Management level · MCS

MCS past questions

Every sub-task set in the last 3 Management Case Study pre-seens CIMA has published materials for, summarised in our own words and sorted by core activity.

Topic map · Filter the questions · See how we'd mark three of them · All levels

Topic map

How often each topic came up across all 144 MCS sub-tasks in the 3 sittings we cover. These are patterns from past exams, not a forecast: CIMA can test any part of the syllabus.

Topics by sitting

Sub-tasks on each MCS topic in each sitting, oldest sitting first. The number is in every cell; darker cells mean more sub-tasks.
Topic	May & Aug 2025Trimayr	Nov 2025 & Feb 2026Ressett	May & Aug 2026Cartn	Total
Business models and value	3	3	2	8
Disruptive technology and business intelligence	3	1	0	4
Pricing strategy	3	2	3	8
Investment appraisal and real options	2	3	3	8
Projects and project teams	3	4	5	12
Leadership, teams and engagement	3	3	1	7
Financing and cost of capital	3	3	2	8
TQM, target and life-cycle costing	3	2	4	9
Responsibility centres and performance measures	7	4	3	14
Transfer pricing	2	3	4	9
Business risks	5	5	7	17
Accounting treatments	3	4	4	11
Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	2	2	3	7
Interpreting financial performance	2	1	0	3
Integrated and sustainability reporting	2	5	4	11
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	2	3	3	8

Key (sub-tasks per cell):

0
1
2–3
4–5
6–7

Topics, most tested first

1
Business risksOften tested
17 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 15 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
2
Responsibility centres and performance measuresOften tested
14 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 11 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
3
Projects and project teamsOften tested
12 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 11 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
4
Accounting treatmentsOften tested
11 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 11 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
5
Integrated and sustainability reportingOften tested
11 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 11 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
6
TQM, target and life-cycle costingOften tested
9 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 9 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
7
Transfer pricingOften tested
9 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 9 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
8
Pricing strategySometimes tested
8 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 8 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
9
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflictSometimes tested
8 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 8 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
10
Business models and valueSometimes tested
8 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 8 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
11
Financing and cost of capitalSometimes tested
8 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 8 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
12
Investment appraisal and real optionsSometimes tested
8 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 7 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
13
Groups, goodwill and joint venturesSometimes tested
7 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 7 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
14
Leadership, teams and engagementSometimes tested
7 sub-tasks · 3 of 3 sittings · 5 of 18 variants · last seen May & Aug 2026
15
Disruptive technology and business intelligenceRarely tested
4 sub-tasks · 2 of 3 sittings · 4 of 18 variants · last seen Nov 2025 & Feb 2026
16
Interpreting financial performanceRarely tested
3 sub-tasks · 2 of 3 sittings · 3 of 18 variants · last seen Nov 2025 & Feb 2026

How we band topics

Sittings: 2 points if the topic came up in every sitting we cover, 1 point if it came up in more than one.
Variants: 2 points if it came up in at least half of the exam variants, 1 point if in at least a quarter.
Blueprint: 1 point if its core activity has the top time weighting at the level. Where every core activity has the same weighting, nobody gets this point.
4 or more points is "Often tested", 2 or 3 is "Sometimes tested", and fewer is "Rarely tested".
"Fits this pre-seen" is separate: it shows when the pre-seen's industry or key themes use words linked to the topic (our summary stands in until key themes are written).

It is a count of what CIMA has asked before, not a forecast. Any part of the syllabus can come up.

Core activities against the blueprint

Each core activity's share of the 144 sub-tasks, next to its blueprint weighting. The blueprint weights exam time and sub-tasks vary in length, so treat this as a rough check.

A Adding valueWithin range
19% of sub-tasks (28) · blueprint 15–25% of exam time
B Implementing decisionsWithin range
19% of sub-tasks (27) · blueprint 15–25% of exam time
C Performance and costsWithin range
21% of sub-tasks (30) · blueprint 15–25% of exam time
D Measuring performanceWithin range
21% of sub-tasks (30) · blueprint 15–25% of exam time
E StakeholdersWithin range
20% of sub-tasks (29) · blueprint 15–25% of exam time

Filter the questions

Showing 144 of 144 sub-tasks.

May & Aug 2026 · Cartn

CIMA's post-exam materials for May & Aug 2026

Packaging · 48 sub-tasks

MCS past questions, May & Aug 2026 (Cartn): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Whether a new packaging product proposal fits the company's business model.
V1 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Should the project team tackle technical design problems or recovering the investment first?
V1 · Task 2(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Mitigating commodity price, product and contractual inadequacy risks on the new product.
V1 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Features of borrowing that affect its suitability for funding the product's development.
V1 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting effects over two years if a major customer threatens to leave a purchase agreement.
V1 · Task 3(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Difficulties measuring the opportunity cost of seconding design staff to an overseas office.
V1 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Balanced scorecard goals for the product development department.
V1 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Reporting the new product under intellectual and social and relationship capital.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Approach and main issues in negotiating a settlement with a customer over a claim.
V2 · Task 1(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for the customer's claim in the year-end financial statements.
V2 · Task 2(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Whether the company can claim to have followed TQM on a problem order.
V2 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Difficulties setting effective performance measures for the quality department.
V2 · Task 3(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Investment appraisal and real options	Difficulties forecasting cash flows for developing and making a new material.
V2 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Investment appraisal and real options	Real options the board should weigh when evaluating the investment.
V2 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Whether a sustainability report may stress the green benefits of a product developed mainly for profit.
V2 · Task 4(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Indicators that push R&D to build sustainability into new products and processes.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Steps to set up a project team to evaluate a consultancy proposal.
V3 · Task 1(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	Pricing strategy for a revised consultancy service.
V3 · Task 2(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Operational and contractual risks of offering a customer a full service package.
V3 · Task 2(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Financing and cost of capital	Whether announcing a major contract win would raise or lower the cost of capital.
V3 · Task 3(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Setting transfer prices for seconding engineers to the consultancy department.
V3 · Task 3(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Leadership, teams and engagement	Keeping seconded factory staff motivated and engaged on an installation contract.
V3 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for a long-term customer contract across two financial years.
V3 · Task 4(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Bringing TQM ideas into work on a customer's equipment.
V4 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Whether developing a new product with fast food chains fits the business model.
V4 · Task 1(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	How useful stress testing customers' exposure to consumer spending is for predicting demand.
V4 · Task 2(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	Difficulties measuring goodwill on a planned acquisition.
V4 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Conflicts that could follow from agreeing to the target founder's requests.
V4 · Task 3(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Re-engineering the production process to make a new product for a customer.
V4 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Business risks	Contractual inadequacy risks of a new supply deal, and how to reduce them.
V4 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for customer claims against the company and a settlement payment.
V4 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Setting transfer prices that encourage internal sales that benefit the group.
V5 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	The three main stakeholders in a recycling proposal and the challenge of understanding their interests.
V5 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Investment appraisal and real options	Challenges in judging whether investing in recycling centres has a positive NPV.
V5 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Time, cost and quality constraints the board should set for the project team.
V5 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Using target costing when deciding on the recycling investment.
V5 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Demand, operational and contractual risks in a joint venture.
V5 · Task 3(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	Accounting for an investment in a joint venture and its first months of trading.
V5 · Task 4(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Reporting the sale of scrap material under manufactured, social and natural capital.
V5 · Task 4(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	Pricing strategy for selling scrap material.
V6 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	Factors in setting the pricing strategy for a new product.
V6 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Whether the project leader should come from finance, marketing or product development.
V6 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Monthly indicators for the board to track the project team's progress.
V6 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Evaluating a director's view that the product is likely to fail and hurt the company.
V6 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	Effect of volatile currencies at new foreign subsidiaries on the accounts and how they are read.
V6 · Task 3(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Basis for transfer prices on materials sold between foreign and home subsidiaries.
V6 · Task 4(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Reflecting a new product under intellectual, social and natural capital in the integrated report.
V6 · Task 4(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Reducing product reputation and contractual inadequacy risks at a product launch.

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

Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 · Ressett

CIMA's post-exam materials for Nov 2025 & Feb 2026

Refurbished computers · 48 sub-tasks

MCS past questions, Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 (Ressett): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Stakeholders affected by a problem with resold computers, by power and interest.
V1 · Task 1(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Leadership, teams and engagement	How far a new team leader should be held responsible for the problem.
V1 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Time, cost and quality matters for organising the board's new project.
V1 · Task 2(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for legal claims over computers sold with data and unlicensed software.
V1 · Task 3(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Applying TQM ideas to computer refurbishment.
V1 · Task 3(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Difficulties measuring the opportunity cost of technician time for secondment transfer prices.
V1 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	How a buying proposal would change contractual inadequacy risk on resold computers.
V1 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Integrated report disclosures on intellectual, social and natural capital.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Changes a proposed consultancy venture would need in the business model.
V2 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Features of share equity that affect its suitability for an unquoted company's new venture.
V2 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Challenges in building an effective consultancy team.
V2 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Whether the consultancy should be a cost, profit or investment centre.
V2 · Task 3(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	A transfer pricing strategy between two departments that suits the company as a whole.
V2 · Task 3(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Recognising revenue from consultancy contracts.
V2 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Product reputation, commodity price and contractual risks of the consultancy service.
V2 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	What to report under natural capital for the proposed consultancy service.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Investment appraisal and real options	Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of a marketing proposal.
V3 · Task 1(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Approach to negotiating terms for selling electronic waste to a disposal firm.
V3 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	For and against limiting a project team to senior sales managers.
V3 · Task 2(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	For and against inviting buyers to bid for refurbished laptops instead of setting fixed prices.
V3 · Task 3(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Cost centre or profit centre for a new recycling unit.
V3 · Task 3(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	What must be agreed for a new company to count as a joint venture, and the accounting effects.
V3 · Task 4(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Product reputation and contractual risks arising from feedback on a recycling scheme.
V3 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Integrated report disclosures on human, social and natural capital for the recycling scheme.
V4 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Adjusting the business model in response to shortages of consumables.
V4 · Task 1(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Effect of consumable shortages on product, commodity price and reputation risks.
V4 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Investment appraisal and real options	Real options to manage risk in a new manufacturing investment.
V4 · Task 2(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Resolving a conflict between marketing and the sustainability champion.
V4 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Characteristics of debt that affect its suitability for funding a proposal.
V4 · Task 3(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Effect of a proposal on manufactured, intellectual and social capital reporting.
V4 · Task 4(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	A life-cycle costing view of selling printers and their cartridges.
V4 · Task 4(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Interpreting financial performance	How the board should explain the effect of certain facts on ROCE and gross margin.
V5 · Task 1(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Three KPIs for the board to track call centre performance.
V5 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Leadership, teams and engagement	Allocating calls to advisers by availability or by expertise.
V5 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Disruptive technology and business intelligence	Whether a chatbot should be seen as a disruptive technology.
V5 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Leadership, teams and engagement	Keeping call centre advisers engaged while they train a chatbot.
V5 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for the costs of introducing a chatbot.
V5 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Debt characteristics that affect its use to fund the chatbot costs.
V5 · Task 4(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	How to charge for extra technical support, and the pricing basis.
V5 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Transfer pricing for technical support that is best for the company overall.
V6 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Two ways selling older computers with open-source software would affect the business model.
V6 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Challenges in setting up a project team to advise on the open-source idea.
V6 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Investment appraisal and real options	Difficulties forecasting cash flows from a new product line alongside the existing range.
V6 · Task 2(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	Difficulties accounting for goodwill if a planned acquisition goes ahead.
V6 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting treatment for customer complaints.
V6 · Task 3(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Product, reputation and contractual risks raised by customer complaints.
V6 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Responsibility centres and performance measures	For and against publishing comparisons between versions of the company's software.
V6 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Reporting software improvements under intellectual, human and social capital.

V1 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Stakeholders affected by a problem with resold computers, by power and interest.
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict
V1 · Task 1(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
How far a new team leader should be held responsible for the problem.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Time, cost and quality matters for organising the board's new project.
Projects and project teams
V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Accounting for legal claims over computers sold with data and unlicensed software.
Accounting treatments
V1 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Applying TQM ideas to computer refurbishment.
TQM, target and life-cycle costing
V1 · Task 3(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Difficulties measuring the opportunity cost of technician time for secondment transfer prices.
Transfer pricing
V1 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
How a buying proposal would change contractual inadequacy risk on resold computers.
Business risks
V1 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Integrated report disclosures on intellectual, social and natural capital.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Changes a proposed consultancy venture would need in the business model.
Business models and value
V2 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Features of share equity that affect its suitability for an unquoted company's new venture.
Financing and cost of capital
V2 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Challenges in building an effective consultancy team.
Projects and project teams
V2 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Whether the consultancy should be a cost, profit or investment centre.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V2 · Task 3(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders
A transfer pricing strategy between two departments that suits the company as a whole.
Transfer pricing
V2 · Task 3(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Recognising revenue from consultancy contracts.
Accounting treatments
V2 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Product reputation, commodity price and contractual risks of the consultancy service.
Business risks
V2 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
What to report under natural capital for the proposed consultancy service.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of a marketing proposal.
Investment appraisal and real options
V3 · Task 1(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Approach to negotiating terms for selling electronic waste to a disposal firm.
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict
V3 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
For and against limiting a project team to senior sales managers.
Projects and project teams
V3 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Adding value
For and against inviting buyers to bid for refurbished laptops instead of setting fixed prices.
Pricing strategy
V3 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Cost centre or profit centre for a new recycling unit.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V3 · Task 3(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
What must be agreed for a new company to count as a joint venture, and the accounting effects.
Groups, goodwill and joint ventures
V3 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Product reputation and contractual risks arising from feedback on a recycling scheme.
Business risks
V3 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Integrated report disclosures on human, social and natural capital for the recycling scheme.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V4 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Adjusting the business model in response to shortages of consumables.
Business models and value
V4 · Task 1(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Effect of consumable shortages on product, commodity price and reputation risks.
Business risks
V4 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Real options to manage risk in a new manufacturing investment.
Investment appraisal and real options
V4 · Task 2(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Resolving a conflict between marketing and the sustainability champion.
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict
V4 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Characteristics of debt that affect its suitability for funding a proposal.
Financing and cost of capital
V4 · Task 3(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Effect of a proposal on manufactured, intellectual and social capital reporting.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V4 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
A life-cycle costing view of selling printers and their cartridges.
TQM, target and life-cycle costing
V4 · Task 4(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
How the board should explain the effect of certain facts on ROCE and gross margin.
Interpreting financial performance
V5 · Task 1(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Three KPIs for the board to track call centre performance.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V5 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Allocating calls to advisers by availability or by expertise.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V5 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Whether a chatbot should be seen as a disruptive technology.
Disruptive technology and business intelligence
V5 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Keeping call centre advisers engaged while they train a chatbot.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V5 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Accounting for the costs of introducing a chatbot.
Accounting treatments
V5 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Debt characteristics that affect its use to fund the chatbot costs.
Financing and cost of capital
V5 · Task 4(a)Core activity A: Adding value
How to charge for extra technical support, and the pricing basis.
Pricing strategy
V5 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Transfer pricing for technical support that is best for the company overall.
Transfer pricing
V6 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Two ways selling older computers with open-source software would affect the business model.
Business models and value
V6 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Challenges in setting up a project team to advise on the open-source idea.
Projects and project teams
V6 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Difficulties forecasting cash flows from a new product line alongside the existing range.
Investment appraisal and real options
V6 · Task 2(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Difficulties accounting for goodwill if a planned acquisition goes ahead.
Groups, goodwill and joint ventures
V6 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Accounting treatment for customer complaints.
Accounting treatments
V6 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Product, reputation and contractual risks raised by customer complaints.
Business risks
V6 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
For and against publishing comparisons between versions of the company's software.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V6 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Reporting software improvements under intellectual, human and social capital.
Integrated and sustainability reporting

May & Aug 2025 · Trimayr

CIMA's post-exam materials for May & Aug 2025

Hair salons · 48 sub-tasks

MCS past questions, May & Aug 2025 (Trimayr): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	Whether salons should raise prices to recover higher apprentice wages.
V1 · Task 1(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Whether raising new apprentices' pay on its own could cause conflict in salons.
V1 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Skills needed by the manager of a recruitment campaign project.
V1 · Task 2(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Investment appraisal and real options	Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of a recruitment campaign.
V1 · Task 3(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Bringing TQM ideas into apprentice training and induction.
V1 · Task 3(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for creating training materials and for apprentices' training time.
V1 · Task 4(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Product, reputation and operational risks of an online induction course, with responses.
V1 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Positive integrated report disclosures on intellectual, human and social capital for the course.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	How selling off salons affects defining value and capturing residual value in the business model.
V2 · Task 1(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	What it means that owned salons often improve once they are franchised.
V2 · Task 2(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Approach to benchmarking the performance of divested salons.
V2 · Task 2(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	Challenges for new franchisees in setting profit-maximising prices.
V2 · Task 3(a)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict	Issues likely to come up when negotiating the sale price of salons.
V2 · Task 3(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Interpreting financial performance	Limitations of a ROCE calculation for negotiating salon sale prices.
V2 · Task 4(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Business risks	Reputation and contractual risks of selling salons as going concerns.
V2 · Task 4(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Debt characteristics that make repaying part of it from sale proceeds worthwhile.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Leadership, teams and engagement	Leadership challenges for a new head of training, and the best leadership styles.
V3 · Task 1(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Disruptive technology and business intelligence	Using the business intelligence system to set selection criteria for the new head.
V3 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	Implications of heavy use of volunteers for defining and creating value.
V3 · Task 2(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Risks of too few volunteers and of contractual inadequacy.
V3 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Debt versus equity for the initial investment in a training academy.
V3 · Task 3(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	For and against running the academy as an investment centre.
V3 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Two KPIs for the board to judge the academy's performance.
V3 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Integrated and sustainability reporting	Integrated report disclosures on the academy's intellectual, human and social capital.
V4 · Task 1(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	How an acquired overseas subsidiary should be set up as a responsibility centre.
V4 · Task 1(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	How acquiring a foreign subsidiary affects the group's reported performance.
V4 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Disruptive technology and business intelligence	For and against seeing a new scanning product as a disruptive technology.
V4 · Task 2(b)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Accounting for salons' charges to customers for the new scans.
V4 · Task 3(a)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Difficulties applying target costing to design issues when setting a selling price.
V4 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Steps to set up a project team for the product design work.
V4 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Reputation and contractual inadequacy risks arising from a contract extract.
V4 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Whether a subsidiary should price intra-group sales in the home or the foreign currency.
V5 · Task 1(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Interpreting financial performance	Three ratios for comparing salon performance, and whether to use monthly or annual figures.
V5 · Task 1(b)	Core activity A: Adding value	Pricing strategy	For and against letting individual salons set their own prices.
V5 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Disruptive technology and business intelligence	Using the business intelligence system to make better use of online reviews.
V5 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Leadership, teams and engagement	Challenges for franchisees in empowering and engaging staff to improve customer feedback.
V5 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Financing and cost of capital	Debt or equity to fund an investment in new company-owned salons.
V5 · Task 3(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	For and against running the new owned salons as an investment centre.
V5 · Task 4(a)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Leadership, teams and engagement	Ways to identify average performers among current salon staff.
V5 · Task 4(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Transfer pricing	Three difficulties of using transfer pricing to move strong staff into the new salons.
V6 · Task 1(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Investment appraisal and real options	Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of an acquisition.
V6 · Task 1(b)	Core activity E: Stakeholders	Groups, goodwill and joint ventures	Challenges in measuring and accounting for goodwill on an acquisition.
V6 · Task 2(a)	Core activity A: Adding value	Business models and value	How the acquired business could strengthen the business model.
V6 · Task 2(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	Responsibility centres and performance measures	Monthly performance measures the board could ask of the acquired business.
V6 · Task 3(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Business risks	Reputation and contractual risks of advertising on the back of owning the acquired business.
V6 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Implementing decisions	Projects and project teams	Roles for different staff groups in a proposed project team.
V6 · Task 4(a)	Core activity D: Measuring performance	Accounting treatments	Whether event sponsorship costs can be capitalised as intangible assets.
V6 · Task 4(b)	Core activity C: Performance and costs	TQM, target and life-cycle costing	Challenges of a value analysis of the acquired business's costs.

V1 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Whether salons should raise prices to recover higher apprentice wages.
Pricing strategy
V1 · Task 1(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Whether raising new apprentices' pay on its own could cause conflict in salons.
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict
V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Skills needed by the manager of a recruitment campaign project.
Projects and project teams
V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Adding value
Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of a recruitment campaign.
Investment appraisal and real options
V1 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Bringing TQM ideas into apprentice training and induction.
TQM, target and life-cycle costing
V1 · Task 3(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Accounting for creating training materials and for apprentices' training time.
Accounting treatments
V1 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Product, reputation and operational risks of an online induction course, with responses.
Business risks
V1 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Positive integrated report disclosures on intellectual, human and social capital for the course.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
How selling off salons affects defining value and capturing residual value in the business model.
Business models and value
V2 · Task 1(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
What it means that owned salons often improve once they are franchised.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V2 · Task 2(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Approach to benchmarking the performance of divested salons.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V2 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Adding value
Challenges for new franchisees in setting profit-maximising prices.
Pricing strategy
V2 · Task 3(a)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Issues likely to come up when negotiating the sale price of salons.
Stakeholders, negotiation and conflict
V2 · Task 3(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Limitations of a ROCE calculation for negotiating salon sale prices.
Interpreting financial performance
V2 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Reputation and contractual risks of selling salons as going concerns.
Business risks
V2 · Task 4(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Debt characteristics that make repaying part of it from sale proceeds worthwhile.
Financing and cost of capital
V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Leadership challenges for a new head of training, and the best leadership styles.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V3 · Task 1(b)Core activity A: Adding value
Using the business intelligence system to set selection criteria for the new head.
Disruptive technology and business intelligence
V3 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Implications of heavy use of volunteers for defining and creating value.
Business models and value
V3 · Task 2(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Risks of too few volunteers and of contractual inadequacy.
Business risks
V3 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Debt versus equity for the initial investment in a training academy.
Financing and cost of capital
V3 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
For and against running the academy as an investment centre.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V3 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Two KPIs for the board to judge the academy's performance.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V3 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Integrated report disclosures on the academy's intellectual, human and social capital.
Integrated and sustainability reporting
V4 · Task 1(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
How an acquired overseas subsidiary should be set up as a responsibility centre.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V4 · Task 1(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
How acquiring a foreign subsidiary affects the group's reported performance.
Groups, goodwill and joint ventures
V4 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
For and against seeing a new scanning product as a disruptive technology.
Disruptive technology and business intelligence
V4 · Task 2(b)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Accounting for salons' charges to customers for the new scans.
Accounting treatments
V4 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Difficulties applying target costing to design issues when setting a selling price.
TQM, target and life-cycle costing
V4 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Steps to set up a project team for the product design work.
Projects and project teams
V4 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Reputation and contractual inadequacy risks arising from a contract extract.
Business risks
V4 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Whether a subsidiary should price intra-group sales in the home or the foreign currency.
Transfer pricing
V5 · Task 1(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Three ratios for comparing salon performance, and whether to use monthly or annual figures.
Interpreting financial performance
V5 · Task 1(b)Core activity A: Adding value
For and against letting individual salons set their own prices.
Pricing strategy
V5 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Using the business intelligence system to make better use of online reviews.
Disruptive technology and business intelligence
V5 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Challenges for franchisees in empowering and engaging staff to improve customer feedback.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V5 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Debt or equity to fund an investment in new company-owned salons.
Financing and cost of capital
V5 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
For and against running the new owned salons as an investment centre.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V5 · Task 4(a)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Ways to identify average performers among current salon staff.
Leadership, teams and engagement
V5 · Task 4(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Three difficulties of using transfer pricing to move strong staff into the new salons.
Transfer pricing
V6 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Adding value
Difficulties forecasting cash flows for the NPV of an acquisition.
Investment appraisal and real options
V6 · Task 1(b)Core activity E: Stakeholders
Challenges in measuring and accounting for goodwill on an acquisition.
Groups, goodwill and joint ventures
V6 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Adding value
How the acquired business could strengthen the business model.
Business models and value
V6 · Task 2(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Monthly performance measures the board could ask of the acquired business.
Responsibility centres and performance measures
V6 · Task 3(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Reputation and contractual risks of advertising on the back of owning the acquired business.
Business risks
V6 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Implementing decisions
Roles for different staff groups in a proposed project team.
Projects and project teams
V6 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Measuring performance
Whether event sponsorship costs can be capitalised as intangible assets.
Accounting treatments
V6 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance and costs
Challenges of a value analysis of the acquired business's costs.
TQM, target and life-cycle costing

How Eighty Marks works on it

Three past MCS tasks, each matched to a practice task on the same topic in our question bank, with an illustrative marked answer: a score out of 150 against the pass line of 80, the four competencies, and the one thing to fix first.

The past task

Transfer pricing between two departments

MCS · Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 · Ressett · V2 · Task 3(a) · Core activity E (Stakeholders)

A transfer pricing strategy between two departments that suits the company as a whole.

Practise it in Eighty Marks

Pricing dishes from the central kitchen · Transfer pricing · set in Wuudbreak

Try a free MCS task

Illustrative example

84 / 150

PASS LINE 80 · ABOVE

TechnicalStrong: market and cost-based options compared
BusinessGood: applied to the two departments
PeopleNeeds work: managers' behaviour missing
LeadershipFair: one clear recommendation

Fix first: Explain how each department's manager would react to your price, because that is what decides whether trade happens.

Sample: an invented mark to show the shape of our feedback, not a real student's. AI marks are a guide to help you improve. They are not CIMA marks and not a prediction of your result.

The past task

Real options in an investment decision

MCS · May & Aug 2026 · Cartn · V2 · Task 3(b) · Core activity B (Implementing decisions)

Real options the board should weigh when evaluating the investment.

Practise it in Eighty Marks

Appraising a lakeside spa · Investment appraisal · set in Wuudbreak

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Illustrative example

77 / 150

PASS LINE 80 · BELOW

TechnicalGood: options to delay, expand and abandon
BusinessNeeds work: not linked to the new product
PeopleFair: board's view considered
LeadershipFair: recommendation given

Fix first: Tie each real option to a decision the board actually faces on this product, with the point at which it would act.

Sample: an invented mark to show the shape of our feedback, not a real student's. AI marks are a guide to help you improve. They are not CIMA marks and not a prediction of your result.

The past task

Integrated report disclosures

MCS · May & Aug 2025 · Trimayr · V3 · Task 4(b) · Core activity E (Stakeholders)

Integrated report disclosures on the academy's intellectual, human and social capital.

Practise it in Eighty Marks

Climate disclosures and a 'carbon neutral' claim · Sustainability reporting · set in Wuudbreak

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Illustrative example

90 / 150

PASS LINE 80 · ABOVE

TechnicalGood: each capital covered
BusinessGood: uses the academy's facts
PeopleGood: readers' needs considered
LeadershipNeeds work: no view on what to leave out

Fix first: Recommend which disclosure matters most to investors and say why, rather than listing all three equally.

Sample: an invented mark to show the shape of our feedback, not a real student's. AI marks are a guide to help you improve. They are not CIMA marks and not a prediction of your result.

Practise these skills in your own pre-seen

Timed MCS tasks in the current pre-seen, marked in about a minute. Try one task free, no card needed.

Try a task free Management Case Study practice

MCS past questions

Topic map

Topics by sitting

Topics, most tested first

Core activities against the blueprint

Filter the questions

May & Aug 2026 · Cartn

Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 · Ressett

May & Aug 2025 · Trimayr

How Eighty Marks works on it.

Transfer pricing between two departments

Real options in an investment decision

Integrated report disclosures

Practise these skills in your own pre-seen.

How Eighty Marks works on it

Practise these skills in your own pre-seen