Nancy Tercek, the financial vice president, and Margaret Lilly, the controller, of Romine Manufacturing Company are reviewing the financial ratios of the company for the years 2020 and 2021. The financial vice president notes that the profit margin on sales ratio has increased from 6% to 12%, a hefty gain for the 2-year period. Tercek is in the process of issuing a media release that emphasizes the efficiency of Romine Manufacturing in controlling cost. Margaret Lilly knows that the difference in ratios is due primarily to an earlier company decision to reduce the estimates of warranty and bad debt expense for 2021. The controller, not sure of her supervisor's motives, hesitates to suggest to Tercek that the company's improvement is unrelated to efficiency in controlling cost. To complicate matters, the media release is scheduled in a few days. Instructions What, if any, is the ethical dilemma in this situation? Should Lilly, the controller, remain silent? Give reasons. What stakeholders might be affected by Tercek's media release? Give your opinion on the following statement and cite reasons: “Because Tercek, the vice president, is most directly responsible for the media release, Lilly has no real responsibility in this matter.”

Principles of Cost Accounting

17th Edition

ISBN:9781305087408

Author:Edward J. Vanderbeck, Maria R. Mitchell

Publisher:Edward J. Vanderbeck, Maria R. Mitchell

Chapter10: Cost Analysis For Management Decision Making

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 18E

See similar textbooks

Related questions

Question

Nancy Tercek, the financial vice president, and Margaret Lilly, the controller, of Romine Manufacturing Company are reviewing the financial ratios of the company for the years 2020 and 2021. The financial vice president notes that the profit margin on sales ratio has increased from 6% to 12%, a hefty gain for the 2-year period. Tercek is in the process of issuing a media release that emphasizes the efficiency of Romine Manufacturing in controlling cost. Margaret Lilly knows that the difference in ratios is due primarily to an earlier company decision to reduce the estimates of warranty and bad debt expense for 2021. The controller, not sure of her supervisor's motives, hesitates to suggest to Tercek that the company's improvement is unrelated to efficiency in controlling cost. To complicate matters, the media release is scheduled in a few days.

Instructions

What, if any, is the ethical dilemma in this situation?
Should Lilly, the controller, remain silent? Give reasons.
What stakeholders might be affected by Tercek's media release?
Give your opinion on the following statement and cite reasons: “Because Tercek, the vice president, is most directly responsible for the media release, Lilly has no real responsibility in this matter.”

Expert Solution

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

Step by step

Solved in 4 steps with 4 images

SEE SOLUTION Check out a sample Q&A here

Knowledge Booster

Learn more about

Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, accounting and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.