Mastering CMA Exam Part 1: Variance Analysis & Flexible Bud

About Mastering CMA Exam Part 1: Variance Analysis & Flexible Bud

Performance Management (20% of the exam questions- Levels A, B, and C type questions)

1. Cost and variance measures

a. Comparison of actual to planned results b. Use of flexible budgets to analyze performance c. Mana

2. Responsibility centers and reporting segments

a. Types of responsibility centers b. Transfer pricing models c. Reporting of organizational segments

3. Performance measure

s a. Product profitability analysis b. Business unit profitability analysis c. Customer profitability analysis d. Return on investment e. Residual income f. Investment base issues g. Key performance indicators (KPIs) h. Balanced scorecard Each section contains an overview lecture. Each Learning Outcome that could be on the test is covered in detail with study notes provided and quizzes that contain past CMA exam questions on that section. To be successful writing the CMA, you must practice, practice and practice. This course requires that of you.

_Variance analysis_

is the study of deviations of actual behaviour versus forecasted or planned behaviour in budgeting or management accounting. This is essentially concerned with how the difference of actual and planned behaviours indicates how business performance is being impacted.

Responsibility accounting

is an underlying concept of accounting performance measurement systems. The basic idea is that large diversified organizations are difficult, if not impossible to manage as a single segment, thus they must be decentralized or separated into manageable parts. These parts, or segments are referred to as responsibility centers that include: 1. revenue centers, 2. cost centers, 3. profit centers, and 4. investment centers. This approach allows responsibility to be assigned to the segment managers that have the greatest amount of influence over the key elements to be managed. These elements include revenue for a revenue center (a segment that mainly generates revenue with relatively little costs), costs for a cost center (a segment that generates costs, but no revenue), a measure of profitability for a profit center (a segment that generates both revenue and costs) and return on investment (ROI) for an investment center (a segment such as a division of a company where the manager controls the acquisition and utilization of assets, as well as revenue and costs).