case study results aca

Exam statistics

The pass rates for the Advanced Level exams are shown below.

View the summary of results.

The Affordable Care Act in the US (Obamacare)

Jump to a section.

The initiative

The challenge

The public impact

• Stakeholder engagement Fair
• Political commitment Weak
• Public confidence Fair
• Clarity of objectives Good
• Strength of evidence Fair
• Feasibility Fair
• Management Fair
• Measurement Good
• Alignment Weak

Bibliography

The ACA took effect in 2010 and had as its two main goals providing better health insurance coverage for Americans and lowering the overall cost of healthcare. The programme aimed to extend health insurance to some of the estimated 16% of the population without access - covered neither by their employers nor by national programmes for the poor and elderly. [3]

The ACA changed the regulation of health insurance essentially in five ways, the first of which was extending federal regulation to most private insurance companies, which historically in the US had been regulated at the state level. The ACA specified some requirements of insurers, most significantly that private insurers must sell (or issue) a policy to any person who wants to buy one, regardless of their health status or risks. The federal government also offers financial assistance to states to improve their ability to review insurance premium rates and enforce compliance with the law.

The second reform establishes a "minimum coverage", requiring all citizens and lawful residents to obtain health insurance coverage or pay a penalty (this removes the incentive for only getting insurance when people become ill, thus addressing the risk for private providers). There are exceptions for very low-income people who could not afford this, as well as individuals who do not believe in medical care for religious reasons.

The third reform is the requirement for the establishment of health insurance exchanges as a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can buy insurance (people are also free to buy directly from an insurance company). The federal government will provide subsidies to individuals with incomes between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level to enable them to pay for the premiums. Most exchanges are run by the states, and the federal government has the authority to operate a federal exchange in states that fail to create their own. States also have authority to add further requirements to their health plans, meaning that plans may differ across states, especially in price.

The fourth reform encourages private employers to provide health insurance to employees - although it does not oblige them to. Finally, the fifth reform addresses the remaining people who cannot afford to buy insurance, primarily because they are not eligible for federal subsidies - both individuals and small businesses. For this group, the ACA amends the Medicaid statute to make everyone with an income below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level eligible for Medicaid health benefits, and the federal government will pay for 100% of the cost of adding this group to Medicaid, ultimately paying 90% by 2016. However, the US Supreme Court held that the states are not obliged to comply with this eligibility standard, so people living in states that decide not to comply may be left without coverage. [4]

In 2008, the US healthcare system was historically considered to be lagging behind its global peers in terms of efficiency and coverage. Two of its key characteristics pointed to a need for reform: "It spends far more per person on healthcare than any other country, yet it is the only country in the developed world that fails to provide healthcare coverage for almost all of its residents". [1]

One of the reasons that made the American system so expensive was that over half of the population relied on private insurance - mostly sponsored by employers. Otherwise, the federal Medicare programme only covered people with disabilities or retired people aged over 65 years. Medicaid - a joint state and federal programme - covered people with low incomes, but in most states it was limited to those fitting certain categories, such as single parents, children, and pregnant women. People who did not fit into any of these categories found it hard to obtain individual insurance. This was not only because of its cost but also that people were subject to very thorough screening (medical underwriting), which usually either declined people with existing medical conditions or charged them substantially more without even covering them for their existing ailments.

Figures from 2010 indicate that approximately 50 million people (16% of the population) had no public or private health insurance coverage, while national spending on medical care in the US at the time was close to USD3 trillion a year. [2]

The ACA has managed to extend coverage to a certain extent, but it has also been adversely affected by increases in premiums and by the public controversy occasioned by political issues and mismanaged expectations:

• There is evidence that it has improved access to health insurance coverage for approximately 20 million Americans. However, it fell short of bringing the target of people uninsured from 50 million to 22 million people. [5]
• Marketplace enrolment has been lower than expected: The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 21 million people would be enrolled on the exchanges. However, estimates indicate that between 9.4 million and 11.4 million of people signed up in 2016. [6]
• From the public perspective, its impact was not perceived as fully beneficial. An inquiry in 2015 found that “most Americans (54%) said the healthcare law had not had an effect on them or their family up until that point. About one in four Americans (26%) said the impact of the law on them personally had been negative, compared with 19% who said it had been positive.” [7]
• Opponents also point out some of ACA's undesired side-effects, for example of increasing insurance premiums in states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. “In Wisconsin, state regulators have announced that health insurance premiums are going up an average of 15.88%. Some plans will see premiums rise 30.37% and several large insurance companies have stopped offering plans via the Obamacare exchange in Wisconsin.” [8]
• Some of the effects in the commercial market for insurance have been perceived as negative. “Most plans available in the individual and small-group markets prior to the ACA's enactment did not meet all of the law's new rules and mandates. As insurers adjusted to the new rules, the choices available to consumers declined markedly. Plan variation now largely consists of the size of cost-sharing amounts, including deductibles, and the scope of provider networks. As plans became standardised, premiums and cost sharing increased, and provider networks shrank.” [9]

Stakeholder engagement

There were numerous stakeholders involved in the formulation of Obamacare, including the following: federal and state governments, health insurers and other commercial groups related to the policy, political parties and leaders, National Republican Congressional Committee, the Supreme Court, and the general public.

This was reflected in a wide spectrum of opinions regarding what the legislation should look like. The debate between Democrats and Republicans indicates their contrasting positions: "Democrats in the US were in favour of a more socialised solution for healthcare reform, that is, to expand Medicare or create something like it that, along with Medicaid, covered everyone in a 'single payer' system, like that in Canada. While Republican proponents supported a 'less ambitious' law that uses government subsidies mainly to help only those people who are not insurable, leaving the rest of the market to function as normal." [10]

The administration has claimed to have learnt from previous experiences to obtain stronger support for this policy: giving Congress more input to the structure and more information about the policy goals, as well as looking to get support from industry specialists, including insurers, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and other providers, and allowing the House and Senate to work through each of their concerns before merging these into a bill. [11]

Political commitment

Previous healthcare programmes in the US had received more consensual support from political leaders, while the ACA occasioned much more dispute. It was favoured by Democrats but strongly opposed by Republicans.

The process for approval of the ACA bill was also conflictual: “Republicans in the House have voted to delay, 'defund' or repeal the law some 60 times” [12] and it barely made it through Congress in 2010, with a slim Democratic majority. Amid extreme partisan divides along ideological lines, it faced all-out Republican opposition. In March 2010, the ACA was only narrowly passed by the House (by 219 votes to 212), with all 178 House Republicans voting against. "These numbers underline the exacerbated partisanship in Congress and, more generally, the lack of consensus surrounding this reform.” [13]

Public confidence

Obamacare has been widely debated both among political actors and the general public. Given that its measures have affected people differently (for better and worse), support and approval have been mixed and changing since implementation, and the public seem to be split down the middle in terms of overall support.

According to a Pew Research Center survey from February 2015, a greater share of the public disapproves (53%) than approves (45%) of the ACA. [14] A Kaiser poll found similar results in 2015, with 43% holding a favourable view as against 42% with an unfavourable one. These figures, however, represented an improvement for Obamacare on a previous survey in July 2014, which found only 37% of Americans supporting the policy, compared to 53% who rejected it. [15]

Clarity of objectives

The main goals of the ACA were to provide more Americans with health insurance and lower the overall cost of healthcare. When launching the ACA,  President Obama gave some measurable estimates  that helped reinforce these general objectives:

• Under the Act, the number of uninsured was intended to decline from 50 million to 22 million in 2016. [16]
• The ACA should reduce annual insurance premiums by USD2,500 for the average family. [17]

Strength of evidence

Evidence used for the implementation of Obamacare was based principally on the existing healthcare system in Massachusetts while there was also input from the testing of pilot programmes aimed at improving the quality of service to users.

Obama declared that the ACA was modelled on Mitt Romney's healthcare initiative in Massachusetts. “It's because you guys had a proven model that we built the Affordable Care Act on this template of proven bipartisan success. Your law was the model for the nation's law.” [18] The Romney plan itself has received mixed support, with significant praise of its model from some fellow Republicans, but also some criticism about its method. "The healthcare plans advocated by all three of the leading Democratic presidential candidates — Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama — are all substantially the same as Romney's. They are all variations of a concept called 'managed competition', which leaves insurance privately owned but forces it to operate in an artificial and highly regulated marketplace similar to a public utility." [19]

Opinion on the Massachusetts model is divided, with some taking the view that it was ineffective. "As Massachusetts has shown us, mandating insurance, restricting individual choice, expanding subsidies, and increasing government control isn't going to solve those problems. A mandate imposes a substantial cost in terms of individual choice but is almost certainly unenforceable and will not achieve its goal of universal coverage. Subsidies may increase coverage, but will almost always cost more than projected and will impose substantial costs on taxpayers. Increased regulations will drive up costs and limit consumer choice." [20]

Additionally, the ACA has added a number of new and amended and/or extended demonstration and pilot programmes. For example, it created the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), tasked with developing and funding demonstration projects to improve the quality of care for patients. [21]

Feasibility

Policymakers considered the financial and legal constraints before formulating the ACA, but might not have assessed such constraints to their fullest extent. The federal system in the US allows states to have autonomy in the application of certain legislation, which was the case for this healthcare reform. "The Supreme Court's 2012 ruling found the ACA constitutional, but also struck down a provision saying states had to change how they administered the government health programme, Medicaid. Under Obamacare, states were supposed to expand the number of people who qualified for Medicaid, which had been reserved for the poor, and in return the federal government would provide the states more funding. The court said states could choose not to participate in Medicaid expansion.” [22] This was the case for some states which decided to opt out of the Medicaid expansion, leaving people who were supposed to get coverage outside the bill's auspices. [23]

Overall, the Medicaid expansion proved to be more expensive than was forecast. "Total federal spending on the expansion in 2015 was at least 50% above Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) 2014 projection of USD42 billion. Part of the reason for this unanticipated expense is that states are paying insurers higher rates than the government projected; in fact, spending per newly eligible enrollee was 49% higher in 2015 than was expected by the Obama administration in a 2014 report.” [24]

As a result of the ACA, premiums were predicted to rise by 25% in 2017, and government subsidies were to increase accordingly to help pay for insurance. However, those who should be covered by the Medicaid expansion were ineligible for those subsidies, and some may therefore be unable to afford health insurance at all. [25]

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was responsible for implementation of the ACA, and faced substantial challenges. The diversity of the country - both in terms of individuals as well as the federal system - makes this programme difficult to implement. Accounting for the rights of all 314 million individuals made the management of the programme very difficult.

There are many examples of exceptions from the requirements of the ACA, of which the following is one. "An example is the contraception insurance requirement in health plans without 'cost-sharing' under the law's market reforms. This posed a serious issue for religious companies. The Department of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services recently provided an exception for non-profit religious employers. Unfortunately, this exception does not extend to for-profit employers. This is one example of how an exception was required." [26]  It is expected that many similar exceptions will be requested in the future.

Measurement

The performance of the policy has been evaluated based on a number of indicators such as the number of people insured, the rise or fall in insurance premiums, and the number of enrolments in the policy.  The main institution in charge of tracking indicators is the CBO, but, given the high profile of the policy, there are also several independent institutions and research firms tracking results and opinion, such as the Cato Institute and the Kaiser Foundation.

The CBO analyses the effects of the ACA under current law, and the effects of proposals to change the law. It regularly publishes a range of reports addressing costs, estimates and outlook related to the ACA. [27] For example, its report on "Federal Subsidies for Health Insurance Coverage for people under age 65: 2016 to 2026" was published in March 2016 and contained a number of projections of the ACA's impact. “CBO and JCT [the Joint Committee on Taxation] updated their estimates of the number of people under age 65 who have health insurance from various sources as well as their projections of the federal subsidies associated with that coverage. Those projections encompass a broad set of budgetary effects that operate under current law, including the effects of providing preferential tax treatment for employment-based coverage, costs for providing Medicaid coverage to people under age 65, and payments stemming directly from the ACA.” [28]

The bipartisanship affecting this policy had a significant influence on the collaboration and alignment between the actors involved in its implementation. There were some states that did not approve of the policy, which resulted in a fragmentation of its execution across the nation. The lack of support from certain states continues to exert a direct impact on the coverage of the policy, as they have the right to refuse the extension of Medicaid coverage. “Even if Republicans and conservatives continue to mount fierce political attacks calling for the repeal or gutting of the entire law, more consequential obstruction comes from state-level governors and legislators who can refuse to help establish exchanges to market subsidised private insurance and, more importantly, can block outright the expansion of Medicaid.” [29]

The interdependency of factors has repercussions across the board, affecting the costs and incentives affecting other actors, including the private sector. “Insurance companies are backing out of participating in Obamacare because fewer Americans than anticipated are signing up; that in turn raises insurances costs for everyone, which then further drives down participation. For some middle-income Americans, the subsidies available for buying Obamacare policies are not generous enough, and the fines for not having coverage are too small to encourage them to enrol in plans.” [30]

7 Obamacare failures that have hurt Americans , Diana Furchtgott-Roth, 25 March 2016, Marketwatch

Affordable Care Act, Congressional Budget Office

Affordable Care Act Facts , Obamacarefacts.com

Implementing Obamacare: A Review of CMS' Management of the Failed CO-OP Program , 13 September 2016, US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce

Lessons from the Fall of RomneyCare , Michael D. Tanner, January/February 2008, Cato Institute

Medicare and Medicaid Demonstrations and Pilots , the CMS Innovation Center, and the Shared Savings (ACO) Program, Association of American Medical Colleges

MN Gov says ObamaCare “no longer affordable”, Brian Sikma, 13 October 2016, The Insurgent

Obama Says Romney's Example Shows Health Care Reform Will Work , Denver Nicks, 30 October 2013, Time

ObamaCare (Affordable Care Act) Is Not An Insurance Or Healthcare Problem , Cameron Keng, 2 October, Forbes

Obamacare: what the Affordable Care Act means for patients and physicians,   Mark A Hall, Richard Lord, 2014, Center for Bioethics Health and Society, Wake Forest University

ObamaCare's Failure And Moving Health Care Policy In A New Direction , Brian Blase, 15 December 2015, Forbes

Opinions on Obamacare remain divided along party lines as Supreme Court hears new challenge , Seth Motel, 4 March 2015, Pew Research Center

Public Support For Obamacare Grows As Less Than 30 Percent Of Americans Support Repeal , Keith Brekhus, 21 April 2015, Politic us USA

Stakeholders spend big on ACA ads, Paige Winfield Cunningham, 1 October 2013, Politico

The Politics of Obamacare, Social Security and Medicare, Scholars Strategy Network

The Real Story of Obamacare's Birth , Norm Ornstein, 6 July 2015, The Atlantic

Why is Obamacare so controversial? , 11 November 2016, BBC News

Why public opinion on ObamaCare should worry us all , Lawrence Jacobs and Suzanne Mettler, 21 June 2016, The Hill

The Public Impact Fundamentals - A framework for successful policy

This case study has been assessed using the Public Impact Fundamentals, a simple framework and practical tool to help you assess your public policies and ensure the three fundamentals - Legitimacy, Policy and Action are embedded in them.

Learn more about the Fundamentals and how you can use them to access your own policies and initiatives.

You may also be interested in...

Mexico City's ProAire programme

Organ donations in iran, legislating to encourage organ donation in israel, gavi, the vaccine alliance, who: delivering insecticide treated nets to control malaria, mobile technologies for health in zambia, how can we help.

Jag's Journey

Sharing my life experiences including the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification

How to Master the ICAEW ACA Case Study Marking Key

Four blogs into the ACA Case Study and you might just start to think that I am slightly obsessed with this exam. The ACA Case Study is so different to any other of the 15 ACA exams that I feel there is so much to discuss for this exam. I was not planning to go into detail about the Case Study marking key. However, I have recently realised many who are independently studying or who are taught by different providers may not have all these details or the same level of understanding. In order to pass the ACA Case Study, you do really need to understand how it is marked . Today this is exactly what I will delve into.

You may also want to refer to the other three ICAEW ACA Case Study blogs:  ICAEW Case Study Made Easy ,  ICAEW Software Testing  and How Much Preparation is Enough? .

Table of Contents

Aca case study marking key terms, maximum marks and marking, different ways to fail the icaew aca case study, overall assessment criteria, executive summary (es), requirements – generic aca case study marking key, marking yourself, aca case study wrap up.

If you are unaware of the exam structure for the ACA Case Study exam, I would recommend reading the Made Easy blog before reading details about the Case Study marking key. You essentially need to know the report you are required to produce is split into an executive summary and three equally weighted requirements .

This will overlap with the ICAEW Case Study Made Easy blog where I have briefly touched on the marking key. The ACA Case Study marking key can be explained using the following terms: “ boxes ” and “ diamonds “, where boxes are skills assessment boxes (SABs). The meaning of these will get clearer as we go on but to give a quick explanation, the Case Study marking key is split into 40 boxes :

• The executive summary has 6 boxes (2 for each requirement)
• Each requirement (r1, r2 and r3) has 11 boxes
• There is one final box for the overall assessment criteria

Within each box, there are diamonds /bullet points that you need to hit to get marks. The maximum mark for each box is 6 marks . Each box will have up to six “diamonds” that are up for grabs from your answer. For example, one diamond could be met by stating revenue increased by x amount/(y %) based on the case study numbers. This will make more sense once you start looking at mock exams for the ICAEW ACA Case Study.

The Case Study marking key is not completely straight forward. It is not one mark per one diamond. Here is how it works:

From the table above you can see you do not benefit from getting more than four diamonds as you will be capped at 6 marks . You may be in fact wasting time and time is definitely of the essence in the ACA Case Study even if it is 4 hours . However, it is difficult to know whether a point you make is a valid diamond or not so it is perhaps best to aim for 5 diamonds at most in each box of the Case Study marking key. 

What makes the ACA Case Study very different from the other exams is that there are  no predetermined correct answers . I have been told only after assessing the first say 100 papers are the diamonds and the marking key put together. You need to write what everyone else writes so state the obvious and work together when preparing beforehand! This ACA Advanced Level Telegram group (essentially WhatsApp without phone numbers) where you can connect with other students may help.

The maximum marks for the ACA Case Study is 240 marks . Remember, there are 40 boxes and the maximum mark is 6 per box. You may think as the ICAEW ACA Case study exam is 50% to pass , you just need 120 marks to pass. Again, the Case Study really is not that straightforward. 120 marks across the whole paper will not cut it. You actually need 50% in each requirement (including the executive summary) to pass. Getting 66 marks in requirement 1 but 20 marks in requirement 3 is a no go. However, this is not the only way to fail the ACA Case Study…

The below ways to fail which I will touch upon are less black and white than the 50% in each requirement criteria. This is a very grey area and is not nice for anybody in this position. I have come across candidates who have achieved 50% in each requirement and still failed. Below outline the other potential reasons why one could fail the ACA Case Study exam:

• As mentioned, achieving  less than the overall 50%  pass mark.
• Achieving  less than 50% in each individual requirement  and being deemed incompetent often. You really need to show you can produce a strong report to be on the safe side. In each requirement, you should ideally be getting over 50% competent grades (CC or SC) which means six or more boxes. Five SCs (30 marks) and the remaining ID/IC grades (6 marks) would get you above 50% in the requirement (33 marks) but may not be enough to pass.
• Missing out parts  of the report. If you score above 50% in all requirements but have missed out 4-5 skills assessment boxes, you are likely to fail. There cannot be gaps in the report. A fail could also be for writing poor conclusions and recommendations throughout.
• This exam is all about balance . If you have too many NA and ID grades, this could also be a factor of failure.

Essentially, the examiner wants to see that you can write a  complete and balanced  report. If you do not do as ICAEW say in this exam you will be punished and you will fail. This really is a grey area , especially as for those marginal scripts there is re-moderation to decide which scripts pass and which fail. It does seem quite harsh as surely getting 50% would be enough but examiners will only want to pass a good quality report. Further marking details can be found here from ICAEW and is definitely worth a read.

ACA Case Study Marking Key

This one box will look as follows (imagine the dashes are diamonds):

If you meet all four diamonds, you will show you are clearly competent and should get 6 marks.

The executive summary is essentially meant to summarise each of the three requirements and provide the conclusion and recommendations. It is at the start of the report so if somebody did not have time to read the full report, they would be able to understand exactly what is covered by reading the ES. The Case Study marking key for the ES is as follows. Note this is very generic and may differ case study to case study:

ICAEW in recent years have been very clear that you cannot simply copy and paste the report into the executive summary. The two must differ otherwise you will not score any marks and this could result in failure! Spot the difference below…

I will keep this much more generic and do all three requirements in one. Through these boxes you will need to demonstrate  that you can: assimilate and use information; structure problems and solutions; apply judgement and form conclusions and recommendations.

If you have not started any mocks yet, this may all look like gibberish to you. Trust me on this one, once you have been through a mock or so, you will be very grateful for the above tables. For the requirements, you essentially get two boxes for the appendices, two for each of the sub-requirements stated in the question and then two for the conclusions and recommendations. Keeping this in mind when you write your report is crucial to doing well.

If your ACA Case Study is marked by somebody else, I would highly recommend going through this yourself afterwards. This will really help you to understand what kind of points scores diamonds and which do not. You can also see where you are perhaps going overboard or not writing enough .

What I think is very beneficial about going through the Case Study marking key is that you will spot where things are in bold. You may have noticed this above. If “and figures” is written in bold, it means you cannot get the diamond without any numbers. Where I slipped up initially is that I was not including figures or sometimes comparative figures that were needed. You also sometimes must write the £ and % change to get a diamond. It really is worth going through this to maximise your diamond potential.

Hopefully this blog has stressed to you the importance of timings . If you get too many NA boxes, you are likely to fail. This means you cannot just miss areas out and move on but you do need to do it all . If you want help with your timings as well as planning sheets and help with requirement 1’s appendix, join my journey. I will be sending these out to you for free within a few days of joining.

Understanding the Case Study marking key is essential to do well in this exam. I can recall going through this for a full morning in college to make sure we really understood the marking key. If you do not have a solid understanding of this, as well as the different ways to fail, you may just do so. Hopefully this blog has been insightful and helped in some way. I would even suggest taking those generic marking keys into the exam with you so you do not miss anything out.

• Pingback: ICAEW Case Study Made Easy - How to Pass ACA Case Study - Jag's Journey
• Pingback: ICAEW ACA Case Study - How Much Preparation Is Enough? - Jag's Journey
• Pingback: The Weekend Before Sitting ACA Advanced Level Exams: Last Minute Tips - Jag's Journey
• Pingback: How Difficult/Hard REALLY are the ICAEW ACA Exams? With ACA Exam Difficulty Ranking and Proven ICAEW ACA Pass Rates - Jag's Journey
• Pingback: New ICAEW Exam Software Testing Experience - Exciting ACA Case Study Opportunity - Jag's Journey

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Buy Me a Coffee

Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance

Get the Reddit app

I want to make a subreddit dedicated to the ICAEW professional qualification. I'll build it when we have established a group of members.

Tips and advice for case study?

I’m starting college for case study soon to take the November sitting and wanted to see what everyone’s advice is.

I’ve heard CS is a completely different animal compared to all other exams currently. I know time management will be one of the key tips, but was wondering what other advice you guys have?

I’ll be studying with Kaplan, I know a lot of people look outside their training providers for additional materials (e.g ACA Masters/Cracking Case are the others I’ve heard of), are these beneficial in addition to Kaplan?

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

FAR - Full Series

Learn how to ace the aca certificate level exams, financial accounting and reporting (far) , classroom tuition, online tuition.

Having scored 92% in the Case Study exam, and winning the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world, Kieran now teaches students the analytical skills and exam technique required to emulate this success. Under his guidance, one of our students also went on to win the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world (score of 90%), whilst several others have won national and regional prizes.

You can watch the course introduction and a  FREE SAMPLE CLASS   below.

OUR PRIZE-WINNING TECHNIQUE

The course begins by teaching you the methodology for tackling the exam, as well as passing on prize-winning tricks and tips. Kieran provides a detailed walk-through of how you should tackle the Case Study exam, from initial AI analysis through to typing your report on exam day. 

The  next class is an exhibit by exhibit walk-through of the November 2024 AI, clearly demonstrating how each piece of information should be used in the exam. This enables you to understand the AI in an exam focused way.

The following classes  debrief our November 2024 mock exams where Kieran teaches you exactly how you should have read and interpreted the exam as well as how you should have typed your answer, with reference to his prize-winning model answer.​  The classes provide detailed advice as to how you should work through each requirement. This enables you to fully understand how to apply the prize-winning technique to your particular Case Study business and the type of points you should include in your report. 

Classes which are based on the November 2024 AI will be added to the course after the AI has been released. T he release dates for the classes can be found on the course structure document below. 

PAYMENT AND ACCESS

You can subscribe to all the classes for £395 and enjoy a viewing period of 12 months.

Please click  HERE  to purchase. Once payment has been made, you can view the full course  HERE . ​

Please note that our November  2024  PDF materials are sold separately from the video course .

​ ​ PASS GUARANTEE 

In the unlikely event that you fail your exam, we will extend your access until you pass your exam. This includes access to any additional content we upload in relation to subsequent Case Study businesses.  There will be no extra cost to you. This reflects our commitment to getting you qualified, as well as the confidence we have in Kieran's track record. 

AI ANALYSIS AND PROFORMA REPORT

Our prize-winning Case Study tutor Kieran Doe has developed our Proforma Report and AI Analysis. ​

This includes:

Comprehensive AI analysis which identifies all the key facts and figures, showing where they are likely to appear in the exam.

A proforma report to use in the exam with reminders of the points to include in each section.

A list of probable exam scenarios and a reminder of the key points to include. 

PAYMENT AND DELIVERY

The price of our  AI Analysis and Proforma Report PDF d ocument is £75. You can purchase using a credit or debit card below from 1 October .

You will receive an email containing a link to download the PDF document within 5 minutes of placing your order. You may print the document for your sole use.

Please ensure that you check your junk mail in case your email settings divert our emails to junk. 

OUR PRIZE -WINNING TECHNIQUE

The course begins by teaching you the methodology for tackling the exam, as well as passing on prize-winning tricks and tips. Kieran provides a detailed walk-through of how you should tackle the Case Study exam, from initial AI analysis through to typing your report on exam day.

You are then given the opportunity to put these skills to the test with a series of mock exams based on the November 2024 AI. You will be required to complete the exam in your own time using the ICAEW CBE software and submit this before class. Your tutor will perform a detailed review of your attempt so that class time can be spent coaching you on the specific areas where your report requires improvement. In addition, Kieran will explain exactly how the exam should have been tackled and demonstrate this with his prize-winning model answer. 

The key difference between the Video Course and the Live Course is that the Live Course includes three live classes where your tutor will give you detailed feedback on how and where you need to improve to score a higher mark. 

TUTION FEES AND BOOKING

The tuition fee is £1,100 plus VAT .  This includes: ​

Proforma reports to use in the exam with reminders of the points to include for each section.

AI  analysis document which identifies all the key facts and figures, showing where they are likely to appear in the exam.

A list of probable exam scenarios and a reminder of the key points to include.

Mock exams, marking grids and model answers which demonstrate exactly how you should write your points in the exam.

Access to all our Case Study video classes which are used as a preparatory and revision tool.

Please contact us HERE  for availability and course dates.

In the unlikely event that you fail your exam (we had a 100% pass rate in most recent exams), we will automatically enrol you on subsequent courses until you pass your exam. There will be no extra cost to you. This reflects our commitment to getting you qualified, as well as the confidence we have in our track record. In order for the pass guarantee to apply, you must attend all classes and complete all required work. 

MOCK EXAMS, MARKING KEYS AND MODEL ANSWERS

Our prize-winning Case Study tutor Kieran Doe has created our mock exams, marking keys and model answers.​

MOCK EXAM 1  1

Mock exam 1 and marking key

Prize-winning model answer which demonstrates exactly how you should structure your report and the points to include​

A sample is included below. 

The price of our  Mock Exam 1 PDF pack is £50 . You can purchase using a credit or debit card below from 1 October . 

You will receive an email containing a link to download the PDF document within 5 minutes of placing your order. 

MOCK EXAM 2  2

Mock exam 2  and marking key

The price of our  Mock Exam 2  PDF pack is £50 . You can purchase using a credit or debit card below from 8 October . 

MOCK EXAM 3  2

Mock exam 3  and marking key

The price of our  Mock Exam 3 PDF pack is £50 . You can purchase using a credit or debit card below from 31 October . 

Having failed Case Study TWICE, I had seen this course pop up on YouTube whilst I tried to figure out where I was going wrong. Took the plunge to change resource providers and honestly, there are NO words to express how grateful I am! Kieran and the team guide you with a CLEAR and CONCISE approach which really helped me focus on what I needed to improve on and what I was previously doing wrong.

From past failures of 48 & 36 previously, to now a gratifying pass of 74, I am honestly on TOP of the world!!! Don't hesitate - book before its too late, honestly you won't regret it!!!

(Case Study resit student who passed first time with us)

New website launched

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website which integrates our learning platform, information website, purchase links and The Profit Room (our free student learning community) within a single site. Hit the button below to visit our new website. Hope to see you there soon (and in the next few seconds hopefully!). ‍

For exclusive Case Study tips, sign up to The Profit Room , our free student learning community!

Case study mock exam pack. relevant practice..

As we have explained on the other Case Study pages on this website, Case Study is fundamentally unlike the other ACA papers because it is marked with a unique "closed form" markscheme in which you can only attract credit if the idea in your exam answer matches the points on the finalised ICAEW markscheme. This is a potentially harsh marking approach and without a good understanding of what points are likely to be on the markscheme, you'll be relying on luck to pass. The other important aspect of preparing for Case Study is that it is a long, 4-hour exam (the longest of all the ACA papers) and one where you must pass all the different elements of the examination (Executive Summary, Requirement 1, Requirement 2 and Requirement 3) or you will be failed by the examiners, no matter how brilliant the other parts of your response may have been. We have therefore created our live Mock Exam Pack to give you 5 opportunities to practise your planning, timing and general exam technique, all within the context of learning points which are likely to be given credit in your own exam. As experienced creators of Case Study Mock Exam Pack since 2013, we have a very good understand of what points are likely to score, so we build these into our full markscheme examples. We also provide example model answers where we write up all our ideas, under the right headings and making the points nice and snappy, creating examples that are actually achievable by a good candidate in the time available. We round off the Mock Exam Pack with detailed Tutor Debrief videos of all 5 Mocks, and a supporting set of over 400 quick-fire questions on the Advance Information so that you can actively learn the content rather than just reading and re-reading the Advance Information yet again! Scroll down the page to learn more about our Mock Exam Pack. July 2024 Mock Exam Pack release schedule Mock 1 - 7 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 2 - 14 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 3 - 21 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 4 - 28 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 5 - 5 July 2024 by 23.59 UK time The release dates for our November 2024 Mock Exam Pack will be 20 September, 27 September, 4 October, 11 October and 18 October 2024

Prepare to pass.

We have no idea why certain other tuition providers allocate so much course and homework time to past paper Case Study examples. Okay, so doing past papers is obviously of some benefit, but for us, it makes much more sense to focus on the live Case Study Advance Information which will provide the basis of your examination attempt. Using our Mock Exam Pack, you get 5 opportunities to hone your exam technique while also learning about likely scenarios for the real exam (simply not possible by doing past papers!). With our expertly-prepared markscheme grids, we can help you understand what sorts of point to make in your own answer, again all based on points that can actually be tested in your exam (simply not possible by doing past papers!). Our commentaries on our marking grids also explain how we put the Mocks together and what we were trying to test, enhancing your knowledge of the live set of Advance Information.

Some stats on our Mock Exam Pack.

The July 2024 edition of our Case Study Mock Exam Pack will be the 25th edition of the Mock Exam Pack since our first Mock Exam Pack was published in 2013. This means we have accumulated vast knowledge and experience, which we distill into our student-focused approach and realistic question papers.

>100,000

Taking into account our 5 question papers, 5 marking grids, 5 example student-standard model answers and our other tips and tricks content, each Mock Exam Pack contains over 100,000 words of content (about the same length as a novel!). All lovingly prepared under extreme time-pressure to help you as much as possible.

Practice makes perfect.

Since passing Case Study is all about exam technique rather than technical brilliance, it is vital that you do plenty of practice before the exam to work on things like time management, writing style, interpretation of the question and, most important of all, understanding the points that are likely to be on the final ICAEW markscheme. Because if your idea doesn't match the final ICAEW markscheme, you won't get any credit for your point! Harsh, we know, which is why we have got your back through our Mock Exam Pack.

Fully updated for 2024

As always, we will carefully work through the learning points from the 2023 past papers to ensure that our advice and example markschemes are fully up-to-date, ensuring that you are exposed to points that are likely to score. The Case Study examiners are always subtly evolving the examination so it is important that we keep on top of this "cat-and-mouse" game!

Key Points Summary

To make the most of the "open-book" nature of the Case Study exam, we will provide you with our Key Points Summary PDF, an alphabetically-organised summary of key "re-useable" points from the Mock Exam Pack. This will avoid you taking too much content into the exam as everything will be nicely condensed and organised for you. On the day, you must of course use your judgement when using any pre-prepared ideas, but our Key Points Summary PDF will put everything at your fingertips so that you can make your choices as quickly as possible!

Supporting video content

Making the most of advances in technology, recent editions of our Mock Exam Pack have been provided with supporting video content, allowing us to go into certain areas in a bit more detail than in a purely PDF format. Our online platform also allows us to provide over 400 quick-fire questions on the Advance Information so that you can learn it inside-out.

What our students say.

I bet your tutor team are probably feeling more of a strain than us students when it comes to the Case Study exam, seeing the huge amount of work that fits into six weeks. It's rather impressive, particularly with the Mock Exam Pack,  the on-demand videos and the patience of the tutor, to go through things over and over again. I honestly feel that you leave no stone unturned for Case  Study. I find the on-demand videos so useful. I feel it helps to refresh points in my head. Thank you as always.

I have just got my results for Case Study and I'm really happy to say that I managed  to pass with 60% on my first attempt. I am really glad that I came to you guys for my first attempt, which allowed me to adequately prepare myself both content and skill wise for the exam day. Thank you very much for all your  help (via TIS and e-mail conversation) throughout the past month and a half!

Thank you, and in particular to my tutor, for helping me pass my Case Study resit in November. The approach to technique and having 5 different Mock Exams based on the live set of Advance Information really helped and I felt so much more prepared going into this exam than the first time. I've already recommended the book and technique to others in my office. Thanks again.

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your help and materials over the last three exams, as I had some great news on Friday that I passed my Case Study exam first time!! I was delighted to pass with 63% and found your books, Mock Exam Pack and TIS scripts really helpful towards this result. I shall be thoroughly recommending you to my colleagues!

Finally passed the Case Study exam. Thank you so much for all of the content, especially the Mock Exam Pack. Thank you again!

My son passed his Case Study exam and it went really well. He qualified on Friday, so very proud! He said without a doubt, that the Cracking Case book and Mock Exam Pack got him through. We only found out about you near to the exam day,  but he only read your book and studied the Mock Exams. Thank you so much, I wish everyone knew about you!

I passed the Case Study exam with 58% - thank you very much for the help!

Thank you for the tuition course. I managed to pass Case Study with a score of 78%, an improvement from 46% on my first attempt. I will recommend your course to fellow colleagues. Thanks again.

I passed Case with a mark of 61. Thank you for all your help and support - will definitely recommend you to others!

I passed my Case Study exam!! So happy and relieved, thanks very much!

I have passed Case Study at the first attempt only because of your company. Coming from academia, I had tremendous trouble accepting what the other tuition providers were doing or how they attempted to provide tuition. The combination of the Cracking Case book and the Mock Exam Pack can yield results if the student is willing to spend the required preparation  time.

I received my Case Study results today and achieved a pass mark of 74 which is higher than I ever imagined!! I didn't even think I would be able to pass let  alone anything else. The skills and techniques you taught were invaluable. The Mock Exam Pack was incredibly useful to get plenty of practice in before the main exam and the ERP was a very helpful summary of the Advance Information which saved me so much time in the exam. This was my first time sitting Case and I am so glad I chose to invest in the materials that you  provide.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, having passed my retake Case Study exam in July 2018. I took your online course and I will definitely recommend TIS to any student. I feel the feedback on a real time Mock Exam was very helpful. I got a good idea of how to hit points in the markscheme and how to write precise short points, in order to stick to the tight time window for this exam.

Happy to confirm that I passed Case! I found it a particularly tough exam so I don't know where I would have been without your mocks and guidance! Thank you again for all of the help!

I passed the Case Study exam and now have no more ACA exams to take!! Thank you so very much for the Mock Exam Pack, as well as the very useful TIS feedback that you gave me for the July 2018  sitting. I learned so much about the Case Study exam technique from your Mock Exams and am very grateful for all the help you have given me. Thank you again.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for your Case Study materials/Mock Exam Pack/TIS marking & feedback and personalised help - I passed with 63, compared to the 38 first attempt that I had with [XXXXXX]. Many thanks again!!

Many thanks to you. I purchased your Mock Exam Pack for the November 2019 sitting. I succeeded in my Case Study exam and increased my mark from 32 to 57. Thanks  a lot!

I bought your Cracking Case book and your Mock Exam Pack and they were worth every penny. I passed Case Study first time around. They gave me lots of tips about the best way to tackle the Case Study and what examiners wanted me to produce on the day. I would definitely not have passed the Case Study with just the notes and training I received from my previous tuition provider. I would recommend your books and Mock Exam Pack to anyone. Thank you for all your  help. Much appreciated.

I failed Case twice (with another provider) and did the True Taste Limited Case in November and finally passed! The course that you offered was exceptionally useful as the hints and tips provided by [tutor name] allowed you to get under the business and treat it as if it's your own. The Mock Exams also allowed me to stick to time and practice over and over again and gave me good  guidelines on how to set the Appendices and the markscheme gave you a good indication on whether I'm hitting those dreaded 40 Boxes.

I'm delighted to say that I passed my resit with the result of 65. I purchased your Cracking Case book, Exam Room Pack, Mock Exam Pack and TIS service for 2 Mock papers. Many thanks for your very helpful study materials and advice! Your methodology is indeed far superior to what I have seen previously.

I have purchased the Cracking Case book and the Mock Exam Pack. I cannot thank you enough for helping me pass Case Study following the process mentioned in the book (gospel-holy bible) along with taking a personal positive attitude and determination whilst attempting the 5 Mocks. I cannot stress enough how thankful I am since this was my sixth attempt, and your company was there for me at every query I made, showing a high level of professionalism.

I found Cracking Case and the Mock Exam Pack very useful in my preparation for my  exam!

Thank you! I am now a newly qualified accountant after passing my Case Study exam last Friday with 81% (first time). The Mock Exam Pack and techniques you taught me on the course really helped boost my confidence going into the exam.

I am pleased to say I passed with 80 marks! I can’t be more grateful your team for all the help in the study materials and I couldn’t imagine a better way to prepare! I have been a loyal user of your materials (esp the Exam Room Notes) for the Advanced Level examinations and they’re SUPER useful (scored 81 for  CR, 70 for SBM and CS score abovementioned), so a HUGE HUGE THANK YOU to the tutors for the hard work and dedication especially with such a challenging  time for the Case Study paper.

I recently purchased your Case Study Mock Exam Pack – brilliantly written and very funny! Thanks!

Many thanks for your help. The Mock Exam Pack and the TIS was very useful.

I got a 78 overall first time thanks to purchasing your Case Study materials! Definitely much more on the ball and clued up about the requirements and how to pass than my other provider. Will definitely recommend you to anyone doing Case Study.

Thank you so much, the Case Study Mock Exam Pack materials have been most helpful. Appreciate all your hard work.

Thanks for providing all the Case Study Mock Exams - they've been really helpful

Thank you so much for writing these Case Study Mocks (particularly during these unprecedented times). I have used your materials for BPT and all my Advanced Level exams and have always found them incredibly helpful!

The Mock Exam Pack was really helpful for my preparation – thank you!!

I’d just like to thank your team for their support and assistance in preparation of the August Case Study Exam. Through your help I managed to obtain a first-time pass (62%) and your Mock Exams were a real game changer for me, helping me feel extremely prepared when sitting for the exam. Due to the Mock Exams, I was extremely familiar with the Advance Information and was very comfortable under exam conditions too. Thanks so much!

I just wanted to personally send a note to express how grateful I am for your service! I bought the 5 Case Study Mock Exams for my resit. Confidence was at an all-time low after I failed the first time round with a 44% result, but the Mocks were massively helpful in my revision. The variety of questions were excellent for practice and the answer packs and markschemes were very thorough, targeted and exam technique focused and because of your help, I managed to get 80% in the Beal exam!

I found the Exam Room Pack very useful. In fact, once I’d read through it and could navigate it fairly proficiently, I didn’t really use anything else in the actual Case Study exam! The Mocks were invaluable too as the scenarios which came up in the real exam appeared in the Mocks in some way, shape or form. Thanks again.

I just wanted to send a massive thank you for helping me with the Case Study exam - I passed with 73%! Thank you so, so much for all your support ... of course, the 5 Mock Exams are THE KEY as these truly helped me so, so much in the exam. Doing the exam was just like doing Mock 6 for me and I was so well-practiced that it didn’t seem daunting, but just another practice test! I have already been suggesting to my juniors to definitely reach out to you when their Case Study exam time comes!

Thanks so much for the book and the Mock Exam Pack. I got 78% and could not have done it without your business. The book made sense and the Mock Exams got me match fit.

Having tried and failed with one of the Big Two providers I was very worried I would never pass. I was recommended your "Cracking Case" book and Case Study Mock Exam Pack and I am happy to say due to you, I have received a regional prize and cannot thank you enough. I would recommend you to anyone sitting the Case Study exam. The Mock Exam Pack is fantastic - I actually enjoyed doing them as I knew they were productive practice and I couldn't have felt any more confident when entering the exam room thanks to you.

I will certainly be recommending your resources - I don't think I would have been sufficiently prepared had I not purchased the Mock Exam Pack.

I have found your resources to be of great help and I will gladly pass on my recommendations to other ACA students.

Hope I pass Case Study using your book and Mock Exam Pack. I am using another tuition provider's Mock Exams but luckily last week I bought your Case Study  Mock Exam Pack. They are very very helpful and I believe the best.

I passed my Case Study exam which was my 2nd attempt (first time  with you) and scored 66% compared to my 1st attempt in November 2018 scoring 34%, so almost doubled my mark! The Cracking Case book was invaluable, I used it to create all my plans for the Mock Exams and used the key tips going forward for the actual exam. It really helped and it's amazing how you compile so much into one book. Everybody should purchase this book!

Both of the exam scenarios were in your Case Study Mock Exam Pack which was really helpful.

I just wanted to say thank you. I bought the July 2019 version of the Cracking Case book, Mock Exam Pack and Exam Room Pack for the July 2019 Case Study sitting - pleased to say I passed first time!

Thank you for taking the time to prepare the Mock Exam Pack and Cracking Case  resources, I found them very useful.

When I sat Case Study previously, I received no valuable technique or high level  tips (something your materials are full of) on the courses I attended with [XXX]. I actually enjoyed revising for the exam this time (using your method) as I had a clear approach when attempting past papers; the Mock Exams were fantastic. I received a "mock pack" of 2 Mock Exams from [XXX] which was 8 pages long so it was such a relief when I saw how detailed (198 pages in total) and focused the 5 Mock Exams provided by you were.

When I sat Case Study previously, I received no valuable technique or high level tips (something your materials are full of) on the courses I attended with [XXX]. I actually enjoyed revising for the exam this time (using your method) as I had a clear approach when attempting past papers; the Mock Exams were fantastic. I received a 'mock pack' of 2 Mock Exams from [XXX] which was 8  pages long so it was such a relief when I saw how detailed (198 pages in total) and focused the 5 Mock Exams provided by you were.

I was with another tuition provider through my employer but was really struggling  to get to grips with Case Study, particularly as I have a learning difficulty that made learning past paper sets of Advance Information a real challenge. Your Mock Exam Pack and Advance Information walkthroughs made all the difference. I ended up passing with 83% and don't think I could have managed any kind of pass without your materials.

I'm ecstatic to say I passed the Case Study exam and want to say thank you to Paradigm Shift for preparing the Mock Exam Pack as this played an  instrumental part in me passing the exam!

I have found the Mock Exam Pack and the Masterclass Live sessions to be really useful and will be recommending these to my colleagues in the year below.

Thank you for all your help. The Mock Exam Pack and the Exam Room Pack are both very useful and have really helped me prepare for the exam.

Wanted to pass on the great news to say I passed CR and Case! Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. Wanted to say those free sessions I was able to attend and the other 1-hour sessions were super useful and to the point! Additionally, the Mocks for Case gave me the confidence I needed to sit the exam. Continue what you are doing!

Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful Mock Exam Pack - finally passed this exam with 75% and I'm thrilled!

Just wanted to say I passed with 60% and couldn't be happier. The Masterclasses and Mock Exam Pack were vital to me passing and I wasn't anywhere near passing before I purchased them. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

Just emailing to say I passed and wanted to thank you guys for making such useful materials! Honestly would not have passed without the Mock Exam Pack.

Thank you for taking the time to prepare the Mock Exam Pack and Cracking Case resources, I found them very useful.

Hope I pass Case Study using your book and Mock Exam Pack. I am using another tuition provider's Mock Exams but luckily last week I bought your Case Study Mock Exam Pack. They are very very helpful and I believe the best.

I found your Case Study Mock Exam Pack to be excellent preparation - thank you.

I passed my Case Study exam which was my 2nd attempt (first time with you) and scored 66% compared to my 1st attempt in November 2018  scoring 34%, so almost doubled my mark! The Cracking Case book was invaluable, I used it to create all my plans for the Mock Exams and used the key tips going forward for the actual exam. It really helped and it's amazing how you compile so much into one book. Everybody should purchase this book!

Thank you for your top quality product!

On-demand Course

Purchase exam room notes.

© Paradigm Shift Financial Training 2024. All rights reserved.

Alternative Courses of Action in Case Study: Examples and How To Write

The ultimate goal of creating a case study is to develop a feasible action that can solve the problem it raised.

One way to achieve this is by enumerating all the possible solutions for your case study’s subject. The portion of the case study where you perform this is called ACA or Alternative Courses of Action.

Are you struggling with writing your case study’s ACA?  Do not worry; we have provided you with the most detailed guide on writing the Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) of a case study.

Table of Contents

What are alternative courses of action (aca) in a case study.

Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) are the possible actions a firm or organization can implement to address the problem indicated in the case study. These are suggested actions that a firm can consider to arrive at the most feasible and effective solution to the problem. 

This portion doesn’t provide the actual and optimal solution yet. Instead, it contains proposed alternatives that will still undergo an evaluation of their respective advantages and disadvantages to help you come up with the best solution. 

The ACA you will offer and indicate will be based on your case study’s SWOT analysis in the “ Areas of Consideration ” portion. Thus, a SWOT analysis is performed first before writing the ACA.

What Is the Importance of Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) in a Case Study?

Given the financial, logistical, and operational limitations, developing solutions that the firm can perform can be challenging. By enumerating and evaluating the ACA of your case study, you can filter out the alternatives that can be a potential solution to the problem, given the business’s constraints 1 . This makes your proposed solutions feasible and more meaningful.

How To Write Alternative Courses of Action in Case Study

Here are the steps on how to write the Alternative Courses of Action for your case study:

1. Analyze the Results of Your SWOT Analysis

Using the SWOT analysis, consider how the firm can use its strengths and opportunities to address its weaknesses, mitigate threats, and eventually solve the case study’s problem. 

Suppose that the case study’s problem is declining monthly sales, and the SWOT analysis showed the following:

• Strength : Creative marketing team 
• Opportunity : Increasing trend of using social media to promote products

Then, you may include an ACA about developing the digital marketing arm of the firm to attract more customers and boost monthly sales. This can also address one of the possible threats the firm faces, which is increasing direct marketing costs.

2. Write Your Proposed Solutions/Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) for Your Case Study’s Problem

Once you have reviewed your SWOT analysis and come up with possible solutions, it’s time to write them formally in your manuscript. Each solution does not have to be too detailed and wordy. State the specific action that the firm must perform concisely.

Going back to our previous example in Step 1, here is one of the possible ACA that can be included:

ACA #1: Utilize digital platforms such as web pages and social media sites as an alternative marketing platform to reach a wider potential customer base. Digital marketing, together with the traditional direct marketing strategy currently employed, maximizes the business’ market presence, attracting more customers, and potentially driving revenues upward.

In our example above, there is a clear statement of the firm’s action: to use web pages and social media sites to reach more potential customers and increase market presence. Notice how the ACA above provides only an overview of “what to do” and not a complete elaboration on “how to do it.” 

3. Identify the Advantages and Disadvantages of Each ACA You Have Proposed

After specifying the ACA, you must evaluate them by stating their respective advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons). In other words, you must state how your ACA favors the firm (advantages) and its downsides and limitations (disadvantages).

Again, your evaluation does not have to be too detailed but make sure that it is relevant to the ACA that it pertains to. 

Let’s return to the ACA we developed from step 2, utilizing digital platforms (e.g., social media sites) to reach more potential customers. What do you think will be the pros and cons of this ACA?

Let’s start with its potential benefits (advantages). Using digital platforms is cheaper than using print ads or direct marketing. So, this will save some funds for the firm. In short, it is cost-effective. 

Second, digital platforms offer analytical tools to measure your ads’ reach, making it easier to evaluate people’s perceptions of your offering. 

Third, using social media sites makes communicating with any potential customer easier. You can quickly respond to their queries, especially if they are interested in your product. 

Lastly, you can reach as many types of people as possible by taking advantage of the internet algorithm.

Now, let us consider its disadvantages 2 . First, using digital marketing takes time and effort to learn, and you must be able to adapt quickly to the changes in trends and new strategies to keep up with the competition. 

Second, you must deal with the increasing market competition, as many businesses already use digital platforms. 

Third, you have to deal with negative feedback from your customers that are visible to the public and may affect their perception of your brand.

After pondering over the pros and cons of your ACA, it’s time to write them concisely in your manuscript. You can present it in two ways: by tabulating it or by simply listing them.

Example in Table Form:

Examples of Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) in a Case Study

Case Study Problem: Xenon Pastries faces a problem handling larger orders as Christmas Day approaches. With an estimated 15% increase in customer demand, this is the most significant increase in their daily orders since 2012. The management aims to maximize profit opportunities given the rise in customer demand. 

ACA #1: Hire part-time workers to increase staff numbers and meet the overwhelming seasonal increase in customer orders. Currently, Xenon Pastries has a total of 9 workers who are responsible for the accommodation of orders, preparation, and delivery of products, and addressing customers’ inquiries and complaints. Hiring 2 – 3 part-time workers can increase productivity and meet the daily order volume.

• Do not require too much effort to implement since hiring announcements only require signages or social media postings
• High certainty of finding potential workers due to the high unemployment rate
• Improve overall productivity of the business and the well-being of other workers since their workload will be lessened

Disadvantages

• Increase in operating expense in the form of wages to the new workers
• Managing more employees and monitoring their performance can be challenging
• New workers might find it challenging to adapt essential skills required in the operation of the business

ACA #2: Increase the prices of Xenon pastries’ products to increase revenues . This option can maximize Xenon Pastries’ profit even if not all customers’ orders are accommodated. 

• Cost-effective
• Easy to implement since it only requires changing the price tags of the products
• If customers’ desire to buy the products does not change, the price increase will certainly increase the business’ revenue
• Some customers might be discouraged from buying because of an increase in prices
• There’s a possibility that the increase in the price of the products will make it more expensive relative to competitors’ products

Case Study Problem: Delta Motors has been manufacturing motorcycles for ten years. Recently, the business suffered a gradual shrink in its quarterly revenues due to the increasing popularity of traditional and newly-developed electric bikes. Delta Motors seeks a long-term strategy to attract potential customers to bounce back sales.  

ACA #1: Develop a “regular installment payment” scheme to attract customers who wish to purchase motorcycles but have insufficient lump-sum money to acquire one.  This payment scheme allows customers to pay an initial deposit and the remaining amount through smaller monthly payments.

• Enticing for middle to low-income individuals who comprise a large chunk of the population
• Requires low initial capital to implement 
• Provides a new source of monthly income streams that can benefit the financial standing of the company
• Risk of default or delays in installment payments
• Requires additional human resources to manage and collect installment payments
• The payment scheme requires time to gain returns due to the periodic flow of funds
• Requires a careful creation of guidelines and terms and conditions to ensure smooth facilitation of the installment payment scheme

ACA #2: Introduce new motorcycle models that can entice different types of customers. These models will feature popular designs and more efficient engines.

• This may capture the public’s interest in Delta Motors, which can lead to an increase in the number of potential customers and earning opportunities
• Enables the business to keep up with the intense market competition by providing something “fresh” to the public
• Provides more alternatives for those who already support Delta Motors, strengthening their loyalty to the brand
• Conceptualization of a new model takes a lot of brainstorming to test its feasibility and effectiveness
• Requires sufficient funds to sustain the investment for the development of a new model
• It requires effective marketing strategies to promote the new model to the public

Tips and Warnings

• Do not include in this portion your case study’s conclusion . Think of ACA as a list of possible ways to address the problem. In other words, you suggest the possible alternatives to be selected here. The “ Recommendation ” portion of your case study is where you pick the most appropriate way to solve the problem.
• Use statistical data to support the advantages and disadvantages of each ACA. Although this is optional, presenting numerical data makes your analysis more concrete and factual than just stating them descriptively. 
• Do not fall into the “meat sandwich” trap. This happens when you intently make some of the alternatives less desirable so that your preferred choice stands out. This can be done by refusing to elaborate on their benefits or excessively concentrating on their disadvantages. Make sure that each ACA has potential and can be implemented realistically.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how many alternative courses of action (aca) can a case study have.

Sometimes your instructor or teacher will tell you the required number of ACA that must be included in your case study . However, there’s no “standard” limit to how many ACA you can indicate.

2. What is the difference between Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) and Recommendations?

As mentioned earlier, the case study’s ACA aims to enumerate all possible solutions to the problem. It is not the stage where you state the “final” action you deem most appropriate to address the issue. The case study portion where you explicitly mention your “best” alternative is called the “Recommendation.” 

To help you understand the point above, let’s return to our Delta Motors example. In our previous section, we have provided two ACA that can solve the problem, namely (1) developing a regular installment payment plan and (2) introducing a new motorcycle model. 

Suppose that upon careful analysis and evaluation of these ACA, you came up with ACA #2 as the more fitting solution to the problem. When you write your case study’s recommendation, you must indicate the ACA you chose and your reasons for selecting it. 

Here’s an example of the Recommendation of the case study:

Recommendation

Introducing new motorcycle models that feature popular designs and more efficient engines to entice different types of customers is the most promising alternative course of action that Delta Motors can implement to bounce back its quarterly revenues and keep up with the competitive market. This creates a strong impression on the public of the company’s dedication to promoting high-quality motorcycles that can withstand changes in consumer preferences and market trends. Furthermore, this action proves that the company is continuously evolving to offer a variety of alternative models to suit everyone’s tastes. With proper promotion, these models can rekindle the company’s popularity in the automotive and motorcycle industry.

• How to Analyze a Case Study. Retrieved 23 May 2022, from https://wps.prenhall.com/bp_laudon_essbus_7/48/12303/3149605.cw/content/index.html
• Develop a Digital Marketing Plan. Retrieved 23 May 2022, from https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-digital-marketing

Written by Jewel Kyle Fabula

in Career and Education , Juander How

Jewel Kyle Fabula

Jewel Kyle Fabula is a Bachelor of Science in Economics student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. His passion for learning mathematics developed as he competed in some mathematics competitions during his Junior High School years. He loves cats, playing video games, and listening to music.

Browse all articles written by Jewel Kyle Fabula

Copyright Notice

All materials contained on this site are protected by the Republic of the Philippines copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, or broadcast without the prior written permission of filipiknow.net or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of the content. Be warned that we have already reported and helped terminate several websites and YouTube channels for blatantly stealing our content. If you wish to use filipiknow.net content for commercial purposes, such as for content syndication, etc., please contact us at legal(at)filipiknow(dot)net

The inside take on grad life in a big 4 firm

The ACA Advanced level Case Study (CS) exam is the final exam sat by ACA candidates. 

The Case Study exam is designed to test all areas developed in previous ACA exams. The exam places the student at the heart of a business and gives students a ‘case’ which students are given around 4 weeks prior to the exam.

The case is a fictional information source which contains background, news articles and some financial information about a fictitious business.

The paper itself is actually not very technically challenging. Instead, the exam assesses how students are able to analyse a specific business scenario and apply accounting concepts to solve problems. The exam itself is intended to be written as if it were a report being produced.

A key difference with this exam is the way that marks are awarded. Rather than having to score a percentage of marks in aggregate over the whole paper, each of the three individual questions must be passed in order to pass the exam.

Method of assessment

The ACA Case Study exam itself is 4 hours and given it forms part of the Advanced level, it can only be sat in one of two exam periods. These are in July and November each year.

As such, in each exam sitting all candidates will be set the same questions.

The exam will consist of three questions, and ethical issues and problems will likely appear in both questions. 

The exam is fully open book and therefore students are permitted to take any written or printed material into the exam – this includes the pre-release.

How to pass ACA Case Study Exam

Without doubt the most difficult element of this exam and the main reason that candidates fail is the time pressure. 

I’m order to pass this exam, you need to be regimented with your time keeping. You need to go into the exam having already worked out how many minutes per mark you are giving yourself, with a plan as to at what time you are going to move on to the next question.

In addition, make sure that the case that you have been given is tabbed up and organised, so you are able to flick to a particular area very quickly. I found a good way of doing this was to create an index which was colour coded. This was the way I found easiest to find pieces of information as I needed them.

Finally, make sure that you practice the first question over and over again. The first question of the paper is virtually the same in every sitting in that you are required to calculate year on year variances against the financial results presented in the pre-release case. This can be an easy way to pick up some marks without using up too much time.

How hard is the ACA Case Study Exam? 

As Case Study is the final exam, many would expect this to be the hardest exam of all. However, especially in terms of content, this is not the case. 

The difficulty here lies in the time pressure and the very specific mark scheme which comes with this exam. As such, timed practice papers are key to passing this exam.

That said, assuming preparation has been thorough, this exam is certainly passable.

I would give this exam a 4 out of 5 for difficulty. 

The pass rate for this exam is 76.83%

Related posts

How to get qualified in a big 4 firm – How hard is the ACA?

Why working in Big 4 audit is the best way to start your career

Benefits of Working in the Big 4 – Why Leaving is so Attractive

How much do you get paid in the Big 4?

What do auditors actually do?

Is being an auditor REALLY that boring?

Information

• Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

• Active Journals
• Find a Journal
• Proceedings Series
• For Authors
• For Reviewers
• For Editors
• For Librarians
• For Publishers
• For Societies
• For Conference Organizers
• Open Access Policy
• Institutional Open Access Program
• Special Issues Guidelines
• Editorial Process
• Research and Publication Ethics
• Article Processing Charges
• Testimonials
• Preprints.org
• SciProfiles
• Encyclopedia

Article Menu

• Subscribe SciFeed
• Recommended Articles
• Google Scholar
• on Google Scholar
• Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

Methodology for selection of sustainable public transit routes: case study of amman city, jordan.

1. Introduction

2. research aims and contributions, 3. the literature review, 4. methodology, 4.1. problem fomulation, 4.1.1. objective functions, 4.1.2. constraints, 4.2. multi-objective optimization process.

• Right of way (ROW): all links that have the number of lanes less than two lanes per directions are eliminated.
• The horizontal alignment: all links that have a deflection angle more than 60° are eliminated.
• Vertical alignment: all links that have a gradient more than 6% are eliminated.

4.3. Input Data

4.3.1. case study, 4.3.2. road network, 4.3.3. travel demand and modal split, 4.3.4. travel times, 4.3.5. emission rates, 4.3.6. traffic safety measures, 4.4. assessment process, 4.4.1. total emissions measures, 4.4.2. safety measures, 6. discussions, 7. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

• Steg, L.; Gifford, R. Sustainable Transportation and Quality of Life. J. Transp. Geogr. 2005 , 13 , 59–69. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Dwivedi, A.K.; Pratap, S.; Zhou, F. Antecedents of Freight Transportation for Sustainable Supply Chain in the Post-Covid Era: An Emerging Market Study. Int. J. Emerg. Mark. 2023 , 18 , 1453–1471. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Karjalainen, L.E.; Juhola, S. Framework for Assessing Public Transportation Sustainability in Planning and Policy-Making. Sustainability 2019 , 11 , 1028. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Amiegbebhor, D.; Boluwatife, P. The Lagos Bus Rapid Transit: Review of Users’ Perception. Am. J. Humanit. Social Sci. Res. 2018 , 2 , 88–108. [ Google Scholar ]
• Satiennam, T.; Jaensirisak, S.; Satiennam, W.; Detdamrong, S. Potential for modal shift by passenger car and motorcycle users towards Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in an Asian developing city. IATSS Res. 2016 , 39 , 121–129. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chakroborty, P. Genetic algorithms for optimal urban transit network design. Comput. Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 2003 , 18 , 184–200. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Farahani, R.Z.; Miandoabchi, E.; Szeto, W.Y.; Rashidi, H. A review of urban transportation network design problems. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 2013 , 229 , 281–302. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Arbex, R.O.; da Cunha, C.B. Efficient transit network design and frequencies setting multi-objective optimization by alternating objective genetic algorithm. Transp. Res. Part B Methodol. 2015 , 81 , 355–376. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Owais, M.; Osman, M.K. Complete hierarchical multi-objective genetic algorithm for transit network design problem. Expert Syst. Appl. 2018 , 114 , 143–154. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Wang, C.; Ye, Z.; Wang, W. A Multi-Objective Optimization and Hybrid Heuristic Approach for Urban Bus Route Network Design. IEEE Access 2020 , 8 , 12154–12167. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chandra, A.; Sharath, M.N.; Pani, A.; Sahu, P.K. A multi-objective genetic algorithm approach to design optimal zoning systems for freight transportation planning. J. Transp. Geogr. 2021 , 92 , 103037. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Jha, S.B.; Jha, J.K.; Tiwari, M.K. A multi-objective meta-heuristic approach for transit network design and frequency setting problem in a bus transit system. Comput. Ind. Eng. 2019 , 130 , 166–186. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Amiripour, S.M.M.; Ceder, A.; Mohaymany, A.S. Hybrid method for bus network design with high seasonal demand variation. J. Transp. Eng. 2014 , 140 , 4014015. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Mahdi Amiripour, S.M.; Mohaymany, A.S.; Ceder, A. Optimal modification of urban bus network routes using a genetic algorithm. J. Transp. Eng. 2015 , 141 , 4014081. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Bielli, M.; Caramia, M.; Carotenuto, P. Genetic algorithms in bus network optimization. Transp. Res. Part C Emerg. Technol. 2002 , 10 , 19–34. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Martínez, F.; Baldoquín, M.G.; Mauttone, A. Model and solution method to a simultaneous route design and frequency setting problem for a bus rapid transit system in Colombia. Pesqui. Oper. 2017 , 37 , 403–434. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Al Tamseh, A.; Osama, A.; Hussain, M.; Alsobky, A. Multi-objective optimization for BRT routes using genetic algorithm: New cairo case study. J. Southwest Jiaotong Univ. 2023 , 58 . [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Pardo, C.; Weinstock, A. The BRT Planning Guide. Itdp . 2018. Available online: https://brtguide.itdp.org/branch/master/guide/why-brt/impacts#social-impacts (accessed on 5 January 2022).
• Shbeeb, L. A Review of Public Transport Service in Jordan: Challenges and Opportunities. Al-Balqa J. Res. Stud. 2018 , 21 , 9–28. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). Transport and Mobility Master Plan for Amman. 2010, 66. Available online: http://www.ammanbrt.jo/contents/Articles/2020/4/20/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%87%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86160322.pdf (accessed on 14 June 2023).
• The World Bank Group. Jordan- Country Climate and Development Report. Elgar Encycl. Hum. Rights 2022 , 600–605. Available online: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/jordan/publication/jordan-country-climate-and-development-report (accessed on 12 July 2024).

Click here to enlarge figure

Share and Cite

Al Tamseh, A.; Osama, A.; Hussain, M.; Alsobky, A. Methodology for Selection of Sustainable Public Transit Routes: Case Study of Amman City, Jordan. Infrastructures 2024 , 9 , 147. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures9090147

Al Tamseh A, Osama A, Hussain M, Alsobky A. Methodology for Selection of Sustainable Public Transit Routes: Case Study of Amman City, Jordan. Infrastructures . 2024; 9(9):147. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures9090147

Al Tamseh, Amani, Ahmed Osama, Mona Hussain, and Alsayed Alsobky. 2024. "Methodology for Selection of Sustainable Public Transit Routes: Case Study of Amman City, Jordan" Infrastructures 9, no. 9: 147. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures9090147

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

Check your details are up to date

Recent Searches

Suggested results.

• ${ item.Term } ${ item.Date }
• ${ item.TitleHtml } ${ item.ContentType }

Case studies for safe working in general practice

Case study: a realistic rota, how it works.

• We limit consultations to 13 per session. 
• Have a number of appointments that are pre-bookable either by the GP or by patients with different timeframes from when they are available. 
• The duty doctor then calculates how many on the day appointments are available that day.  The duty list is then capped at this number.   
• This includes the duty doctor doing 10 consultations as well as the triage, but these are for simple things like med3s rather than complex care 
• Comments are added to the duty list in the morning of when to move to the pm duty list 
• The pm duty list has a comment adding at what point to turn off online consulting and another comment added, typically about 10 slots further down, stating 'emergencies only discuss with duty doctor prior to booking'.  Typically we have 10-15 of these slots. 
• The 111 list sits separate to this with 2 appts in the morning and 2 in afternoon but the duty doctor will move these to the triage list if they are going to need a consultation so that they are included in the capacity count. 
• When we move over to emergencies only, the telephone message changes to make the patient aware that we only have emergency appointments that day so that they are not on hold for 30+ minutes to be told we have nothing left for that day. 
• We don't hold a waiting list, if we are at the points of emergencies only, the patient doesn't need an emergency appointment and there are no pre-bookable appointments available, the patient has the option to put in an econsult the next day, call for an appointment the next day or if they feel it can't wait contact 111, IUC etc. This is the one bit of our system that I don't like as I would like a solution that doesn't require a patient to call back. The reason we don't add them to the list for the next day is that a sig proportion never call back and we can't fill up the following days capacity as the system fails. 
• We do use apex Edenbridge to monitor our appointments, as I think it would be hard to challenge our approach if we are also demonstrating that we are offering more than the average number of appointments per 1000 patients per week than the other practices in our ICB. 

This has made a huge difference to our clinicians. We spend longer with patients but it is based on a realistic rota which also enables us to do the clinical administrative work and complete all tasks in the allotted time so I no longer work 2 sessions in a day which actually take 11 hours to complete, this use to be the case. 

Case study: Standard and on-call days

Standard gp day.

Morning 

• 12 x 15mins consultations (face-to-face or phone) - split between advance and on-the-day. 
• 2 x 15mins consultations for GPs to book into (eg. Telcon with DN or task necessitating them to initiate call to patient). 

Lunch 

• 1x visit maximum (unless at care home, where may be 2x).

Afternoon 

• 12 x 15mins consultations, as per morning.  

On-call GP day

• As per standard day. 
• As per standard day but ONLY visits if all others have a visit already (duty triages requests). 
• 6x 15mins advance-booked consultations. 
• 3x 15mins 111-bookable slots. 
• Rest of afternoon for admin, answering queries from reception and urgent (EOL/hot kids/DN calls), also reviews and actions any abnormal bloods/urgent scripts coming in after 5pm. 

Case study: Practice example using triage

This practice serves 20,000 patients in a deprived, multi-cultural population using a GP led total clinical triage called CAS (clinical assessment screen) GPs. 

• Patients access appointments via reception, telcon or accuRx. 
• GP appointments default to telephone: 11 telcons and 3 face-to-face per session. If more face-to-face sessions are needed, telcons are blocked.
• Slot types are either red (same day), amber (1 week), amber (2 weeks), or routine.
• AHPs such as ANPs/paramedics/MHP are used for face-to-face appointments only.
• CAS GPs have no booked appointments - they make clinical decisions on RAG rating of clinical triage and use F12 protocol to communicate this. Routine patients may go on a waiting list if there are not enough appointments.
• CAS screen is capped at either 3:30pm or when each CAS GP has clinically triaged 50 patients per session (which may happen earlier at 2pm). When the cap is reached, all on-line access is closed and patients are told it's urgent only, which are first triaged by care navigators and then CAS GP.  
• GPs much happier 
• Continuity much higher 
•  Complaints have gone up as patients don't like waiting when it's not urgent.

Case study: Fully online triage

Breakdown by day .

• 12 patient consultations every 4 hours (counted as one session). 
• Face-to-face majority, couple of phonically, and 2 GP Follow ups (mainly MH and continuity of care). 
• 13-minute appointments.  
• One third protected admin time. 
• 15-minute break per session worked.  

System was fully online triage:  

• initially Egerton and then switch to Accurx
• clinical triage by GP in the morning (previously did two sets of triage, am and pm, but this proved difficult to manage workload and demand, as too open ended and labour intensive in terms of GP time and resource)
• window for online triage forms open from 7.30am to 11.00am - clear communication to patients re timings (used to be open over the weekend and all day, but risky in terms of safety if people ignore the red flags, and demand management)
• closed earlier if capacity reached, or if staff sickness etc.

Capacity is mapped out, and a RAG (Red/Amber/Green) rating approach taken according to clinical prioritisation, patients with specific needs and vulnerabilities have alerts on system:  

• on the day urgent: red
• less urgent but not routine: amber (48 hours)
• routine - next available: green (safe to wait, no clinical urgency). 

Appointments capacity mapped out in terms of:

• clinicians 
• practice - in house 
• enhanced access - GP Fed - on the day evening and any the weekend (routine) 
• PCN: mole clinic, women's health, minor surgery, social prescriber, physio (this is in addition to the city wide FPOC physio)
• straight to physio (FPOC city wide offer) 
• external services eg Pharmacy first, minor ailments.  

We stopped the PCN MHPs, and reverted to direct practice ones as the MH trust offer didn't really address our needs.

Booking of appointments

• Patients are sent booking links to self-book face to face on the day via Accurx (this helps reduce DNAs as patients can pick the most convenient time). 
• Appointments can be booked in via telephone for nurse and bloods/smears etc (helps prevent inappropriate booking). 
• If patients are unable to use online triage, the forms are completed on their behalf by reception or direct booking into an appointment.  

In tandem with the above, we use an Oncall GP:  

• they have a lighter clinic in place, with empty slots for ad hoc queries  
• their capacity would be used only if the on the day capacity had been reached, and for those patients that could not wait  
• they would also deal with urgent docman (usually mental health or safe guarding. cases), third party queries and review urgent bloods that needed to be actioned for those clinicians that were not in  
• the workload of the on call has greatly reduced since the introduction of total triage ( I used to do the Mondays and art times would have 26 urgent consultations in addition to usual workload, from the morning!)
• if the urgent, moderately urgent and routine appointments are all used up patients are either signposted to other services or, if not appropriate, informed that they will be allocated an appointment once this becomes available
• all text messages including failed contacted have safety netting advice included with NHS111 contact information.  

Case study: A new system for patients

This example is from a practice that services 23.5k patients, semi-rural, deprived population with no UCC locally.

We are not quite down to 25 contacts a day yet but at 28 on routine days and 15 per session for on call clinicians (mix of GPs and ANPs).  

Some routine appointments are pre-bookable, some embargoed for on the day use (more embargoed on Mondays). 14 appointments per session, about half face to face although many of us convert telephone/online slots to face-to-face if needed. All appointments are fifteen minutes.

Triage hub 

2-3 clinicians per session in a triage hub with receptionists. 2 clinicians ‘on call’ seeing the urgent face to face appointments booked by the hub clinicians - 15-minute appointments.  

Can flex clinicians if needed to/from triage/on call.  

We switch off incoming electronic forms when the hub clinicians judge that we have no more slots to book into. Usually they go off around three pm but can be earlier or later depending on demand and clinical capacity. Patients can then ring in and will be triaged if emergency/directed to 111 if absolutely no capacity left.  

Recently we’ve changed so that if we are on maximum clinicians off for leave we load more on the day appointments.  

Separate appointments

We have separate twenty-minute appointments for coils, implants, first menopause appointments and joint injections. We have a GP with an hour blocked for visits (and visiting matrons) and one with an hour blocked to deal with the blood results of any clinician not in that day.  

Clinicians are generally happier than when we had unending duty demand. Patients objected at first but now seem to be mostly okay with the system. 

• DOI: 10.55041/ijsrem28211
• Corpus ID: 267048425

A Case Study on the Impact of Brand Image on Customer Buying Behaviour with Special Reference to Nilgiris Supermarket in Mangalore

• Harish S. Pai
• Published in INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF… 15 January 2024

Tables from this paper

2 References

How brands become icons: the principles of cultural branding, related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

Discover the latest MyICAEW app for ACA students and members, available to download now. Find out more

• Benefits of membership

Gain access to world-leading information resources, guidance and local networks.

• Visit Benefits of membership

Becoming a member

98% of the best global brands rely on ICAEW Chartered Accountants.

• Visit Becoming a member
• Pay fees and subscriptions

Your membership subscription enables ICAEW to provide support to members.

Fees and subscriptions

Member survey.

We have partnered with Truth Consulting to conduct a comprehensive study on the needs of ICAEW members.

• Find out more

Member rewards

Take advantage of the range of value added or discounted member benefits.

• Member rewards – More from your membership
• Technical and ethics support
• Support throughout your career

Information and resources for every stage of your career.

From software start-ups to high-flying airlines and high street banks, 98% of the best global brands rely on ICAEW Chartered Accountants. A career as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant means the opportunity to work in any organisation, in any sector, whatever your ambitions.

Everything you need to know about ICAEW annual membership fees, community and faculty subscriptions, eligibility for reduced rates and details of how you can pay.

Membership administration

Welcome to the ICAEW members area: your portal to members'-only content, offers, discounts, regulations and membership information.

• Membership regulations

Members are required to supply certain information to the members’ registrar and to pay annual fees and subscriptions. These matters are governed by regulations.

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an integral part of being a successful ICAEW Chartered Accountant.

The ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification, the ACA, is one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available. It is valued around the world in business, practice and the public sector.

ACA for employers

Train the next generation of chartered accountants in your business or organisation. Discover how your organisation can attract, train and retain the best accountancy talent, how to become authorised to offer ACA training and the support and guidance on offer if you are already providing training.

Digital learning materials via BibliU

All ACA, ICAEW CFAB and Level 4 apprenticeship learning materials are now digital only. Read our guide on how to access your learning materials on the ICAEW Bookshelf using the BibliU app or through your browser.

Take a look at ICAEW training films

Focusing on professional scepticism, ethics and everyday business challenges, our training films are used by firms and companies around the world to support their in-house training and business development teams.

Attract and retain the next generation of accounting and finance professionals with our world-leading accountancy qualifications. Become authorised to offer ACA training and help your business stay ahead.

CPD guidance and help

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an integral part of being a successful ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Find support on ICAEW's CPD requirements and access resources to help your professional development.

ICAEW flagship events

ICAEW boasts an extensive portfolio of industry-leading conferences. These flagship events offer the opportunity to hear from and interact with all the key players in the industry. Find out what's coming up.

Leadership Development Programmes

ICAEW Academy’s in-depth leadership development programmes take a holistic approach to combine insightful mentoring or coaching, to exclusive events, peer learning groups and workshops. Catering for those significant transitions in your career, these leadership development programmes are instrumental to achieving your ambitions or fulfilling your succession planning goals.

Specialist Finance Qualifications & Programmes

Whatever future path you choose, ICAEW will support the development and acceleration of your career at each stage to enhance your career.

Why a career in chartered accountancy?

If you think chartered accountants spend their lives confined to their desks, then think again. They are sitting on the boards of multinational companies, testifying in court and advising governments, as well as supporting charities and businesses from every industry all over the world.

• Why chartered accountancy?

Search for qualified ACA jobs

Matching highly skilled ICAEW members with attractive organisations seeking talented accountancy and finance professionals.

Volunteering roles

Helping skilled and in-demand chartered accountants give back and strengthen not-for-profit sector with currently over 2,300 organisations posting a variety of volunteering roles with ICAEW.

• Search for volunteer roles
• Get ahead by volunteering

Advertise with ICAEW

From as little as £495, access to a pool of highly qualified and ambitious ACA qualified members with searchable CVs.

Early careers and training

Start your ACA training with ICAEW. Find out why a career in chartered accountancy could be for you and how to become a chartered accountant.

Qualified ACA careers

Find Accountancy and Finance Jobs

Voluntary roles

Find Voluntary roles

While you pursue the most interesting and rewarding opportunities at every stage of your career, we’re here to offer you support whatever stage you are or wherever you are in the world and in whichever sector you have chosen to work.

• ACA students

"How to guides" for ACA students

• ACA student guide
• How to book an exam
• How to apply for credit for prior learning (CPL)

Exam resources

Here are some resources you will find useful while you study for the ACA qualification.

• Certificate Level
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level

Digital learning materials

All ACA learning materials are now digital only. Read our guide on how to access your learning materials on the ICAEW Bookshelf via the BibliU app, or through your browser.

• Read the guide

My online training file

Once you are registered as an ACA student, you'll be able to access your training file to log your progress throughout ACA training.

• Access your training file
• Student Insights

Fresh insights, innovative ideas and an inside look at the lives and careers of our ICAEW students and members.

• Read the latest articles

System status checks

Getting started.

Welcome to ICAEW! We have pulled together a selection of resources to help you get started with your ACA training, including our popular 'How To' series, which offers step-by-step guidance on everything from registering as an ACA student and applying for CPL, to using your online training file.

Credit for prior learning (CPL)

Credit for prior learning or CPL is our term for exemptions. High quality learning and assessment in other relevant qualifications is appropriately recognised by the award of CPL.

Apply for exams

What you need to know in order to apply for the ACA exams.

The ACA qualification has 15 modules over three levels. They are designed to complement the practical experience you will be gaining in the workplace. They will also enable you to gain in-depth knowledge across a broad range of topics in accountancy, finance and business. Here are some useful resources while you study.

• Exam results

You will receive your results for all Certificate Level exams, the day after you take the exam and usually five weeks after a Professional and Advanced Level exam session has taken place. Access your latest and archived exam results here.

Training agreement

Putting your theory work into practice is essential to complete your ACA training.

Student support and benefits

We are here to support you throughout your ACA journey. We have a range of resources and services on offer for you to unwrap, from exam resources, to student events and discount cards. Make sure you take advantage of the wealth of exclusive benefits available to you, all year round.

• Applying for membership

The ACA will open doors to limitless opportunities in all areas of accountancy, business and finance anywhere in the world. ICAEW Chartered Accountants work at the highest levels as finance directors, CEOs and partners of some of the world’s largest organisations.

ACA training FAQs

Do you have a question about the ACA training? Then look no further. Here, you can find answers to frequently asked questions relating to the ACA qualification and training. Find out more about each of the integrated components of the ACA, as well as more information on the syllabus, your training agreement, ICAEW’s rules and regulations and much more.

• Anti-money laundering

Guidance and resources to help members comply with their legal and professional responsibilities around AML.

Technical releases

ICAEW Technical Releases are a source of good practice guidance on technical and practice issues relevant to ICAEW Chartered Accountants and other finance professionals.

• ICAEW Technical Releases
• Thought leadership

ICAEW's Thought Leadership reports provide clarity and insight on the current and future challenges to the accountancy profession. Our charitable trusts also provide funding for academic research into accountancy.

• Academic research funding

Technical Advisory Services helpsheets

Practical, technical and ethical guidance highlighting the most important issues for members, whether in practice or in business.

• ICAEW Technical Advisory Services helpsheets

Bloomsbury – free for eligible firms

In partnership with Bloomsbury Professional, ICAEW have provided eligible firms with free access to Bloomsbury’s comprehensive online library of around 80 titles from leading tax and accounting subject matter experts.

• Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service

Country resources

Our resources by country provide access to intelligence on over 170 countries and territories including economic forecasts, guides to doing business and information on the tax climate in each jurisdiction.

Industries and sectors

Thought leadership, technical resources and professional guidance to support the professional development of members working in specific industries and sectors.

Audit and Assurance

The audit, assurance and internal audit area has information and guidance on technical and practical matters in relation to these three areas of practice. There are links to events, publications, technical help and audit representations.

The most up-to-date thought leadership, insights, technical resources and professional guidance to support ICAEW members working in and with industry with their professional development.

• Corporate Finance

Companies, advisers and investors making decisions about creating, developing and acquiring businesses – and the wide range of advisory careers that require this specialist professional expertise.

• Corporate governance

Corporate governance is the system by which companies are directed and controlled. Find out more about corporate governance principles, codes and reports, Board subcommittees, roles and responsibilities and shareholder relations. Corporate governance involves balancing the interests of a company’s many stakeholders, such as shareholders, employees, management, customers, suppliers, financiers and the community. Getting governance right is essential to build public trust in companies.

Corporate reporting

View a range of practical resources on UK GAAP, IFRS, UK regulation for company accounts and non-financial reporting. Plus find out more about the ICAEW Corporate Reporting Faculty.

Expert analysis on the latest national and international economic issues and trends, and interviews with prominent voices across the finance industry, alongside data on the state of the economy.

• Financial Services

View articles and resources on the financial services sector.

• Practice resources

For ICAEW's members in practice, this area brings together the most up-to-date thought leadership, technical resources and professional guidance to help you in your professional life.

Public Sector

Many ICAEW members work in or with the public sector to deliver public priorities and strong public finances. ICAEW acts in the public interest to support strong financial leadership and better financial management across the public sector – featuring transparency, accountability, governance and ethics – to ensure that public money is spent wisely and that public finances are sustainable.

Sustainability and climate change

Sustainability describes a world that does not live by eating into its capital, whether natural, economic or social. Members in practice, in business and private individuals all have a role to play if sustainability goals are to be met. The work being undertaken by ICAEW in this area is to change behaviour to drive sustainable outcomes.

The Tax area has information and guidance on technical and practical tax matters. There are links to events, the latest tax news and the Tax Faculty’s publications, including helpsheets, webinars and Tax representations.

Keep up-to-date with tech issues and developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, and cyber security.

Trust & Ethics

Guidance and resources on key issues, including economic crime, business law, better regulation and ethics. Read through ICAEW’s Code of Ethics and supporting information.

Communities

ICAEW Communities

Information, guidance and networking opportunities on industry sectors, professional specialisms and at various stages throughout your career. Free for ICAEW members and students.

• Discover a new community

ICAEW Faculties

The accountancy profession is facing change and uncertainty. The ICAEW Faculties can help by providing you with timely and relevant support.

• Choose to join any of the faculties

UK groups and societies

We have teams on the ground in: East of England, the Midlands, London and South East, Northern, South West, Yorkshire and Humberside, Wales and Scotland.

• Access your UK region
• Worldwide support and services

Support and services we offer our members in Africa, America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Greater China, the Middle East, Oceania and South East Asia.

• Discover our services

ICAEW Faculties are 'centres of technical excellence', strongly committed to enhancing your professional development and helping you to meet your CPD requirements every year. They offer exclusive content, events and webinars, customised for your sector - which you should be able to easily record, when the time comes for the completion of your CPD declaration. Our offering isn't exclusive to Institute members. As a faculty member, the same resources are available to you to ensure you stay ahead of the competition.

Communities by industry / sector

Communities by life stage and workplace, communities by professional specialism, local groups and societies.

We aim to support you wherever in the world you work. Our regional offices and network of volunteers run events and provide access to local accounting updates in major finance centres around the globe.

Election explainers

ICAEW experts offer simple guides to help understand the technical, economic jargon that will be at the heart of political debates in the coming weeks.

Insights pulls together the best opinion, analysis, interviews, videos and podcasts on the key issues affecting accountancy and business.

• See the latest insights

ICAEW podcasts

ICAEW produces two podcast series that count towards your CPD: Accountancy Insights for news from across the profession, and The Tax Track for specialist analysis from the ICAEW Tax Faculty.

Professional development and skills

With new requirements on ICAEW members for continuing professional development, we bring together resources to support you through the changes and look at the skills accountants need for the future.

• Visit the hub
• Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion is a key pillar of ICAEW's strategy. Discover the latest insights on equality, diversity and inclusion. You can also join our Diversity & Inclusion Community.

• Find out more on our hub
• Join the community

Insights specials

A listing of one-off Insights specials that focus on a particular subject, interviewing the key people, identifying developing trends and examining the underlying issues.

Top podcasts

Insights by topic.

ICAEW Regulation

• Regulatory News

View the latest regulatory updates and guidance and subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Regulatory & Conduct News.

• Regulatory Consultations

Strengthening trust in the profession

Our role as a world-leading improvement regulator is to strengthen trust and protect the public. We do this by enabling, evaluating and enforcing the highest standards in the profession. 

Regulatory applications

Find out how you can become authorised by ICAEW as a regulated firm. 

ICAEW codes and regulations

Professional conduct and complaints, statutory regulated services overseen by icaew, regulations for icaew practice members and firms, additional guidance and support, popular search results.

• Practice Exam Software
• Training File
• Ethics Cpd Course
• Routes to the ACA
• ACA students membership application
• Join as a member of another body
• How much are membership fees?
• How to pay your fees
• Receipts and invoices
• What if my circumstances have changed?
• Difficulties in making changes to your membership
• Faculty and community subscription fees
• Updating your details
• Complete annual return
• Promoting myself as an ICAEW member
• Verification of ICAEW membership
• Become a life member
• Become a fellow
• Request a new certificate
• Report the death of a member
• Practising certificates
• Advancement to fellowship regulations
• Regulations relating to membership cessation, readmission and resignation
• ICAEW's guide to directors' duties and responsibilities
• Information to be supplied by members
• Payment of annual subscription
• Power to change subscription fees
• New members
• Career progression
• Career Breakers
• Volunteering at schools and universities
• ICAEW Member App
• Working internationally
• Self employment
• Support Members Scheme
• Your guide to CPD
• CPD learning resources
• Online CPD record
• How to become a chartered accountant
• Register as a student
• Train as a member of another body
• More about the ACA and chartered accountancy
• How ACA training works
• Become a training employer
• Access the training file
• Why choose the ACA
• Training routes
• Employer support hub
• Get in touch
• Apprenticeships with ICAEW
• A-Z of CPD courses by topic
• Firms' guide to CPD
• ICAEW Business and Finance Professional (BFP)
• ICAEW Annual Conference 2024
• Restructuring & Insolvency Conference
• Virtual CPD Conference
• Virtual Healthcare Conference 2024
• All our flagship events
• Financial Talent Executive Network (F-TEN®)
• Developing Leadership in Practice (DLiP™)
• Network of Finance Leaders (NFL)
• Women in Leadership (WiL)
• Mentoring and coaching
• Partners in Learning
• Board Director's Programme e-learning
• Corporate Finance Qualification
• Diploma in Charity Accounting
• ICAEW Certificate in Insolvency
• ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate
• Financial Modeling Institute’s Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation
• ICAEW Sustainability Certificate for Finance Professionals
• ICAEW Finance in a Digital World Programme
• All specialist qualifications
• Team training
• Start your training
• Improve your employability
• Search employers
• Find a role
• Role alerts
• Organisations
• Practice support – 11 ways ICAEW and CABA can help you
• News and advice
• ICAEW Volunteering Hub
• Support in becoming a chartered accountant
• Vacancies at ICAEW
• ICAEW boards and committees
• Exam system status
• ICAEW systems: status update
• Changes to our qualifications
• How-to guides for ACA students
• Apply for credits - Academic qualification
• Apply for credits - Professional qualification
• Credit for prior learning (CPL)/exemptions FAQs
• Applications for Professional and Advanced Level exams
• Applications for Certificate Level exams
• Tuition providers
• Latest exam results
• Archived exam results

Getting your results

• Marks feedback service
• Exam admin check
• Training agreement: overview
• Professional development
• Ethics and professional scepticism
• Practical work experience
• Access your online training file
• How training works in your country
• Student rewards
• TOTUM PRO Card
• Student events and volunteering
• Xero cloud accounting certifications
• Student support
• Join a community
• Wellbeing support from caba
• Student mentoring programme
• Student conduct and behaviour
• Code of ethics
• Fit and proper
• Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship
• Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship
• AAT-ACA Fast Track FAQs
• ACA rules and regulations FAQs
• ACA syllabus FAQs
• ACA training agreement FAQs
• Audit experience and the Audit Qualification FAQs
• Independent student FAQs
• Practical work experience FAQs
• Professional development FAQs
• Six-monthly reviews FAQs
• Ethics and professional scepticism FAQs
• Greater China
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• Australasia
• Russia and Eurasia
• Southeast Asia
• Charity Community
• Construction & Real Estate
• Energy & Natural Resources Community
• Farming & Rural Business Community
• Forensic & Expert Witness
• Global Trade Community
• Healthcare Community
• Internal Audit Community
• Manufacturing Community
• Media & Leisure
• Portfolio Careers Community
• Small and Micro Business Community
• Small Practitioners Community
• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Community
• Valuation Community
• Audit and corporate governance reform
• Audit & Assurance Faculty
• Professional judgement
• Regulation and working in audit
• Internal audit resource centre
• ICAEW acting on audit quality
• Everything business
• Latest Business news from Insights
• Strategy, risk and innovation
• Business performance management
• Financial management
• Finance transformation
• Economy and business environment
• Leadership, personal development and HR
• Webinars and publications
• Business restructuring
• The Business Finance Guide
• Capital markets and investment
• Corporate finance careers
• Corporate Finance Faculty
• Debt advisory and growth finance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Private equity
• Start-ups, scale-ups and venture capital
• Transaction services
• Board committees and board effectiveness
• Corporate governance codes and reports
• Corporate Governance Community
• Principles of corporate governance
• Roles, duties and responsibilities of Board members
• Stewardship and stakeholder relations
• Corporate Governance thought leadership
• Corporate reporting resources
• Small and micro entity reporting
• IFRS Accounting Standards
• UK Regulation for Company Accounts
• Non-financial reporting
• Improving Corporate Reporting
• Economy home
• ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor
• ICAEW Manifesto 2024
• Economy explainers
• Spring Budget 2024
• Energy crisis
• Levelling up: rebalancing the UK’s economy
• Resilience and Renewal: Building an economy fit for the future
• Social mobility and inclusion
• Investment management
• Inspiring confidence
• Setting up in practice
• Running your practice
• Supporting your clients
• Practice technology
• TAS helpsheets
• Support for business advisers
• Join ICAEW BAS
• Public Sector hub
• Public Sector Audit and Assurance
• Public Sector Finances
• Public Sector Financial Management
• Public Sector Financial Reporting
• Public Sector Learning & Development
• Public Sector Community
• Latest public sector articles from Insights
• Making COP count
• Climate hub
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Accountability
• Modern slavery
• Resources collection
• Sustainability Committee
• Sustainability & Climate Change community
• Sustainability and climate change home
• Tax Faculty
• Budgets and legislation
• Business tax
• Devolved taxes
• Employment taxes
• International taxes
• Making Tax Digital
• Personal tax
• Property tax
• Stamp duty land tax
• Tax administration
• Tax compliance and investigation
• UK tax rates, allowances and reliefs
• Artificial intelligence
• Blockchain and cryptoassets
• Cyber security
• Data Analytics Community
• Digital skills
• Excel community
• Finance in a Digital World
• IT management
• Technology and the profession
• Trust & Ethics home
• Better regulation
• Business Law
• UK company law
• Data protection and privacy
• Economic crime
• Help with ethical problems
• ICAEW Code of Ethics
• ICAEW Trust and Ethics team.....
• Solicitors Community
• Forensic & Expert Witness Community
• Latest articles on business law, trust and ethics
• Audit and Assurance Faculty
• Corporate Reporting Faculty
• Financial Services Faculty
• Academia & Education Community
• Construction & Real Estate Community
• Entertainment, Sport & Media Community
• Retail Community
• Black Members Community
• Career Breakers Community
• Diversity & Inclusion Community
• Women in Finance Community
• Personal Financial Planning Community
• Restructuring & Insolvency Community
• Sustainability and Climate Change Community
• London and East
• Yorkshire and Humberside
• European public policy activities
• ICAEW Middle East
• Latest news
• The World’s Fastest Accountant
• Access to finance special
• Attractiveness of the profession
• Audit and Fraud
• Audit and technology
• Adopting non-financial reporting standards
• Cost of doing business
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Pensions and Personal Finance
• Ukraine crisis: central resource hub
• More specials ...
• The economics of biodiversity
• How chartered accountants can help to safeguard trust in society
• Video: The financial controller who stole £20,000 from her company
• It’s time for chartered accountants to save the world
• Video: The CFO who tried to trick the market
• Video: Could invoice fraud affect your business?
• Business confidence, local authority finance, probate delays, and tax reform
• Why are female-led startups so underfunded?
• How to get Britain growing
• Groupthink: the boardroom’s most pervasive problem?
• Corporate reporting update and VAT on private hire vehicles
• AI in audit: the good, the bad and the ugly
• Company size thresholds and CGT on residences
• Lessons in leadership from ICAEW's CEO
• So you want to be a leader?
• A busy new tax year, plus progress on the Economic Crime Act
• Does Britain have a farming problem?
• More podcasts...
• Top charts of the week
• EU and international trade
• CEO and President's insights
• Sponsored content
• Insights index
• Charter and Bye-laws
• Archive of complaints, disciplinary and fitness processes, statutory regulations and ICAEW regulations
• Qualifications regulations
• Training and education regulations
• How to make a complaint
• Guidance on your duty to report misconduct
• Public hearings
• What to do if you receive a complaint against you
• Anti-money laundering supervision
• Working in the regulated area of audit
• Local public audit in England
• Probate services
• Designated Professional Body (Investment Business) licence
• Consumer credit
• Quality Assurance monitoring: view from the firms
• The ICAEW Practice Assurance scheme
• Licensed Practice scheme
• Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII)
• Clients' Money Regulations
• Taxation (PCRT) Regulations
• ICAEW training films
• Helpsheets and guidance by topic
• ICAEW's regulatory expertise and history

Reviewed: 25 Jul 2024 Update History

Certificate Level exam results

Professional and advanced level exam results, re-sitting an exam, exam awards.

You can access your results 24 hours after your exam via your online training file under the 'Examinations' tab. However, please note that if you receive your exam results on the same day as the ACA Professional or Advanced Level exam results are released, they will be available at a slightly later time than usual.

• View the Professional and Advanced Level exam results dates

For each exam you pass, you will be awarded a certificate of achievement. Each certificate demonstrates the new skills you have acquired and is available within your online training file . Download your certificate and share it with your family, friends and employer. You also have the option to print your certificate.

Results will be released on set dates for each exam session.

• View the Professional and Advanced Level exam dates

You can receive your results in different ways:

You can choose to receive your exam results by text message. Registration for this service can be completed as part of the online exam application process or using the results notification link of the online exam applications system. The deadline for applications for receiving results this way is 17.00 (UK time) on the Friday prior to the relevant results dispatch at each session.

Via your online training file

You can view your results in your online training file:

• View results online

Exam admin check and marks feedback

Once you have received your exam results, if you have failed an exam and believe that the result is not correct or you would like more information about your marks, you can request either a an exam admin check or marks feedback .

You can apply for an exam admin check up to two weeks after results are published, and marks feedback up to one year after the date of the exam sitting.

We appreciate that you work really hard for the ACA exams, so we recognise this and award prizes to the students who achieve the highest marks. Subject order of merits are awarded for Certificate Level, and following each exam session for Professional and Advanced Level exams. Annual order of merits are also awarded across all Levels on a yearly basis. You will be notified of your award at the time and then prizes are fulfilled twice a year in October and January.

For the first Certificate Level exam award you achieve, a Montblanc fine stationery lined notebook with a leather cover is awarded and £100 for each subsequent prize at this level.

For the first Professional or Advanced Level exam award you achieve, a Montblanc Meisterstück Classique platinum-plated ballpoint pen is awarded and £450 for each subsequent prize at this level. If you achieve first place at the Advanced Level Annual Order of Merit, the Peat medal is awarded.

Also awarded annually is the Livery Company prize. In collaboration with the Chartered Accountants’ Livery Charity, the award recognises the achievements of Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship students who have obtained the top three places within the Annual Order of Merit.

• View the history of prizes

Student support team

The student support team is here to help. We recommend that you contact us via our Live Chat or chatbot Mia first. Our telephone support line is open 9-5 Monday - Friday exc. Wednesday 10-5 (UK time) Closed - UK statutory & public holidays.

• Speak to an advisor on Live Chat
• Contact us form
• +44 (0)1908 248 250 (option 1)

ACA planner

To help guide you through your ACA training throughout the year - download the ACA planner for key dates and deadlines.

Read out this code to the operator.