Basic Concepts

MODULE 1
BASIC CONCEPTS IN MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING
1. The major functions of management is (are):
A. strategic management and long-range planning.
B. planning and decision making.
C. identifying threats and opportunities for the firm.
D. all of the above.

7. Which of the following statements is true when comparing managerial accounting to financial
accounting?
A. Managerial accounting places more emphasis on precision than financial accounting.
B. Both are highly dependent on timely information.
C. Both rely on the same accounting information system.
D. Managerial accounting is concerned with external decision makers.
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8. Which of the following is true of managerial accounting rather than financial accounting?
A. The outputs of this accounting system are the primary financial statements.
B. The methods of this accounting system are established by an overseeing board.
C. The accounting methods are standardized to allow comparisons among companies.
D. The accounting system would be unique to each company.
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2. The process of identifying, measuring, analyzing, interpreting, and communicating information

in pursuit of an organization's goals is called
A. managerial accounting
C. management
B. financial accounting
D. promotional activities
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9. Management accountings role in the control processes is to provide

A. managers with information that can be used to determine customer satisfaction levels.
B. investors and creditors information on the financial stability of the company.
C. managers with relevant information to compare with expectations.
D. input to managers on the best ways to achieve continuous improvement in the
production process.
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3. The primary objective of management accounting is

A. to provide stockholders and potential investors with useful information for decision
making.
B. to provide banks and other creditors with information useful in making credit decisions.
C. to provide management with information useful for planning and control of operations.
D. to provide supervising government agencies with information about the companys
management affairs.
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10. Which of the following statements are true regarding financial and managerial accounting?
I. Both are mandatory.
II. Both rely on the same underlying financial data.
III. Both emphasize the segments of an organization, rather than just looking at the
organization as a whole.
IV. Both are geared to the future, rather than to the past.
A. I, II, III, and IV
C. Only II and III
B. Only II, III and IV
D. Only II
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4. Management accounting information

A. uses historical cost as the basis for reports to managers who are making decisions
about future courses of action.
B. should be developed and provided only if its benefits exceed its costs.
C. does not reflect the financial criteria of verifiability or consistency.
D. should serve the basic needs of investors and creditors.
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5. Which of the following is included in the day-to-day work of the management team?
A. decision making
C. controlling
B. planning
D. all of the above
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11. Managerial accounting activity adds value to an organization by pursuing five major objectives,
which include
A. providing information for decision making and planning.
B. measuring the performance of activities within an organization.
C. assisting managers in directing and controlling operational activities.
D. all of them
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6. Paying rent, purchasing supplies, and purchasing inventory are which of the day-to-day work
activities of the management team?
A. decision making
C. directing operational activities
B. planning
D. only A and B
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12. Managerial accounting places considerable weight on:

A. generally accepted accounting principles.
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B. the financial history of the entity.

C. ensuring that all transactions are properly recorded.
D. detailed segment reports about departments, products, and customers.

C. CPAs who are performing management advisory services may be considered to be in

the practice of management consulting.
D. Included in the practice of consulting is the provision of confidential service in which the
identity of the client is concealed.
(RPCPA)

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13. Which of the following statement is FALSE?

A. Managerial accounting need not conform to GAAP.
B. Financial accounting reports focus on subunits of the organization.
C. Managerial accounting is not required
D. Managerial accounting focuses on the needs of internal users.

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14. For internal uses, managers are more concerned with receiving information that is:
A. completely objective and verifiable.
B. completely accurate and precise.
C. relevant, flexible, and immediately available.
D. relevant, completely accurate, and precise.

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18. The primary purpose of management advisory services is

A. To conduct special studies, preparation of recommendations, development of plans and
programs, and provision of advice and assistance in their implementation.
B. To provide services or to fulfill some social needs.
C. To improve the clients use of its capabilities and resources to achieve the objectives of
the organization.
D. To earn the best rate of return on resources entrusted to its care with safety of
investment being taken into account and consistent with firms social and legal
responsibilities.
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19. Managerial accounting information:
A. pertains to the entity as a whole and is highly aggregated.
B. pertains to subunits of the entity and may be very detailed.
C. is prepared only once a year.
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D. is constrained by the requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.

15. Which of the following statements is correct?

A. A certified public accountant can readily render management advisory services to the
public.
B. A CPA with MBA and DBM degrees is automatically qualified to render management
advisory services.
C. Competence as a standard in the rendition of management advisory services by a CPA
may be equated to having excellent scholarly preparation to include the usual
baccalaureate degree, an MBA and other post graduate studies.
D. Adequate training and experience in both the analytical approach and process in a
particular undertaking are requisites for the CPA to be involved in a management
advisory service engagement.
(RPCPA)
16. The following characterize management advisory services except
A. It involves decision for the future
B. It broader in scope and varied in nature
C. It utilizes more junior staff than senior members of the firm
D. It relates to specific problems where expert help is required

20. Managerial accounting is primarily concerned with:

A. segments of a company rather than the company as a whole.
B. the data needs of stockholders and creditors.
C. meeting the requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.
D. the company as a whole rather than a segment of the organization.

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21. The major reporting standard for presenting managerial accounting information is
A. relevance
B. generally accepted accounting principles
C. the cost principle
D. the current tax law

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22. With respect to the time dimension,
performance evaluation?
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Managerial Decision Making
External Performance

17. Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A. CPAs provide management advisory services to go around the ethical constraints as
mandated by the Accountancy Law.
B. Businesses hire management consultants to help define specific problems and develop
solutions.
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how does managerial decision compare with external

A.
Past
Past

B.
Past
Future

C.
Future
Past

D.
Future
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Basic Concept

23. Managerial accounting differs from financial accounting in that it is

A. more concerned with segments of a company.
B. less constrained by rules and regulations.
C. more concerned with the future.
D. all of the above.

C. determine cost behavior.

D. be concerned with the impact of cost and volume on profits.

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24. The distinction between traditional accounting and cost management is

A. the focus of the former on accounting matters and the latter in support to management in
making the right decisions for staying on a competitive position
B. the emphasis of former on record keeping and the latter on reporting
C. the focus of the former on cost cutting and the latter on product differentiation
D. the focus of the former on efficiency and the latter on quality.
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25. Which of the following activities is not usually performed by a management accountant?
A. Assisting managers to interpret data in managerial accounting reports.
B. Designing systems to provide information for internal and external reports.
C. Gathering data from sources other than the accounting system.
D. Deciding the best level of inventory to be maintained.
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29. In the contemporary business environment, cost management focus is on

A. financial reporting and cost analysis.
B. common emphasis on standardization and standard costs.
C. development and implementation of the business strategy.
D. all of the above.

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30. Management accounting is similar to financial accounting in that

A. both are governed by generally accepted accounting principles.
B. both deal with economic events.
C. both concentrate on historical data.
D. both classify reported information in the same manner.

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31. How frequent is management accounting report when compared to report to external users?
Management Accounting Report
External Report
A.
More frequent
Less frequent
B.
More frequent
More frequent
C.
Less frequent
Less frequent
D.
Less frequent
More frequent
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26. Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes financial and managerial
accounting?
A. managerial accounting reports on the whole organization
B. financial accounting is oriented toward the future
C. financial accounting is primarily concerned with providing information for internal users
D. managerial accounting is oriented more toward the planning and control aspects of
management
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32. Managerial accounting differs from financial accounting in that financial accounting is
A. more oriented toward the future.
B. primarily concerned with external financial reporting.
C. concerned with nonquantative information.
D. heavily involved with decision analysis and implementation of decisions.
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27. How does managerial decision making compare with external performance evaluation?
Managerial Decision Making
External Performance Evaluation
A.
Detailed
Detailed
B.
Detailed
More aggregated
C.
More aggregated
Detailed
D.
More aggregated
More aggregated
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33. Managerial accounting provides data for all of the following major objectives except:
A. planning and control of costs
B. supporting management planning
C. compliance with SEC reporting requirements
D. determining the costs of products
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34. Which statement is false? Managerial accounting information:
A. involves planning for the future
B. should be requested and used by management even if it is very costly to gather and
analyze

28. Management accountants would not

A. assist in budget planning.
B. prepare reports primarily for external users.
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C. helps managers make financing decisions

D. need not comply with generally accepted accounting principles
35. Internal reports must be communicated
A. daily
B. monthly

C. annually
D. as needed

36. Which of the following does not apply to the content of managerial reports?
A. Reporting standard is relevant to the decision to be made.
B. May extend beyond double-entry accounting system.
C. Pertain to subunits of the entity and may be very detailed.
D. Pertains to the entity as a whole and is highly aggregated.

B. special purpose

D. macro-report

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42. The informational needs of internal users/management:
A. are historical in nature
B. emphasize the company as a whole
C. emphasize accuracy over timeliness
D. may require more customized reports than external financial statements

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43. The role of the managerial accountant in todays corporate world includes all of the following
except:
A. interpreting financial information
C. financial modeling
B. financial planning
D. bookkeeping
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37. Which consideration influences the frequency of an internal report?

A. The wishes of the managers receiving the report.
B. The frequency with which decisions are made that require the information in the report.
C. The cost of preparing the report.
D. All of the above.
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44. Which of the following is most associated with managerial accounting?

A. Must follow generally accepted accounting principles.
B. May rely on estimates and forecasts.
C. Is prepared for users outside the organization.
D. Always reports on the entire entity.

38. Which of the following statements about internal reports is not true?
A. The content of internal reports may extend beyond the double-entry accounting system.
B. Internal reports may show all amounts at market values.
C. Internal reports may discuss prospective events.
D. Most internal reports are summarized rather than detailed.
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45. Which statement about the extent of detail in a management accounting report is true?
A. It may depend on the frequency of the report.
B. It depends on the type of manager receiving the report.
C. It depends on the level of the manager receiving the report.
D. All of the above.
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39. Management accountants help develop and maintain reporting systems that are aligned with
organizational structures and that provide useful information on an organizations
performance. Management decision processes fall into three categories that consist of
A. Nonrepetitive, nonprogrammed, and nonstrategic.
B. Repetitive, nonprogrammed, and strategic.
C. Repetitive, programmed, and strategic.
D. Nonrepetitive, nonprogrammed, and strategic.
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46. Managerial accounting information

A. pertains to the entity as a whole and is highly aggregated.
B. pertains to subunits of the entity and may be very detailed.
C. is prepared only once a year.
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D. is constrained by the requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.

40. Internal reports are generally

A. aggregated
B. detailed

C. regulated
D. unreliable

47. Which of the following characteristics is inherent to management accounting?

A. Reporting of historical information
B. Compliance to generally accepted accounting principles
C. Contribution approach income statement
D. External users of financial report

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41. Managerial accounting reports can be described as:

A. general-purpose
C. classified financial statements

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48. In order to be useful to managers, management accounting reports should possess all of the
following characteristics except:
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A. Provide objective measures of past operations and subjective estimates about future
decisions.
B. Be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
C. Be provided at any time management needs information.
D. Be prepared to report information for any unit of the business to support decision
making.
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4. objectivity
A. All of them
B. 1, 3, 4 only

C. 1, 2, 3 only
D. 1 and 3 only

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53. Under which ethical standard of conduct does the managerial accountant have the
responsibility to prepare complete and clear reports and recommendations after appropriate
analyses of relevant and reliable information?
A. competence
C. integrity
B. confidentiality
D. objectivity
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49. The following are inherent to either management accounting or financial accounting:
1. External report
2. Historical information
3. Contribution approach income statement
4. Generally accepted accounting principles
5. Prospective financial statements
Which of the foregoing are related to management accounting and financial accounting,
respectively?
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A.
B.
C.
D.
Management Accounting
1, 2, 5
3, 5
2, 3
3
Financial Accounting
3, 4
1, 2, 4
1, 4, 5
1, 2, 4, 5

54. Under which ethical standard of conduct does the managerial accountant have the
responsibility to communicate information fairly and objectively?
A. competence
C. integrity
B. confidentiality
D. objectivity
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55. Under which ethical standard of conduct does the managerial accountant have the
responsibility to refuse any gift, favor, or hospitality that would influence or appear to influence
his or her decision?
A. competence
C. integrity
B. confidentiality
D. objectivity
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50. Which of the following is an incorrect statement?

A. There is no overlap between financial and managerial accounting.
B. Managerial accounting sometimes relies on past information.
C. Managerial accounting does not need to conform to generally accepted accounting
principles.
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D. Financial accounting must conform to generally accepted accounting principles.

56. Under which ethical standard of conduct does the managerial accountant have the
responsibility to refrain from either actively or passively subverting the attainment of an
organization's legitimate and ethical objectives?
A. integrity
C. objectivity
B. competence
D. confidentiality
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51. For managerial reports, the accounting data used:

A. must be the same accounting data for reporting to shareholders, but may use different
data for tax purposes.
B. must be the same accounting data for tax purposes, but may use different data for
reporting to shareholders.
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C. must be the same accounting data for both tax purposes and reporting to shareholders.
D. may be different accounting data for both tax purposes and reporting to shareholders.

57. Under which ethical standard of conduct does the managerial accountant have the
responsibility to disclose fully all relevant information that could reasonably be expected to
influence an intended user's understanding of the reports, comments, and recommendations
presented?
A. objectivity
C. confidentiality
B. competence
D. integrity
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52. Which of the following is an ethical standard of conduct for managerial accountants?
1. competence
2. confidentiality
3. integrity

58. For managerial decision purposes, the volume of information should be evaluated on the
basis of
A. cost-benefit relationship.
B. A cost, but not benefit.
C. A benefit, but not cost.
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D. Neither costs nor benefits, but some other criteria.

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A. internally focused
B. emphasis on the future

59. What is the primary criterion for the preparation of managerial accounting reports?
A. Relevance of the reports.
C. Timing of the reports.
B. Meet the managers needs.
D. Cost of the reports.
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60. The first step in managerial decision making is to
A. specify the standard or expected outcome.
B. gather information about the consequence of each alternative.
C. identify a problem.
D. list alternative courses of action.

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61. In a broad sense, cost accounting can be defined within the accounting system as
A. internal and external reporting that may be used in making nonroutine decisions and in
developing plans and policies.
B. external reporting to government, various outside parties, and stockholders.
C. internal reporting for use in management planning and control, and external reporting to
the extent its product-costing function satisfies external reporting requirements.
D. internal reporting for use in planning and controlling routing operations.
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62. The cost management function is usually under
A. the chief information officer.
C. purchasing manager.
B. treasurer.
D. controller.

C. externally focused
D. detailed information

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66. Management accounting

A. reports are always objective
B. provides information to external users
C. generates general purpose financial statements and reports
D. has few externally imposed standards

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67. Management accounting reports are prepared

A. to meet the needs of decision makers within the firm
B. whenever stockholders request them
C. according to guidelines prepared by the SEC
D. by CPAs

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68. Which of the following is true of managerial accounting rather than financial accounting?
A. The outputs of this accounting system are the primary financial statements
B. The methods of this accounting system are established by an overseeing board.
C. The accounting methods are standardized to allow comparisons among companies
D. The accounting system would be unique to each company
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63. If a distinction is made between cost accounting and managerial accounting, managerial
accounting is more oriented toward
A. valuation of inventory.
B. analysis of variances including spoilage.
C. financial reporting to third parties.
D. the planning and controlling aspects of the management process.
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64. Management accounting and financial accounting differ in that management accounting
information
A. is prepared following prescribed rules
B. is prepared using whatever methods the company finds beneficial
C. is prepared for stockholders
D. is prepared following Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
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65. Which of the following does not describe managerial accounting?
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69. Traditional managerial accounting systems are often criticized for:

A. not focusing on the activities that actually drive the costs.
B. only looking at historical data.
C. being too GAAP oriented.
D. not emphasizing cost control.

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70. The managerial function of controlling

A. is performed only by the controller of a company.
B. is only applicable when the company sustains a loss.
C. is concerned mainly with a operating a manufacturing segment.
D. includes performance evaluation by management.

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71. Planning is a function that involves

A. hiring the right people for a particular job.
B. coordinating the accounting information system.
C. setting goals and objectives for an entity.
D. analyzing financial statements.

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72. In determining whether planned goals are being met, a manager is performing the function
of
A. planning
C. motivating
B. controlling
D. follow-up
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B. Decision making

D. Planning

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80. The setting of objectives and the identification of methods to achieve those objectives is
called
A. planning
C. decision making
B. controlling
D. performance evaluation
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73. Which of the following is not a separate management function?

A. Motivating
C. Controlling
B. Planning
D. Decision-making

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74. Total quality management emphasizes

A. zero defects
B. continual improvement

81. Which of the following best describes what performance evaluation should be designed to do?
A. Modify goal and objectives each month C. Compare actual results to plan
B. Establish sales goals and targets
D. Establish blame
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82. In the planning and control process, what is the proper sequence of events?
A. Set goals, set objectives, develop plans, implement plans, evaluate performance
B. Establish a master budget, set standard costs, develop variance analysis
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C. Develop engineered costs, develop pricing targets, calculate contribution margins
D. Identify variable costs, identify fixed costs, project the sales mix, determine breakeven

C. elimination of waste
D. all of the above

75. Automation of the manufacturing process increases

A. the quantity of information
C. the number of production employees
B. the timeliness of information
D. both a and b
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76. Which of the following emerging themes in cost accounting deals with managers striving to
create and environment which will enable workers to manufacture perfect (zero defect)
products?
A. customer orientation
C. total quality management
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B. global competition
D. advance in information technology

83. Which of the following is a staff position?

A. vice-president of production
B. vice-president of marketing

77. Managerial accounting creates value by:

A. by forcing managers to analyze historical figures and interpret the results
B. by eliminating all pricing and costing errors
C. by focusing managers attention on the relationship between financial and non-financial
factors
D. all of the above
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78. Systems implemented to reduce defects in finished products with the goal of achieving
zero defects are
A. activity-based costing systems.
B. enterprise resource planning systems.
C. value chain systems.
D. total quality management systems.
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C. vice-president of finance
D. plant foreman

84. Which management position is responsible for raising capital?

A. Internal auditor
C. Controller
B. Treasurer
D. CFO

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85. All of the following would be considered staff functions EXCEPT:

A. the vice-president of finance
B. the vice-president of corporate planning
C. the vice-president of research and development
D. the vice president of marketing

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86. Management accountants generally exercise which type of authority?

A. Company.
C. Line.
B. Functional.
D. Staff.

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87. The treasurer function is usually not concerned with

A. investor relations.
B. financial reports.
C. short-term financing.

79. Which of the following functions is most directly related to management by objective?
A. Reporting
C. Control
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D. credit extension and collection of bad debts.

88. Which of the following duties is usually assigned to the controller?
A. directing the granting of credit to clients
B. investing the organizations funds
C. tax planning
D. independently evaluating the firms financial statements

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95. The balanced scorecard internal operations perspective includes

A. customer complaints
C. market share
B. number of engineering changes
D. inventory turnover

96. Items that prevent the organization from attaining a higher level of achievement within its value
chain are called the
A. theory of constraints
C. strategic costs management
B. value chain
D. cost management systems
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89. Developing a company strategy for responding to anticipated new markets is an example of:
A. decision making
C. planning
B. controlling
D. motivating
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90. Strategic cost management has emerged from a blending of:
A. cost driver analysis
C. value chain analysis
B. strategic position analysis
D. all of the above
91. Strategic cost management includes all of the following tools except:
A. standard cost variance analysis
C. activity based management
B. value chain analysis
D. all of the above

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97. The overall recognition of the importance of cost relationships among the activities in the value
chain and the process of managing those cost relationships among the activities in the value
chain is called
A. the theory of constraints
C. activity-based management of activities
B. the value chain
D. strategic cost management
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98. The set of processes that transform raw materials into finished products is known as a
A. value chain
C. lowest cost strategy
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B. differentiation strategy
D. flexible manufacturing system
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99. The period that begins with the arrival of materials and ends with the shipment of a
completed goods refers to
A. performance period.
C. manufacturing cell.
B. computer-integrated manufacturing.
D. cycle time.
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92. Strategic planning is different from operational planning in that operational planning:
A. involves large sums of money
B. would be involved in determining production levels for next quarter
C. involves only long range goals
D. operational and strategic planning are the same
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100.Conventional and just-in-time manufacturers differ in that the conventional manufacturer is

likely to
A. have a longer production cycle than its JIT competitors.
B. need less storage space than its JIT competitors.
C. have a flexible manufacturing system.
D. a high degree of quality control.
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93. Which of the following might be a performance measure for the financial perspective of a
balanced scorecard?
A. percentage of on-time deliveries by the organization
B. percentage of product defects
C. return on assets
D. percentage of market share held by the organization
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101.A form of strategy that a management may adopt in order to attempt in creating a perception
of uniqueness that will permit a higher selling price.
A. Value chain.
C. Lead time.
B. Lowest cost.
D. Differentiation.
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94. The initiative to reduce non-value added activity is meeting which balanced scorecard
objective?
A. internal operations perspective
C. financial perspective
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B. customer perspective
D. learning and growth perspective

102.Deciding whether to sell a product or process it further is an example of a(n):

A. controlling activity
C. planning activity
B. operating activity
D. none of the above
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B. feedback.
103.The benefits lost or forfeited as a result of selecting one alternative over another are called
A. Differential costs
C. Opportunity costs
B. Sunk costs
D. Indirect costs
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105.A staff position:

A. relates directly to the carrying out of the basic objectives of the organization.
B. is supportive in nature, providing service and assistance to other parts of the
organization.
C. is superior in authority to a line position.
D. none of these.
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106.The controller occupies:
A. a line position.
B. a staff position.
C. neither a line nor a staff position, since the accounting department must be
independent.
D. both a line and a staff position.
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108.A companys value chain reflects the

A. organizational levels of authority and responsibility.
B. stages of production from raw materials to finished goods.
C. linked set of activities that increase the value of products or services.
D. sales distribution network for the companys products and services.

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110.Benchmarking allows managers to:

A. determine who in the industry performs similar processes most effectively.
B. determine the processes that have high value-to-cost relationships.
C. compare certain internal processes, services and activities to those of other companies
in order to identify strengths and weaknesses.
D. reproduce another companys product design and manufacturing processes to eliminate
competitive advantage.
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104.Obtaining feedback is generally identified most directly with which of the functions of
management?
A. Planning
C. Controlling
B. Directing and motivating
D. Decision making
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107.Racing with no finish refers to

A. developing the best selling product.
B. research and development.
C. benchmarking and continuous improvement.
D. designing the highest quality product in a given segmented market.

D. benchmarking.

109.The process of comparing, investigating, and evaluating the companys processes or

products against the best level of performance is known as
A. attestation.
C. product review.
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