Year: 2016

  • CIMA MCS May 2016: IC Optical

    It’s here! CIMA released the pre-seen material for the May 2016 sitting of the managemebt level case study exam – you can view the official document here. CIMA have also released the May MCS case study pre-exam kit too which is packed full of resources, links and helpful hints on how to approach and ultimately pass…

  • IAS 24: Related Party Disclosures

    This accounting standard is fairly straight forward and doesn’t involve any complex calculations or rules but it doesn’t mean you should neglect it in your studies. I found, when studying for F2 paper, I kept getting tripped up on questions on this accounting standard by making silly assumptions, so I thought it would be helpful…

  • CIMA OCS May 2016: Sanchez Navarra

    You’ll be pleased to know that CIMA released the pre-seen material for the May OCS this week and the full document can be found here. Meanwhile, you can also find the official CIMA May 2016 OCS pre-exam kit here – it’s full of packed links, articles, documents and all round general guidance on how to…

  • The Week Ahead – 21st March 2016

    Well, I was given a rude awakening last week when I sat down to mock exam on the F2 syllabus and scored just 41% (bear in mind I need 70% to pass), so much of time now leading up to the exam will be focusing on CIMA F2 revision. CIMA News However, this week marks…

  • 10 CIMA Exam Revision Tips

    Learning the content of the CIMA syllabus provides it’s own challenges but if you can’t convert that knowledge into a pass mark on exam day then you will be in trouble. Here are my top 10 (in no particular order) revision tips that will help you pass CIMA exams. Have a peaceful study environment: this…

  • F3: Useful Links and Resources

    The F3 paper will be one of the last CIMA exams you need to pass. The Financial Strategy syllabus kicks off by looking at the formulation of financial strategy, while the next area is geared around fiancing and dividend decisions. Finally, the final part of the CIMA F3 paper is focused on corporate finance. Please…

  • The Week Ahead – 14th March 2015

    I am edging ever closer my F2 exam at the end of the month and I must admit I am feeling a little bit anxious about it all. Self studying for CIMA is a tough process but nevertheless I still have two a bit weeks to get exam ready. But here is what is coming…

  • P3: Useful Links and Resources

    The CIMA P3 paper Risk Management draws on the knowledge gained from the operational and management level. It has five equally weighted areas that start with idenification of risk and leads all the way through to responses, internal controls and managing risk associated with cash flows and capital management. If you are self studying then…

  • Working Capital Ratios

    The CIMA F1, F2 and F3 papers ALL consider financial ratios and how to interpret them. It can be a broad subject when looking at all types of ratios, their audience and how to draw meaningful conclusions from them. Let’s take a look at the interested users and what type of financial ratios they would be…

  • The Week Ahead – 7th March 2016

    Spring is upon us and it’s probably a good time to have a spring clean of your study desk and CIMA materials! For case study students, it’s that awkward wait for the February exam results and for those looking at the next sitting in May, the pre-seen materials are yet to be realised. So if…

  • Long Term Finance – Equity and Debt Financing

    The F2 syllabus expands on our knowledge from the operational level. The F1 paper focused on the short-term financing options but the management level of CIMA looks at more long-term financing solutions. And this is where we need to understand the role of capital markets (the stock exchange) and the difference between Equity Financing and…

  • E3: Useful Resources and Links

    The CIMA E3 Strategic Management syllabus has a well balanced range of subjects that builds on your learning from the E1 and E2 papers. As it’s the final level of the CIMA qualification you will be focusing on strategic decision making and in particular how to lead change and implementing strategy across the business. Useful Links…

  • The Week Ahead – 29th February 2016

    Well, the February case study exams are well and truly over for everyone. Now the anxious wait for exam results begins – if you’re not sure when your results are released I have made a note of the dates below. CIMA News You may have heard or seen news about CIMAs proposed joint venture with…

  • Understanding Deferred Tax

    Deferred Tax is a subject that has cropped in in my F2 studies and I’ve realised it’s not such a difficult topic to understand. In my working experience, deferred tax is a not a subject most finance professionals want to even look at. “Let the tax department handle it” or “speak to the business controller”…

  • P2: Useful Links and Resources

    The CIMA P2 Advanced Management Accounting syllabus has a well balanced range of subjects that builds on your learning from the P1 paper. Its primary focus is on long term and whereas P1 gave you a handle on costs and their drivers, P2 provides the competencies needed to analyse, plan and manage costs. While it…

  • The Week Ahead – 22nd February

    It’s a nail biting week for the strategic students who are taking the case study exams this week – let’s hope its your final CIMA exam and you get a positive result! However, the operational and management level students can relax (for the time being). Although I would suggest you start thinking about what awaits…

  • E2: Useful Links and Resources

    E2: Useful Links and Resources

    E2 Project and Relationship promotes an integrated approach to managing organisations from an internal and external perspective. It takes the knowledge you have gained from the E1 paper and builds on it by looking at the concept of strategy and how it can be implemented by people, projects, processes and relationships. Here are a come…

  • Why study CIMA?

    It’s easy to lose track of why we’re studying CIMA. The path to becoming fully qualified is an arduous one and can take years to complete – especially if you fail exams along the way. With this in mind, it’s good to remind ourselves WHY we are studying CIMA and the potential career opportunities that…

  • The Week Ahead – 15th February 2016

    The operational case study students can breath a sigh of relief now the February exam sitting is over – now it’s down to the management students to get down to business this week! Here is what is coming up on the website this week. The following few weeks I will be focusing on the objective…

  • How to pass CIMA Objective Tests

    The main focus for the last couple of months has been on the CIMA Case Study exams but now, with the February exam sitting under way, it’s a good opportunity to look at how to pass the CIMA objective tests. CIMA 2015 Syllabus Under the new 2015 syllabus, the CIMA objective exams have had a…