CIMA Strategic Case Study – Mock Exams – August 2019 – Zoom

This is a mock of medium difficulty that tests a wide variety of key topics within the CIMA syllabus and some very likely issues based on the Zoom pre-seen. A really useful mock for setting you up for the exam.
The first question kicks off with some bad news. Our venture capitalist backers are taking their business elsewhere. You need to discuss the potential impact of this on the business, both the immediate short-term financial impact and the long-term strategic impact. You’ll also need to weigh up the various exit options available to the venture capitalists and come to an appropriate recommendation.

Next up, we’ve decided to launch on the stock market through an IPO. Following in the footsteps of real-world TNC’s like Uber and Lyft, The problem is, how do we value our company? This question requires you to analyse the different valuation methods and decide upon an appropriate price. The second half of this question relates to the board of directors and how the governance structure may need to change to comply with the Jayland code of corporate governance following our listing. Some very important F3 and P3 topics being tested here.

Finally, the last question in this mock relates to some troubles faced by the company following its post-listing expansion. We’ve had to hire more drivers to keep up with demand and as a result, reduce the vetting period/process. This has caused an increase in the number of complaints against the company. It’s up to you to analyse how this could and should have been prevented, the ethics of dealing with public criticism and the impact on our share price.

This mock is difficult. There is a lot of unseen content to digest and time management is key. Students will need to understand how a third party software issue can impact the organisation, causing it to look for alternative solutions as well as putting in place measures to safeguard itself in the future.

The first section looks at various impacts as a result of a software issue. It also discusses the company’s large cash balance and how this could be utilised to potentially address the software issue.

The second section of the mock starts with a discussion about the need and constituents of a due diligence exercise. It also looks at how to implement a risk management framework to mitigate project risk.

The final section looks at quality management and the benefits of a PCA. It also
discusses how to motivate an IT team and evaluates cash as a form of consideration.