Break Even Analysis

DG has a current competitive advantage within its industry that is maintains through a unique cost-efficient approach. This low-cost structure is apparent through low inventories, low advertising costs, and location of stores in rural areas. Though profitable in the short-run, DG's current advantage is not

If the company decided to sell the new product at price of D.Cr. 8.20, that means the full fixed expense of 1.20 is covered and the company will make high profit. However, the selling price of D.Cr. 8.20 is very high and under this price the company will sell the new product at a lower volume than what the company planned sale volume in the budget and that will affect the company in the market as a strong competitor in the food manufacturing. According to the case, the company sales volume drop to 30 tons when the product was sold at the price of D.Cr. 8.2. Thus, my recommendation are as follows:

In the healthcare industry, services provided by the healthcare staff are converted mainly by the inputs such as: Doctors, nurses, hospitals, medical supplies, equipment and laboratories. The processing involved in the healthcare industry includes: examination, surgery, monitoring, medication, and therapy. The output of the mentioned process would of course be healthy patients (Operations Management, 2004, p.6). Healthcare workers have a higher degree of customer contacts, for the customers are our patients that we provide comprehensive care to. Services, such as providing healthcare have a variable amount of inputs for a specific case. For instance, a critical care patient may need several nurses that need to attend to all of the needs for that patients, whereas, a telemetry patient may only need one nurse to provide care for. The measurement of productivity in healthcare services is also more difficult than the manufacturing of goods. In healthcare, it is rather difficult to measure the productivity of healthcare providers because healthcare is not quantitative. Less inventory is needed on hand in providing services (Operations Management, 2004, p.6 & 7). The scope of operations management in healthcare requires several different activities performed. Forecasting in healthcare may include ordering sufficient amounts of flu vaccines half a year ahead of time

To guarantee that its members receive appropriate, high level quality care in a cost-effective manner, each managed care organization (MCO) tailors its networks according to the characteristics of the providers, consumers, and competitors in a specific market. Other considerations for creating the network are the managed care organization's own goals for quality, accessibility, cost savings, and member satisfaction. Strategic planning for networks is a continuing process. In addition to an initial evaluation of its markets and goals, the managed care organization must periodically reevaluate its target markets and objectives. After reviewing the markets, then the organization must

| Prospective Payment System (PPS) first began in 1980 with a small number of hospitals partitioned into three groups according to their budget positions---breakeven, surplus, and deficit--- prior to the imposition of DRG payment (Diagnosis- related group). The PPS as DRG’s had been designed to limit the share of hospital revenues derived from the Medicare program budget, and in spite of doubtful results in New Jersey, it was decided in 1983 to impose DRG’s on hospitals nationwide.

Health care cost has risen dramatically in the last decade. Health care plans have been forced to look at the quality of health care given by the providers so they can implement certain strategies to help reduce heath care costs. Managed Care describes a group of strategies that is looking to reducing the costs of health care for health insurance companies. (Kongstvedt 2007)

If more is produced when it comes to the budget, the fixed cost would be favorable. I believe that the each unit would lower cost when it comes to production in units. But since the total fixed overhead is extended over a huge amount of units, this will cause a lower production in unit. Lastly, it will increase the

Analyses used to collect the data were the profitability, break-even and utilization/volume. A dashboard analysis was also used. To analyze the profit of the organization over the next five years, profitability analysis was used with considering inflation rates for each item. Break-even analysis was used to compare the amount of additional visits per day if the clinic operated as-is to operating with the expansion of the new marketing program. The break-even analysis was also used to recognize the volume required to cover the costs of the marketing program. The dashboard analysis was then used to summarize all analyses used.

An organization such as the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS) is established to help Oregon hospitals understand how to best serve their unique communities, while continuing to reach state-wide goals. OAHHS currently has a primary goal of helping Oregon hospitals to reach the Triple Aim determined by healthcare reform: improving the quality of patient care and population health, while reducing the per capita costs. This type of organization completes ongoing analyses of their business, on a regular basis to ensure that they are communicating the most up-to-date information to the hospitals of their state. A SWOT analysis is one type on analysis that can help them to determine internal and external factors, including environmental and marketing challenges that may need addressed.

In this assignment, I will evaluate the reliability of break-even analysis in estimating budgeted activity levels for a selected organisation.

• At the maturity stage, the extra cost, although very small, can be a real disadvantage because during this period, the market becomes very competitive and many players enter the same field causing price to drop. Customers also become more price-sensitive. However, the benefit of better forecasting demands significantly helps lower the level of inventory.

The next step would be for management to know precisely how their decision to downsize capacity would impact the firm’s future operating costs, and also identify specific areas in which the firm could achieve additional cost reductions. Additionally, the cost analysis would help forecast the firm’s operating costs and projected profits (or losses) for the upcoming fiscal year. However, before we can proceed with such analysis, an examination of how the various categories of Continental’s costs behave is in order.

There will be a huge cost advantage for RLK from the start and hence this reduces risk that the company will face should the product fail to meet market demands.

DG experienced difficulties with inventories and real estate portfolio, due to its size and nature of business, however it recognized the problem, implemented the effective and adequate steps towards it resolution (some of these steps are made the results better than of competitors, see days

Danaher uses mainly a Cost Leader Strategy with a few qualities of Product Differentiation. Details of this can be found by looking at their DBS system. The system is designed to increase productivity and reduce costs. This gives them a learning curve and technological advantage. We will further discuss each of these advantages.