly’s departure triggered some discussion amongst Jojo’s partners as to why she had been retained when other poor performers had not. It later emerged that Jack Hu was a close friend of Polly’s parents and had enjoyed free holidays in the Shah family’s villa for several years. Because he was the managing partner, Mr Hu was able to insist on retaining Polly, despite the objections of the training manager and the human resources representative, although the training manager was reported to be furious at the decision to retain Polly.
Required:
(a) Define ‘conflict of interest’ and assess the consequences of Jack Hu’s behaviour after Polly Shah’s appraisal. (10 marks)
(b) Describe four ethical safeguards that could be used in Jojo to prevent a recurrence of the events like those described in the case. (8 marks)
(c) The case raises issues of the importance of senior management performance measurement. In a public company, this refers to directors, and in a privately-owned partnership like Jojo, it refers to partners. The managing partner (Mr Hu’s position) is equivalent to the role of chief executive.
Required:
Explain the typical criteria used in the performance measurement of individual directors and discuss the reasons why individual performance measurement of partners may be difficult to implement at Jojo. (7 marks)
heavy investment in licences and network infrastructure. Competition in the sector is fierce and technological
advances are a characteristic of the industry. Johan has responded to these factors by offering incentives to customers
and, in an attempt to acquire and retain them, Johan purchased a telecom licence on 1 December 2006 for
$120 million. The licence has a term of six years and cannot be used until the network assets and infrastructure are
ready for use. The related network assets and infrastructure became ready for use on 1 December 2007. Johan could
not operate in the country without the licence and is not permitted to sell the licence. Johan expects its subscriber
base to grow over the period of the licence but is disappointed with its market share for the year to 30 November
2008. The licence agreement does not deal with the renewal of the licence but there is an expectation that the
regulator will grant a single renewal for the same period of time as long as certain criteria regarding network build
quality and service quality are met. Johan has no experience of the charge that will be made by the regulator for the
renewal but other licences have been renewed at a nominal cost. The licence is currently stated at its original cost of
$120 million in the statement of financial position under non-current assets.
Johan is considering extending its network and has carried out a feasibility study during the year to 30 November
2008. The design and planning department of Johan identified five possible geographical areas for the extension of
its network. The internal costs of this study were $150,000 and the external costs were $100,000 during the year
to 30 November 2008. Following the feasibility study, Johan chose a geographical area where it was going to install
a base station for the telephone network. The location of the base station was dependent upon getting planning
permission. A further independent study has been carried out by third party consultants in an attempt to provide a
preferred location in the area, as there is a need for the optimal operation of the network in terms of signal quality
and coverage. Johan proposes to build a base station on the recommended site on which planning permission has
been obtained. The third party consultants have charged $50,000 for the study. Additionally Johan has paid
$300,000 as a single payment together with $60,000 a month to the government of the region for access to the land
upon which the base station will be situated. The contract with the government is for a period of 12 years and
commenced on 1 November 2008. There is no right of renewal of the contract and legal title to the land remains with
the government.
Johan purchases telephone handsets from a manufacturer for $200 each, and sells the handsets direct to customers
for $150 if they purchase call credit (call card) in advance on what is called a prepaid phone. The costs of selling the
handset are estimated at $1 per set. The customers using a prepaid phone pay $21 for each call card at the purchase
date. Call cards expire six months from the date of first sale. There is an average unused call credit of $3 per card
after six months and the card is activated when sold.
Johan also sells handsets to dealers for $150 and invoices the dealers for those handsets. The dealer can return the
handset up to a service contract being signed by a customer. When the customer signs a service contract, the
customer receives the handset free of charge. Johan allows the dealer a commission of $280 on the connection of a
customer and the transaction with the dealer is settled net by a payment of $130 by Johan to the dealer being the
cost of the handset to the dealer ($150) deducted from the commission ($280). The handset cannot be sold
separately by the dealer and the service contract lasts for a 12 month period. Dealers do not sell prepaid phones, and
Johan receives monthly revenue from the service contract.
The chief operating officer, a non-accountant, has asked for an explanation of the accounting principles and practices
which should be used to account for the above events.
Required:
Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account
for:
(a) the licences; (8 marks)