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Management level · MCS

CIMA MCS past questions by sitting

Every sub-task from recent Management Case Study pre-seens, summarised in our own words and sorted by core activity. One sitting at a time, with the number of matching sub-tasks on each.

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May & Aug 2026 · Cartn: showing 48 of 48 sub-tasks.

Packaging · 48 sub-tasks shown

  • V1 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value

    Whether a new packaging product proposal fits the company's business model.

    Business models and value

  • V1 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Should the project team tackle technical design problems or recovering the investment first?

    Projects and project teams

  • V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Mitigating commodity price, product and contractual inadequacy risks on the new product.

    Business risks

  • V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Features of borrowing that affect its suitability for funding the product's development.

    Financing and cost of capital

  • V1 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Accounting effects over two years if a major customer threatens to leave a purchase agreement.

    Accounting treatments

  • V1 · Task 3(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Difficulties measuring the opportunity cost of seconding design staff to an overseas office.

    Transfer pricing

  • V1 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Balanced scorecard goals for the product development department.

    Responsibility centres and performance measures

  • V1 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Reporting the new product under intellectual and social and relationship capital.

    Integrated and sustainability reporting

  • V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Approach and main issues in negotiating a settlement with a customer over a claim.

    Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict

  • V2 · Task 1(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Accounting for the customer's claim in the year-end financial statements.

    Accounting treatments

  • V2 · Task 2(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Whether the company can claim to have followed TQM on a problem order.

    TQM, target and life-cycle costing

  • V2 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Difficulties setting effective performance measures for the quality department.

    Responsibility centres and performance measures

  • V2 · Task 3(a)Core activity A: Adding value

    Difficulties forecasting cash flows for developing and making a new material.

    Investment appraisal and real options

  • V2 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Real options the board should weigh when evaluating the investment.

    Investment appraisal and real options

  • V2 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Whether a sustainability report may stress the green benefits of a product developed mainly for profit.

    Integrated and sustainability reporting

  • V2 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Indicators that push R&D to build sustainability into new products and processes.

    Responsibility centres and performance measures

  • V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Steps to set up a project team to evaluate a consultancy proposal.

    Projects and project teams

  • V3 · Task 1(b)Core activity A: Adding value

    Pricing strategy for a revised consultancy service.

    Pricing strategy

  • V3 · Task 2(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Operational and contractual risks of offering a customer a full service package.

    Business risks

  • V3 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Adding value

    Whether announcing a major contract win would raise or lower the cost of capital.

    Financing and cost of capital

  • V3 · Task 3(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Setting transfer prices for seconding engineers to the consultancy department.

    Transfer pricing

  • V3 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Keeping seconded factory staff motivated and engaged on an installation contract.

    Leadership, teams and engagement

  • V3 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Accounting for a long-term customer contract across two financial years.

    Accounting treatments

  • V3 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Bringing TQM ideas into work on a customer's equipment.

    TQM, target and life-cycle costing

  • V4 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value

    Whether developing a new product with fast food chains fits the business model.

    Business models and value

  • V4 · Task 1(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    How useful stress testing customers' exposure to consumer spending is for predicting demand.

    Business risks

  • V4 · Task 2(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Difficulties measuring goodwill on a planned acquisition.

    Groups, goodwill and joint ventures

  • V4 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Conflicts that could follow from agreeing to the target founder's requests.

    Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict

  • V4 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Re-engineering the production process to make a new product for a customer.

    TQM, target and life-cycle costing

  • V4 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Contractual inadequacy risks of a new supply deal, and how to reduce them.

    Business risks

  • V4 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Accounting for customer claims against the company and a settlement payment.

    Accounting treatments

  • V4 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Setting transfer prices that encourage internal sales that benefit the group.

    Transfer pricing

  • V5 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value

    The three main stakeholders in a recycling proposal and the challenge of understanding their interests.

    Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict

  • V5 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Challenges in judging whether investing in recycling centres has a positive NPV.

    Investment appraisal and real options

  • V5 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Time, cost and quality constraints the board should set for the project team.

    Projects and project teams

  • V5 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Using target costing when deciding on the recycling investment.

    TQM, target and life-cycle costing

  • V5 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Demand, operational and contractual risks in a joint venture.

    Business risks

  • V5 · Task 3(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Accounting for an investment in a joint venture and its first months of trading.

    Groups, goodwill and joint ventures

  • V5 · Task 4(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Reporting the sale of scrap material under manufactured, social and natural capital.

    Integrated and sustainability reporting

  • V5 · Task 4(b)Core activity A: Adding value

    Pricing strategy for selling scrap material.

    Pricing strategy

  • V6 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value

    Factors in setting the pricing strategy for a new product.

    Pricing strategy

  • V6 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Whether the project leader should come from finance, marketing or product development.

    Projects and project teams

  • V6 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions

    Monthly indicators for the board to track the project team's progress.

    Projects and project teams

  • V6 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Evaluating a director's view that the product is likely to fail and hurt the company.

    Business risks

  • V6 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance

    Effect of volatile currencies at new foreign subsidiaries on the accounts and how they are read.

    Groups, goodwill and joint ventures

  • V6 · Task 3(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Basis for transfer prices on materials sold between foreign and home subsidiaries.

    Transfer pricing

  • V6 · Task 4(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders

    Reflecting a new product under intellectual, social and natural capital in the integrated report.

    Integrated and sustainability reporting

  • V6 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs

    Reducing product reputation and contractual inadequacy risks at a product launch.

    Business risks

See how we'd mark three MCS past questions