The Accounting and

Business Management
Case Competition
2010-11

Tertiary Institute Group

The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-11 Tertiary Institute Group

Convenience Retail Asia Limited1 (CRA) is a listed retailing member of the Li & Fung
Group. CRA has two major subsidiaries: Circle K Convenience Stores (HK) Limited
(Circle K), and Saint Honore Holdings Limited (Saint Honore).

CRA has the exclusive right to use the Circle K brand name for convenience retailing
in Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China. The Circle K brand is one of the
fastest-growing convenience store brands worldwide. Currently, there are over 7,300
Circle K stores around the world. The first Circle K store opened in Hong Kong in 1985.
All Circle K stores in Hong Kong are wholly owned and managed by CRA.

In February 2007, CRA acquired Saint Honore (including its bakery chain Saint
Honore Cake Shop) and engineered a strategic integration of the two businesses.
Saint Honore Cake Shop is a well-established bakery chain and a household brand in
Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macau, offering great potential for further business
expansion in the markets in which it operates. CRA now operates a total of about 500
stores under the two brands, Circle K and Saint Honore, in Hong Kong, Macau,
Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

CRA, together with its subsidiaries (the Group), achieved continued sales growth and
a net profit increase of 0.8% and 1.8% respectively for 2009 as compared with 2008.
The basic earnings per share increased by 1.7% from 12.18 HK cents to 12.39 HK
cents for the year ended 31 December 2009. The Group’s financial position remains
strong with cash and bank deposits of HK$515.3 million as at 31 December 2009, and
the Group has no bank borrowings.

Note:
1
The stock code for CRA in the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited is 08052.

Hong Kong Institute of Accredited Accounting Technicians

Page 2 of 4
The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-11 Tertiary Institute Group

Required

In order to sustain its future growth and performance, the Group’s management has
invited your team, as the external business consultants, to evaluate its business
performance and advise the Group on its future business strategies in the coming
three years. The business plan to be submitted to the Group for consideration shall
consist AT LEAST the following major elements:

1. Executive summary;
2. Market analysis;
3. Company analysis of the Group;
4. Financial performance of the Group;
5. Recommendations; and
6. Implementation plan for your recommendations.

When making recommendations, you need to consider:

- CRA’s overall business strategies;

- the Group's vision and values such as its corporate social responsibility for
the community, the environment and its human capital; and
- corporate governance and sustainability.

Your recommendations should be prioritised, with justifications, and their

feasibility should also be considered.

Remarks

1. In preparing the report, please refer to CRA’s 2009 annual report. The latest
information on the Group can be found in the 2010 half year report and the CRA
website http://www.cr-asia.com.

2. While you are supposed to consider the issues suggested in the requirements,
you are welcome to incorporate any other relevant analysis or strategies which
are important in sustaining the future growth of CRA.

3. State clearly any underlying assumptions you make to justify your analysis and
recommendations. Calculations should be supported with justifications and
explanations.

4. Clear references should be given to materials used in the report.

Hong Kong Institute of Accredited Accounting Technicians

Page 3 of 4
The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-11 Tertiary Institute Group

GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN REPORT

(1) Each team should submit a written report in English of not more than 20 pages
of A4 which includes the executive summary, index, appendix and graphs, but
excludes the cover page.

(2) Font type and size: Arial (12 points).

(3) Double line spacing.

(4) Margin: 1 inch for each side.

(5) Each report should include a separate cover page with name of the Competition,
names of team members, the institution at which they are studying, as well as the
contact number and e-mail address of the team leader.

(6) The content pages SHOULD NOT include the names of team members and the
institution at which they are studying.

(7) Submit TWO hardcopies together with a soft copy (in both MS word and pdf
format) saved on a CD-Rom.

(8) The written report SHOULD NOT be put in any folders / files nor be bound in a
book.

(9) The HKIAAT has the right to disqualify any participant who is found to have
violated the rules of the qualification.

METHOD FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN REPORT

The written reports together with CD-Rom can be submitted to the Hong Kong
Institute of Accredited Accounting Technicians Ltd. by hand to 27/F, Wu Chung House,
213 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong before 5:00 p.m., 9 February 2011.

Hong Kong Institute of Accredited Accounting Technicians

Page 4 of 4
 The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-2011
(Tertiary Institute Group)

Competition Questionnaire – Written Report

(For teachers)

This questionnaire is used to collect the teachers' feedbacks on the competition arrangement which are important to us for
enhancement. Please spend a few minutes to complete this questionnaire and return to us via fax (2823-0606) or email
(hkiaat@hkiaat.org) on or before 16 February 2011.

1. Did you recommend your students to join the competition?

Yes
No (go to Q.3)

2. Why did you recommend your students to join the competition? You can select more than one option.

Students can gain real world experience
Enhance students' accounting knowledge

The prizes are attractive
Can widen students' horizon

Business seminars are practical
Others, please specify: __________________________________

3. How many teams from your institution joined this competition? ___________ team(s)

4. Have you provided any support to your students during the process of preparing the written report?

Yes
No (go to Q.6)

5. Approximately how many hours in total have you spent in supporting all the teams?

Less than 20 hours
21 – 40 hours
More than 40 hours

6. In what way did you provide support to your students? You can select more than one option.

Provide guidance on interpreting the question
Provide guidance on doing research

Provide guidance on report writing (format, grammar)
Provide class time for students to discuss/ prepare

Others, please specify: _________________________________________________________________

7. Is the specification on the number of team members (i.e. 3 to 4 members per team) appropriate?

Yes
No, too many
No, not enough

(Please specify : _______) (Please specify : _______)

8. Are the judging criteria clearly defined?

Yes
No

9. Is the specified page limitation (i.e. maximum 20 pages) appropriate for the written report?

Yes
No, too many
No, not enough

(Please specify: ________) (Please specify: ________)
10. Is the level of difficulty in this case competition appropriate?

Yes
No, too easy
No, too difficult. Please specify the reason(s):

guidelines and references are not enough

instructions of questions are not clear

out of syllabus

the covered areas are too broad

too much research are required

too much time commitment

others, please specify: ____________
_________________________________
11. Do you think the time allowed (i.e. around 2 months) is sufficient for your students to prepare for the written report?

Yes
Not sufficient time (Please specify: ____________________)

12. Are you satisfied with the support from HKIAAT e.g. briefing session, business seminars, etc?

Yes
No (Please specify: ___________________________________)

13. Can students benefit from this competition in terms of enhancing their ability in using accounting information for
business development?

Yes
No

14. Will you recommend your students to join the competition next year?

Yes
No (Please specify: ________________________________________________

Suggestions / comments

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please return the completed questionnaire to the HKIAAT via fax (f2823-0606) or email (hkiaat@hkiaat.org) on or before
16 February 2011.

** Thank you for your time **

 The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-2011
(Tertiary Institute Group)

Competition Questionnaire – Written Report

(For participating teams)

This questionnaire is used to collect the participating students' feedbacks on the competition arrangement which are
important to us for enhancement. It should be completed on a team basis (i.e. each team shall complete one
questionnaire only). Please spend a few minutes to complete this questionnaire and return together with your written
reports to the HKIAAT on ore before 9 February 2011.

1. Why did you join the competition? You can select more than one option.

Recommended by teacher
Gain real world experience
Enhance our accounting knowledge

The prizes are attractive
To widen the horizon
Enhance our CV

Others, please specify: ______________________________________

2. Is the specification on the number of team members (i.e. 3 to 4 members per team) appropriate?

Yes
No, too many
No, not enough

(Please specify : ___________) (Please specify : ___________)

3. Are the judging criteria clearly defined?

Yes
No

4. Is the specified page limitation (i.e. maximum 20 pages) appropriate for the written report?

Yes
No, too many
No, not enough

(Please specify: ____________) (Please specify: ___________)

5. Is the level of difficulty in this competition appropriate?

Yes
No, too easy
No, too difficult. Please specify the reason(s):

guidelines and references are not enough

instructions of questions are not clear

out of syllabus

the covered areas are too broad

too much research are required

too much time commitment

others, please specify: ____________
_________________________________

6. Do you think the time allowed to prepare for the written report (i.e. around 2 months) is sufficient?

Yes
Not sufficient time (Please specify: ________________)

 7. Approximately how many man-hours have your team spent in preparing the report? (e.g. 10 hours per team member
x 4 members = 40 man hours)

Less than 100 man hours
101 – 200 man hours
201 – 300 man hours
Over 300 man hours

8. Are you satisfied with the support from HKIAAT e.g. briefing session, business seminars, etc?

Yes
No (Please specify: ______________________________________)

9.Has your ability in using accounting information for business development been enhanced as a result of joining the
competition?

Yes
No

10. Will you recommend others to join the competition?

Yes
No (Please specify: ________________________________________________)

Suggestions / comments

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please return the completed questionnaire together with the written report to the HKIAAT (27/F Wu Chung House, 213
Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong) by hand on or before 5:00 pm, 9 February 2011.

** Thank you for your time **

 Please affix this
checklist to the
envelope.

The Accounting and Business Management Case Competition 2010-2011

(Tertiary Institute Group)

Report Submission Checklist

(Deadline for submission of written report: before 5:00 p.m., 9 February 2011)

(Please complete in BLOCK LETTERS)

Team Leader's Particulars

Institution :

Surname : Given Name :

Contact No. : Email :

Please mark "X" wherever appropriate to confirm the submission of below documents
Submitted Submitted Remarks
(completed by (completed by (completed by
participating team) HKIAAT) HKIAAT)

1) Two hardcopies of the written report

2) A soft copy of the written report

(saved on a CD-Rom in Word and PDF format)

3) A completed questionnaire

Remarks:

- The written report and completed questionnaire should be placed in an envelope and submitted to the HKIAAT (27/F Wu Chung House,
213 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong) by hand on or before 5:00pm, 9 February 2011.

- Please affix this checklist to the envelope.

- The HKIAAT has the right to disqualify any participant who is found to have violated the rules of the competition or missing documents.

Privacy Statement
All personal data provided in this form may be used for promotion of HKIAAT related activities and examinations in future. The provision of personal data is voluntary.
However, please note that incomplete information will not be entertained. Applicants may inform us to correct or remove their personal data from HKIAAT database.

Hong Kong Institute of Accredited Accounting Technicians Limited Tel : 2823 0600
27/F Wu Chung House, Fax : 2823 0606
213 Queen’s Road East, Web : www.hkiaat.org
Wanchai, Hong Kong Email : hkiaat@hkiaat.org