CASE STUDY: Monitoring and controlling performance at Marks & Spencer Marks & Spencer is Europe’s most profitable retailer with a global brand and global recognition. Its achievement largely depends on the effective use of people. An organisation may have the latest technology and the best physical resources, but it will never thrive if it does not value its people. Its most valuable asset will always be its people and the work they do. For Marks & Spencer, this means that the people who look after customers, select and merchandise the products and run the operations, must aspire to be the best qualified and equipped in retailing. The effective control of stock and cash is also an important factor for a business. While the Commercial Manager is generating enough sales to meet the forecast, and the Personnel Manager is controlling the agreed staffing budget, the Financial Manager will monitor all other costs. Costs are broadly broken down into direct costs and indirect costs. Direct costs are those clearly identified with the sales volume. They include carrier bags, food waste and staffing costs. Indirect costs include stationery, telephone expenses, security and electricity. Making the store more profitable involves looking not just at the large direct costs but also examining the smaller indirect costs. (Savings in stationery in one store may be small, but across the whole Marks & Spencer Group, it may represent a considerable sum.) Some costs are easier to control than others. For example, notices near light switches may be a simple way to save electricity by encouraging staff to turn off unnecessary lights. The use of stationery may simply be limited to the amount ordered. Costs such as theft and loss, however, may take up much more time, involving maximising the benefits of close-circuit television, using security guards efficiently to deter crime and deciding how to use store detectives. With around 35 tills in an average store, possibly being using by up to eight to ten staff each day and with large volumes of stock coming in at the back door, it will also involve close scrutiny of all areas of business organisation. Required: With reference to the case above, AC2.1 Define Cost and discuss elements of cost (Material Labour expenses with diagrams and types), gross profit percentages (with diagram and formula) and selling prices for products and services AC2.2 evaluate methods of controlling stock (EOQ, JIT, Response based, Lifo / Fifo ) and controlling cash (Physical Control, Bank Reconciliation, Proper Authorization) in a business and services environment