Top 10 Questions on Why do ACCA-Oxford Brookes Degree?

Dear Candidates,

Time and again, I am pleased to witness many Oxford Brookes Degree holders get ahead in their careers. Top Accounting Firms such as KPMG, Touche D, E&Y, PWC, Howarth, Baker Tilly and many more willingly accept ACCA-Oxford Brookes Degree Holders.

 

Not to forget the Private Sector where degree holders move to better pay and prospect using this degree.

However, there are many questions such as:

Q1: I am going to get my ACCA degree anyway, should I still pursue Oxford Br. Degree? 

There is a timing difference. You earn the degree now to get ahead in your promotion opportunities. If you are awaiting for ACCA Final results, using Oxford Br. degree to get in to top employers FIRST before other ACCA would be Affiliates.

 

Q2: What if my marks put in lower end degree class classification such as 3rd class or 2nd class lower?











 

Please, politely reason with your job interviewer:

[1]

 

As a full time working professional, with family responsibilities and still having to attend evening and weekend classes, I believe to earn UK Degree which is HIGHER RANKED than any Universities is a big achievement.

If given opportunity to study 3 years on full time basis, perhaps earning 1st class is much easier but my family doesn't give me that luxury. Thus, I earn my degree while working full time.

How many candidates can balance work and study, I leave that to you sir/madam? But it certainly proves that I am reliable, able to produce research dissertation of 9500 words and earn an award recognised by ACCA.

[Do you think the above works?]

[2]
 


As a full time undergraduate, I have many study opportunities. However, I chose ACCA because of the challenges and recognition worldwide. I earn my Oxford Br degree based on my marks in F-Level. I respectfully share with you, sir/madam, that I have no prior working experience to fully comprehend the practicality of ACCA exams. In fact, the exams are HARVARD Based exams, which means they are case studies. I passed that! And I want to pass as FAST as I could, regardless of the marks. Time is money, so they say.

I pursued Oxford Br. Degree which I find many employers value it as it shows my research skills, writing and communication techniques. British University accepts this. I hope my skills will similarly add value to your esteemed firm.

I am not a person who back out easily just because my degree class could be low, but I am determined. Train me, and I can learn fast and contribute value to your firm. [This is where you smile with confidence]

[What do you think of the above? Any suggestions you can contribute?]

Q3 Should I do my Research Project and take ACCA P-Level simultaneously? 


This you have to honestly evaluate yourself:

• Do I have 20 hours a week to invest on my Research Degree Project? 
• Can I select Research topic that complements my P1 and/or P3 Studies? 
• If so, which Research topic enhances my P1 and P3 studies?

 Generally, Working professionals are advised to either take Research Project or together with ONE P-Level Paper as in attending classes.

Q4 If I already have ACCA qualification or close to it, isn't it redundant to take a degree? 



It is true that ACCA is higher qualification than Oxford Br Degree. However, believe it when I say this, countries such as USA, Canada, Singapore or Taiwan only recognise UNIVERSITY DEGREE and not professional qualification. Ridiculous, you may say. But that is their immigration law. You can use your ACCA as entry requirement to say Morgan Stanley or Kraft Heinz but USA government will not grant you work pass without the degree.

You can't tell the future on career opportunities, if some international firm say JW Marriott Hotels offer you a job in California, you can't go without the degree.

Another note, if you are applying job with BOTH qualifications compared to another with only ACCA degree, which of the 2 candidates do you think the employer will select? It is not hard to guess if one has DOUBLE or TRIPLE degree apply for that job with the same pay.

It is a competitive world, my dear students.

Q5 How can I increase my chance is passing and earning this degree? 


Risking sounding self-review threat, please let me present the facts. Since 2001, at the first inception of ACCA-Oxford Br Degree collaboration,  I have mentored literally hundreds of students and they reached graduation. As an APPROVED Oxford Br Mentor on the FIRST BATCH  ie November 2015, I am bound with ethical guidelines to provide you best competent mentoring and directing.

I have done deeper research myself while pursuing my Master of Science degree with Nottingham University, which requires numerous assignment research work including a 20,000 word thesis. Fun but a lot rigorous than basic degree.

Customised weekly meeting will be conducted with the use of Internet of either Media-Video Conference such as Skype or emails. That way, I can track your progress.

Q6 Has Oxford Brookes marking scheme gone harder? 


Yes. Thus, you need to be careful as to which topic or organisations you want to research. That can be provided.

Q7. What happens if my first submission fails? 


I hope you don't get to that stage. If you work sufficiently hard, you will be able to pass the paper FIRST ATTEMPT. However, should there be reasons to resit, a minimal extension fee is charged.

Q8. How can I get more information? 



Please email me at marcus_ong88@hotmail.com on your queries.

Q9. When can I start on the research project? 
 


The intakes are EVERY AUGUST and FEBRUARY of the year. To inquire on how to register, please refer to Q8's answer above.

Q10. Where Can I get more information on Oxford Brookes-ACCA collaboration? 



Please visit:
ACCA-OBU Research Topics

OBU Submission 

Nobel Prize-winning economist – Horrifying Prognosis

From left to right:
Pic 01 - 03 : Great Depression of 1930s. People lining up for food rations from USA government. We don't hope for this in Malaysia, which is only a developing nation. So shouldn't you ration your pocket money? Stretch it further?

Pic 04: Renown Economist, Paul Krugman


Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said damage from the U.S. recession may persist “for a very long time,” with no clear engine for renewed growth.

“I’m really quite scared that we could muddle along,” Krugman said in a lecture today at the London School of Economics and Political Science. “I really do see the possibility of a global version of the Japanese ‘lost decade’ without the prospect of an export-led recovery. This could be unpleasant for a very long time.”

U.S. stocks erased a decline yesterday after Krugman said the economy will probably emerge from the recession by September. Recent reports showing smaller declines in housing and manufacturing and fewer job losses have reinforced forecasts that the slump may end this year.

“The ‘oh-my-God-the-world-is-ending’” phase of the economic downturn is over, and financial markets are “stabilizing,” Krugman said today. Still, “the employment situation is continuing to look bad and will probably get worse,” he said.
Krugman said he has “no idea” what will power the U.S. out of recession. The U.S. fiscal stimulus package, while not “trivial,” isn’t large enough to fuel sustained growth. Also, with the global economy in the doldrums, the U.S. can’t rely on a revival from a surge in exports, he said.

Even the end of a recession “doesn’t mean the same thing as it did in the old days,” said Krugman, a Princeton University economist. Unemployment may remain high longer than after the end of prior economic contractions, he said.
The National Bureau of Economic Research, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the official arbiter of U.S. recessions and expansions. Robert Hall, the head of the NBER’s business-cycle-dating committee, said last week that it’s “way too early” to say the contraction is over.

What can and is Malaysian Government doing about it?
What is in store for upcoming ACCA graduates?

Coming soon...

Recession- What it means? Part II

(left to right)
Pic 01: You think this is tough, boy, wait until you reach ACCA level
Pic 02: Arrgghhh...This kids drive me up the wall.
Pic 03: To our happiness...Pic 04: Beautiful, Wonderful and Meaningful evening
Pic 05: President Obama's deficit spending is too little, too late

Recession Explained
Why do factories close down despite that high quality products are churned out? Why hardworking people are laid off from work, a waste of human talents that go unemployed? Why good location properties have few tenants? Puzzling as these questions are, but the economist will say it’s due to recession. Inspired and horrified by Economist Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman’s book – The Return of Depression Economics, allow me explain it in simple terms:

Romantic Couples and Babysitter Couples
Say in Singapore, there is this exclusive club where couples are of the upper middle income earners. These couples have children and they don’t trust hiring babysitters. This is inconvenient if couples want to spend romantic evenings out, we call them romantic couples. Since members are long friends and trust each other, they devise a system to help each other out. Each couple will be given fixed number of coupons. Romantic couples will use their allotted coupons to ‘pay’ babysitter couples. If romantic couples ran out of coupons, then they will have to offer other couples to babysit for them to earn their coupons. This system works fine if couples are regularly taking evenings out. One would expect it, if its Valentine Day, Anniversary Celebration, Engagement parties (normally wives have many ideas and occasions to celebrate).

What if couples decide that they need to accumulate the coupon by offering to babysit for others? The number is more than romantic couples? You will have more savings of coupons as fewer couples are taking romantic evenings. Since active romantic couples would quickly finish their coupons, then they need to stay home to offer to babysit. But since other couples in general are staying at home too, the coupons are not circulating. The frequency of evening out for romantic couples will fall as they are short of coupons. So they have to offer to babysit. Couples with surplus savings of coupons, seeing that there are fewer couples go out, may want to ‘conserve’ their precious savings and they too prefer to stay home.

We have most couples then staying home, causing a fall in frequency of romantic outings. There is a marked drop in demand for babysitting coupons even though couples are offering to babysit. This fall in demand compared to previous period is an output level receding, thus a recession.

Paradox of Savings
Here is the paradox, the more couples ‘save’ coupons the less the coupons are circulated, the lower the demand for babysitting services. However, the opposite is true, say each couple on average takes 4 times romantic outings to 9 times a month, then the coupons will circulate around from 4 to 9 times, creating more opportunities for couples to take evenings out.

The exclusive club may issue new coupons to ‘stimulate’ demand but the figure may be deemed too small to match babysitting couples.

Recession hits an economy, when spenders i.e. consumers, investors and government decide to spend less which translates to aggregate fall in demand. Even if McDonalds, Coca Cola and Steven Spielberg movies offer fantastic products or services, they will still have deteriorating business. Worst scenarios are once healthy firms face shut down risks. The speed of spending as dropped significantly causing less demand for goods and services.

In other words, we have healthy factories, hardworking people and good infrastructures, but a slow down in spending could not justify the use of these resources, causing unemployment and suplus resources.

Point to note is governments worldwide like America is issuing new ‘coupons’, by increasing money supply to boost demand. How? Allowing banks more fund to extend loans, credit and hire purchase. But there are few borrowers and spenders to use the new funds. Not giving up, President Obama led the spending by committing USA Government to projects worth US$797billion. This large in itself but is paltry compared to the trillions of dollars lost due to reduced spending from consumers and investors.

Malaysian Government pledged to spend RM1bilion (US$1=RM3.50) a month but compared to the size of loss output due to fall in demand or speed in spending, again its insignificant. Already Multi Nationals firms are announcing job cuts, investment postponements and cutting costs all of which worsen the already weakened demand.

Bright light at end of tunnel?
Like all recessions, they recover to healthy growth. Why not consider investing in upgrading?your qualifications? Buy good robust properties? Invest in businesses? all in anticipation of returning days where couples go out for romantic evenings.

In my next article, i will post analysis by renown economists who predicted darkening economic days ahead.

MALAYSIA STOCK EXHANGE: BEAR MARKET RALLY

-related to P3, P5 and Uncles & Aunties in Malaysia whose favourite investment motto is "Buy High, Sell Low".

1. The Bursa Malaysia Stock Market has risen by 100 points past 2 weeks to 963 Composite Index. It usually is a precursor to future economic performance of 6 months. However, is it really a sign of recovery? I have my reservations. Its simply too early to cry out, "All's well."

2. But the current reality is all those who invested, say 4 months ago, would profit handsomely. Assuming they buy blue chip stocks. For instance, Topglove Berhad rose from RM3.50 to RM5.50 per share since December 30, 2008. An 57% rise.

3. As a general rule of thumb, the stock market looks to the future for its current performance. The past is well past. Still it tells us what kind of future it should bring. In this case, one should see in the past say the 2008, how much damaged the economic global recession has caused.

4. A simple logic, is if a patient is in out-patient treatment ward, one expects a speedy recovery.
Here, the USA economy is in the Intensive Care Unit, though I doubt the undertakers will have their day to see this giant economy dies.

5. 2nd quarter of 2009 may yet bring more upside for investors, but they should be mindful of the fact that when many countries (G-20 & G-7), all try to de-lever from the USA economic crisis. This is by no means an easy feat even if with all the coordinated governments stimulus package initiatives. For Malaysia's case, its hardly a stimulus: http://marcusong88.blogspot.com/2009/03/rm60-billion-stimulus-package-how-man.html .

6. History repeats itself. After the 1929 crash, the President Hoover's administration spied similarly hopeful signs in the U.S. economy. “Recovery is just around the corner”, is first attributed to economist, Irving Fisher (Noble Prize winner), but Team Hoover repeated this phrase and variations of it right up until he was crushed by the landslide election of FDR in 1932.

7. It is true the U.S. economy in 2009 has yet to see the massive reversals suffered during the Great Depression, but the root causes of each period — easy monetary policy and an over-reliance on debt — are the same.

Have a look at the Fortune 500 Annual List is out for 2008. It is Not Pretty:
▪ 2008 was the worst year in the history of the Fortune 500 for America’s largest companies;
▪ Profits fell from $645 billion in profits in 2007, to just $98.9 billion - an 84.7% decline;
▪ Eleven of the top 25 largest corporate losses in list history took place last year;
▪ Insurance giant AIG posted a $99.3 billion loss — the biggest corporate loss of all time. Dwarfs the Corporate Enron losses by a large margin;
▪ Thirty-eight companies disappeared from the list altogether;
▪ Newcomers to the Fortune 500 list: Polo Ralph Lauren, Visa and Mastercard;
▪ 17% working Americans — 25.6 million people — work for the nation’s largest companies;

Glimmer of good news on equality of the sexes:
▪ 15 women ran Fortune 500 companies in 2008 — an all-time high

Verdict
Economic recovery? Don't count on it until you see a real economic recovery turnaround. So, hold on to your purse strings.

"Caveat de Emptor" : Let the Buyer (investor) beware.

My Letter to the Prime Minister

ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN
(Applicable to ACCA Professional Level :P5 & P3 )

Dear Prime Minister,

I have read the progress of Malaysia with keen interests. After much research, I humbly propose the following as route to economic and very relatedly political recovery:

1. Asian economies are too export dependent for its economic growth. WIth USA & UK recessions, Taiwan had 43% fall in export in Dec 2008, Singapore -38%, China -18%, Korea over -50%, Malaysia also not spared with contraction of over -15%.

2. After a decade of overspending, US&UK consumers will need to rebuild savings mean that demand remain subdued. Asian economies cannot treat this as a cyclical recession anymore but a real permanent fall in demand.

3. Govt commendably have had stimulus package. The 'multiplier' effect on traditonal sector like construction is broad as it affects over 160 industries. Still, this is insufficient as consumers with low confidence likely to hold on spending.

4. Encourage consumers spending as economic recovery and growth by liberalising services sector by:
a)reduce subsidies on manufacturing, petrol, food ceiling prices as it tends to have over-investment in it at expense of services

b)liberalise banks sector to foreign competition as it will encourage lending and innovative financial products.E.g. Break oligopolies hold on Credit card lending at 18% interest pa that subdue spending.

c)homes and automobiles account for 65% of take home income. Open up automobile industry encourage more local contents by doing away with local tax duties. Govt pays lip service to this but needs to benchmark car affordability of 1 car equivalent to 9 month average income ie. 5000/month (combined family income)X 9 = 45,000. Pls note this price is current selling prices ex-duty based in Labuan,Langkawi. Toyota through Perodua has a strangle hold market share of more than 50%. Protected industry drives out other genuine investment. UMW todate ‘only’ spent RM4billion on car assembly plant for a total market demand of excess TIV 0.5million worth RM1.5 billion ringgit per year.

d) if essential goods, car and home, account for have a drop from 65% to 50% of total take home pay, this puts RM750 per month additional disposable income. Extrapolate that to average a million household equals to RM0.75 billion spending income per month. Note this is without government stimulus yet but the savings for government through subsidies removal.

e) consumers savings among highest in the world of average 32% of disposable income. Young savers plan for retirement due to poor social net like pension fund, health care, costly education. Invest and improve services sector ‘aggressively’. Set up independent committees to monitor progress, KPI, benchmark. Consumers will be less anxious of future if assured of proper health and retirement plans by government, improving confidence and spending.

f) hire and train doctors, professionals, head hunt overseas professors/researchers to improve health and education ‘soft’ –skill quality. Import doctors from India, professors from Singapore, France, Harvard Medical of USA. Offer KPI as controlling parenting style whilst giving autonomy to researched based universities. Resist temptation to construct more buildings. Competitive advantage is Human Resource talents, not cement blocks.
'
Conclusion
Malaysia economy enjoyed diversified income of manufacturing and agriculture sectors that account for more than 70% of GDP. This will not work now as both dependent on exports earnings. Domestic demand is the key. Rapid services liberalisation is the key for recovery and economic growth for next 3 years.

Best wishes,

Marcus Ong (CA, MSc)
ACCA lecturer now in INTI College of Subang Branch

Useful Links:
Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Najib, 2009, Personal Blog, http://www.1malaysia.com.my/, Visited on 3rd February.