📚 Chapter 37 Worksheet: Budgets and Budgetary Control | 第37章练习：预算与预算控制
This worksheet covers Chapter 37 on budgets and budgetary control for Cambridge A-Level Business. Budgets are forward-looking financial plans that translate business objectives into measurable targets, and budgeting is a central management accounting technique used for planning, coordination, motivation and control.
本练习覆盖剑桥 A-Level 商务第 37 章“预算与预算控制”。预算是一套前瞻性财务计划，将企业目标转化为可衡量的指标；预算编制是管理会计的核心技术，用于计划、协调、激励和控制。
1. What Is a Budget? | 什么是预算
A budget is a quantified financial plan for a future period, usually expressed in money terms. It sets out expected revenues, costs, cash flows or capital spending for a department, project or the whole business.
预算是对未来一个期间的量化财务计划，通常以货币金额表示。它列出一个部门、项目或整个企业的预期收入、成本、现金流或资本支出。
In A-Level Business, budgets are not just accounting documents. They are management tools that link strategic objectives to day-to-day decisions and provide a benchmark against which actual performance can be compared.
在 A-Level 商务中，预算不只是会计文件，而是把战略目标与日常决策联系起来的管理工具，并提供与实际业绩进行比较的基准。
2. Why Businesses Use Budgets | 企业为何编制预算
Budgets serve several purposes. They force managers to plan ahead, allocate scarce resources, coordinate different departments, communicate targets, motivate staff and provide a basis for control through variance analysis.
预算有多项用途：迫使管理者提前计划、分配稀缺资源、协调不同部门、传达目标、激励员工，并通过差异分析为控制提供依据。
A well-designed budget can improve accountability because each manager knows the financial target they are responsible for. However, unrealistic budgets can demotivate staff and encourage dysfunctional behaviour such as padding costs.
设计良好的预算能增强问责，因为每位管理者都清楚自己负责的财务目标。但不切实际的预算会打击员工积极性，并诱发虚报成本等不良行为。
3. Main Types of Budget | 预算的主要类型
Common types of budget include sales budgets, production budgets, cash budgets, capital budgets and master budgets. A sales budget is often prepared first because other budgets depend on forecast sales volume and revenue.
常见预算类型包括销售预算、生产预算、现金预算、资本预算和总预算。销售预算通常最先编制，因为其他预算都取决于预测的销量和销售收入。
- Sales budget — forecast sales revenue and volume.
- Production budget — output needed to meet sales demand.
- Cash budget — expected cash inflows and outflows to manage liquidity.
- Capital budget — planned spending on fixed assets.
- Master budget — consolidated summary of all budgets.
销售预算——预测销售收入和销量；生产预算——满足销售需求所需产量；现金预算——预期现金流入与流出，用于流动性管理；资本预算——固定资产支出计划；总预算——所有预算的合并汇总。
4. Budgetary Control Process | 预算控制流程
Budgetary control is the process of comparing actual results with budgeted figures, identifying differences, investigating significant variances and taking corrective action where necessary.
预算控制是将实际结果与预算数据进行比较、识别差异、调查重大差异并在必要时采取纠正措施的过程。
The control loop typically follows four steps: set the budget, record actual performance, calculate variances, and act on the findings. This makes budgeting a continuous process rather than a one-off plan.
控制循环通常包括四个步骤：制定预算、记录实际业绩、计算差异、根据结果采取行动。这使得预算编制成为一个持续过程，而不是一次性计划。
5. Variance Analysis Basics | 差异分析基础
A variance is the difference between an actual figure and the budgeted figure. The basic formula is:
差异是实际数据与预算数据之间的差额。基本公式为：
Variance = Actual result − Budgeted figure
Variances can be calculated for sales revenue, material costs, labour costs, overheads and profit. Managers focus on material variances because small percentage differences can indicate serious control problems.
差异可以针对销售收入、材料成本、人工成本、间接费用和利润计算。管理者重点关注重大差异，因为小幅百分比差异也可能意味着严重的控制问题。
6. Favourable and Adverse Variances | 有利差异与不利差异
A favourable variance (F) occurs when actual performance is better than budget: revenue is higher than planned or costs are lower than planned. An adverse variance (A) occurs when actual performance is worse than budget: revenue is lower or costs are higher.
有利差异（F）指实际业绩优于预算：收入高于计划或成本低于计划。不利差异（A）指实际业绩比预算差：收入降低或成本上升。
The table below summarises the direction of common variances:
下表总结了常见差异的方向：
| Item | Actual vs Budget | Variance |
|---|---|---|
| Sales revenue | Actual > Budget | Favourable |
| Material cost | Actual > Budget | Adverse |
| Labour cost | Actual < Budget | Favourable |
| Profit | Actual < Budget | Adverse |
When writing exam answers, always state whether a variance is favourable or adverse and explain the possible cause rather than just calculating the number.
在考试作答时，务必说明差异是有利还是不利，并解释可能的原因，而不只是计算数字。
7. Flexed Budgets in Context | 弹性预算的实际运用
A fixed budget is set for one level of output. A flexed budget is adjusted to the actual level of activity, allowing a fairer comparison because costs and revenues often change with output volume.
固定预算只针对一种产出水平编制。弹性预算根据实际业务量进行调整，由于成本和收入常随产量变化，因此能进行更公平的比较。
Flexed budgets are especially useful when actual output differs from the original plan. Without flexing, a high output level could make costs look adverse even though the business has performed efficiently.
当实际产量与原计划不同时，弹性预算特别有用。如果不进行调整，高产量可能使成本看起来不利，尽管企业经营其实很有效率。
8. Limitations of Budgeting | 预算编制的局限性
Budgets can be time-consuming, based on uncertain forecasts, rigid, and potentially harmful if they encourage short-term cost cutting. They may also create conflict between departments competing for limited funds.
预算可能耗时、依赖不确定的预测、缺乏弹性，若鼓励短期削减成本还可能带来危害。预算还可能引发部门之间争夺有限资金而产生的冲突。
In addition, using budgets as strict targets can lead to gaming behaviour, such as spending unused funds before the year ends to avoid future budget cuts. Managers may prioritise meeting budget targets over customer satisfaction or long-term investment.
此外，把预算当作硬性目标可能诱发博弈行为，例如在年底前花掉未用资金以免未来被削减预算。管理者可能优先完成预算目标，而忽视客户满意度或长期投资。
9. Exam-Style Worked Example | 考试型例题解析
Consider a business with a budgeted sales revenue of £250,000 and actual sales revenue of £230,000. The sales variance is:
假设某企业预算销售收入为 250,000 英镑，实际销售收入为 230,000 英镑。销售差异为：
Sales variance = £230,000 − £250,000 = −£20,000
The negative figure is an adverse variance of £20,000 because actual sales are below budget. Possible causes include lower demand, increased competition, poor pricing strategy or ineffective promotion.
该负数为 20,000 英镑不利差异，因为实际销售低于预算。可能原因包括需求下降、竞争加剧、定价策略不当或促销不力。
Now suppose budgeted direct material cost was £80,000 and actual cost was £74,000:
再假设预算直接材料成本为 80,000 英镑，实际成本为 74,000 英镑：
Material variance = £74,000 − £80,000 = −£6,000
Here the negative cost variance is favourable because spending is lower than planned. However, the business should investigate whether lower material cost has been achieved by using cheaper inputs that harm quality.
这里的负成本差异是有利的，因为支出低于计划。但企业应调查材料成本降低是否因使用了更便宜的投入品而损害了质量。
10. Key Terms Check | 关键术语自查
Use the following checklist to test your understanding before the exam:
考前用下面的自查清单检验你的理解：
- Budget — a financial plan for the future.
- Budgetary control — comparing actual performance with budget and taking action.
- Variance — difference between actual and budget.
- Favourable variance — better than budget.
- Adverse variance — worse than budget.
- Flexed budget — budget adjusted to actual output.
预算——未来的财务计划；预算控制——将实际业绩与预算比较并采取行动；差异——实际与预算之间的差额；有利差异——优于预算；不利差异——比预算差；弹性预算——按实际产量调整后的预算。
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