You must complete both practice exams and one of the mock exams and send them to your allocated marker by the deadlines set out in the course schedule.
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You must achieve an average mark of at least 30% in your submitted practice and mock exams. This is to ensure you are putting in enough effort.
You must attend or watch the recorded versions of the masterclasses and make notes on the pass guarantee form.
Use the pass guarantee form to document your key learning points throughout your studies, submit within 1 week of the final exam.
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You must complete mock exams 1 to 3 and send them to your allocated marker by the deadlines set out in the course schedule.
| You must not copy the mock exam solutions. If you do so this will invalidate your pass guarantee.
|
You must achieve an average mark of at least 40% in your full mock exams. This is to ensure you are putting in enough effort.
| You must attend or watch the recorded versions of masterclasses 1 & 2 and make notes on the pass guarantee form.
|
Use the pass guarantee form to document your key learning points throughout your studies, submit within 1 week of the final exam. | You must confirm that you have read and understood the pass guarantee terms. |
Understanding what past students did wrong in their ocs exam & how to avoid repeating such mistakes is by using examiner reports..
In our experience and through feedback from students, the best way to understand what past students did wrong in their exams and ways to avoid repeating those mistakes is by using the Examiner Reports.
The main challenge with CIMA case studies is that they constantly change to feature a new company. However, the advice is given in each Examiner Report on what students did well and common pitfalls to avoid can be applied to any case study, therefore, they are an essential resource in your case study preparation.
So, to help you focus and pass, part 1 of this series will focus on the CIMA Examiner’s report for the Operational level integrated case study February 2020 exam session .
In future weeks, we will be discussing the examiner reports for MCS and SCS as they become available.
Even if you’ve passed this exam level, there are pointers from this review that could benefit your future case study exams.
Just in case you’re not familiar, Examiners Reports provide a review of the performance of candidates in the examinations and a detailed analysis of the standards of answering.
So, in short, it outlines what students did well and not so well as individuals and as a cohort.
These are important documents to review as part of your study as they provide invaluable insights and tips from the examiner’s point of view. After all, these are the people that will be marking your paper, so it’s worth listening to what they have to say!
The Feb 2020 case study was Lottie Graphite, a manufacturer of graphite and coloured pencils based in Gawland, a country in Western Europe.
As a recap:
Tested in the exam session:
Each variant had 4 tasks and to achieve level 3 in most traits, you had to demonstrate a good technical understanding that was applied to the Lottie Graphite business. Mistakes in this area were:
Students did well in the areas of beyond budgeting, costing, use and limitations of expected value, capital expenditure under IAS16, working capital and ratios, raw material variances and KPIs – this is the bread and butter for accountants.
The areas of weakness for students in this exam were:
Other points highlighted were that a strong technical understanding usually led to good application and that the knowledge base is key. Oftentimes there were a lot of descriptions but not enough explanations.
You should read the detailed feedback on each of the variants on the CIMA site.
There are several key points to consider when preparing for future Operational case study examinations. These points are:
There are a number of things that can help you get the extra marks required to pass which include:
1. It is important to take time to plan your answer so that you are able to apply your knowledge to the specifics of the CIMA case. For certain tasks, plan your answers in the answer screen itself.
For example, if you are asked about the potential benefits and problems of activity-based costing, I suggest that you first note down headings for benefits and problems. Under each heading, list your benefits and problems; these will become your sub-headings. Then you can write a short CIMA paragraph under each sub-heading.
This will allow you time to think about all of the points that you want to make and will help to give your answer in a clear format. Ultimately, it should save you time.
2. Take care of how your answer looks. Whilst this examination is not a test of English, some answers are difficult to read because of poor spelling and grammar. It’s important that answers are presented well so that markers can see that you have demonstrated a clear understanding of CIMA of the issues.
As you can see, Examiner Reports are a vital part of your exam preparation. They are an easy way to understand where past students have gone wrong and what you can do to avoid those mistakes to avoid losing any unnecessary marks.
Make sure to integrate them into your study plan for your upcoming Operational Case Study exam.
Read more: 7 Ways to Pass Your CIMA Case Study Exams
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The CIMA® Case Study exams are the final capstone exams of each level of the CIMA Professional Qualification, which students must pass to gain the CGMA® designation. We explore four tips to help you prepare for the exams.
1) Understand the three Case Study levels.
Each Case Study exam lasts three hours, with multiple tasks of equal lengths. There is a natural progression to the levels — Operational, Management and Strategic — that simulate how work as a management accountant progresses. To reach the Case Study level, you will have already passed the Objective Tests, which focus on ensuring that you have acquired the knowledge and skills for each pillar. Case Study exams are more about interpreting data and require practical answers to practical questions and simulate real-life business scenarios.
Operational Case Study (OCS)
Management Case Study (MCS)
Strategic Case Study (SCS)
2) Understand the Case Study exam cycle.
C opyright: BPP
3) Understand the pre-seen materials.
Pre-seen materials — known as ‘preseens’ — are background information about the fictitious organisation featured in the Case Study exam. This information forms the basis of the tasks you can expect to see in the exam. The preseen tells the story of the company, including the industry and context in which it operates, its financial statements, management accounts, markets and competitors. Preseens are usually 26 – 30 pages long. Key tips include:
Tackling “I can” from each of the core activities in each of the sections is necessary for success. For instance:
Have a broad syllabus knowledge and know your company intrinsically. You become the person when you role-play the exam. Avoid prefabricated answers, as the exam will have details not included in the preseens. Your answers have to be relevant to the question.
4) Plan your exam approach.
Evaluate opportunities to add value.
- Implement senior management decisions.
- Manage performance and costs to aid value creation.
- Measure performance.
- Manage internal and external stakeholder.
“For a 12-mark answer, it might be possible to identify, say, four issues. A candidate who aims to write about four topics only has to score three marks for each to obtain full marks.” – MCS Examiner
You have all the tools you need to do well on the CIMA Case Study exams. From all of us at the Association, we wish you the very best for your next Case Study exam.
The content of this article is based on a Case Study Masterclass webinar delivered by CIMA and BPP in November 2020.
Here’s the latest news about a global outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that started in 2020, and recently spread among cattle in U.S. states and marine mammals across the world, which has health officials closely monitoring it and experts concerned the virus could mutate and eventually spread to humans, where it has proven rare but deadly.
A sign warns of a outbreak of bird flu.
June 6 Dozens of cows infected with bird flu have either died or been slaughtered in Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas, which is unusual since—unlike poultry—cows cost more to slaughter and around 90% usually make a full recovery, Reuters reported .
June 5 A new study examining the 2023 bird flu outbreak in South America that killed around 17,400 elephant seal pups and 24,000 sea lions found the disease spread between the animals in several countries, the first known case of transnational virus mammal-to-mammal bird flu transmission.
May 30 Another human case of bird flu has been detected in a dairy farm worker in Michigan—though the cases aren’t connected—and this is the first person in the U.S. to report respiratory symptoms connected to bird flu, though their symptoms are “resolving,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
May 23 A new study with mice suggests that drinking infected milk can spread the disease—and that a certain type of pasteurization may not always be effective in killing the virus.
May 22 Michigan reported bird flu in a farmworker—the second U.S. human case tied to transmission from dairy cows—though the worker had a mild infection and has since recovered.
May 21 Australia reported its first human case of bird flu after a child became infected in March after traveling to India, though the child has since recovered after suffering from a “severe infection,” according to the Victorian Department of Health.
May 16 The USDA conducted a study, and discovered that after high levels of the virus was injected into beef, no trace was left after the meat was cooked medium to well done, though the virus was found in meat cooked to lower temperatures.
May 14 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released influenza A waste water data for the weeks ending in April 27 and May 4, and found several states like Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois and Kansas had unusually high levels, though the agency isn’t sure if the virus came from humans or animals, and isn’t able to differentiate between influenza A subtypes, meaning the H5N1 virus or other subtypes may have been detected.
May 10 The Food and Drug Administration announced it will commit an additional $8 million to ensure the commercial milk supply is safe, while the Department of Agriculture said it will pay up to $28,000 per farm to help mitigate the spread of the disease, totaling around $98 million in funds.
May 9 Some 70 people in Colorado are being monitored for bird flu due to potential exposure, and will be tested for the virus if they show any symptoms, the Colorado Department of Public Health told Forbes—it was not immediately clear how or when the people were potentially exposed.
May 1 The Department of Agriculture said it tested 30 grocery store ground beef products for bird flu and they all came back negative, reaffirming the meat supply is safe.
May 1 The Food and Drug Administration confirmed dairy products are still safe to consume, announcing it tested grocery store samples of products like infant formula, toddler milk, sour cream and cottage cheese, and no live traces of the bird flu virus were found, although some dead remnants were found in some of the food—though none in the baby products.
April 30 Wenqing Zhang, head of the World Health Organization's Global Influenza Programme, said during a news briefing "there is a risk for cows in other countries to be getting infected," with the bird flu virus, since it’s commonly spread through the movement of migratory birds.
April 29 The Department of Agriculture told Forbes it will begin testing ground beef samples from grocery stores in states with cow outbreaks, and test ground beef cooked at different temperatures and infected with the virus to determine if it's safe to eat.
April 24 The USDA said cow-to-cow transmission may be occurring due to the cows coming into contact with raw milk—and warned against humans and other animals, including pets, consuming unpasteurized milk to prevent potential infection.
April 18 Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist for the World Health Organization, said during a press conference the threat of bird flu spreading between humans was a “great concern,” since it’s evolved and has increasingly been infecting mammals (on land and sea), which means it could possibly spread to humans.
April 1 The CDC reported the second U.S. human case of bird flu in a Texas dairy farmer who became infected after contracting the virus from infected dairy cows, but said the person was already recovering.
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Bird flu doesn’t “transmit easily from person-to-person,” according to the World Health Organization. Bird flu rarely affects humans, and most previous cases came from close contact with infected poultry, according to the CDC. Because human-to-human spread of bird flu poses “pandemic potential,” each human case is investigated to rule out this type of infection. Though none have been confirmed, there are a few global cases—none in the U.S.—where human-to-human transmission of bird flu was thought to be “probable,” including in China , Thailand , Indonesia and Pakistan .
It is very deadly. Between January 2003 and March 28, 2024 there have been 888 human cases of bird flu infection in humans, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Of those 888 cases, 463 (52%) died. To date, only two people in the U.S. have contracted H5N1 bird flu, and they both were infected after coming into contact with sick animals. The most recent case was a dairy worker in Texas who became ill in March after interacting with sick dairy cows, though he only experienced pink eye. The first incident happened in 2022 when a person in Colorado contracted the disease from infected poultry, and fully recovered.
Raw, unpasteurized milk is unsafe to drink, but pasteurized milk is fine, according to the FDA. Bird flu has been detected in both unpasteurized and pasteurized milk, but the FDA recommends manufacturers against making and selling unpasteurized milk since there’s a possibility consuming it may cause bird flu infection. However, the virus remnants in pasteurized milk have been deactivated by the heat during the pasteurization process , so this type of milk is still believed safe to consume.
The CDC warns against eating raw meat or eggs from animals “confirmed or suspected” of having bird flu because of the possibility of transmission. However, no human has ever been infected with bird flu from eating properly prepared and cooked meat, according to the agency. The possibility of infected meat entering the food supply is “extremely low” due to rigorous inspection, so properly handled and cooked meat is safe to eat, according to the USDA. To know when meat is properly cooked, whole beef cuts must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, ground meat must be 160 degrees and poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees. Rare and medium rare steaks fall below this temperature. Properly cooked eggs with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses including bird flu, according to the CDC. “It doesn’t matter if they may or may not have [avian] influenza… runny eggs and rare pieces of meat” are never recommended, Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director and professor for the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, told Forbes. To “play it safe,” consumers should only eat fully cooked eggs and make sure “the yolks are firm with no runny parts,” Daisy May, veterinary surgeon with U.K.-based company Medivet, said .
Symptoms of bird flu include a fever, cough, headache, chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, runny nose, congestion, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, pink eye, muscle aches and headache. However, the CDC advises it can’t be diagnosed based on symptoms alone, and laboratory testing is needed. This typically includes swabbing the nose or throat (the upper respiratory tract), or the lower respiratory tract for critically ill patients.
This year’s egg prices have increased as production decreased due to bird flu outbreaks among poultry, according to the USDA. A dozen large, grade A eggs in the U.S. costed around $2.99 in March, up almost a dollar from the fall. However, this price is down from a record $4.82 in January 2023, which was also spiked by bird flu outbreaks . Earlier this month, Cal-Maine Foods—the country’s largest egg producer—temporarily halted egg production after over one million egg-laying hens and chickens were killed after being infected with bird flu.
Once chickens have been infected with bird flu, farmers quickly kill them to help control the spread of the virus, since bird flu is highly contagious and fatal in poultry. The USDA pays farmers for all birds and eggs that have to be killed because of bird flu, as an incentive to responsibly try and curb the spread of the disease. The USDA has spent over $1 billion in bird flu compensation for farmers since 2022, according to the nonprofit Food & Environment Reporting Network.
The FDA has approved a few bird flu vaccines for humans. The U.S. has a stockpile of vaccines for H5N1 bird flu, but it wouldn’t be enough to vaccinate all Americans if an outbreak were to happen among humans. If a human outbreak does occur, the government plans to mass produce vaccines, which can take at least six months to make enough for the entire population. CSL Seqirus, the maker of one of the approved vaccines, expects to have 150 million vaccines ready within six months of an announcement of a human bird flu pandemic. Although there are approved vaccines for other variants designed for birds, there are none for the H5N1 variant circulating. However, the USDA began trials on H5N1 animal-specific vaccines in 2023.
As of May 30, more than 92 million poultry (primarily chickens) in 48 states have been euthanized because of bird flu since 2022, and 57 dairy cow herds across nine states have tested positive, according to data from the CDC (unlike chickens, cows appear to recover from the virus). The USDA believes wild migratory birds are the original source of the cow outbreaks that recently has experts concerned it may mutate and spread more easily in humans, though the CDC said its risk to the public remains low . Farrar called the cattle infections in the U.S. a “huge concern,” urging public health officials to continue closely monitoring the situation “because it may evolve into transmitting in different ways.” The increased number of mammal bird flu infections since 2022 “could indicate that the virus is looking for new hosts, and of course, moving closer to people,” Andrea Garcia, vice president of science, medicine and public health for the American Medical Association, said . The first report of a walrus dying from bird flu was detected in April on one of Norway’s Arctic Islands, and the first U.S. dolphin infected with bird flu died back in 2022, according to a report published April 18. More than 10 human bird flu cases were reported to the World Health Organization in 2023, and all but one survived. Bird flu has devastated bird populations, and 67 countries reported the deaths of 131 million poultry in 2022 alone. Although bird flu typically infects wild birds and poultry, it’s spread to other animals during the outbreak, and at least 10 countries have reported outbreaks in mammals since 2022. Around 17,400 elephant seal pups died from bird flu in Argentina in 2023, and at least 24,000 sea lions died in South America the same year. Besides cattle, bird flu has been detected in over 200 other mammals—like seals, raccoons and bears—in the U.S. since 2022. Although rare, even domestic pets like dogs and cats are susceptible to the virus, and the FDA warns against giving unpasteurized milk to cats to avoid possible transmission.
On June 5, WHO confirmed the first human death of a strain of bird flu that’s never before been seen in humans and is separate from H5N1. A 59-year-old man in Mexico contracted H5N2, and died on April 24 after being hospitalized and developing a fever, diarrhea, nausea, shortness of breath and general discomfort. Cases of H5N2 have been reported in poultry in Mexico, but the man had no history with poultry or animals, WHO said. It’s unclear how he became infected. He was bedridden for weeks prior to the infection, and suffered from several other health conditions.
Another Bird Flu Variant Reaches Humans: What To Know About H5N2—After First-Ever Confirmed Death
WHO Warns Threat Of Bird Flu Spreading To Humans Is ‘Great Concern’ (Forbes)
One In Five Milk Samples From Across US Had Traces Of Bird Flu Virus, FDA Says (Forbes)
Can Pets Get Bird Flu? Here’s What To Know (Forbes)
Avian H5N1 (Bird) Flu: Why Experts Are Worried—And What You Should Know (Forbes)
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How to pass the Operational Case Study
As you may already know, Operational Case Study (OCS) is the first case study under CIMA's CGMA professional qualification and is designed to test your ability to apply the technical knowledge you’ve learnt from E1, P1 and F1.
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All the advice below comes directly from our CIMA case study professional tutors, who mark thousands of student scripts throughout the year. If you wish to get your VIVA mock exam answers corrected, check out our CIMA course pages , where you can obtain professional marking services as part of the Elite Course.
CIMA has released a question tutorial for each case study level of the Professional Qualification. The question tutorial for the Operational Case Study relates to GymFiT, a company that operates 102 low-cost gyms. The candidate is expected to assume the role of a Finance Officer, who supports the company's Finance Manager.
Examiners have identified four common mistakes across all three levels, not only under the 2019 Professional Qualification (PQ) but also under the 2015 PQ — candidates keep failing CIMA's CGMA CS Exams for the same reasons despite the syllabus change! If a candidate scores low marks (e.g., score at a level 1 on a given trait), it is likely ...
This document contains the full post exam supporting materials for the May and August 2021 management case study and CIMA gateway exam containing: pre-seen material. exam variants. suggested solutions. examiners report. marking guidance. Open PDF. Published 22/10/21. The CGMA Study Hub keeps you on track to achieve your personal study goals.
1. CIMA case study exams - the basics. CIMA case study exams evaluate applying knowledge in business scenarios with essay-based questions across three levels: Operational, Management, and Strategic. Candidates take these exams after passing objective tests, answering questions within fictional company roles using pre-seen and unseen materials. 2.
As part of the Management case study exam, you'll have 30 to 60 minutes to write a financial report or response to a colleague, manager, or senior executive via email. In the exam you can expect 4 tasks to answer. A good, clear, writing style is very important. Use short, digestible, paragraphs to make it easy for the marker to read, and give ...
Follow these 7 simple steps to avoid the panic and clear the path ahead to enjoy case study exam success. 1. Follow a Focused Study Plan. Starting your study is often the hardest step to take.In our experience, following a plan increases productivity, cuts time-wasting, tracks progress and allows for personal planning around the study to ...
We explore four tips to help you prepare for the exams. Understand the three Case Study levels. Each Case Study exam lasts three hours, with multiple tasks of equal lengths. There is a natural progression to the levels — Operational, Management and Strategic — that simulate how work as a management accountant progresses.
Ever since our first CIMA case study course over 14 years ago, Astranti has gained a reputation for offering the most comprehensive case study courses in the market. Our courses are dedicated to providing you with the best advice and support to help you pass your exams on the first attempt. What's more, our courses offer great value for money.
CIMA Strategic Case Study - Exam Tips. Bronwyn Clarke came 1st in the world for the CIMA Strategic case study. Following this fantastic result, we seized the opportunity to ask her one simple question 'How?'. Working for Network Rail, she's currently a Management Accountant on their finance graduate scheme. She's completed the full CIMA ...
P.3 Contents Page Chapter 1 Introduction to case study exams 1 Chapter 2 Core activities and assessment outcomes 11 Chapter 3 2019 Prototype exam - pre-seen information 59 Chapter 4 2019 Prototype exam - analysing the pre-seen 81 Chapter 5 Exam day techniques 103 Chapter 6 2019 Prototype exam - walkthrough of variant 1 117 Chapter 7 Feedback on the real exam and tips on answering
What do my exam results mean. Further reading. Exam Technique. Case Study support 1 - preparing for the Case Study exam. Exam Technique. Case Study support 2 - planning a good answer. Exam Technique. Case Study support 3 - developing a fuller answer. Study Support.
The main challenge with CIMA case studies is that they constantly change to feature a new company. However, the advice is given in each Examiner Report on what students did well and common pitfalls to avoid can be applied to any case study, therefore, they are an essential resource in your case study preparation.
So, here are a few quick tips for anyone sitting their first CIMA case study. If you're a first-timer, you're probably sitting the OCS, but the following tips are for anyone sitting via the Gateway or CFO routes too. #1: Get comfortable with the testing environment. Regardless of whether you're on the PQ or FLP routes, the case study is ...
Tip # 3: Analyse the Pre-Seen. The Pre-Seen, obviously, needs to be looked at, but it needs to be looked at in the right way. The better you understand the pre-seen, the better you are able to analyse the specific issues that will come up in the exam. So, an in-depth analysis is absolutely crucial to you.
The CIMA® Case Study exams are the final capstone exams of each level of the CIMA Professional Qualification, which students must pass to gain the CGMA® designation. We explore four tips to help you prepare for the exams. 1) Understand the three Case Study levels. Each Case Study exam lasts three hours, with multiple tasks of equal lengths.
The May 2017 CIMA case studies are just around the corner and this article should put you on the right track for a pass mark. Having passed the OCS exam myself last year - you can read more on that here - I hope I can offer students who are facing the same problems and questions I had, guidance and some useful case study resources.. Here are my 3 top tips for passing your next CIMA case study.
We have prepared two sample case study exams based on CIMA's 2019 CGMA Professional Qualification. Open the PDF to access all the supporting material you will need before and after you have completed the tutorial case study. Open PDF. Level: Management. The CGMA Study Hub keeps you on track to achieve your personal study goals.
Reply More replies. GriKas. •. - Make sure your typing speed is at least 20wpm, this is considered the minimum to be able to type enough to pass a question. - Make sure you can sit and focus for 4 x 45 minute chunks (studying will be a good way to test this) and make sure you are able to sit still for 3 hours straight.
The #1 social media platform for MCAT advice. The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is offered by the AAMC and is a required exam for admission to medical schools in the USA and Canada. /r/MCAT is a place for MCAT practice, questions, discussion, advice, social networking, news, study tips and more.
How to pass the Management Case Study. With the next set of exams coming up we thought it would be great to give you an overview of the management case study, also known as CGMA gateway. The aim of CIMA's CGMA Professional Management case study is to apply the knowledge you have learnt across the whole management level. The CGMA Study Hub keeps ...
Timeline. June 5 A new study examining the 2023 bird flu outbreak in South America that killed around 17,400 elephant seal pups and 24,000 sea lions found the disease spread between the animals in ...
How to pass the Operational Case Study. As you may already know, Operational Case Study (OCS) is the first case study under CIMA's CGMA professional qualification and is designed to test your ability to apply the technical knowledge you've learnt from E1, P1 and F1. The CGMA Study Hub keeps you on track to achieve your personal study goals.