Relating Managerial Accounting Functions to Various Business Majors   Sales Human Resources Logistics Planning What are our expected sales for each product in each geographic region? How much should be budgeted for salaries and commissions for our salespeople? How much should we budget for salary and wage increases for the year? How much should we plan to spend on safety and training for the year? Should we invest in radio-frequency identification (RFID) processors to enable computer tracking of inventory? How much raw material should be ordered and delivered to ensure timely delivery of our finished products to our customers? Controlling Are we meeting expected sales growth in each region? Are each of the salespeople meeting their sales projections? Is our projected budget for wages and salaries sufficient? Are we meeting our safety and training goals? Are our products being delivered to our customers in a timely manner, and at what cost? Are we dealing with stock-outs in inventory? If so, what is that costing us? Evaluating How do our actual sales compare to our forecasted or budgeted sales? What sales promotions are our competitors offering, and what effect is it having on our market share? Would it be cheaper to hire temporary employees to get through our “busy” season or to pay our current employees for overtime? What are the cost differences in starting our own delivery service versus continuing to use other carriers? Should we outsource the manufacturing of a component part or continue to make it ourselves? What are the price differences? TP1.  LO 1.1Table 1.3 shows how different areas within the business world use the information from managerial accountants. Think of the ways that the events coordinator for the United Way (a nonprofit charitable organization) would use each area (planning, controlling, and evaluation). TP2.  LO 1.1There are individuals who are under the impression that managerial accounting provides services mainly for manufacturing organizations. Are they correct? Explain. TP3.  LO 1.3Think about the organization chart in Figure 1.7. Describe ways in which each of the accounting and managerial functions might overlap and complement each other. TP4.  LO 1.4Controversy tends to surround the topic of whistleblowers. For example, should they be considered heroes or traitors? Many pro-whistleblowing policies have been enacted by the federal government to allow these individuals to reap significant monetary rewards for coming forward and giving information about behaviors and actions such as corporate fraud and unethical deeds. Many corporate whistleblowers face negative consequences of their actions, such as reassignment, revenge, and hate crimes, and are seen as traitors (e.g., Edward Snowden and Gina Gray). Yet Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper were celebrated as heroes. Look up the stories of Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper. Why do you think that some whistleblowers are vilified and others made to be heroes?

LO 1.1Table 1.3 shows how different areas within the business world use the information from managerial accountants. Think of the ways that the events coordinator for the United Way (a nonprofit charitable organization) would use each area (planning, controlling, and evaluation).

LO 1.1There are individuals who are under the impression that managerial accounting provides services mainly for manufacturing organizations. Are they correct? Explain.

LO 1.3Think about the organization chart in Figure 1.7. Describe ways in which each of the accounting and managerial functions might overlap and complement each other.

LO 1.4Controversy tends to surround the topic of whistleblowers. For example, should they be considered heroes or traitors? Many pro-whistleblowing policies have been enacted by the federal government to allow these individuals to reap significant monetary rewards for coming forward and giving information about behaviors and actions such as corporate fraud and unethical deeds. Many corporate whistleblowers face negative consequences of their actions, such as reassignment, revenge, and hate crimes, and are seen as traitors (e.g., Edward Snowden and Gina Gray). Yet Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper were celebrated as heroes. Look up the stories of Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper. Why do you think that some whistleblowers are vilified and others made to be heroes?